Hello Fresh review

So the hubs and I decided to try-out Hello Fresh...you may be asking yourself, "What the f is hello fresh?" Well, let me tell you all about it...

Hello Fresh is a weekly meal delivery subscription that sends recipes and the ingredients to cook those recipes right to your front door! We were finding that we were making the same ol' things for dinner all the time OR going out to eat because we were bored with our menu of dinner choices so we figured "Hey, why not?" Hello Fresh pricing varies depending on whether or not you want a 2-person meal plan or a family meal plan. We chose the 2-person meal plan and we receive 3 meals a week for about $70.

If you decide to try out Hello Fresh, I highly recommend that you download their app. You can easily pick your meals and skip weeks (you can also do this on the website). Hello Fresh usually has 2-3 weeks worth of menus up at a time. Each week you have 5-6 meals to choose from. You'll get an e-mail or a push alert that reminds you to pick what 3 meals you'd like. 

Our Hello Fresh box was delivered at like 8:30 pm on a Tuesday night. Which was lame, but not Hello Fresh's fault. The meals came packaged individually, which was nice, because all the ingredients were in a nice little package. The package also included a book with all the recipes from that week, including the recipes for which you do not get the ingredients so you can always make those later on if you feel ambitious.

I love how the ingredients were package - I didn't have to separate anything. It made cooking so much easier.

I have to say our first box was awesome. Two out of the three recipes we will definitely make again. The Salmon dish was just eh. It wasn't horrible, but we didn't love it. All the recipes were easy to make and didn't take a lot of prep work. It was refreshing to try some new recipes. It was worth the money. We will definitely be getting another Hello Fresh box!

Want to try Hello Fresh?? Click here!

Disclaimer: I was not paid for this review, nor was I given a product to try. This was purchased by me and all opinions are my own.

Healthy Blueberry Muffins

I am heading into my fourth week of healthy eating, and second week of working out. It is not easy. I have lost 4 pounds since June 5th, which isn't a huge loss but I will take it. It would be nice to see faster results, but it's a work in progress. I am way more conscious about what I eat and I have been going to the gym- a feat that I have been saying I would do for about 2 years. Getting up at 5 am sucks, but I feel good once I am there. I am monitor my calories with My Fitness Pal (add me so we can help each other! chelsea554) 
One hard thing for me is that I have been avoiding baking. It is hard to find healthy recipes. One that I came across on Pinterest was a recipe for Blueberry Muffins aka Power Muffins. They are yummy, low calorie breakfast food. I have been eating one before my workouts- I recommend trying them! It is nice to have something to quickly grab to get your metabolism going in the early morning.
This recipe makes 12-15 muffins, depending on how much you put in your muffin tin. 

Ingredients:

• no-stick cooking spray
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 cup oats–quick or regular oats, plain
• 2/3 cup sugar
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 12 ounces honey nonfat greek yogurt or 1 1/2 cups (Chobani)
• 2 large eggs, lightly beaten
• 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and slightly cooled
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 cup fresh blueberries

Directions:

1. Heat oven to 350°.
2. Coat muffin tin with cooking spray or liners.
3. Combine flour, sugar, oats, baking powder, baking soda and salt in a bowl.
4. Combine yogurt, eggs, butter, and vanilla in a second bowl.
5. Fold yogurt mixture into dry mixture; stir to combine completely.
6. Gently fold in blueberries.
7. Spoon into muffin tins.
8. Bake until top is golden and springs back when you gently touch it, 20-25 minutes.

I entered all the ingredients into My Fitness Pal to get the nutrition facts:

Enjoy!!

Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip M&M Cookies

Since Valentines Day is tomorrow, I figured I would post a yummy cookie recipe!

Ingredients:
1 cup butter, softened
1/2 cup peanut butter
1 1/2 cups sugar
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa
1 1/2 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup chocolate chips
1 1/2 cups m&ms

Directions:
Preheat the oven to 350ºF.

In a large mixing bowl, cream together the butter, peanut butter and sugar until light and fluffy, 2-3 minutes.  Beat in the eggs and vanilla until well blended.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the cocoa, flour, soda & salt.  Mix into the creamed mixture until just blended.  Stir in the chocolate chips and m&ms.

Drop onto parchment-lined baking sheets and bake for 11-13 minutes until just set.  Cool completely on a cooling rack. Enjoy!!

Day #293: Chicken and Broccoli Ring

A few months ago I went to a Pampered Chef party and the party rep made a chicken and broccoli ring. It was DELICIOUS! I came across the recipe on Pinterest and decided to make it! 

Ingredients

1 package (8 ounces) refrigerated crescent rolls

1 cup cooked chicken

3/4 cup coarsely chopped broccoli

1/2 cup (2 ounces) shredded cheddar cheese

1/4 cup mushrooms (most people use red peppers...I prefer 'shrooms)2 tbsp mayonnaise

1 tsp dried dill

1 small garlic clove, pressed (minced)

1/8 tsp salt

1/8 tsp pepper

1 egg white, lightly beaten

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.  

2. In a medium bowl, combine chicken, broccoli, cheese, bell pepper, mayo, seasoning mix, garlic, salt, and pepper and mix well.

Before the chicken is added.

3. Unroll crescent rolls; separate into 8 triangles.  Arrange triangles, slightly overlapping, in a circle on a PC Small Round Baking Stone with wide ends 3 inches from edge of baking stone (points will extend off the edge of the baking stone).  

4. Using a ice cream scoop (or a tablespoon), scoop filling evenly over dough in a continuous circle.  Make sure filling is evenly spaced/spread.  Bring points of triangles up over filling and tuck under dough at center to form a ring.  (filling will show)  Lightly brush dough with egg white. Note: You can also use a regular baking tray for this recipe. I just happen to LOVE my cooking stone.

5. Bake 25-30 minutes or until deep golden brown.

Then enjoy!! Yummm.

Meet this month's awesome sponsor!

Day #265: Garlic Chicken Recipe

First, my friend's baby is in a contest to win a $5,000 scholarship and she is giving away two awesome prizes to those willing to vote! Her baby is #302, simply follow the link in the rafflecopter widget below to enter! 
Klutch is a subscription box filled with health and wellness products each month. For more info, click here.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

A friend of mine recently posted this recipe on Facebook. It looks easy, which is right up my alley so I decided to share with you guys too!! Hopefully, I will make it soon!!

Source

Sorry for the lack of personal posts this week folks! Still waiting to hear about the job and that is where my mind is at. I can't really talk about it on here, so I am distracting myself with recipes, cleaning tips and shopping!! I hope everyone is having a great week!!

Meet this month's awesome sponsor!

Day #243: Writers Block + A Recipe

Oh, the joys of being a grad student. I have been trying all weekend to write a paper that is due next Sunday. I have to analyze a current health care issue. I decided to write about the physician shortage because there is plenty of legislation and studies.
Bo-ring! 
I am struggling. I have writers block. This is the first big paper since the plagiarism debacle. Perhaps that is what is freaking me out?
Anyways, my school writers block is also causing blogger's writers block. So, I would like you guys to all go and visit my mom's blog, Happy Life and learn how to make a yummy Blueberry Surprise French Toast bake. Delicious!!

Meet this month's awesome sponsor!

Linking Up:

Day #110: Chocolate Chip Cookies

In an effort to actually achieve my monthly goals, I baked a batch of chocolate chip cookies!!

As a reminder, my November goals are:

1. Clean and organize baking cupboard.

2. Bake 2 new things from scratch! 

3. Join a weight-loss challenge at work.

They actually turned out!! Much better than back in 8th grade, when I tried to bake cookies and I mixed butter and egg together in a bowl, BEFORE putting it in the microwave to soften the butter. Yep. I cooked the eggs in the butter. Needless to say, the cookies were NOT that great. I gave them to my ex-boyfriend. Heh...

Anyways, here is the recipe I used:

Enjoy!

Linking Up:

Day #102: Crockpot Chicken Tacos

First, I would like to say hello and thank-you to all my new followers! I am happy to have you here :)

Second, I passed my test yesterday so I was able to stay for the class all day! YAY! Now, I just need to student teach and I can teach some trauma nursing fun-ness. That is why I never ended up doing my copy-cat closet post. PLUS I am still sick. Boo.

I woke up today with a fever. Seriously? This isn't as bad as the cold I had last year, but it is a close second. I feel better, then I get worse, then I feel better, now I am worse. I am so frustrated I was crying earlier. I went to work and was forced to leave. Now, when I saw forced, I mean forced. I put up a good fight. I didn't want to leave. Alas, here I sit, still battling low-grade fevers and coughing every 5 seconds.

So, on that note, I will leave you with a delicious recipe:

But first, a reminder, you only have ONE day left to enter my 100 Follower Giveaway!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Day #81: Sesame Chicken Recipe

First, the Tigers won game 1 of the play-offs today! YAY!

Second, I am having trouble thinking of something to write. So, I am giving you a recipe that I want to try this week!

Source

Looks good doesn't it?! Let me know if you try it and how you like it! 

Until tomorrow,

Big, beautiful & broke... Chelsea