$21 A Week Grocery Challenge 2024 #2 - Green Meals and Ground Chicken

[@toniisaacsen3523]

The sound for the counting was much better than what was used on the last video. Thanks for changing that! Love your cooking creativity. I learn something with every video!

[@JessicaWanders]

Awesome! Thank you! I’m so happy to have you enjoying the videos 👍🏼🧡

[@jackiephillips9042]

I grind the bits of my homemade bread into bread crumbs. I have also cut the leftover bits into squares, sprinkled with garlic and olive oil, baked and made croutons. So easy and such a savings.

[@JessicaWanders]

Great idea!! I might have to try that soon with all the lettuce coming in from the garden, croutons would be nice!

[@theresaduffy8222]

I am so inspired by you that I felt excited, not depressed, about only spending $14.47 on groceries for the next 2 weeks. (I have pantry staples and a lot of frozen and refrigerated odds and ends too.) I also got clearance mushrooms for $0.99. And I’m making a list of all the ways I can spread them (and everything else out) for the next 2 weeks. Thank you for making this seem less daunting and more adventurous. 😀

[@JessicaWanders]

That is so amazing! You got this! Thinking about it as a challenge will hopefully spark some creativity! .99 cent mushrooms is a great deal and there are loads of ways to use them!

[@tenthousanddaysofgratitude]

I use Worcestershire sauce in ground chicken and it tastes more like ground beef.

[@JessicaWanders]

Great tip! I’ll have to try that out 👍🏻🙂

[@Mobo0760]

It’s your challenge, so your rules. I enjoyed this, love that you are natural, not trying to make things “perfect”. Idea for leftover chicken burgers, cut into pieces (like small meatball) and put into soup, tomato sauce.

[@JessicaWanders]

Thanks so much! I’m glad you’re enjoying the videos 😀 That’s a great idea for the left over patties! Thanks for the suggestion 👍🏼

[@have.a.beautifullife]

The demonstration of mouth zooming was hilarious! :)

[@JessicaWanders]

🤣 Ahhh the skills we acquire! Haha

[@robinswan5831]

OVER 6K!!!! Congrats! Time to make a cake!

[@JessicaWanders]

Yes! Thank you! :D :D It's always a good time to make a cake! lol

[@sarahdivakar5277]

To get the sweet potato fries crispier in the oven (I don’t have an air fryer either, lol) you can add some cornstarch to the mix, bump the oven temp to 475, and like you mentioned, keep them separate! Otherwise they will just steam. 😅I seldom have the patience to spread them out neatly and use two trays etc…but it does pay off when I do!

[@JessicaWanders]

Thanks for the tips! I think I was likely more patient with separating them the last time I made them and it made a big difference! I’ll have to try again! 👍🏻🙂

[@katv1195]

Yummy meals. I think the "dead" mushroom shouldn't count towards your $21. I like pesto on toast topped with a poached egg

[@JessicaWanders]

Mmmm pesto with a poached egg sounds tasty! Great idea 👍🏻🙂

[@kaybee6534]

Love your videos! This sound is way better. I honestly thought you had a smoke detector that needed a new battery or something on the last one 🤣

[@JessicaWanders]

Haha! It’s good to hear that it’s better! Thanks 👍🏻😃

[@adventuresingroceryland]

Great buy on the mushrooms. The garlic scape pesto was a phenomenal idea. The pita pizzas looked delicious. Adding the leftover pesto and lots of spinach to the macaroni and cheese was another really good idea. That looked delicious as well. Good week!

[@JessicaWanders]

Thanks so much! I do wish I had grabbed a few more of those mushrooms! They were a great buy 👍🏼😃

[@edwinawright9300]

I really appreciate you and your content!

[@JessicaWanders]

That's awesome! I'm so glad you're enjoying the videos! :D

[@MelanieW-kr3tg]

Jessica, this was such a fun video! It’s like you’re doing two challenges at the same time-$21/week grocery challenge and use-yourr-garden produce challenge! The fried rice looked delicious, and the burgers looked good, too, although you didn’t seem to love them. As always, though it all looked amazing! Congrats, too on the subscribers and new members-you’re really growing your channel as well as your garden! :)

[@JessicaWanders]

I agree Melanie! It’s fun including the garden produce and it makes for some extra veggies to the challenge 🙂 I don’t think I’m such a fan of ground chicken but I’ll keep trying out different recipes! 🍗

[@mustwereallydothis]

I've been experimenting with growing food in those "reusable" grocery bags that only a rare few of us actually reuse. I have been putting aged wood chips in the bottom half of the bags and filling the top with good garden soil and compost. So far, it's working great. I'll let you know how it goes as the growing season progresses.

[@adventuresingroceryland]

I find this very creative and really interesting. I have some fabric grow bags that I use but this sounds easy & manageable.

[@JessicaWanders]

That’s a great idea! I would love to hear how that goes 👍🏻😀

[@kathryndockrey1477]

I LOVE these types of challenges. It makes people think outside the box, and people get more creative with recipes. I've never eaten a garlic scape, but they look delicious. You need to get another kitty...lol. We rarely order take out food, but my adult kids do...so they always are gifting them to us. Always fun to get. I have the worse luck making homemade sweet potatoes. Your chicken burgers looked great. Great video !

[@JessicaWanders]

I agree Kathryn! I love this challenge because it always requires some creativity! I love the garlic scapes but I’m trying them in new ways which is fun! Another kitty if only to eat up the tuna water! 🐈‍⬛ We get delivery once in awhile and always when the adult kids are visiting too. I so rarely use up those packets so it’s good to focus and get rid of them! I’m so glad you enjoyed the video 🧡😀

[@itstime3976]

The fried rice looks fantastic

[@JessicaWanders]

Thanks! It was pretty great!

[@DioneN]

Now I’m picturing Uncle Roger reacting to your fried rice lol😆😆😆 it’s ok I won’t report you anyway!

[@JessicaWanders]

Haha! Right? Made me laugh thinking about it 😜🤣

[@caroljane75]

Those burgers looked good! 🧡💚❤️🩷💙🦋🦋🦋

[@JessicaWanders]

They were better than I expected! 👍🏼 🍔

[@bethanyg153]

The chive flower vinegar looks like a good idea!

[@JessicaWanders]

I loved it! It was really fragrant and a beautiful colour!

[@debbiepowell8172]

Congratulations on 6,000!!! You’re on your way to 10,000 in no time at all.

[@JessicaWanders]

Thank you!! Steady on to 10000!

[@NattyHomeMaker]

I want to eat at your house . Everything looks so good 😊❤

[@JessicaWanders]

Awww 🧡Thank you Natty 😋

[@heathertackett7956]

I can totally see a homemade bread with your pizza pesto sauce in it. It'll be a green tint but delicious..especially grilled paperjack sandwiches with it!

[@JessicaWanders]

Sounds fabulous! Yum 👍🏼🙂

[@nancyculp6968]

For future use of the onions…maybe make some green goddess salad dressing ( with the anchovies or anchovy paste will give you added protein in your salads. You can also sauté up your mushrooms in part butter and olive oil, then add in some Worcestershire sauce, garlic powder, S&P and about a tablespoon of dry wine. Sauté them down , but leaving some of the sauce it creates. Store some in a container to use on pizza, spaghetti sauce, veg. Soup, add to sauce with Salisbury steaks etc. They can be frozen until ready to use. I boil up some pasta and add most of the sauce to it to create a mushroom pasta. You can sprinkle with some of your diced garlic and green onion stems and sprinkle with a little Parmesan if you have it. That along with your green goddess salad and some homemade croutons would be a great meatless meal. I bet if you marinated some of the mushrooms and some bell peppers with the green pesto sauce by adding in some more oil would be great grilled or roasted in the oven to make a wonderful vegetable sandwich on a bun spread with some spicy mayo…then add a slice of provolone cheese to top it off. That with some sweet potato fries are yum! I make a dipping sauce for the sweet potato fries that is half maple syrup and half honey heated with a little butter. Oh so good! I would have bought two of the containers of mushrooms! What a great buy! 😊

[@JessicaWanders]

Thanks for the great ideas Nancy! The mushrooms were definitely a great deal! I’ll have to try that sweet potato dip some time! I’m always keen to use some maple syrup lol Thanks for sharing! 👍🏻🧡

[@Nancy-lc8jw]

you can add a bit of sugar to the soya sauce to mimic the hoisin

[@JessicaWanders]

Ohh thanks for the tip!

[@katrinbivens3723]

I love your videos ❤

[@JessicaWanders]

Thank you!

[@DeterminedDIYer]

When you were talking about your pesto I think you were trying to convince yourself it was going to be good more than us hehe.

[@JessicaWanders]

I think I do that a LOT in the $21 A Week Challenge haha BUT it actually turned out better than I expected! :D

[@crus5112]

The ground chicken would probably do really well with taco seasoning, for like taco salad or a taco casserole.

[@JessicaWanders]

Mmmm that sounds nice! Fried up it would lose that funny texture too…hmmm…thanks for the idea! 👍🏻🤔🧡

[@LifeinYellowknife]

Love your videos! Just wanted to say I really hate the noise that you chose to put in when you show the number of meal it is! Like the peeping noise! Please take it out!! lol! Seriously tho, love your videos!! And love to support a fellow Canadian! If you're editing with iMovie maybe try the bottle pop one or cork bottle or whatever it's called- much nicer just a little pop!

[@JessicaWanders]

I think that enough people are bugged by it that it's going to get very very quiet ;) Thanks for the suggestions! I'll have to check out your life in Yellowknife! How's the fire smoke this year so far?

[@deborahoakey3560]

Do you have an air fryer? The sweet potatoes fry would be lovely and crispy

[@JessicaWanders]

I don't but I was thinking about it when they came out...less than crispy. Something to think about maybe!

[@jazminj6512]

Since you prep all the meals at once I’m assuming you save them in the fridge for the next day do the breads not get soggy? Just wondering is the quality still good or ass good

[@JessicaWanders]

If you are referring to the burger buns, one day in the fridge is okay for me. When I eat them I heat the patty up separately and kind of rebuild the burger ;)

[@SarahB.43]

If you get ground chicken again I would be tempted to coat in breadcrumbs, instead of mixing in, to make chicken nuggets or chicken patty’s for like chicken fried chicken with gravy and potatoes.

[@JessicaWanders]

Thank you for the suggestion! That sounds like a good idea 👍🏼

[@ka6148]

15:52 the strawberries are juicy Perhaps why you had juicy bits in the bottom

[@JessicaWanders]

I was thinking the same thing. It did kind of thicken up as it cooled and it was still very tasty but, ya, just a bit watery.

[@mcclungsonwhite7377]

That service fee cuts me every single time 😡

[@JessicaWanders]

Right?! It’s so disappointing! I think they should just include it in the cost?

[@loriburgess1866]

I think you should not count the cost of last week’s tomato. So you are actually under budget.😀

[@JessicaWanders]

Well, I got two last week and only counted half the cost when I used one so I had to count its cost this week to be fair. Thank you for keeping your eye out! 👍🏻🙂

[@chargalbreth3052]

Maybe next time, save a bit of your stale bread and make croutons for your salad.

[@JessicaWanders]

Good idea 👍🏼

[@mustwereallydothis]

I have an amazing recipe using flour , butter or lard, baking powder, salt, pepper, potatoes, green onions, a little bit of cheddar cheese, and oil for frying. I was saving this recipe, along with many others, for my daughter's channel, but she was seriously injured in a fall a few years ago, and it has become clear that she will never have use for any of them. It would make me very happy if someone could make use of even one of them. Let me know if you're interested.

[@JessicaWanders]

That could be a great idea when I start having potatoes coming in from the garden! 🪴

[@deborahtheodore5407]

Hey, I don’t believe you went over your budget. The tomatoes for $.74 came from the week previous it should not have been counted in my opinion it would’ve bought you under $21

[@JessicaWanders]

Hey Deborah 🧡 When I bought two in the previous week and only used one, I only counted half the cost so I had to count the cost of the second tomato this week. It’s too bad because it was such a sad looking tomato this week lol Thanks for keeping an eye out for me! 👍🏻🙂

[@miscelany2]

[@JessicaWanders]

🙂🧡