For throwback Thursday, I’ve got one of my stockpiled Marley Spoon reviews. If you’d like to try out this weekly meal subscription service for yourself, use the coupon code COOKSMART for $30 off.
My meal plan is for a weekly delivery of 2 meals (2 portions each), which costs $48.
Chimichurri Steak with Cilantro Rice & Sautéed Collards
Download the recipe here.
Marley Spoon’s steak is always amazing so I had to give this one a try.
Our Fresh Ingredients…
We slice and dice our veggies and herbs.
Then we cook the shallots and cilantro stems in oil, and add our rice.
We make a chimichurri dressing from the rub, vinegar, oil and water.
The steaks get seared and then are allowed to rest.
We cook the collards in the same pan the steak was seared in.
We finish steaks by tossing them with dressing, fluff our finished rice and then we end up with this:
Taste: Love!
The chimichurri dressing was wonderful and gave so much flavor. This recipe was incredibly easy and very flavorful. It came together fast and tasted well balanced. The side dishes were simple and fresh and allowed the steak to be the rock star of the meal. I adored the Elvio’s chimichurri seasoning and would love to add some to my pantry.
Portion Size: Excellent.
Good for Entertaining?: Yes, for a dinner party. For cocktails, I’d pair this with a Mint Juleps and a Blackberry iced tea. My appetizer would be a marinated seafood salad and I’d serve some herbed focaccia bread on the side. My dessert would highlight fruit and I’d go with something like this Grape Galette and espressos.
Moroccan Lamb Stew with Farro, Carrots & Apricots
Download the recipe here.
I love Moroccan flavors and how they mix fruit into savory dishes so I opted for this recipe.
More fresh ingredients:
We start with some chopping and zesting.
Then we move on to cooking our ground lamb with some salt and pepper.
Spices get added, along with the carrots, apricots, tomatoes, farro and ½ cup of water.
We finish the stew by covering it and transferring it to the oven. It bakes until the carrots and farro are tender.
We make a parsley salad with some oil, salt and pepper.
Our finished masterpiece:
Taste: Love!
First, this all takes place in one pot! That alone can win me over. Second, the flavors were delicious and even though the seasoning mix included some cumin (the spice I hate above all others) it was well balanced enough that it didn’t overpower the dish. I’ve discovered that I really enjoy farro and I thought the parsley salad added a nice fresh component to the dish. Stew is perfect for a cold night and this recipe was a great variation on the typical stew.
Portion Size: Generous
Good for Entertaining?: Yes. I’d add this as part of a family style meal. For drinks, I’d experiment with a rosewater punch and offer an alcoholic and non-alcoholic version. The appetizer would be a Middle Eastern style platter with some dips like hummus and baba ganoush, nuts, cheese, dried fruit and some fresh pita. I’d include another main dish option that highlights poultry, like Harissa Roasted Chicken. As an additional side, I’d add a simple platter of roasted veggies. Dessert would feature a Moroccan fruit salad and a Honey cake like this amazing one at Cake Crumbs and Beach Sands.
OVERALL
Verdict: Love!
These dishes were flavorful, interesting and easy to make. I made both on weeknights and it worked out just fine. Both meals were healthy and balanced with really fresh meat and excellent portion sizes. This box was definitely a win.
Have you tried any food subscriptions?
If so, what were your expectations and did the box meet them?
THE BACKSTORY
Marley Spoon creates delicious, easy to follow recipes.
They deliver fresh, pre-portioned ingredients and you select your recipes from their changing weekly menu.
They are dedicated to sourcing organic and sustainable whenever possible. Building relationships with environmentally aware farms and producers ensures that the highest quality ingredients arrive at your door each week.
Using trusted delivery partners, your Marley Spoon boxes come insulated and chilled, staying cool for 30 hours! After delivery, all the ingredients are guaranteed to stay fresh for up to 4 days – allowing you to decide when to cook.
Marley’s Spoon donates any leftover ingredients to City Harvest. City Harvest exists to end hunger in communities throughout New York City through food rescue and distribution, education, and other practical, innovative solutions.
Each week you’ll automatically receive great dishes, but as a flexible subscription, you can skip a week or pause your subscription anytime. You can also change delivery frequency, recipes, and the number of portions you’d like to receive.
Monthly Cost:
Varies by number of servings and number of meals.
Check here for the configuration of your choice
COUPON CODE: COOKSMART
Lisa Preziosi 