As things progress in the world of the Skinny Pig – a few things have changed:
- I am cooking a lot more
- I am cooking slightly more healthfully (RELAX I SAID SLIGHTLY)
- 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.
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:
- Choose your meal plan – they have Classic, Veggie, and Family
- Browse the menus (my favorite part)
- Order! Select how many meals you want per week (3-5) and how many people you are feeding (2 or 4).
- USE MY OFFER CODE! SKINNYPIG35 FOR $35 OFF YOUR FIRST BOX 🙂
- 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.
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.
HelloFresh Argentine Spiced Steak Process
- Sliced peppers, scallions, garlic, and zested the lemon. Seasoned the steak. Set water to boil.
- Mixed olive oil with garlic, scallions, and lemon zest to make the chimichurri and set aside. This took all of 20 seconds.
- 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.
- In the same pan, I seared the steak and cooked for 4-5 mins per side (for medium rare).
- While the steak cooked, I added the couscous to the boiling water. It cooks like pasta – 7 mins (roughly) for al dente.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- Stand back and ask yourself why you didn’t just become a damn chef in the first place.
REMEMBER: SKINNYPIG35 FOR $35 OFF YOUR FIRST BOX.
Need some more reasons to try? Here you go:
MORE REASONS
- 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.
- 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!
- 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.
- Different. These recipes are creative enough to keep me interested, but familiar enough for the beginner chef.
- 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!
This post was written in partnership with HelloFresh. All opinions (and bad jokes) are my own.
