Mmm... Blue Apron

So I am not the most dedicated person to the culinary arts. I mean, if I try, I can whip up a good meal but truth be told, I am just not a big fan of the kitchen.   I am blessed with a spouse that can handle the kitchen duties better than me.  He is the type to put a dash of this, a sprinkle of that, never use a measuring cup or follow step by step directions - and everything turns out perfect.  Me - I can follow the box directions step by step and still manage to need a Burger King run for dinner.  Just not my thing I guess...

Well... we were starting to slack off on cooking good, healthy meals.  Eating the same repetitive things over and over, week after week.  We were not doing well of making sure we had a balance.  I mean - after a long day of work, rushing home with two kids and trying to create a good meal was getting tough.  Then we found Blue Apron...

Heard about it a while back - but wasn't in our area when I first researched it.  Heard about it some more and luckily the second time around it was available.  Blue Apron has seriously made a huge impact on our diet.

So - here is the deal.  It is a company that basically plans out meals for you, they provide a full detailed set of instructions on how to cook the meal (with pictures!), and they send you all the ingredients.  And I mean - they send everything!  Most we ever have to add to our meals is the oil to cook with and salt and pepper.  Everything else is included, and it is premeasured!

In the box they send, you will find that the meals contain fresh produce, dairy products, meat and seafood products, spices, herbs, and so much more.  No more running to the store and no more trying to locate those unique items when you find a recipe you want to try.  It is pretty amazing.  I have to say - being a working mom, student and wife - at the end of the day, coming home and finding the box at my door makes for a great end to the day.  And just to let you know, everything inside is sealed and enclosed in large ice packs, so the food stays cold the entire time it travels from them to you. 

I love that I am not spending my time going down aisle after aisle, looking for ingredients, racking my brain on what to possibly make, and taking the easy way out and going for the easy microwave meal.  This means more time for family and less stress on what to eat, or what fast food to pick up at the end of the day.  The prep is detailed yet easy overall.  With practice, we have gotten faster at preparing the meals so eventually you become a Blue Apron Pro.  A good set of knives is helpful to get that chopping down and if you keep up, other small kitchen gadgets can help along the way. 

These days, preparing dinner is a family task.  My babies help with preparing our meals every evening.  We do the cutting and cooking, but they help with simple things like dumping the contents into a bowl, mixing the ingredients, and of course - taste testing along the way.  So, not only am I making sure they are eating healthy, but I am teaching them to cook.  Win-Win!

Plans vary on how many you are feeding and how often you want delivery.  Price is comparable to purchasing items in store, and you have to remember the uniqueness of some of the ingredients would almost make it more time consuming to find locally.  Don't forget you are saving time and gas by having it sent.

I have to say thank you to Blue Apron - they have seriously helped us make some positive changes.  We prepare and eat food I would have never imagined, food I have never heard of, and food I thought I did not like.  I am teaching my kids to try new things and enjoy a variety of cuisines.  We are using the time together wisely, cooking together and having better meals at the dinner table. 

Here is the website for Blue Apron - in case you want to check it out.  The link is not associated to my account and I am not receiving anything in return if you decide it is for you.  Just sharing my opinion and trying to help other families out that may be in a situation similar to mine.  I highly recommend you give it a shot if it appeals to your schedule, needs, and taste buds.

Lovin' Lasagna

So this past week I got into the cooking mood. Gasp!  So I am not much of a cook, unless it comes in a box with step by step directions.  Taking on new recipes always takes more time than it probably should for me, but I still try it occasionally.  This time around, I felt that some healthy lasagna was calling my name.

I followed these directions from this recipe I used once before, and the hubby and daughter loved it.  Since it turned out well the first time, I am doing it a second time to see if I can give it the  “Superwoman” stamp of approval.

Of course, I will eventually invest in all the right tools to make this.  Until then, I make do with what I have.

FYI-

If you don’t have a mandolin, I have managed to use a paddle cheese grater to slice the zuchinni.  

I push the zuchinni against the large flat area between the grater and the metal stand.  Once you get the hang of it you will know how much pressure to put and what thickness works.   Sometimes you get too thin and sometimes took thick, but really isn’t a big deal because its delicious no matter what!

The first time I did this, it was completely experimental.  This time I was more confident in my faux "mandolin" skills.

Thanks to SkinnyTaste, the instructions were easy to follow.  Follow the link for the full instructions for this delicious zucchini lasagna.

Here are some pictures I wanted to share with you.

I know my presentation is not all that - but it fed the family, it was healthy, and they loved it! Mission accomplished!

I hope you give it a try and I hope you enjoy this meal as much as we did.