food

4/22/2022 Friday Freebies and Deals!

Abby H.

It’s time to celebrate Friday! It’s Spring and there are all sorts of great freebies and deals this week.

Mask Mandates are changing constantly in California and can vary by city and county, so please do your part if you are going to any in-person freebies.

2022 Birthday Freebies are here!

Freebies:

Free McCormick Products
Free Eye Patches + $25 Amazon Gift Card
Free Pretzel at Wetzel’s Pretzels
Free Pulled Pork Classic Sandwich at Dickey’s
Free Gamer Supps GG Energy Sample Pack
Free Sample of Hit! Balm Extra Strength or Daily Relief
Free SmartPants Multivitamins at Select Stores
Free Alcatel Phone Cases & Protectors
Free iPhone Phone Cases & Protectors
Free Perfect Bar at Walmart or Target
Free Dove Dry Spray, Dog Biscuit, Neuriva, Persil & More
Free Anti-Aging Oil Serum + $100 eGift Code
Free Dallas Cannabis Company Sticker
Free Cosmic Bliss Organic Grass-Fed Dairy Ice Cream
Free Apple AirTag Accessory
Free Ready Sports Drink at Walmart & Giant Eagle
Free Sample of Moroccanoil Treatment
Free Subscription to Harper’s Bazaar Magazine
Free Sweeter Juice Skin Products
Teachers – Free Neutrogena Sunscreen Sample
Free Bath Soak, Body Scrub or Body Spray
Free 5×7 Photo Print From Walgreens
Free Medium Fries w/ Any $1 Purchase at McDonalds – Every Friday
Free Kids AirTag Accessory
Free Mr. Bubbles Bath Time Fun Kit
Possible Free $200 Radio Research Study
Free Applegate Deli Meat
Free Popchips
Free Sensodyne Whitening Toothpaste
Hero Skin Squad – Free Beauty Products
Free Keys Soul Care Skincare Samples
Free Gatorade Zero with Protein at Walmart
Free Tablet Accessories
Possible Free $250 Low Income Study
Free Conair Water Flosser
25 Free Disney Movie Insiders Points
Free Sample of Vichy Mineral 89 Probiotic Concentrate
Free Wowables Paper Towels
Free EPIX Channels Preview – Starts Today

Deals:

Barbie Clearance as Low as $3.99 + Extra 25% Off at Target
Walgreens Custom Photo Poster $1.99 with Coupon (Reg. $12)
All Rocket Dog Shoes Under $35 + Extra 10% off at Checkout
Gold Plated XL Initial Necklace ONLY $19.97 (Reg $75)
2-Tier Countertop Fruit Basket Bowl ONLY $9.99 (Reg. $17)
Nexcare Max Hold Waterproof Bandages 60-Ct ONLY $5.64 (Reg. $11)
Burt’s Bees 6-Piece Set ONLY $8.91 (Reg $13)
60% Off NYDJ Denim + Extra 10% Off at Checkout
Crayola Scribble Scrubbie Safari Animals ONLY $9.99 (Reg. $26)
.925 Sterling Silver Heart Crystal Earrings ONLY $6.99 (Reg $40)
Handheld Milk Frother ONLY $9.00 (Reg. $17)
Waterproof Curtain Panels ONLY $6.50 (Reg. $13)
Any Size Reversible Comforter Set ONLY $41.99 (Reg. $100)
Sunham Soft Spun Cotton Bath Towels ONLY $6.86 (Reg. $14)
T-Fal Excite Nonstick Cookware Set ONLY $59.49 (Reg. $200)
Roll up Dish Drying Rack ONLY $9.25 (Reg. $17)
Frigidaire Compact Refrigerator ONLY $159.99 (Reg $400)
Paw Patrol Elbow & Knee Pad Set ONLY $9 (Reg $15)
Green Toys Cupcake Set ONLY $13.80 (Reg. $30)
Ozark Trail Air Mattress Twin ONLY $7.97 at Walmart
Reebok Seamless Racerback Bra 2-Piece Set ONLY $6.99 (Reg $25)
Home Expressions Bath Rug ONLY $8.44 (Reg $22)
Personalized Pendant Necklace ONLY $16.99 (Reg $45)
Wonder Nation Toddler Girls Shoes ONLY $7.55 (Reg $28)

Dream Dinners Flash Sale! April Dinner Bundle!

Abby H.

Y’all know I love Dream Dinners. Check out this amazing deal- It’s only good through tomorrow, and it’s the perfect way to start the year off with easy, healthy meals.

Get nine delicious, healthy medium meals for just $165!
Order before Friday, April 22, 2022 at 9am to get eight medium-size family-friendly meals from our April menu for just $165. Fill your freezer and check grocery shopping and meal prep off your to-do list so you have more time to savor spring.
The Bundle Includes:

A Medium Meal feeds 2-3 adults (honestly, it’s usually 3+ in our house), so you’ll be getting 18-27 restaurant-quality meals for $185!

Our local store here in East County is La Mesa, run by Marsi and her friendly staff! Store Email: lamesaca@dreamdinners.com  Store Phone Number: 619-460-6800

Costco Membership Deal!

Abby H.

Costco is one of my favorite places to stock up on essentials. If you haven’t been in a while, it’s time to mask up and head over!

Right now there is a great deal for new memberships! Purchase a Costco Membership Activation Certificate to join as a new member and receive a  Costco Shop Card.

  • Gold Star Members receive a $10 Costco Shop Card.
  • Gold Star Executive Members receive a $20 Costco Shop Card.

It’s as easy as 1,2,3!

  1. Purchase your Costco Membership Activation Certificate here.
  2. Receive your Costco Membership Activation Certificate by email.
  3. Bring your Costco Membership Activation Certificate to any U.S. or Puerto Rico Costco location to join as a new member.

Here are my top five Costco Bargains:

  1. Rotisserie Chicken
  2. Butter
  3. PBFit
  4. Kodiak Cake Flapjack Mix
  5. Krusteaz Pancake Mix
  6. Bananas
  7. (Bonus) Their Gas Stations frequently are .20-.30/gallon cheaper than the “discount” stations.

4/18/2022 Weekly Meal Plan

Abby H.

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I got to cook over the weekend and go some meal prep- it was awesome. I roasted veggies using some seasoning blends from Urban Accents. Citrus Pepper on Cauliflower, and Balsamic and Roasted Onion on baby Brussels Sprouts. I also made a huge pot of Veggie Loaded Tuscan Soup (Zuppa Toscana) to use up the rest of our CSA veggies from last week.

This afternoon once I’m home from work, I’ll get to work on this weeks CSA Box- Chopped and preparing!  Our veggies and fruit are delivered by Yasukochi Family Farms CSA. For $28, it’s a great deal. I don’t have to pick anything, go to the store, or carry it upstairs. I can’t go to the store and get the same amount we get weekly for $28. Seriously. It’s a deal. They email a preview of what will be in the boxes over the weekend, so I can start thinking about what I’d like to make.

A quick trip to the store to pick up milk, cheese, bananas, and a few other things and we’ll be good for the week!

We’ve been trying a lot of new foods lately, thanks to the really great freebies from Social Nature lately too. It’s fun to try new foods.

For those of you that are new to meal planning, I’ve got an easy 101 style post here with super easy tips and steps. After you get that down, here is info about batch or freezer cooking.

I’ve gotten a pretty good inventory of the pantry, freezer, and fridge done (I try to update it after every shopping trip), so I’m able to plan meals and use up what we’ve got with little waste.

I only post our dinner plans for the week, because our other meals are usually the same each day.

Breakfast: Coffee with 1/2 and 1/2  for me, and pancakes or something along those lines for the kids. They are also into fruit and bagels for breakfast. Lately, the big kid has been digging protein shakes in the morning. This is his favorite kind. 

Lunch: I have a plastic tote in the cupboard full of self-serve snacks. I buy treats and snacks in bulk and fill up snack-sized zip-top bags. I’m back to packing lunches again. However, school lunches are free this year- Little Bit has been buying her lunch and expanding her palate.  The big kid still brings lunch from home.

Dinner: I picked up our April Dream Dinners order on Friday afternoon and we’ve got meals for the next month or so.  When we have them, I serve 2 Dream Dinners a week. It’s perfect for those nights when we have lots going on, and it’s a great way for the kids to try new cuisines!

  • Monday: Nug night- crinkle fries, apple slices & strawberries
  • Tuesday: Carne asada salad with beans and rice
  • Wednesday: Sandwiches and roasted veggies
  • Thursday: Spiced Chickpea and Cauliflower with Pita Bread, salad
  • Friday: Takeout night!
  • Saturday:  Leftovers
  • Sunday: Soup, salad, cheesy garlic bread

Chatterbox Opportunity: Stone Brewing’s NEW Live Buena Party Pack

Abby H.


Be the host with the most when you offer friends and family the option between seltzer AND cerveza with Stone Brewing’s NEW Live Buena Party Pack. Whether you’re sipping on their Salt & Lime Lager, or refreshing hard seltzer – with flavors like Mango, Mandarin, Watermelon Lime, and Black Cherry – this pack is sure to please.

If you are selected, you will receive:

  • 1 $20 prepaid card
  • 1 Stone Buenaveza Salt & Lime Lager sticker
  • 1 Stone Live Buena sticker
  • 1 postcard

You must apply and complete the required activities by May 9th to be considered.
To get started, click here. 

Family Recipe: Cindy’s Spinach Salad

Abby H.

This salad is courtesy of my Aunt Cindy. I don’t remember when or where this salad originally came from, but she introduced it into our lives in my youth.

If you don’t like Spinach, you will love this salad.

Cindy’s Spinach Salad

Ingredients:

  • 1 bag triple-washed spinach (approx 10 ounces)
  • 1 small can of mandarin oranges (drained and rinsed)- Or you can use 2 fresh peeled mandarin oranges
  • 1/2 cup French Fried Onions
  • 1/4-1/2 cup Italian Salad Dressing

Directions:

  1. In a large chilled bowl, combine all ingredients and serve straightaway.

This serves 2 as a main, or 4 as a side dish. This recipe is naturally vegan.

This is also great as a main dish topped with 4-6 ounces of your favorite grilled protein (I like chicken breast).

 

4/11/2022 Weekly Meal Plan

Abby H.

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It’s back this week! Finally, the kitchen is a little more put back together and we can cook! I’m going to be doing some baking this week: Cookies, biscuits, or cheesy garlic bread, and a bar dessert.

I chopped, peeled, and prepped fruits and veggies this afternoon. Our veggies and fruit are delivered by Yasukochi Family Farms CSA. For $28, it’s a great deal. I don’t have to pick anything, go to the store, or carry it upstairs. I can’t go to the store and get the same amount we get weekly for $25. Seriously. It’s a deal. They email a preview of what will be in the boxes over the weekend, so I can start thinking about what I’d like to make.

We’ve been trying a lot of new foods lately, thanks to the really great freebies from Social Nature lately too. It’s fun to try new foods.

For those of you that are new to meal planning, I’ve got an easy 101 style post here with super easy tips and steps. After you get that down, here is info about batch or freezer cooking.

I’ve gotten a pretty good inventory of the pantry, freezer, and fridge done (I try to update it after every shopping trip), so I’m able to plan meals and use up what we’ve got with little waste.

I only post our dinner plans for the week, because our other meals are usually the same each day.

Breakfast: Coffee with 1/2 and 1/2  for me, and pancakes or something along those lines for the kids. They are also into fruit and bagels for breakfast. Lately, the big kid has been digging protein shakes in the morning. This is his favorite kind. 

Lunch: I have a plastic tote in the cupboard full of self-serve snacks. I buy treats and snacks in bulk and fill up snack-sized zip-top bags. I’m back to packing lunches again. However, school lunches are free this year- Little Bit has been buying her lunch and expanding her palate. This is week two of Spring Break and we’ve got some adventures planned, I’ve got a new snack box in the car, and it will be repacked and ready for some fun on the road.

Dinner: I’m leaning heavily on the CSA box this week, and what we’ve got in the house. I didn’t do a big shop this week, just milk and popsicles (always the first two items on our shopping list). I’m doing a Dream Dinners pick-up late this week, so next week we’ll be back to Dream Dinners 1-3 times per week.

  • Monday: Nug night- crinkle fries, apple slices & strawberries
  • Tuesday: Roasted Veggies, Pasta & Red Pesto
  • Wednesday: Chicken and Veggie Soup, biscuits, or cheesy garlic bread
  • Thursday: Salad Bar Night- I did most of the prep work today!
  • Friday: Takeout night!
  • Saturday:  Leftovers
  • Sunday: Breakfast for dinner (pancakes, fruit salad, yogurt)

Family Recipe: Baked Red Pesto and Roasted Veggie Pasta

Abby H.

This recipe is easy to make, and amazing. It uses Red Pesto, which has a tomato base. It’s warm, filling, and comforting.

The first thing you need to do is roast some veggies. Check my recipe here. I roast 5-ish lbs of veggies each week, so we usually have some in the fridge.

 

Baked Red Pesto and Roasted Veggie Pasta

Ingredients:

Directions:

  1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
  2. Boil salted water and cook pasta per package directions. As you drain, reserve some of the pasta water (about 1/2 cup).
  3. In a large baking dish (11×13) mix roasted veggies, pasta, red pesto, and add pasta water a little bit at a time, until all the pasta is coated. You may not need all 1/2 cup.
  4. Mix in 1/2 of the cheese.
  5. Smooth the mixture down into the baking dish, and bake for 20 minutes covered.
  6. After 20 minutes, top with the remaining cheese and continue to bake uncovered for 10-ish minutes until the cheese is brown and bubbly.
  7. Serve with garlic bread and a green salad.

Serves 6-8. This re-heats well, if there are any leftovers.

Notes:

  • This dish is vegetarian, but not vegan. This is a vegan red pesto, but I’ve not tried it. To make it vegan, use a vegan red pesto and vegan Italian Cheese blend.
  • Pesto is not a nut-free product! If you have a nut allergy, be careful!
  • Feel free to use your favorite pasta (high protein, gluten-free, made from soy, etc). I do not recommend shirataki noodles- They have a weird texture and smell (seriously).

 

Free Recipe Lion Fruit Recipes eCookbook!

Abby H.

Ok, so we get a lot of fruit in our CSA boxes each week. Thanks to this awesome (and FREE) Recipe Lion Fruit Recipes eCookbook, I’ve got all kinds of new recipes up my sleeve.

And it’s not just sweets/ desserts, there are some savory recipes too!

 

Here are a few of the recipes I am looking forward to trying:

  • Braised Pork with Pears
  • Crowd-Pleasing Roasted Potatoes
  • Pear and Cranberry Bread Pudding
  • Orange Cranberry Cookies

To check out this offer, and receive your FREE copy of this eCookbook, click here.

Want to Eat Out & Save? Check out Restaurant.com!

Abby H.

I’ve been a fan of Restaurant.com for at least a decade.

Seriously! You purchase a discounted gift certificate (make sure to check the cert for restrictions, such as a minimum purchase amount or mandatory gratuity ) for a local restaurant.  You have a year from the date of purchase to use it.

  • $100 eGift Card for only $18.00
  • $200 eGift Card for only $36.00

Restaurant.com eGift Card can be redeemed at 62,000 restaurants and providers across the country. Available denominations vary by restaurant and certificates are subject to minimum spend requirements and other restrictions. You can split up the $100 or $200 amongst a few local restaurants.

Here is an example of how to use the certs to your advantage.

Cafe XYZ- Certificate for $15.00.  Terms of cert: $15 off the purchase of $30 or more.

  • The check comes to $30.00
  • Minus Cert amt. -$15.00
  • Total New Bill: $15.00
  • Gift Certificate Cost $6.00

The price for this complete meal is $21.00 (that includes the cost of the certificate).  The total amount saved $9.00.

ABC Cafe- Certificate for $25.00.   Terms of the cert: $25.00 off the purchase of $35.00 or more.

  • The check comes to $35.00
  • Minus Cert amt. -$25.00
  • Total New Bill: $10.00
  • Gift Certificate Cost $10.00

The price for this complete meal is $20.00 (that includes the cost of the certificate).  The total amount saved $15.00.

Don’t forget to tip your server!