Summer is a beautiful time that I absolutely cherish, especially living in Northern Michigan. The weather is beautiful, the sun is shining and there is plenty of fresh produce to be found. My summer weekends are often packed with activity on the water and in the sun. Its the simple things that make my weekend special. A 9 Bean Rows croissant and Higher Grounds Coffee while at the Farmers Market on a Saturday morning. An early morning run with my dog when the weather is still cool and the sun is rising. The calm, fresh water on my skin… simple, yet it means everything.
There’s nothing better than a free day from work (Sundays for me) when you’re productive, relaxed and the sun is shining. Here in Northern Michigan, it may be April but it certainly hasn’t looked like spring for some time. So when the sun peaks through the clouds I’ll make every excuse I can to get outside and soak it in.
Yesterday was exactly one of those days. By 6:00 PM I’d cleaned the house, gone out for a run, packed up the refrigerator with groceries, made a deliciously fresh salad and started up the grill for the first time this season. After the cold months of winter, its incredibly refreshing when the sun shines and the snow starts to melt; as I’m sure others may relate, the sun’s rays increase my productivity by at least 120%.
The salad I made was an extension of my productive day because I made enough to save and eat throughout the rest of the week. Lunch at the office is SO much better when it strays away from the ordinary turkey sandwich or $8+ lunch out. To me, homemade leftovers are the solution to the boring office eats.
Ingredients
3 large broccoli heads
5 radishes, cut in 3 and dice
2 tomatoes quartered and seeded than diced
1 apple peeled and diced
½ cup of red grapes, diced, drain the juice
1 cup green onions (5 green onions minus the white part) diced
1 cup medium carrot shredded
½ cup dried cranberries (optional, but highly recommended)
