My Favorite HelloFresh recipes!

I've always joked that the meal kit deliveries are for domestically impaired wives! No shame in admitting that I don't cook very much sadly, because I'm not home long enough to plan a meal, cook dinner, clean up, try to have a life and then go to bed and be rested for the next day. Most nights we'll eat somewhere healthy (Hello Chipotle!) come home and stay up long enough just to wash gym clothes then meal prep for myself for the following day. Remember my reference in my opening post about how I need a creative outlet? Well, cooking is fun for me when I have the time to enjoy it. One element that I don't like and is so time consuming is going to the grocery store just to get lost not knowing "which aisle do they keep the chili powder on?!" This scene usually ends with me calling my mother asking if she has "any clue" where my recipe card items are kept, to which she patiently responds....then laughs quietly under her breath. She knows my struggle is real.

I decided to try HelloFresh when I found a BlackFriday deal online for a free first box. It looked pretty convenient to have a box of only the essential items that you needed included with a recipe card. We've tried many different dishes and I wanted to include them below should anyone want a recommendation on some of our favorite dishes that we've had so far.


                                                                 Asian Beef Bulgolgi

This one was a must for us since we truly love Asian cuisine. The soy sauce and vinegar that I cooked the beef in gave it such a savory flavor and it's a kit that we've had to order more than once. The rice in most of their kits are Jasmine instead of white which is altogether more flavorful.

Toasted Coconut Shrimp Tempura

This recipe was my favorite! If you love seafood and anything friend, you'll find this addicting! Once again it comes with Jasmine rice and it was cooked with minced ginger which gave it a really nice zing. Oddly this was my first time frying in a very long time and I was happy with not burning the shrimp into straight croutons! The kit came with the fixings for a cabbage salad that I pickled in white wine vinegar while everything else was cooking. This is another 'Must Order Again' dinner!

Creamy Parmesan Chicken Spaghetti

We're both runners so spaghetti is a frequent dish in our house. Regardless of working out, who needs an excuse to indulge in carbs right? This recipe was creamy and dredged in light butter and cream cheese which was a unique spin on traditional Italian. The only three produce items were the basil garnishments that go on top of the finished dish, the lemon accent and the oven roasted tomato wedges on the side. The only draw back to this recipe was the noodles needed quite a bit of salt to add to the zing of cream cheese sauce. Still quite tasty and was great with some breadsticks, not included with the kit but very easy to throw in the oven :)

 

Parmesan Cheese Stuffed Burgers and Potato Wedge Fries

I'm not much of a burger fan but I was really surprised at how delicious these were. The hubby is much bigger on beef than I am but I really liked them due to the fact that they were stuffed with cheese! The kit came with several produce pieces, my favorite one was the red onion that I cut and pickled in vinegar and sauce, heated in the microwave and it made an incredible garnishment on the burger! The wedges were cut in 1/2 inch slices and roasted in the oven for 30 minutes and came out just crispy enough on the outside. This will be ordered again and enjoyed outside now that it's warm enough to eat outside in the sun room!

What you should know:



-The portion sizes are not overly generous. We always order for two people and that makes enough for just the two of us. Thankfully Matt and I don't overindulge so one healthy sized plate is sufficient for us. So if you're hoping for seconds and thirds, or hoping to entertain guests with your new found cooking skills, I would probably suggest ordering two or three on the same kit.



-You need to use the kit within a few days of receiving it. The produce could start to turn if not used within a few days. I always put the meat items in the freezer if I know it's going to be a few days before cooking one of the recipe cards.



-It can be a little expensive but wow....are they good!



-The kits are really easy to assemble! I really love not having to dig for items in the pantry or having to measure out ingredients, it all comes pre-measured and just what you need for that one recipe. No hoarding leftover ingredients!



-The most time consuming portion is chopping the produce items. This can be done ahead of time thankfully! I have done this on a Sunday evening to be able to quickly assemble a Monday night dinner.





I feel their ingredients are what truly make the meals. As much as I like cooking, I just don't think the Winn Dixie near my house sells chicken breasts that can quite measure up to the magnificence of what HelloFresh delivers. I have a theory that they get their chicken from the same sources as Chick-Fil-A. The veggies that they send are just as amazing. I read somewhere that they don't process any of their produce with pesticides or chemicals and I think that's what makes the difference. Hence why you should try and consume within a few days of receiving your order.


These recipes have made dinner time much easier than before and it helps on busy work nights. I really love not having to go out to dinner all the time and be able to prepare delicious meals that are not only fresh but healthy and nutritious to consume in the comfort of our own home!