I think I reached a whole new level of cool last night…
You know you’re super cheap cool when you go to eat at Panera (aka they already have soups/sandwiches/salads) and you bring your own salad…
Please don’t think any less of me.
We have so much produce in our house right now and I really don’t want it to go to waste. So I packed up a simple veggie salad topped with some dried cranberries, sunflower seeds, and hommus. It was just as good as Panera.
To accompany my smuggled in salad, I ordered myself a strawberry smoothie, which I got for free thanks to my MyPanera card.
I obviously got all gussied up to go out…
And of course, I can’t hit up Panera without getting some of their amazing baguette…which I also got for free because I’m super awesome. Either that, or I just buttered up my cashier enough.
Free dinner? Check!
Time spent with Heather, my BFF from kindergarten, whose little baby bump grew like crazy in a month and a half? Check! Would you guys believe she’s not due until October? Goodness gracious…
I think that little Logan is going to have some meat on his bones Ms. Heather!
*******
After dinner, I headed down to watch the boys at their softball game. Once I got there, I was quite surprised to see hubby on the mound…pitching! He’s usually an outfielder, and even though they lost, I was still a proud wifey.
During the game, I chatted away with the other fans in the stands, and the players on the bench…aka, my dad.
Would you believe that on Wednesday it was over 90 degrees and I was sweating bullets? The weather has dropped 30+ degrees, and I froze my tush off last night. Two sweatshirts and a blanket…still chilly.
Hopefully today is a little warmer!
********
Breakfast
This morning, I woke up with one thing on my mind…
Banana muffins topped with peanut butter. Ohhhhhh yes. I went sans chocolate chips this morning, but I’m sure one of those will make an appearance later on.
And as much as I would have loved just stuffing my face with muffins, I knew I needed a little something else, so I paired it up with a small cereal combo bowl.
Kashi Heart to Heart + Golden Goodness + banana slices + vanilla almond milk. All, of course, with an iced coffee.
I’ve got lots on my agenda today, including some more baking…time to get movin’!
Question for the Morning:
Do you still keep in touch with many friends from your early childhood?
Jessica @ Bright-Eyes & Bushy-Tales says
Just a few good ones! :) I only wish they lived closer, but at least when we get together, it’s like we haven’t missed a beat. The banana muffin looks delish!
samantha @ fresh n fit says
Those muffins seem delissssh<3 and no judgement for bringing in food to Panera! One time I got a half salad and a drink [that's it!] and it cost me $12! Way to save yo caaashmoney(:
I just graduated from high school, but I've gone to the same school for the last 15 years along with like 35 other kids in my class — all I had to do to "stay in touch" was actually show up to class!
Tanya @ Sunday Baker says
I always sneak my own salad dressings/cottage cheese/tuna when I go out to eat. My husband used to think I was nuts! Those banana muffins with pb looks sooo good. Two of my favorite things!
Claire @ Live and Love to Eat says
My best friend since 2nd grade will be my maid of honor at my wedding in September. We went to different highschools and colleges, but she will always be my closest friend!
Danica says
I keep in touch with a few friends from growing up…i really don’t talk to them much, but we get together whenever we’re all “home” for the holidays. catching up with them is always really fun : )
Liv @ The Salty n' Sweet says
HAH! I would totally brings a salad to panera if I could resist their amazing creations. How is their smoothie? I’ve been tempted to try one, but always thought it’d be too sweet.
Yea, it strangely turned chilly yesterday, but I love it! I really needed a break from that humidity…
Courtney says
It’s a little sweet, but actually not as much as I was expecting. It was pretty good! I’d get it again :)
Cute~Ella says
Yep, I’m still in frequent touch with many of them. We come from a small town and it’s just the way it is. I was actually the “Something Old” at one of their weddings last summer because other than her parents, I was the person she’s known the longest and her “Oldest” friend.
Courtney says
Oh gosh! Haha…I’ve never heard of such a thing!
Jamie aka "Sometimes Healthy Living Girl" says
I actually don’t like Panera’s salads very much, so I think bringing your own is very acceptable. And the smoothie looked great!
I do keep in touch with high school friends. I have three very close friends from high school who mean the world to me! Not a day goes by where i don’t gchat and talk on the phone with them. Last night, I skipped my workout to walk home from work/talk to one of them – Becca is a new mommy (baby brody is 1 year old) and our schedules are VERY different. So skipping the workout was totally worth it :-)
Blog is the New Black says
Love that you were stealth and snuck your salad in! Hehe.
Brittany (A Healthy Slice of Life) says
What a crazy temp change!
I do still keep in touch with some friends from kindergarten, and even still have a best friend I’ve known since 7th grade. I love having friends that we’ve seen each other through everything :)
Ari@ThE DiVa DiSh says
I am totally DOWN with Free anything! That being said, I would be right next to you eating my salad..and without a panera card I would totally get the free water :)
AND yummy muffins. PB & Banana are such a delicious combo!
I don’t keep track of too many people, but some I do! We don’t see each other much, but when we do it’s fun!
Melissa says
Funny that you asked this today because I was just thinking that many of my close friends are the ones I had growing up. One of my best friends is someone I have known since first grade! She’s getting married this summer and I’m so excited to stand up in her wedding and share in the experience with her. I love making new friends, but old friends are pretty special.
Kayleigh says
Sounds like you had an awesome day!
With facebook it is definitely easier to keep in touch with people from your early childhood (I’m talking preschool and elementary school), but I find myself generally not :/
Maybe when I’m older (I’m only 19) I’ll reach out…
but I’m still very much in contact with my high school friends and I intend on keeping in touch with them throughout my life.
Chad @ thebreakupnote says
Your whole blog makes my mouth water ahhh
I love that you have lots of prduce… it’s definitely a good thing!
Courtney says
Absolutely!
Krissie J says
I’ve brought my own lunch to the KOP mall food court. We are of similar mind. ;)
I’m heading up to NYC next weekend to see my BFF from grade school (I’ve known her since we were six). We haven’t seen each other in 14 years when I went off to a different high school then moved 3 states away. Very excited and nervous!
Sarah says
Love my childhood friends! Definitely still keep in touch, although it gets harder each year.
Strange, but I thought of you this morning while I mixed up some PB2 (your recommendation was the reason I ordered). Mixed in some cinnamon and raisins. ALMOST as good as PB& Co.
Courtney says
What a fantastic idea!! I’ll have to try that :)
Jess@atasteofconfidence says
My closest friends are definitely my childhood ones. It gets harder as people move away, though!
Colleen @ The Lunchbox Diaries says
I love that free dinner! My two maids of honor have been my friends since birth!
Caitlin @ Southern Curls & Pearls says
I love that you brought your own salad to Panera! How resourceful :) And I wish it would drop thirty degrees where I live, it has been so hot lately I don’t even want to go outside!
Brittany says
Panera used to have little stamp cards that you got stamped each time you bought a specialty drink or a box of bagels and when you got 10 stamps the next one was free…. they had to discontinue them about 3 years ago though because “someone” (my exboyfriend, we both worked there) was stamping them and selling them on ebay… haha. I guess the new cards are a bit more high tech and a bit more fraud proof… note that he’s the EX. :)
Courtney says
HAHAHA…nooo way!!!
Courtney @ The Granola Chronicles says
A smuggled salad! Hah, I love it! :)
Enjoy your Friday, Courtney.
kristen says
I am still friends with Kim, who I have known since preschool. That is 20 years! crazy how you can meet life long friends so young!
Mariana says
I see my childhood friends almost every month :)
Mandee says
LOL @ the salad! Last weekend I was down the shore, and we had gone to dunkin for coffee… Then decided we wanted food. So we go to this breakfast place my friend and her mother go to at least once a week… It was about 95 degrees so we weren’t about to leave our coffees in the car soooooooo we brought them in with us. Well neither the host nor the waitress cared, they even joked about it but then right before we orsered some other woman comes over and pretty much scolded us in front of the restaurant telling us we were breaking the law, which I honestly did not know we were doing. I was not only embarassed but totally annoyed! She should have come over after our meal and done it more quietly. If it was just me I would have left, but what can ya do. So yeah… Never again will I byocoffee!
Courtney says
Wow! Talk about pushy…sheesh!
chelsey @ clean eating chelsey says
That is going to be one big baby! :)
My best friend has been my best friend since I was in preschool!
Tara says
I think i keep in contact with one. And we get together once or twice a year.
Ruthie Hart says
hey girl you should never be ashamed of saving money!! I pretty much buy all the restaurant Groupons for our town and I have a stack of different coupons for $10 off different places. Each dollar adds up!!!
Katherine says
I got myself a Panera card a couple of months ago and love it. When I am at school I go to Panera all the time so my rewards add up, nothing like a free drink or free pastry!
Tori (Fresh Fruition) says
Yummy muffins! And the weather is all over the place all over the country! It’s crazy!
Mac says
I have completely lost touch with all of my friends from my early childhood :( I moved when I was 10 and wrote to a couple of them like pen pals for a little while, but then we lost touch and they moved. I have even tried finding them on facebook, but I have had no luck, I know I’m a creeper!
Khushboo says
Consider that meal as your good deed for the planet- better in your belly than the trash! I love your brekkie: banAna overload :)
Kaitlyn says
i love that basic banana muffins recipe of yours!!
i had a lot of fun the last time i made them. i topped some with chopped walnuts, mixed choc chips in some, etc. i pretty much took requests from everyone in my family for their favorite haha.
…and of course, when i ate one, i topped it with peanut butter exactly like you did! perfecttt combo :]
off to checkout out your recipe page for an easy cupcake recipe for my grandma’s birthday!
Courtney says
What a great idea with the muffins!! Yum :)
Hope you find a winning cupcake!