This is my Saturday weekly newsletter, with my selection of 7 weeknight meals + 3 Summer salads for the upcoming week (July 14 -20, 2024) + a life update at the bottom (an impromptu sailing trip through the British Virgin Islands!) + 3 Summer cakes that are light, not overly sweet and packed with Summer fruit.

DAY 1: Greek Chicken Orzo with Cherry Tomatoes, Olives, and Feta (30 Minutes, ONE-PAN)

DAY 2: Creamy Tuscan Salmon Pasta with Sun-Dried Tomato and Spinach Cream Sauce​

DAY 3: Spinach and Mushroom Ravioli with Sun-Dried Tomatoes and Garlic​

(a 30-minute meatless vegetarian meal made with store-bought ravioli)

DAY 4: Cilantro-Lime Chicken with Peach Salsa​

(30 Minutes, One-Pan. You can also use nectarines, apricots, or mango instead of peaches)

DAY 5: Greek Shrimp Spaghetti with Cherry Tomatoes, Olives, Cucumber, Feta Cheese, and Lemon Garlic Sauce​

DAY 6: Creamy Basil Pesto Chicken Pasta with Roasted Cherry Tomatoes and Toasted Pine Nuts​

DAY 7: Creamy Gnocchi with hot Italian Sausage, Portobello Mushrooms, Spinach, and Garlic Paprika Cream Sauce (30 Minutes, ONE-PAN)​

SALAD 1: Avocado Mango Salad with Arugula, Pine Nuts, and Honey-Lime Dressing​

SALAD 2: Summer Peach Salad with Spinach, Blackberries, Pecans, Feta, and Balsamic Glaze​

SALAD 3: Arugula Salad with Pears, Apples, Cashews, dried Cranberries, and Balsamic Vinaigrette​

LIFE UPDATE

Last week, during my husband's birthday week, we went on an impromptu sailing adventure through the British Virgin Islands (BVI). Although we had been planning this trip for a while to coincide with his birthday, Hurricane Beryl almost disrupted our plans. We monitored the hurricane closely in the days leading up to our departure, prepared to cancel at a moment's notice. When it seemed that the hurricane would pass by the BVI (though certainty is never guaranteed), we decided to proceed with our trip. We woke up at 3 a.m., drove for two hours to the nearest airport, and caught a flight to San Juan, Puerto Rico, and then to Tortola in the British Virgin Islands.

This was my first time sailing, so I was quite nervous and concerned. Being on a sailboat with the potential for thunderstorms and rain from the remnants of Beryl, my biggest worry was lightning striking our mast. Maybe it's an irrational fear, but I just don't know enough about boats and sailing, so that tall, vertical pole supporting the sails looks to me like a perfect target for a lightning strike. I have to admit I had anxiety about it for two days before our trip. During our first two days of sailing, it rained, we had to wear rain jackets, and the sea was rough. It was pretty scary.

But then, the weather cleared up quickly, and the trip became so much fun! The British Virgin Islands are perfect for sailing, with mooring buoys in almost every popular bay. Everyone arrives by boat, stays on their boat, sails from island to island, and hangs out. That's the way of life here. We stayed aboard the boat, we dined aboard, we slept aboard. We basically spent a whole week living on the boat. By the way, here is the captain of our boat, Alden, with me and my husband:

Our first stop was The Baths on Virgin Gorda Island. We enjoyed an exciting and sometimes challenging hike through the caves, navigating massive boulders up to 40 feet in diameter and discovering hidden rock water pools along the way.

We then spent some time around Virgin Gorda Sound (North Sound), where there's plenty to do. Paddleboarding, swimming, or simply relaxing on floaties in the water. It's one of the world's finest protected harbors. We also visited the eastern end, where the Bitter End Yacht Club and Saba Rock restaurants are located. I spent A LOT OF TIME on a paddle board throughout the whole trip - it's a great exercise and good for balance! And it's just something to do during downtime.

In BVI, friends, families, and visitors typically charter sailboats or catamarans, often for a week, accompanied by a captain. They spend their time sailing through the islands and living aboard the boat.

Another highlight of our trip was stopping by the Scrub Island Resort on Scrub Island. What a gorgeous property, with cascading pools and a beautiful marina!

Another memorable stop was White Bay on Jost Van Dyke. This is where people relax and hang out in the water or at the beach bars. There were a lot of families with older kids, which surprised me. I had a party vibe expectation from this place, but it was very family-oriented, in a way. It’s home to the famous Soggy Dollar Bar, known as the inventor of the Painkiller drink - a tropical cocktail with rum, coconut cream, and fruit flavors. I don't drink, but I had to try it! We've been in our bathing suits the whole time (everybody was), so I apologize for constantly appearing in swimwear in my photos, lol. Jost Van Dyke is an incredibly scenic island with stunning views and tranquil, glass-like ocean waters.

Here we are in front of the famous Soggy Dollar Bar:

I really enjoyed this island, especially floating in the calm, glassy waters on inflatable floaties or carrying my husband around, lol.

I also acquired a new bad habit:

There are so many other enjoyable experiences from our trip through the British Virgin Islands that I could continue sharing, but I'll spare you the details and won't bore you any longer. I truly loved sailing, had no trouble sleeping on the boat, and didn't experience seasickness. I surprised myself—I really enjoyed it and would love to do it again! Due to this trip, I fell behind in posting new recipes and responding to comments on my site, so I have some catching up to do! Have you ever sailed a boat by yourself? Have you ever sailed in BVI?

Back to the recipes. Here are three summer desserts that are light, not overly sweet, and packed with fruit—perfect for hot summer days!

​Strawberry Peach Cake​

(20 minutes of prep; 50 minutes idle time (baking). Use fresh, canned, or frozen peaches. Or, pears, apples, nectarines, apricots.)

​Buttermilk Bundt Cake with Dried Cranberries, Fresh Apples, and Pecans​

Don't have buttermilk? Use kefir!

​Strawberry Banana Bread Muffins​

Made with ripe mashed bananas and Greek yogurt to create the most fluffy and light texture. 15 minutes of prep, and 20 minutes to bake.

I'd love to hear from you!

If you try any of these recipes, I would love your feedback in the comments section for each recipe on my website. Please do not respond to this e-mail (I might miss it!). If you have questions, feedback, or any other concerns, please use the comments section for a particular recipe on JuliasAlbum.com or leave a message on my ABOUT page. I always check the comments shared on my website. If you would like to share a photo of what you made, tag me #juliasalbum or @juliasalbumblog on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/juliasalbumblog/​

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