Weekly Menu Round-Up: January 24-30

On the daily – well, at least when I cook – I post on Instagram (follow my @_thepinkchickadee) the meals that I cook on my stories. About two weeks ago, I got my first-ever Hello Fresh box and have been LOVING it ever since I started. Just like last week’s menu, this week’s menu is ALL things Hello Fresh (read last week’s menu here!). Now, let’s get into the menu!!

Meal 1: Steakhouse Mushroom Salad. This is a vegetarian salad dish that is notoriously for its great pairing with steak. Although I am mostly on a pescatarian diet (I eat other meats on occasion), I am very excited about this veggie packed salad and will be pairing it with foil baked shrimp and Air Fryer baked potatoes along with sea salt and melted butter. I am most definitely making this recipe into my own meal that screams Katie, but without the steak (though, I will say that I eat steak on very rare occasions)!

Meal 2: One Pan Trattoria Tortellini Bake. I have always loved a good pasta bake; I mean, who doesn’t?! The best part about this pasta bake is that the tortellini is made from a wheat base and is portioned to only two servings, so I get that pasta greatness and deliciousness but within moderation. I plan to serve this delicious creation with a Giant grocery store-branded Caesar salad that I tried and LOVED last week.

Meal 3: Crunchy Curried Chickpea Bowls. This dish reminds me of a veggie bowl at Cava but make it home cooked! Personally, I have always loved Cava – it is healthy and low calorie compared to the rest of the takeout world’s dishes yet it’s still just as great as the rest of the takeout world. I usually get a side of naan when I go to Cava, so I plan to eat this Cave-Like veggie bowl with toasted garlic naan.

Meal 4: Trout in Dijon Sauce with Balsamic Greens, Walnuts and Grapes PLUS Garlic Bread. This dish feels fancy restaurant good but healthy and well-balanced. Initially, this dish had pork as its protein, but I was able to swap it out for trout which I am *VERY* excited about! I am always down to try a delicious-looking seafood dish like this one and I am super excited to do so.

Meal 5: Proscuitto Caprese Sandwiches with Pesto Mayo. I LOVED getting to try the Pesto Caprese Sandwiches with Almond-Studded Green Salad last week (I am STILL craving that salad!), so I am super excited to get to try this similar variation of last week’s dish. Just like last week’s sandwiches, they are also on a ciabatta roll, which I think is perfect for Caprese-like sandwiches. Through it all, I am able to get a simple taste of Italy (I studied abroad in Tuscany in June 2018) while at home and probably working while I eat it!

Meal 6: Garlic Bread & Sweet Kale Salad. My Mom always bought and served the sweet kale salad from Costco and I LOVE it. So, I am excited to try Hello Fresh’s Sweet Kale Salad, too. Needless to say, I am ALWAYS looking for a delicious Sweet Kale Salad to try! Sweet Kale Salads are healthy, sweet, and delicious in all different ways. I plan to serve it with crab cakes, since I love how it balances out the sweetness of the salad.

Here’s to another great week with even greater meals!!

XOXO – Katie <3

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Weekly Menu Round-Up: January 17-21

I haven’t done a weekly menu in a while, so I feel that it is time for another! Coincidentally, this is the first time that I am crafting a weekly menu based off of the meals that I get via Hello Fresh. Just last week, I had my first week of Hello Fresh (I get my box every Monday and order 4 meals for 2 people/week in case you’re wondering!) and for the foreseen future will continue to keep my subscription going strong. This week’s menu includes mostly Hello Fresh meals with menu items curated surrounding them. Now, let’s get our taste buds craving something yummy!!

Meal 1: Frijoles Fresca Bowls with Tomato and Pepper Jack. I am REALLY excited about this meal! It is noted as a Hall of Fame recipe on Hello Fresh, and I am super excited to try it. Essentially, to me, it feels like a healthier version of a Chipotle’s vegetarian version of their burrito bowls aka my staple order there. Along with my vegetarian burrito bowl, I ALWAYS order chips at Chipotle to use the bowl as its dip. So, I am doing the same with this recipe using Wegman’s-branded tortilla chips.

Meal 2: Blackened Salmon Penne with Charred Poblano and Monterey Jack Cheese. This is a recipe that I would have NEVER thought to have made this on my own and even think of such a delicious sounding meal! So, when I saw this magnificent creation, I knew that I needed to try it. I will probably serve this pasta on its own or with some leftover tortilla chips.

Meal 3: Creamy Ricotta Tomato Ravioli with Kale and Lemony Tuscan Sauce. I have always LOVED pasta, so whenever I see a vegetarian pasta recipe pop up as a potential meal for me on Hello Fresh, then I WILL 9 times out of 10 add it to my meal plan. What I LOVE about this recipe is that I get ALLLL the benefits of a delicious pasta dish, but with NONE of the health-wise guilt that typical pasta dishes bring me. I plan to serve this dish with a side salad, too!

Meal 4: Mustard Soy Salmon with Pickled Scallions, Ginger Rice, and Zesty Carrots. Personally, salmon has always been one of my all-time favorite fishes. I am, in fact, a HUGE fish fan, but salmon is a very very dear favorite of mine. So, this recipe was a must-try for me. It added that Asian cuisine feel to me, but with all of the benefits of a healthy meal.

Meal 5: Pesto Caprese Sandwiches with Almond-Studded Green Salad. Ever since I studied abroad in Tuscany, Italy, I have missed enjoying Caprese sandwiches in general, as it was indeed a staple of my diet then. I LOVE that this recipe gives all of the healthy benefits with a simple taste of Italy right here in Northern Virginia, especially with the side salad that it comes with.

Meal 6: Grilled Cheese with Truffle Butter and Wegman’s’ freshly made Chicken Noodle Soup or Tomato Bisque. A comfort food at its finest – enough said!

This week’s menu has me super uber-excited. Here’s to eating healthy AND enjoying what I eat, too!

XOXO – Katie <3

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How I Have Saved While Grocery Shopping

Groceries can be such a cash cow! Especially when we feel tempted to add different food items to our carts, grocery bills can easily rack up pretty fast. From my own experiences, I have spent a lot of unnecessary expenses on groceries. However, over time, I have saved my dollars on groceries, which has been a game changer for me! Today, I am sharing how I have saved while shopping for groceries.

Delivery/Pick Up Service

I have used Instacart since the pandemic began for my groceries. Through using Instacart, I have saved so much money on getting groceries. Although Instacart may appear as more expensive with the additional delivery, service, and tip fees, I have been able to actually save more. I have been known to be an impulse buyer, especially with items on sale or at a great price at the grocery store. With a delivery service such as Instacart, I have been able to choose the items that I need for the week and only the week. I have been able to use the ~$10 in fees to compensate for the lack of $15+ in impulse buys that aren’t used weekly. Services like Hello Fresh that pre-prepare your meals for you are also great ways to save and have your and your family’s meals ready at your doorstep.

No Name Brand Items

I strive to shop the generic brand items at the grocery store where I can. While I do have some name brand grocery items that I purchase regularly and will continue to do so, I buy mostly generic brand items. Some of the name brand grocery items that I will not turn back on include: Polly-O string cheese, Bai, Boboli pizza (a childhood favorite of mine), California Pizza Kitchen’s frozen Margherita pizza, Barefoot Wine, Bagel Bites, Fa!rlife Milk, and Crystal Light. We all have our own preferred name brand products, and definitely do not skimp on getting those if you enjoy them. On the same token, basic items such as flour, sugar, spices, pasta, and eggs can easily be bought from generic brands. I also switched my K-Cups from Starbucks to the generic store brands and have, in fact, liked the store brands better than the Starbucks brand; my wallet does too. Unless the product is something that tastes weird or does not do its job, then getting the generic brand is definitely the way to go!

Frozen Vegetables Over Fresh

My mother told me this snippet if advice a long while back, and I have sworn by it since! The snippet is to purchase frozen vegetables over fresh. You can heat up the frozen vegetables in the microwave and cook them, accordingly. The frozen veggies can also be healthier in a way, too. In fact, as someone who loves to roast vegetables, I have found the frozen veggies microwaved to taste just the same as the fresh. At the same time, I have also saved a bunch of time on cooking, as frozen vegetables come pre-chopped, especially when chopping recipes that require the dreaded chopping of the onion. Lastly, frozen vegetables can stay in your fridge for quit a while. The same can go for fruits, too!!!

Shop at Lidl and Aldi

Recently, I have discovered the beauty of Lidl and Aldi! Both stores have amazing deals on great food items. While not all items are not the best to get at Lidl and Aldi such as wine, there are some pretty great items and even name brand products at an extraordinary price. I have saved so much money by shopping at Lidl and Aldi, especially for staple items. The best way to check out Lidl and/or Aldi, is to check the aisles out for yourself! Trust me, you will spend a lot less on what you need plus/minus some!!!

Plan Your Meals!

Whether you use delivery services like Hello Fresh or primarily stock up at the grocery store, planning your meals are an effective way to save some money. My Aunt April told me this amazing tip that stuck with me for four years now – to limit your grocery store trips to once a week if that. Similarly, my Aunt April plans her meals for the week and my cousins’ snacks, so she only gets what she needs during her weekly grocery trips. Especially with using delivery services, shopping only once a week or every other week, I can save some cash on fees, too. That way, you can save your time AND money!!!

Go to Name Brand Stores and Wholesale Stores Once a Month/Few Months

Some of the name brand and wholesale grocery stores that I can think of, including Costco, Target, Wegman’s, Whole Foods, BJ’s, and Trader Joe’s, sell similar groceries at a much heftier price tag than others. Like many others, I love a fun trip to Wegman’s or Trader Joe’s for groceries, but it comes at a much heftier price tag than others. So, going to one of those grocery stores once each month or few months, will allow you to solely stock up on what you need/enjoy from there and save it for a given period of time. My mother goes to Costco once a month to get protein and snacks for the month, which saves her a bunch of money and our whole family and plans meals with each protein for the month, accordingly. That way, we can all save and buy less at the grocery store each week/every few weeks.

Grocery shopping can add up, especially really quickly. However, when you make a few changes to your shopping regime, then you are able to save a bunch of money on those hefty bills!!!

HAPPY SAVING!!!

XOXO – Katie <3

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