Outside, we are nearing 95* today. My air conditioning cut off is generally 90* – and I do three cheers if we can make it until July 1 before turning the air on. As pleasant as a nice, cool, humidity-free room feels, Matt and I both prefer airflow, birds chirping and breezes. AC just feels artificial to me – because it is! Plus it costs $$$.
But on really hot days, I turn it on. And my gosh did it feel like night and day when I stepped on the porch for lunch!
I went to Cycle this morning for the first time in ages. It was a nice 50 minute spin – and I was sad to hear that it was my favorite instructor’s last class! After a steamy walk home, I sipped coconut water for a post-workout hydration + replenishment snack.
I also had the brilliant idea to pick lettuce before I showered – which meant no hungry trip to the garden was needed.
I made a salad with the usual dressing combo of honey and oil and salt plus tomatoes, sharp cheddar and some chicken that I defrosted from the freezer from some night’s dinner. Must do this more!
On the side – a few tiny pieces of Red, White + Blueberry bread with just a smidge of nut butter
And a nectarine!! SOOOOO GOOD! One of my all-time favorite fruits.
Such a fun summery lunch with a variety of flavors.
You know what’s funny? That the words “hot” and “cool” are still cool to say. You’d think like “rad” or “tubular” they would have gone out of style!
So, stay cool!
Sana says
I night sweat, so I keep the ac and the fan on!
Julie H. of Spinach and Sprinkles says
….It is warming here like crazy and I neeed the cooler air now. The baby makes this momma hot- for the first time in my life! Our nights haven’t been cooling off either- which is a total bummer- at 11:45 last night, it was still hot out and humid too!
Loving the fruit, it’s making me hungry!!!
The Mrs @ Success Along the Weigh says
Oh man, I can’t live without my A/C! I would love to have cross vent windows but our windows are north and south so we get NO breeze. But at my heaviest I had to set the A/C at 70 to be comfortable and now we can easily go up to 76. Hopefully with more gone I can eventually set it to 80. Enjoy your yummy lunch!
Annette @FitnessPerks says
Ahhh nectarines are SO good. Yours looks especially delicious!
Zoe says
We are having one of the worst summers
In England :-(. Few have air con anyway but even those whindonwont have needed it so far in 2012!
Jordan @ Bake Write Sleep says
I really love the way the red, white, and blue bread looks (I saw it first in the post before!). That’s a clever idea.
I would DIE if we didn’t use our AC. We have to just suck up the $$$ issue, because in Florida, summer starts in March and doesn’t end until October or November and the humidity is at like 199% right now =P Our electricity bill is high all the time and I try to keep it on 78 when I do turn it on, but dangggg – It’s just sooooo hot!
Laura C. says
I had to cave and turn my AC on already…. it’s already in the mid to upper 90’s by 9 am. Plus, MO has crazy humidity which makes it worse. 🙁
Side note, I stopped by my local Great Harvest (your blog was the last I read before heading out the door this morning so I was inspired lol) for lunch and it just made me sad that the owner’s aren’t like you and Matt. The food was good, but the service and the atmosphere of the store just gave off the impression that they just didn’t care. Plus, they never seem to try any new recipes and are almost always out of something (this was pretty early in the day too). Moral of the story, I’m so jealous I don’t live any where close to your store!
KathEats says
Awww bummer about the service
Susan H. @ The Food Allergy Chronicles says
My first day with the A/C on and I am already missing the sounds of birds, dogs and lawn mowers! Very thankful for it today though…just waiting for my last batch of cupcakes in the oven and then I move on to icing! (72 cupcakes in all…may do more…just in case!) Salad is the perfect hot day lunch! That ‘smidge’ of nut butter would never do for me…mine would have people saying, “Would you like a little more bread with that nut butter!” lol 🙂
Melissa @ HerGreenLife says
Your brilliant lettuce-picking timing also meant that you had better tasting lettuce. It tends to be bitter if picked during the heat of the day. If you’re growing lettuce and want a salad for lunch or dinner, it’s best to plan ahead and pick it first thing in the morning.
Diane says
I have no idea how you can keep your house that warm, though I understand the reasoning behind it. I am just not comfortable and can’t sleep past 78 degree. Are you planning on turning on the AC once baby is here? The “experts” say to keep a baby’s room 68 to 72 degrees but that is too chilly for me. So we keep the downstairs where we all sleep around 75 degrees at night.
KathEats says
Probably yes, we can suffer heat, but if its 80* inside that might be too much for a little body
Patty says
I think a nectarine is all I can handle for dinner tonight. Too hot to eat! And that nectarine looks pretty fantastic.
Caroline @ After Dinner Dance says
Wow you are a trooper! I’ve had my AC on in New Hampshire, at least at night, for a couple months now. I like it no warmer than 68 when I sleep and I love the feeling and noise of AC. I guess that’s what I get for growing up in Houston! I could never not have AC on when it’s over 85…probably 80 though.
Kelly says
I’m with you guys and A/C, I like fresh air. Luckily I have a good cross breeze, plus my bedroom is in the basement so it is automatically cooler. I only turn my air on for very humid days because I don’t think my dog does as good with the heat as I do.
Roxanne says
You said “You know what’s funny? That the words “hot” and “cool” are still cool to say. You’d think like “rad” or “tubular” they would have gone out of style!”
That’s because they are “real” words… LOL
Hope the heat doesn’t get too much for you at night for sleeping.
Molly @ RDexposed says
I’m not minding himidity this year. I think your positivity about it has rubbed off on me.
Khushboo says
Sorry environment but ACs are a necessity in the summer!
Jay says
amen sista!
ashlynn says
Being from Georgia and now living in central Florida, I can’t live without air conditioning. The thought of being somewhere without it makes me nervous. Got to have it! I hate feeling sticky.
Angela @ Eat Spin Run Repeat says
I’m not a huge fan of AC either because I always find it to be TOO cold, but this year I had to cave and get ours on at the beginning of June. We discovered at that time that it was broken (just our luck – on a scorcher of a day!) but now, 2 weeks later, we’re up and running again. Just in time! 🙂
marge says
Lunch looks so refreshing.
Question, I have notice you are not using chia seed on things. Any particular reason you stopped?
KathEats says
You are the second person to ask me this!? I had them this morning in my overnight oats!
Ashley @ Hudson on the Potomac says
It’s SO hot here today! Kudos to you for keeping the AC off until you really need it. I try to keep it off and do windows, but once we get in the mid 70’s I need it on. I can’t do my hair for work without it! I’m a sweaty mess with no air and a hairdryer!
Claire @ Live and Love to Eat says
No central air installed in our house yet – we thankfully have a window unit in the bedroom!
Kristi says
We lived in Honduras for 2 years with no AC. During the hottest months the temps were in triple digits 24/7!!! I won’t lie and say that we weren’t miserable sometimes but I did come to find AC too harsh and artificial. Unfortunately our current place doesn’t have ceiling fans so we have to rely on AC occasionally to circulate air but I agree that breeze is best!
Lynn @ the actor's diet says
I’m bringing tubular back!
Ashley @ Coffee Cake and Cardio says
That’s the perfect first day of summer lunch!
Cait's Plate says
I’m with you – I try to resist the AC as much as possible but when the temps really get up there, there’s nothing better than walking in from outside and feeling a world of difference!
SueP says
I think it’s so funny that every time a new fruit is in season, you say it’s your favorite! 🙂
(or ‘one of my favorites’) Must be that seasonal fresh fruit is ALWAYS good!
Christina says
I have to agree, nectarine’s are one of my top 3 fruits!! LOVE it!
Averie @ Averie Cooks says
when a nectarine is perfect, it’s truly PERFECT. And that one looks like it is!
I can’t even believe how hot it is there…it’s like 69F and with a strong breeze here. I wear a hoodie for my early morning runs!
Katie @wishandwhimsy says
I totally am in 100% on par with you about airconditioning. I’d rather enjoy seasons and weather as nature makes it. (Plus, not using it saves a bundle in my budget!)
j3nn says
I don’t know how you practice such AC restraint! We put ours on as soon as it hits like 75F outside, ha! 😀
Angel7 says
I know that air conditioning is somewhat artificial, but we are so used to it that it is almost like we cannot live without it in the hot days of summer. Plus, my husband’s job requires him to be outside all day, so it is refreshing for him to come home to a cool house.
http://faithfulsolutions.blogspot.com/
jeanette says
Lol, I still say “rad”! I get a lot of flack from my friends and family but thats why I keep using it 🙂
Lisa (bakebikeblog) says
oooh love nectarines!!!
Alicia says
That is great that you are able to keep the air off until the temperature hits 90! I kept wondering why your coconut oil was liquidy in the Summer and mine wasn’t. 😉
I get heat exhaustion very easily. At my golf lesson this week, it was only 85 out and not terribly humid, and I blacked out. This has been happening to me since I was a small child. Not a dehydration thing, but a heat thing. I truly wish I was able to enjoy the heat!
Nancy says
totally agree with the air conditioning – we hold off as long as possible which isn’t always easy in Texas! Depends on what we are doing, but we often wait until it is at least 84 in the house before turning it on to 79 degrees. First chance I get if I wake up during the night is to flip it off and open the windows.
Chantal says
Every time you write on Wednesday that you went to cycle class, I think, “me too!” and then wonder why I don’t remember that this happens every week.
My favorite instructor (well, the only one I’ve ever been to, but I LOVE her) also just taught her last class for us last week! I feel like we are cycle class twins!
Dominique says
Here in Toronto it was 41C with the humidity or the equivalent of 105F. Yesterday it was even hotter–43C. This is my first summer with AC so I’m cranking it like crazy since I went 29 years without. I like it really cold so our condo is currently 68 but yesterday it was 66. I thank my lucky stars that AC is included in our rent.
Liz @ Virginia Bloggers says
I cannot believe how hot it’s been! I’ve been drinking water like it’s my job!
Micky says
Oh gosh, I can’t be in a warm house! I grew up in Florida (still live there) and I actually hate the heat. I have a system for the temp in my house. When I go to work during the day I put it on 77 or else it is too hot when I get home and takes too long to cool off. When I get home from work, it goes down to 73. Right before I go to bed I turn it down to 67. Perfect temp for sleeping! I love to be under the covers while the house is nice and cold!
Elisabeth says
I have the same thermostat…only set lower than yours…ha! It’s been 98 degrees for two days now (Ohio) & I love some AC. Ours is usually set on about 72 and our central air is very good about keeping the house exactly what it’s set on. I work 3rd shift & sleep during the day, so I definitely need it cool in there during the summer! I enjoy the hot weather, but when I’m inside I like it cool & humidity-free 😉
Fran@ Broken Cookies Don't Count says
I Love nectarines, one of my favorite fruits!
Sandy says
Hate air conditioning and I would live without it all summer as I grew up that way. I feel so trapped when it is on and don’t feel like I am getting summer which is my favorite season. I have to turn it on when we have company and we had our granddaughter and son and d-i-l last weekend when it was in the 90s. I just stay outside at the pool all day, eat meals outside and close my bedroom off so I can sleep with my windows open. My kids all did fine as babies without having the air on but now they live with it in their own homes so I feel obligated to turn it on for them here.
Jeri says
My kids are on their own tonight because I think I want a salad like that. I have some boston lettuce, cranberries (in the freezer), leftover chicken and a little bit of block cheese left. I’m trying to start eating leftovers more often since I am cooking more.
S/N: How would you use bananas that are getting old? Besides oatmeal.
KathEats says
Freeze them!
Anne says
Well I just don’t care anymore! I have a child with special needs and she can’t tolerate high heat. I can’t tolerate if because I am on medication (which I am going to get off of!). It is suppose to be 100 degrees here tomorrow. YUCK! I want to move back to Colorado desperately!
Lexi @ You, Me, & A World to See says
I can never decide which I like better–nectarines or peaches! Guess I’ll just have to have both 😉