SkinnyPigCooks With: HelloFresh

As things progress in the world of the Skinny Pig – a few things have changed:

  1. I am cooking a lot more
  2. I am cooking slightly more healthfully (RELAX I SAID SLIGHTLY)
  3. I am testing and reviewing new products

So, to that end, I’ve decided to start this “SkinnyPigCooks With” series! Mainly because I cook alone most of the time and I could use the company. AND because it’s my way of introducing you to new products, delivery services, and more.

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Kicking us off is HelloFresh! Comprised of chef-curated recipes, the meals are delivered to your door and ready to cook. HelloFresh provides all locally-sourced ingredients, a recipe booklet, an apron, and the menus change every week so you won’t get bored of eating the same thing over and over. It’s easy. Works like this:

  1. Choose your meal plan – they have Classic, Veggie, and Family
  2. Browse the menus (my favorite part)
  3. Order! Select how many meals you want per week (3-5) and how many people you are feeding (2 or 4).
  4. USE MY OFFER CODE! SKINNYPIG35 FOR $35 OFF YOUR FIRST BOX 🙂 
  5. Get cooking!

Here’s what it looks like on the site. It’s super easy to do and the pictures are beautiful. Also hooray for FREE SHIPPING.

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So I made two things, but I’m going to brag a little harder about the Argentine Spiced Steak. It was flavorful, tender, and cooked to medium-rare perfection! I’d also like to caveat that I get super nervous when cooking steak, because it’s so easy to overcook, but this one was easy to prep and it came out AWESOME. I was so proud of myself. And the couscous-spinach salad has become a new favorite lunch snack of mine – no joke.

Lastly, here is how the cooking process went, in real life terms, minus the ingredient list.

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HelloFresh Argentine Spiced Steak Process

  1. Sliced peppers, scallions, garlic, and zested the lemon. Seasoned the steak. Set water to boil.
  2. Mixed olive oil with garlic, scallions, and lemon zest to make the chimichurri and set aside. This took all of 20 seconds.
  3. Sauteed peppers, half the scallions, garlic, olive oil and lemon. The scent of that alone was enough for me to stop right there, but I kept going. I wanted the steak. So I set aside the peppers.
  4. In the same pan, I seared the steak and cooked for 4-5 mins per side (for medium rare).
  5. While the steak cooked, I added the couscous to the boiling water. It cooks like pasta – 7 mins (roughly) for al dente.
  6. I took the steak off and let it rest for a few minutes before slicing. This is standard meat practice and helps retain the juices.
  7. Drained the couscous and added it to the spinach and warm peppers. Tossed around to mix and added an extra squeeze of fresh lemon juice on top.
  8. Sliced the steak against the grain (see pics above? that’s how “against the grain” looks) and placed it alongside the salad, drizzled with that beautiful, fragrant chimichurri.
  9. Stand back and ask yourself why you didn’t just become a damn chef in the first place.

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REMEMBER: SKINNYPIG35 FOR $35 OFF YOUR FIRST BOX. 

Need some more reasons to try? Here you go:

MORE REASONS

  1. Freshness. Considering the name, I would be severely disappointed if it wasn’t super fresh. Thankfully, it was. I actually felt really good about eating this meal. Light, yet still completely satisfying. Not to mention GORGEOUS.
  2. Portions. Look…I am single as a Pringle. And I HATE when I get recipe boxes that can feed five or more hungry versions of me. The meals I tried were portioned perfectly (for about 2 people). So I had one for Dara, and one for Future Dara. But as you can see above, you can choose how many people you are feeding when you pick your boxes!
  3. Easy. I chose recipes that weren’t difficult to begin with, but I am also not exactly a beginner when it comes to cooking. I asked a few cooking-neophyte friends to take a peek though, and they all agreed that it looked simple.
  4. Different. These recipes are creative enough to keep me interested, but familiar enough for the beginner chef.
  5. Packaging. I liked the long rectangular boxes – they fit nicely in my fridge and were all clearly labeled. Truthfully I was surprised everything was in there (minus the protein)! So when I open the fridge door, I can just pick my meal and get started. Even the garlic was already peeled!

Check them out and give it a try! If you’re looking to eat better or just cook better – this is a great introduction to both. I’m thinking of buying a subscription for my brother for Christmas. If anyone needs help in the kitchen department, it’s him.

HelloFresh: Website

HelloFresh: Gifting Options

PS – here’s the other dish I made – one of the chef-curated menu items from Jamie Oliver. It was also good, but not as good as the steak, in my opinion. A little too spicy and I’m just not a huge fan of whole wheat pasta. Loved the method of baking ricotta with lemon, tomatoes, garlic and herbs though. PS – to get the top this brown, I did a few mins under the broiler which the recipe didn’t call for. I do what I have to do for that good crust!

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This post was written in partnership with HelloFresh. All opinions (and bad jokes) are my own.

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