Blue Apron Review

I finally decided to try Blue Apron a few weeks ago. I feel like I am the last person on the planet to try a meal delivery service but I always had my reservations. I decided to go with just two meals a week and I chose the 2-person option until I decided if we wanted to continue with the deliveries.  If you're unfamiliar with how this works, I'll give you the super quick version...

First, you set up an account and decide if you want 2 or 3 meals a week and if you want the 2-person option or the 4-person option. Next, you can select the meals that you would like to receive for that week. They have a picture and a description of the recipe. You can also set up the following weeks as well or decide to skip those.  Then they are delivered to your house on your selected date. They are all packaged in a box with an ice pack and individual items for each meal are packaged together. The recipes come with the box with step-by-step instructions and you are good to go!

Korean chicken tacos- these were sooo good!

Greek Chicken with orzo and Brussel sprouts. yum!

We've had four weeks of deliveries and here are my overall thoughts...

PROS:

- The meals are delicious! We have LOVED everything we have tried except for the sweet potato chili. It wasn't bad, just not my favorite and I have no idea why I picked it lol.

- The variety of the food is great. I've made all kinds of things that I've never made before. The ingredients are unique and it has definitely expanded my horizons.

- The quality of the food is super good!

- It is sooo convenient to have all the ingredients together. I can't tell you how many times I've started cooking dinner to realize something has gone bad, I don't have enough of an ingredient, etc. With all the ingredients perfectly portioned and together in the box, it's so nice!

- It actually makes me excited to cook dinner during the week. I LOVE to cook but not on a work night.

 - The schedule is flexible so you can skip weeks if you need to.

- You can choose the meals you would like instead of something being automatically sent to you.

CONS:

- The two person meals don't have enough food for leftovers the next day. When I cook, I normally make enough so I can have leftovers for lunch. It makes lunch so much easier for me.

- It's a little more than I would normally spend on making two meals.

- The portions seems small to me but I guess that also helps us eat the right amount. If Marks wants a second helping, there isn't any left :(

- The family plan has different menu items. I wanted to bump it up to the bigger portions for next week but the menu items are different and I didn't like the options. I know they change weekly so I will try this again another week. 

Overall, I really like Blue Apron and will continue ordering. Even though it's more than I would normally spend to make two meals, I feel like I am actually saving money. Sometimes last minute plans come up or the night is crazy busy and I don't want to cook... that food goes to waste unless I can find another night to cook it. I hate throwing food away but it happens every week. With Blue Apron, we are eating everything we cook and loving it too. It's a great way to try something new, plus you can keep all the recipe cards and remake the food on your own. I am planning to do that this week with the Sesame Glazed Chicken... so good!

Five on Friday {Exciting Week}

I am running off of no sleep but my mind won't let me go back to bed. AH! Such a bummer but oh well. Let's dive in...

1. Big League Time

Yesterday was a BIG day for the Bradford family. My brother in law, Chase, got called up to the big leagues!! I was running around my house screaming like a crazy person when I found out. Chase is one of the most hard working and humble people I know. He deserves this more than anyone and I still can't believe it actually happened! Immediately we started putting plans in place to head up to LA in the afternoon for the game. The Mets just happened to be playing the Dodgers so it was perfect.

We drove up to LA with some family and got to the game not too long after it started. We were able to see Chase warm up a couple times but they ended up not putting him in because they were losing going into the 9th. It was still such an incredible experience to be there to support him. We are so proud of you Chase!!

2. Goodbye Debt

This week was also exciting for me because I paid off a student loan with my Rodan+ Fields earnings!! Getting rid of debt is such a good feeling and I love that I have a way to put money aside that doesn't kill our checking or savings. When I started this business I had no idea exactly what I wanted from it. I thought a couple hundred dollars would be helpful but didn't realize that it could/ would turn into the income source it is today. So thankful to my friend Sara for introducing me to the business!

3. Fave New Book

buy it here 

A few weeks ago my friend Kylee recommended the book Caraval by Stephanie Garber. I usually don't read fantasy/ YA books but she always has the best recommendations so I immediately downloaded it. I seriously couldn't put it down, it was so good! It's a much different premise from what I normally read but it was just so intriguing.

The story is about two sisters, Scarlett and Tella who dream of going to the famous Caraval and getting away from their abusive father. They don't see how they can ever leave the island but their fate is changed by an invitation to the mysterious game. This has been Scarlett's dream for so long but the game is much different that it appears and could even be deadly. I don't want to give you any more info because it will give too much away. Read this asap!!

4. Black Bean Flautas

I really haven't been cooking much lately which is so weird because I LOVE to cook. It's just harder for me to get inspired when Mark isn't here. Half the fun of cooking is having someone else try your meals and love them. One thing I was craving this week though was black bean flautas. This is one of my fave meals and Mark's too! I made a batch to have for dinner a couple night and they were delicious!! 

Get the recipe here. 

5. New Decor

Stephanie gave me this owl sign as an end of the year gift. I have an obsession with owls and she know she so well! How cute is it??

On this Week's Meal Plan

Good morning everyone! I thought it would be fun to share what we have on the menu for this week. I love reading other people's meal plans, especially when they are realistic to how crazy busy the work week can get. I always start the week off with a "plan" of sorts but try to give myself a few "outs" for when I'm too exhausted lol. Those outs include using leftovers for lunches, instead of making something completely different, and also having emergency meal items that don't take hours to prepare.

Monday: Chicken Milanese

This recipe is pretty easy and always a favorite with Mark. There's something so yummy about the arugula, lemon, parmesan, and lightly breaded chicken. We also had some sweet potato tater tots because why not, right?? :)

Tuesday: Black Bean Flautas

This is my go-to meal for when we have friends over, or I just want something satisfying. It's pretty easy to make but tastes like it took way more effort.  Plus nothing is better than Mexican food! YUM!

Wednesday: Pulled Pork Tacos

Another Mexican dish because I'm obsessed lol. This one is great because you throw it in the crockpot in the morning and you come home to the most delicious pork. Also, I normally make a large amount and use it for other dishes throughout the week. 

Basically, you sear (all sides of) the pork shoulder or pork butt in a pan with olive oil. Then place it in the crockpot and generously cover with garlic salt, cumin, and pepper. Add a diced onion and place enough chicken broth in the crockpot to almost cover the pork. Cook on high for 8 hours. Remove the broth and shred the pork. Add in raisins, sliced almonds, and blackened peppers. Serve in tacos or as a pork salad with salsa as the dressing. 

Thursday: Egg Drop Soup with Shredded Pork

The first time I tried Nom Nom Paleo's recipe for egg drop soup, I was amazed with how easy and delicious it was. This is a staple of mine for a quick and easy meal that is also pretty healthy. I add the shredded pork for some extra protein and more flavor. 

Friday: Steak and roasted veggies or Eating out :)

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Here is an example of giving myself grace for those long work days. I would love to grill some steaks and roast up a big batch of veggies but if I'm too tired to even think about cooking, we will most likely get sushi. Some days, the thought of cooking and then cleaning it all up, is just too much lol! :)

I would love to hear about what is on your menu for the week :) 

The Perfect Fall Soup

I was feeling pretty under the weather this weekend and I was craving chicken soup. We've been trying to eat healthier at home so I decided to crack open some Paleo cookbooks to see what I could find. This roasted chicken and vegetable soup immediately caught my eye and I was so excited to try it. Well folks, it did not disappoint. SO GOOD! Mark was obsessed and even went back for thirds. Plus it was pretty easy! Bonus!

**recipe from Danielle Walker's Against All Grain: Meals Made Simple

Ingredients:
Roasted Veggies-
- 6 cloves garlic, peeled
- 1 small sweet potato, peeled and cubed
- 4 cups carrots, peeled and cubed
- 4 cups butternut squash, peeled, and cubed
- 2 yellow onions, quartered
- 1/4 cup of olive oil **recipe calls for ghee or coconut oil
- pinch of sea salt and cracked pepper

Soup-
- 12 cups chicken stock
- 4 cups shredded cooked chicken (I used a rotisserie chicken)
- 2 1/2 teaspoons dried parsley
- 1 1/2 teaspoons dried thyme
- 1 1/2 teaspoons dired rosemary
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 tablespoon sea salt
- 1/2 teaspoon cracked black pepper
- 1 cup water
- 5 cups of baby spinach

Directions:
1. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees.

2. Roast the veggies: place the garlic and vegetables on a rimmed baking sheet. Drizzle with olive oil, (or ghee or coconut oil) sprinkle with salt and pepper, and toss to combine. Ross for 20 minutes or until veggies are tender.

3. Meanwhile, bring the chicken stock to a simmer in a large stockpot. Add the chicken, herbs, salt, and pepper. Keep warm while the veggies are roasting.

4. Pick out onion quarters from the pan of roasted veggies and place in a blender. Add half of the roasted veggies to the blender and the rest to the broth. Puree veggies and onions with a cup of water.

5. Add vegetable puree and baby spinach to the soup. Simmer for 5 to 10 minutes, until the spinach is wilted and the soup is hot.

Enjoy!

General Tso's Chicken

I have been a HUGE fan of General Chicken since my days at P.F. Changs. It's a great combination of spicy and sweet and is basically a crowd favorite! I found a gluten free version of General Tso's Chicken on Whitneybond.com. If you guys haven't stopped by there before then you need to immediately. She has GREAT recipes and I've used a ton of them. I love that this recipe is gluten free because even though I don't strictly eat gluten free, I feel better when I eliminate as much as possible. Here is my version of her recipe... to see the original click here.

Ingredients:

3 tbsp canola oil (divided- I used more because I had extra chicken)
1/4 cup of gluten free soy sauce
2 tbsp rice vinegar
1 tbsp Sriracha
2 tbsp honey
1 tbsp fresh garlic (grated)
2 tsp fresh ginger (I omitted this because I was out)
1/2 tsp Chinese five spice
1 tsp crushed red peper flakes
1 lb of boneless skinless chicken breast (cut into large chunks) ** I doubled this
1/2 cup cornstarch
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp black pepper
8 small dried red chilies (I omitted the chilies because I couldn't find any)
1/2 cup scallions (sliced- iIdiced them because I don't like the large chunks)

Directions:

1. In a medium bowl, whisk 1 tbsp canola oil with the soy sauce, rice vinegar, Sriracha, honey, garlic, ginger, Chinese five spice, and red pepper flakes. Set aside. ***I doubled the sauce recipe because I had over two lbs of chicken. This was a mistake because it was crazy spicy haha. Next time, I won't add as much red pepper flakes, Sriracha, and Chinese five spice. :)

2. Toss the chicken breast in the cornstarch, salt, and pepper. **I used extra cornstarch because I had more chicken.

3. Add the remaining canola oil to a large skillet over medium- high heat. I used extra canola oil because I had more chicken.

4. When the oil is hot, add the chicken and cook for 4-5 minutes.

5. Add the chilies ( I didn't do this part) and then pour the sauce over the chicken. Cook for 2-3 minutes.

6. Add the scallions and cook for an additional minute. Remove from heat and serve over rice. We used brown rice and it was delicious!!

**Next time, I would add in veggies and cut down on the spice. It was sooo good though!

Black Bean Flautas

I recently made one of our go-to recipes, black bean flautas. We love Mexican food and this recipe does not disappoint. I still cannot believe I haven't posted this recipe before today! It's Mark's favorite recipe and I love it as well. This is a super easy weeknight meal and I've never met a person who doesn't like them. This week we added shredded chicken for an extra boost of protein but they are also super filling on their own. Add this into your dinner rotation ASAP! :)

Ingredients:
1 can (15 ounces) of black beans, with liquid
1 cup of vegetable broth (I typically use chicken broth)
1 teaspoon salt, divided
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon chili powder
3 cloves garlic, peeled & minced
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
1 lime, juiced
8 flour tortillas
2 1/2 cups of Mexican-blend cheese
1 cup seeded & chopped tomatoes
1 cup thinly sliced green onion

1. Place the beans (with liquid), broth, 1/2 teaspoon salt, cumin, chili powder, and garlic in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil. reduce heat, simmer for 10 minutes or until beans are very soft.

2. Drain, reserving the liquid. Preheat oven to 450 degrees.

3. Purée drained bean mixture with cilantro, juice of one lime, and remaining 1/2 teaspoon of salt until very smooth. Add a tablespoon at a time of reserved liquid if mixture is dry.

4. Spread 1-2 tablespoons of bean purée on tortilla. Then sprinkle with a 2 tablespoons (or so) of cheese, a tablespoon of tomatoes, and 1 tablespoon of green onion. **I usually just eye-ball the amounts of each. Roll up very tightly and place in 13X9 backing dish. Repeat with remaining tortillas until all of the bean mixture is gone. I am usually able to fit 6 flats across and 2 more in the dish lengthwise.

5. Bake for 10-15 minutes or until crisp and browned on top. Serve with salsa, lettuce, and avocado.

My Literary Bestie

image via

Do you ever just meet someone and you immediately just click? When they are talking you find yourself enthusiastically nodding along saying, "Yes, yep, I know!" Well that happened to me recently but with an author and not a person lol. This author is Shauna Niequist. I feel a pretty deep connection when I read anything by her and she seems to be speaking right to me with her written words. I love the stories she tells and how she connects everything to food. I love food! She gets anxious and worries a lot... so do I! She even talks about her struggles with having babies... once again, speaking right to me. It's like we are besties but she doesn't know it. Wow, that sounds creepy.

In Bread and Wine, she writes about how food nourishes her body and mind. I SO agree. I think food brings people together to share in experiences and connect on a much more personal level. Around a dinner table, we are able to reconnect with our loved ones, embellish on life's happenings, and laugh about the crazy things that occur day-to-day. It's not just the eating and sharing that is so comforting but the actual act of cooking as well. There's just something so satisfying about gathering ingredients  and seeing it all come together to make a meal. It's an even bigger bonus when those around you actually enjoy what they are tasting!

In Shauna's latest book Savor, she has daily devotionals (aka nuggets of nourishment for our souls) and then recipes sprinkled throughout. I made her French tart recipe a few weekends ago and I was shocked by how well it turned out. I am NOT a baker by any means, so when I bake something and it comes out half edible I'm impressed. Mark was pretty impressed as well :)

I love her dinner party ideas and I feel inspired to try all the recipes. Cooking is just another creative outlet for me. I know it sounds a little strange to say cooking is a creative outlet, but I truly feel this way. *Those of you who don't like to cook probably think I'm nuts. :) If you would have asked me five or six years ago if I like to cook I would have most likely said, "Heck no." I couldn't even make scrambled eggs and I always had my little sister make them haha. I can now proudly say I've mastered the art of scrambling eggs. Thanks Brit. :)

So where am I going with this tangent??? Basically you should go out and buy both Bread & Wine and Savor and while you're at it pick up Cold Tangerines too. Her stories are so relatable and will bring you through a plethora of emotions. You'll laugh a ton and probably tear up a little as well. Hopefully, her writing will speak to your soul and maybe you'll get why I want to be Shauna's bestie!

My New Favorite Recipe: Chicken Milanese

I'm finally getting around to sharing one of my new favorite meals. I honestly thought I shared this last month but can't find the post anywhere. Weird lol! This is Chicken Milanese from The Pioneer Woman Cooks: Dinnertime. It's super easy to make and is seriously yummy! This is great for a quick weeknight meal and is relatively healthy.

Ingredients:
2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
3 large eggs
1/4 cup half-and-half or whole milk
1/2 cup flour
1 cup of seasoned breadcrumbs
4 tablespoons of butter
Arugula
1/2 cup of Parmesan shavings
1-2 lemons, cut into wedges

1. Cut the chicken breasts in half so you are left with 4 thinner pieces.

2. Place each cutlet between two sheets of plastic wrap and pound them until they are very thin.

3. In a dish, whisk together the eggs and half-and-half. Place the flour and breadcrumbs in two separate dishes.

4. Salt and pepper both sides of the chicken pieces, then dredge them one at a time in the flour. Next, drunk them in the egg mixture and then coat both sides in breadcrumbs. Lay the breaded cutlets on a clean plate until you're ready to cook them.

5. Melt 2 tablespoons of the butter in a large skillet over medium-low heat. When it's melted and hot, add two of the breaded chicken cutlets.

6. Cook them on both sides until the breading is golden brown and the chicken is cooked through, 2 to 3 minutes per side. **Leave them undisturbed in the pan until you turn them over.

7. Remove the cutlets to a clean plate and add remaining butter to the skillet. Cook the remaining pieces of chicken. 

8. To serve, place a cutlet on a plate. Top generously with arugula and parmesan shavings. Squeeze a little salt and lemon juice over the greens. Serve with more lemon wedges. Enjoy!

Bacon Wrapped Dates

One of my favorite appetizers to make is bacon wrapped dates. They are just so easy and always a crowd-pleaser. I've always loved these little guys when I've ordered them at restaurants and I was even more excited when I found the recipe in Shauna Niequist's book Bread & Wine.
Here is the super simple recipe:

Ingredients:
1 pkg. of bacon
1 pkg. of dates (pitted)
4 oz. of goat cheese

1. Slice the dates in half and remove pit if needed.

2. Scoop a small amount of goat cheese into the date.

3. Cut the entire package of bacon in half and wrap a half-piece of bacon around the date.

4. Arrange on a baking sheet with foil, (for easier clean up) seam side down.
5. Bake at 400 degrees for 20 minutes or until well browned.
* I turn mine halfway through.
* Also, don't use thick cut bacon. It makes it harder to keep the bacon wrapped around the dates.

So simple but so tasty! Enjoy!

Breakfast Burritos and Chipotle Salsa

Last week I talked about the big batch of breakfast burritos that I made to freeze and have on hand throughout the week for breakfast. This was such an easy way to make sure we had a yummy and filling breakfast each day, especially with Mark having to leave for work so early. I got the idea for this recipe from Carolina Charm. If you don't follow her blog, just click on her name and make your way over there. She is a seriously adorable mama of two and I love reading her posts! As promised, here is the recipe for the super easy breakfast burritos.

Ingredients:

12 eggs

1/4 cup of milk

1 lb. sausage

1-2 cups of Mexican blend cheese

8 burrito size tortillas

1 can of black beans (heated through)

1 large potato (diced and cooked)

Optional ingredients: green onion, bacon, avocado

Super Easy Recipe:

1. Whisk the eggs and the milk together until nice and frothy.

2. Pour the eggs into a large non-stick pan and cook on low stirring and scraping the bottom with a rubber spatula every 30 secs or so. You don't want the eggs to burn! Yuck!

3. Meanwhile, cook the sausage and set aside.

4. Assemble the burritos with the egg, sausage, cheese, black beans, and potato.

5. Tuck in the sides of the tortilla and roll up tightly.

6. Wrap the burrito in parchment paper.

7. Flash freeze them by putting them on a baking sheet in the freezer for 30 minutes. Then place the burritos in a gallon size Ziploc bag in the freezer.

8. To reheat if frozen: place in the microwave at 50% power for 3 minutes. If thawed, just microwave for 1 minute.

* Christina said that they will be good in the fridge for a week. 

I also made some yummy salsa for the burritos. I used the Pioneer Woman's Chipotle Salsa recipe and it's seriously so good! I use this salsa for everything! 

Ingredients:

2 (15 oz.) cans of diced tomatoes

1-3 chipotle peppers in adobe sauce

1 (15 oz.) can diced tomatoes with green chiles

1 medium onion, diced

1 teaspoon ground cumin

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon ground pepper

1 teaspoon sugar

1 bunch cilantro, stems roughly removed

1/4 cup lime juice

1. Place all ingredients in blender and blend until smooth.

2. Store in the fridge for up to two weeks. I place mine in small containers to have with the breakfast burritos.