Today, leftover ribs and two LARGE salads. It's finally produce season.

One store had Fresh Express, BOGO, and I had 2 $2 on one coupons...so 50 cents or so a pack. Safeway had O organic carrots BOGO, and a $1 coupon on any O, so again, fairly cheap.

I like BIG salads...so one bag of Fresh Express makes two salads. I make up the salads first thing in the morning: if I wait until the end of the day I'm always tired and that is how we waste POUNDS of food each year.

So, two giant bowls of baby greens, I grated the carrots, saving several zip bags full for future use...if I don't use them for salads this week I'll freeze them for muffins later.

Toss in some leftover corn...I prefer it off the cob, but wrong season. Add some olives from the pantry stockpile, some grape tomatoes (one splurge, but bulk at Costco wasn't bad), some fresh mushrooms (sale), some Kraft crumbles (sale, coupon, 50 cents for the bag).

A bit of South Beach ranch dressing -- never tried it, but it was also BOGO and coupon meant less than 50 cents for the bottle. Although I've broken DH down to a healthier level (his cholesterol was 250 when we got married!), he still believes lettuce is just the carrier for dressing. So, come summer, we pour through it (with apologies for the pun).

Crunched up a tiny bag of Doritos, some promotion, to sprinkle on top...and we've got us a salad!

I'd usually put in a bit of protein, but we have the ribs, and some broiled bread, to eat.

Tomorrow, maybe a spinach salad or a greek salad...got to stay on top of the produce.

My secret for keeping bulk mushrooms fresh...add a paper towel to the tub and reseal with plastic wrap. I know, that's not supposed to work. But it does...allows the mushrooms to "breathe" but not shrivel or get slimy.

So, that's my cheap but healthy salad meal.

Now...the weather has turned...no longer rainy, but windy. Should make for an interesting day with the mulch!