Yes, I am back with another meal kit! My monthly adventures in meal kits have been so fun for me, as I try new foods, learn new recipes and techniques, and really just improve my overall cooking abilities.
This time, I tried Blue Apron, another popular kit that had an affordable offer I couldn’t pass up. These recipes were very American in nature, and the food was clean, healthy, and yummy.
My box had 3 meals for 2 servings each, this included Honey Dijon Salmon with Zucchini in a Tomato-Shallot Pan Sauce, Marscapone-Spinach Burgers with Potato Wedges, and a Za’atar Beef with Freekah Lettuce Cups.
It came in a well insulated box, and all of the ingredients were still cold and fresh, even after work. The recipe cards were full page and very detailed, but except for the little bags of spices and such, all of them were separate instead of sorted by recipe. Not a huge deal, but just something to keep in mind.
Dijon Crusted Salmon with Zucchini, Shallot, Tomato Pan Sauce
I’ll start by saying, I don’t like salmon. I try so hard, and I thought this recipe would be the saving grace, but I still don’t like the fishy taste. This was probably my easiest recipe, as I just crusted the beautiful salmon, put them in the oven, then did some sauteeing.
The shallot tomato pan sauce over zucchini was out of this world. Like give me a bowl of it and call it a day. It used vegan worcestire sauce, which I don’t know what it was, but the ingredients were so simple, yet the flavor was incredible. While the salmon just didn’t do it for me, this sauce did!
Za’atar Beef with Freekah Lettuce Cups
This was my favorite meal of the batch, and since I have never cooked beef before besides ground up, this was super simple and self explanatory. The seasoned beef was the perfect cook with great flavor, and it really complimented everything else going on, including the pickled tomatoes and cucumbers, tahini sauce, and the star of the show…freekah.
If you don’t know what freekah is, it’s a cracked grain from the Middle East that reminded me of a bulgar, but it is so flavorful, filling, and easy to cook. Also, Za’atar, the spice on the meat, is this flavorful Middle Eastern herb blend that has a very distinct flavor.
Even if you don’t try Blue Apron, definitely give both of those ingredients a go! You won’t be disappointed.
Marscapone-Spinach Burgers with Potato Wedges
I made these with my boyfriend, and they were a bit of work and required a lot of dishes, though it was fun nonetheless. We made the wedges in the oven, the spinach-cheese topping in a bowl, and the burgers in a pan. It all came together really nicely, though we did make brussel sprouts on the side just to make it more well rounded.
Overall, I found the meals to be good and high quality, though the portions, yet again, were on the smaller side. I think I could cook some of these recipes similarly on my own, though it is a great way to try different preparations or ingredients you normally wouldn’t think of.
I may try this meal kit again, but for now, I am going to keep going on different ones, and hopefully find one with bigger portions!