This week we tried out Hello Fresh for the first time. I would have to rate the experience 9.5/10 so far. It is convenient, different, and gives us an activity to do. We are starting off with 3 meals a week for 2 people which averages out to $62 a week. At the end of the day it is not a lot cheaper than our regular weekly meals, but we are enjoying trying out new recipes that we wouldn’t have without Hello Fresh.

Creamy Parmesan Chicken Spaghetti

This was my favorite! It had such a mixture of flavor and I loved the roasted tomatoes. Not sure how I have gone this long in life without eating roasted tomatoes as a snack. Just pop them in the oven at 400 degrees for 25 minutes with some olive oil, sea salt, and pepper. They were so simple yet so delicious. 10 out of 10 meal!

BBQ Pork Burger

This was a yummy & hearty meal (also hard to photograph so excuse the picture). I don’t think I have ever had a pork patty burger and was excited to try it. We really enjoyed making restaurant style fries at home and paired this meal with a cold beer – Hello Fresh advertising made us do it lol.

Firecracker Meatballs

This one was Richy’s favorite meal. From the Korean Chili Flakes to the roasted carrots it was a mouth full of spice. Making the Firecracker sauce was my speciality for this one. It was filled with the most random ingredients that made such a fantastic flavor – mayo, sour cream, honey, soy sauce, and sriracha.

We are excited to try out week 2 and I will keep y’all updated. For our original box we did the meat + vegetable category, but we have switched over to the low calorie plan so the upcoming meals will be more on the healthy side of things. If you want to try Hello Fresh, use this code to get $40 off your first order!

-oxox Danielle

It is a hot Summer which means you need some cool snacks. These 3 quick recipes are the snacks Richy and I live off of during these work from home weekdays and tanning by the pool weekends. They are light, slightly healthy, and filled with flavor. Anyone can make these – give them a try or modify them to your taste!

Caprese

Ingredients – Basil, Mozzarella, Balsamic Vinaigrette, Grape Tomatoes

Instructions – Cut the grape tomatoes in half, cut the mozzarella into chunks (or if you bought the mozzarella balls in water, cut them in half), rip off some basil shreds and add them to the mixture, and drizzle the balsamic vinaigrette on top – all in one bowl. Sometimes if we are extra fancy I will add some pink Himalayan sea salt on top. Pro Tip: If you make this frequently, owning a basil plant will come in handy (ours is from Trader Joe’s) and save you some money.

Watermelon Feta

Ingredients – Watermelon, Feta, Mint, Salt

Instructions – Cut your watermelon into whatever shape your heart desires (balls, spears, or chunks), sprinkle some feta all over, and rip off some slices of mint. Sprinkle some pink Himalayan sea salt on top and there you have a quick and tasty treat!

Mini Chicken Pesto Naan Pizza

Ingredients – Naan Bread, Spinach, Chicken, Mushrooms, Pesto, Parmesan, Mozzarella, Onion

Instructions – Start by sautéing the mushrooms and onion mixture. While that is on the stove top, spread a layer of pesto all over the Naan and top with chunks on chicken. I typically get the rotisserie chicken from HEB or Costco and pull off the white meat pieces and cut them into chunks. Shred some parmesan, chop up the spinach, and cut the mozzarella into pieces. Then spread your mushroom and onion mixture on top and add on the spinach and cheeses. Place it in the oven at 400 degrees for 12 minutes, and switch the setting to broil for the last 30 seconds. A quick and filling lunch or snack – shoutout to my mom for the recipe!

Let me know if you try these & what Summer recipes are your go to!

-oxox Danielle

I try to meal prep as best as I can, but with quarantine being the current norm I can settle for something quick but not in a glass container. I try to keep our meals high in protein, low in calories, and most importantly simple. Here is is this week’s menu.

Breakfast – Avocado Egg in Hole

Ingredients – Avocado, Egg, Bacon, Colby Jack Cheese, Salt & Pepper, Hot Sauce

Instructions – The name speaks for itself. Cut the avocado in half, remove the pit, scoop out a little to make a wider space for the egg (but not much), crack the egg into the hole, and bake for 15 minutes at 400 degrees. Pull the avocado out, sprinkle some sea salt & pepper, crumble a piece of bacon, and drizzle some hot sauce. Quick & easy and only 257 calories with 77% coming from a healthy fat.

Lunch – Deli Wrap

Ingredients – Spinach tortilla wrap, a dip/spread (I either use chive cream cheese or La Terra Fina spinach artichoke parmesan dip), deli turkey, deli cheese (I use provolone), romaine hearts, thin sliced tomatoes, bacon, and salt/pepper/seasoning.

Instructions – This one is my go to simple lunch. All you have to do is lay out the wrap, spread your dip, and cover the wrap with all the other ingredients. Then tightly roll up the wrap and make pinwheel slices. My favorite part is sprinkling the “everything but the bagel” seasoning from Trader Joe’s. This wrap takes 5 minutes and is beyond tasty.

Dinner – Grilled Salmon with Pineapple Mango Jalapeño Marinade & Sweet Potato

Ingredients – Salmon filet, marinade (mine is the 505 Southwestern Pineapple Mango Jalapeño), seasoning (I use Uncle Chris), salt, cinnamon, and sweet potatoes.

Instructions – This one is a savory but healthy dinner. We typically purchase the fresh cut Costco salmon, but due to shipping shortages we settled for their frozen filets and they turned out great. Put the sweet potatoes in the oven at 450 for 55 minutes and then take the seasoned salmon to the grill and cook to your liking. Cut the cooked sweet potatoes open and sprinkle some Himalayan salt & cinnamon and even brown sugar if you are feeling fancy. Once the salmon is finished grilling, top it off with the marinade and your meal is complete!

Snack – Grilled Pineapple with cinnamon

Ingredients – Pineapple & Cinnamon

Instructions – Cut the pineapple into spears, sprinkle cinnamon on top, and grill each one until it is a golden brown. This is a snack Richy started making and now I eat 24/7. It is sweet and such a “dessert” like treat.

I try to switch it up every week, so stay tuned for the next healthy & quick menu.

-oxox Danielle

A wild Saturday night to me is going to Trader Joe’s, splurging on charcuterie items, and designing a aesthetically pleasing board. Absolutely wild – I know.

Anyone can do this at home and from any grocery store. I think the number one tip for this is to buy a variety of items in the 4 categories of meat, cheese, bread/crackers, fruits. You can add on a lot more from there with vegetables, oils, dips, nuts, etc. but I would say those 4 are the essential items. I don’t think anyone can screw up the look of a board – it is really just squeezing different items between each other until it looks full & colorful.

I took this picture of all my items after my Trader Joe’s haul and then this picture after it has all been plated.

Boards are super simple, but people love them, so it makes for the best hosting dish or appetizer with a bottle of wine. Here are some other boards I have done in the past.

Some of my favorite items are the central market assorted cracker variety, Trader Joe’s unexpected cheddar, blackberry vanilla goat cheese, manchego cheese, and HEB’s assorted salmon cuts.

Hope this inspired you to grab a bottle of wine, a baguette, brie, and some prosciutto tonight!

-oxox Danielle