Online Memberships?

We all know about membership clubs like Sam's and Costco. Now there are a handful of online membership websites. Are you a member of any? I have seen Thrive Market show up here and there recently, so I decided to place a trial order. I received $15 off my first order (the discount was in the email I received after I joined) and free shipping for spending over $49 (before the discount!). It wasn't a large order, but I just wanted to try it out. I buy most things on sale anyway, so I need to do a little more sleuthing to see if the prices are that much cheaper even with the annual membership fee of $59.95. Their claim:

At average discounts of 35% to retail, with just $110 worth of purchases on Thrive Market, you will have made back your initial membership fee. That means that if you’re an average American family of four, buying just 25% of your monthly groceries at Thrive Market will pay back your membership fee in under one month. Just as importantly, your paid membership will sponsor a free annual membership for a low-income family. That’s free access for an entire year to healthy, wholesome products at prices lower than their highly-processed, unhealthy alternatives.

Some of the food products we buy are on there. We currently are on a free trial membership til mid-August so I will have to decide by then if it's worth keeping. Any other subscription style online shops you frequent?

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*If you're interested in trying it out, here's a code that will get both of us discounts: http://thrv.me/KQc4Yy
** Disclaimer: I am in no way associated with Thrive, nor do I receive benefits from them for posting.

Fruit of the Week

This week, I'm highlighting lychee fruit. It's not new to us but it's rarely in season. I have been looking for it for a few weeks at the farmers market, and finally found some again this week. My kids and I were all overjoyed. This fruit has a tough outer covering which comes off easily, a tender and very sweet flesh, and a smooth dark pit. It's easy to eat a couple (or ten) in one sitting. Enjoy!

Weekly Meal Planning for July 26-Aug 1

I'm flying by the seat of my pants this week, which I hate to do. So, bear with me. Sometimes, weeks like this will sneak up and there's just no plan in place. Thankfully, we have Sun-Wed covered. I will likely re-assess fridge/freezer contents on Wednesday, and then figure out Thursday and Friday.

Sunday: Family dinner at my mom's - burgers, green salad, grilled vegetables

Monday: leftovers 

Tuesday: pizza at the pool with school friends and cousins

Wednesday: green bean stew over rice

Thursday: 

Friday:

Saturday: at a friend's lake house 

What's on your menu this week?

Zucchini and Yellow Squash Enchiladas

I had a couple of requests for the enchilada recipe so I thought I would just post it here! I used what I had on hand and loosely based the dish on recipes I had previously used. I received some zucchini and yellow squash in the farm box yesterday, had some leftover refried black beans, and had stocked up on avocados because they were on sale last weekend.

Ingredients:

1 Tbsp avocado oil 

1/2 white onion, chopped

1 green bell pepper, chopped 

1 clove garlic, minced

1 cup refried black beans

1 zucchini, shredded 

2 yellow squash, shredded 

1 Tbsp chili powder + more for sauce 

1 Tbsp cumin + more for sauce 

1 tsp salt

1 tsp black pepper 

8 tortillas (either flour or corn will work)

1 cup shredded cheese (I used cheddar because that's what I had on hand)

2 cups tomato sauce or canned diced tomatoes (I omitted because I didn't have any)

1/4 cup green chiles or chopped chipotle peppers in adobo sauce 

Toppings:

1 tomato, diced 

1 avocado, diced

Juice of 1 lime

Sour cream 

Directions:

Heat oil in pan, add onions and peppers, stir until softened. Add garlic until just fragrant. Add zucchini and squash. Stir in chili powder, cumin, salt, & pepper. Sauté for 5-7 minutes until all veggies are tender. Remove from heat. Stir in refried beans. 

In a small pot, heat tomato sauce (or diced tomatoes) with either chipotle peppers or chiles, over medium heat. Sprinkle cumin and chili powder into sauce. Keep warm. 

Place an eighth of the veggie mixture in each tortilla. Sprinkle some cheese on top of mixture. Roll each tortilla up and place, seam side down, in a baking dish. Top with the tomato sauce (optional) & remaining shredded cheese. Cover and bake at 350 for 20-30 minutes or until cheese is melted. 

Serve with toppings. Enjoy!

New Fruit!

While at the farmers market today, my oldest daughter caught her eye on some dragon fruit and asked to buy some. I had never had it before but I agreed that we could try one. After googling what to do with it, I figured out it was actually a pretty easy fruit. And it was delicious! If you like kiwi, you'll like dragon fruit. It was perfectly ripe but not too mushy, seedy but not annoyingly so, and sweet but not overly syrupy. The girls loved it, and even asked to save a bit so their daddy could try some in his lunch tomorrow. 

Weekly Meal Planning for July 19-25

We have very little going on this upcoming week, so I'm envisioning some evenings at the pool and I want to make sure to have dinners that are either easily made at the pool or easily transportable to the pool. 

Sunday: grilled chicken drumsticks, caprese salad, grilled broccoli with lemon juice 

Monday: chicken and beef shawarma, tabouli, & yellow rice 

Tuesday: zucchini and yellow squash enchiladas 

Wednesday: leftover shawarma

Thursday: out to eat with family

Friday: out to dinner, girls had super eggs

Saturday: sandwiches before heading to Stone Mountain 

What's on your weekly menu?

Weekly Meal Planning for July 12-18

I have a few meal goals this week. Our new deck project is well under way and the actual "deck" part is all finished. Our grill is back on there so for the first time, our kids will be able to join us on the deck while we cook. The old deck was so bad (and keep in mind, it was built just ten years ago by the old owners, right before we bought the house!) that the contractor doing the new deck said it came away from the house very easily during demo. If we had had more than just 3-4 adults on there, it would've come off. So scary! So, goal #1 is to grill something while we all enjoy being out there together. 

The second goal is related to my lovely guests this week. Two of my nephews will be with us as my sister packs up the remainder of her house two states over and moves back home. I want to have all lunches and dinners well prepared ahead of time. They (along with my kids) will be at a half-day camp all week so I will have time to myself to get everything ready, which will be a nice break from the usual summer chaos! 

So, in keeping with those goals, here is the meal plan so far:

Sunday: hamburgers and hot dogs on the grill, grilled onions, spinach salad with feta and blackberries, caprese salad
Monday: leftovers
Tuesday: chicken fajitas with onions, peppers, and the usual toppings
Wednesday: nachos with zucchini, black beans, onions, and peppers

Thursday: salad with grilled shrimp, grilled corn kernels, tomatoes, lemon juice and lemon olive oil 
Friday: at a friend's pool

Saturday: out for dinner

Tuesday's Meal

NWe are currently without a deck (which is where our grill usually sits) as we are getting a new one built. So when I planned the menu, I didn't really plan well. For the grilling of the salmon and cauliflower, I pulled out the grill onto our driveway to make it happen. I had the salmon, wanted to eat it, and didn't want it to go bad! So I was *that* neighbor, grilling in the middle of her driveway. Regardless, the end result was a tasty one! And called for a light summery Vinho Verde. Perfect non-salad summer dinner. 

Weekly Meal Planning for July 5-11

Last week's plans went awry and I ended up not cooking at all until Friday. That RARELY happens. So I am going to use some leftovers for Sunday and re-plan Saturday's meal for this week's meatless Monday meal. I am getting more peaches and red onions in the farm box, so I'll toss together a spinach salad on Tuesday. Also coming in the box is some zucchini so we will make zucchini bread for some easy breakfasts/snacks.

Sunday: leftover pork tacos
Monday: crockpot whole chicken w/ cauliflower, cucumbers from our garden  
Tuesday:  salmon, kale salad, grilled cauliflower tossed in lemon juice and olive oil
Wednesday: leftover chicken & cauliflower, red rice and eggplant 
Thursday: chicken, grilled corn, peaches, and feta tossed with romaine and balsamic reduction 
Friday: at a pool party
Saturday: out to dinner 

What's on your menu this week?

Happy 4th of July!