HelloFresh Review

Hey lovelies!

I just wanted to post a quick review of my new favorite thing in the world. HelloFresh.com

Love food? Check this out.

One box. Three meals (more, really). Free shipping.

 It's a food delivery service that sends you a box every week-- out every other week, or once a month, however you want, with all-- and I mean all-- the ingredients for three meals per week (for two or four people).
Free shipping, too!

It's a little expensive for a tiny budget like mine- though there are ways to get money off, such as my coupon code below, as well as account credit- but we went out on a limb and ordered the first box as a luxury and time saver and just for the fun of it! 

We don't need to grocery shop so much, don't need to argue about what we should have for dinner all the time, and it comes with easy to follow recipe cards (with photos) that make it fun to try out these recipes that we'd never have thought to make!

Every Tuesday night I'm eager for my box to come in (it gets here on Wednesday mornings) and every Wednesday night I can't wait to find out what the next box is going to be (new menu is up every Thursday)!

Did I mention that it comes with virtually everything you need for each meal? All you usually need are the tools (pots, pans, dishes) some oil, and some salt and pepper.

Everything you need!

Everything else is in the box! Recipes, fresh meats, veggies, fruits, spices, plus condiments, garlic, garnishes, everything!
Everything's wrapped individually and kept together in bags for each meal, so you just put the bags in the fridge (pantry items seem to come in separate bags) and pull out whichever bag you need for the meal you want to make!

The menu is changed every week, with options for you.
There's three vegetarian meals, or five classic meals that you choose three meals from. It's a great variety and change, but still with choices and all delicious.

And so far almost every meal has actually made enough for us both plus leftovers, so we're actually getting more than three meals out of it.

The photo recipe cards are really cool because, A) they're pretty and easy to read and reusable and just adorable, and B) they make it really easy for my beau to cook, even though he's not usually good at it, AND we get to collect them, so we'll have this cute little pile of recipes perfect for a hand-made cookbook, so we can make our favorites over and over!

Recipe cards from our first box (classic). The Kofta was so good! And the salad was fun!

And because each meal is meant to be made in less than 30 minutes, it's a restaurant quality meal that's quick and simple, so we don't feel that "I wanna go ooout!" craving as often (so the money part balances out a little since we go out to eat less).

If you don't like the service (or can't afford it all the time) all you have to do is either set it on pause until you want another box, or just cancel it. No questions asked (except maybe a quick 'why') and no hidden fees or commitments.
That's really what got us to do it. Knowing that we could choose when we would get a box, based on what we could afford or wanted.

Our Vegetarian Box recipes this week. Note there's even nutrition info!

Also, as a side note, their customer service is really good so far.
It takes a while for them to get back to you sometimes, but they're really nice.
In our first box, we were missing the main ingredients of one of our meals (the mushroom risotto, which we still plan on making), and when we told them, they credited our account for a third of the original price (which means that much off a future box!).
We were impressed with how quickly they resolved it and how nice they were.

These photos are from our first two boxes. I love how fresh everything is, how creative and healthy the meals are, plus how cute it all is! 

And the variety means we're always trying something new and different all the time!
Today was pasta with escarole and mushrooms, tomorrow is african peanut stew made with eggplant and peanut butter on top of quinoa, roasted sqaush after that. So cool! Next week is seared steak with tomato/olive ragu, spicy chicken linguine, and artisan sausages with fresh mashed potatoes.

We've loved all the meals so far, and anything we didn't love, we worked out how to adapt it in the future, such as a different herb, an added side dish, or a different ingredient.

So, to sum it up.
Classy, gourmet food that's easy to make and delicious, delivered right to you.  Healthy, fresh, and delivered. Comes with literally everything you need.

I love it love it love it.

Great for busy foodies or those looking to learn how to cook new things (or at all).

AND for $20 off your first box, use the code 9Y42J5 when you check out.

It brings the price down a lot, which is really great to just give you a taste of it!
If you're not sure about whether or not you want to keep going, just put your deliveries on hold while you're deciding, and they won't charge you a thing until you want another box (or not)!

Try it! 

www.HelloFresh.com

Edit:: the coupon code recently changed; make sure you use the correct one (9Y42J5)

Making House. Edition 1

I've been having a so-so week. Two weeks.
Okay, month.

I've been working full time (almost)-- but haven't seen the money from it yet-- I've been sick three-- no, four!-- times, and I'm more broke than I have been in years, really. Even my credit cards are maxed right now, and I promised myself that would never happen.
But it's been my fault.

The money part anyway. When I'm stressed I don't want to cook so I buy food, when I'm depressed I don't want to mope so I shop. Not a good mixture this month.

Anyway.

I live in a nice apartment. In a nice complex. That should be nice.
But, of course, it's not. I'm too busy, stressed, or depressed to keep it clean, decorate it, out just generally make it nice.
I come home, I plop down on the couch or bed, I eat, and I leave my messes everywhere.

 Recently I've been shaking off the excess stress and melancholy that came along with working a job I didn't like for not nearly enough money or sleep, and wanted to fix this problem. Knowing the term is almost over gives me just enough of a boost to get one or two productive things done per day.

 

Recently, in a spurt of desperation I went to the store and maxed out my credit card (i know, bad idea) on affordable carpets, bed risers, under bed bins, new sheets, and some decor.   ((to be fair, I only spent about $50 and i got all that stuff!))

I got to work making my bed taller, storing unneeded items underneath (and clothes, actually), and pretty-ing up my bedroom.

Oddly enough, the finale didn't come until I used things I already had.
I tacked up some muslin for a makeshift headboard, then dug through my holiday boxes for some makeshift fairy lights. Add in a few old candles I don't use enough, and voila.

The result?
A bedroom I actually am proud to be in, and happy to sleep in.

Quiet days in empty homes

We've moved into our new apartment. It'll be official tomorrow.
This is the second time I've moved since starting Weetzie Way, and its always a new beginning.
I want to be happy here. I want to live and thrive a be creative and productive and useful and happy and alive.

There are two airy bedrooms, bathrooms I want to LiveJ up in pink and blue and brown. A small, white kitchen that my best friend has already decorated for me, and a whimsical french door in the main room that opens up to the sun filled deck.

Its been beautiful here today. And since work I've spent my time laying on the living room floor with the door wide open and the fan dusting a breeze across the room.
This is the first time I've been alone in the apartment. The puppies whimpering.g at passersby, the sounds of the neighbourhood around me.

I am enlivened by the potential this place has. I just hope I'm not too far gone to make it happen.

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