Tuesday, March 29, 2016

Blue Apron: Why It Works for Busy Runner Types (Like You & Me)

Blue Apron (meal delivery service) has rescued me once again. Between work, training, trying to be somewhat of a parent and laying around watching The People vs. OJ, I've not only run out of meal ideas, but also time to buy ingredients.

Last week I cooked up a couple of the meals sent by Blue Apron. I chose these two winners (wait for your mouth to water): Seared Sirloin Steaks with Roasted Potatoes and Creamed Kale and Star Anise and Soy-Glazed Cod. My daughter doesn't eat any meat (with the exception of fish) so I wanted at least one of the meals to cater to her. That's just how good of a mother I am.

As I was cooking up the meals, I was thinking about why this service just WORKS. I'm always impressed by the quality of ingredients that arrive on my doorstep and the fact that everything is portioned out for me. But, this time (my fourth time reviewing Blue Apron), I realized a couple of new things.

First of all, the way that the recipe directions are laid out in steps means that everything comes together at the same time. This is something I've struggle with over the years in my cooking. If I make a main dish a couple of sides, it takes a work of God to make sure that the dishes all are finished at the same time. It seems like something usually ends up sitting around and getting cold or soggy. With Blue Apron, they have it carefully orchestrated so it all finishes up together. To me, this means the recipes have not only been constructed based on the right combination of ingredients, but have also been tried and re-tried to make sure that cooking times somewhat correlated.

Check out one recipe card and how it takes you through the steps.


The other thing I noticed was that with Blue Apron I'm using ingredients I would never use normally. While I'm a pretty experimental gal, I find I don't often choose recipes with things I've never heard of before. For example, the cod recipe from Blue Apron had me using star anise (wtf is that) and gai lan (huh?). In case you are curious and want to name drop these ingredients at your next party to make yourself sound cultured, star anise is a spice form Northeast Vietnam and Southwest China.  It has a strong, licorice taste. Gai lan is a Chinese broccoli.

Moving on. Let me show you some pictures, so you can see how the process works.

When cooking up the sirloin steak dish, I first chopped up all of my kale and potatoes.


I drizzled the potatoes with olive oil, salt and pepper and popped them in the oven. Ken pretended to help while I bossed him around because we both know I wear the pants (running skirts) around here:


I cooked up the kale and added some butter and parmesan to it. Kale can be quite bitter if not cooked right. If you take off the stems, steam it well and add in enough butter, it is fantastic. Ask Ken. He typically hates kale, but really liked this version.

Next, time to eat!





This was delicious. The quality of the meat and the freshness of the produce is evident.

The other dish was the Star Anise and Soy Glazed Cod. This was FABULOUS. Lots of flavor and felt very healthy. Yeah, this picture could be in a cooking magazine.



Couple other things to note about Blue Apron.

  1. They now offer a recycling program! More info HERE.
  2. Each menu is between 500 and 800 calories a serving. That info is found on your recipe card. Meals take under 40 minutes to prepare.
  3. There are two types of plans: the 2 person plan and the family plan (serves 4)

Want to give it a shot?? The first 20 readers will get two free meals on their first Blue Apron order. Click HERE to redeem.


Have you tried Blue Apron? Why or why not?

What's the last and best meal you made? I've got to say the COD pictured above.

SUAR

22 comments:

  1. It sounds like a nice concept... I just don't like the idea of auto-bill and auto-ship... Too much of a commitment!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I'm a distance runner and a single dad. Blue Apron is awesome. Their smart phone app and website are very easy to use, and with a click you can skip a delivery and even change your menu. They show you the menu for weeks in advance. If you are going on vacation, or having company you can just click to skip that week. No charge, no delivery. Their customer service is awesome and geared to customer satisfaction. Like everyone else is saying, the food is good. The ingredients are often new to me, and my girls are getting more into cooking because of it.

      Delete
    2. How I Was Rescued By A God Fearing And Trusted Lender {Lexieloancompany@yahoo.com}..

      Hello, I am Andrew Thompson currently living in CT USA, God has bless me with two kids and a lovely Wife, I promise to share this Testimony because of God favor in my life, 2days ago I was in desperate need of money so I thought of having a loan then I ran into wrong hands who claimed to be loan lender not knowing he was a scam. he collected 1,500.00 USD from me and refuse to email me since then I was confuse, but God came to my rescue, one faithful day I went to church after the service I share idea with a friend and she introduce me to LEXIE LOAN COMPANY, she said she was given 98,000.00 USD by MR LEXIE , THE MANAGING DIRECTOR OF LEXIE LOAN COMPANY. So I collected his email Address , he told me the rules and regulation and I followed, then after processing of the Documents, he gave me my loan of 55,000.00 USD... well if you are interested in a loan you can as well contact him on this Email: Lexieloancompany@yahoo.com or call/sms on: +18168926958 thanks, I am sure he will also help you.

      Delete
  2. I've used Blue Apron a couple of times and really like it. The best meal I've made has been the steak/kale/potatoes (it was amazing...restaurant quality). I've learned a lot about cooking and techniques. I find it really easy to cancel or change up my order online, no issues there. I had not thought about how it all comes together at the same time before, but now that you mention it, that is another plus. The only minus for me is that I find I am using way more dishes and utensils that I normally would...but maybe that is what it takes to make more interesting meals.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Nope - never tried blue apron. I always think that the on-line meal providers are too expensive. Probably not true anymore, but that's my bias.

    Just curious - why do you hang your bananas up backwards?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Haha! Is that backwards? I've always done it that way. Now you have me questioning my whole identity.

      Delete
  4. My sister who lives in D.C. Ordered blue apron for a side trip we were planning to Virginia! Awesome, it showed up at the door step and in the car it went with us to our cabin. All the meals were great but on the downside I would NEVER order it due to all the ridiculous packaging!! Save the earth people and shop local or join a food share program.

    ReplyDelete
  5. It would be a great deal now that I live in Hawaii where food is pretty expensive. Sadly, they don't deliver here.

    I hate the whole getting everything ready at the same time dilemma. That's why I love using my crockpot!

    ReplyDelete
  6. This looks delicious! I've never tried blue apron, but hearing a recommendation from a fellow runner has definitely put it on my radar! Thank you so much for sharing!

    ReplyDelete
  7. I love meal services like this. We recently tried another one! It was fun to receive different ingredients than I might usually purchase and all of the fresh ingredients!

    ReplyDelete
  8. I have always wanted to try it out for a week or two, but we're not in the budget to spend that much on meals (we don't eat out at all right now), as we're saving for a house and have a new baby on the way. But MAYBE I can talk hubby into it for the first couple of weeks after baby is here - to avoid shopping.

    ReplyDelete
  9. My wife and I are about to start Blue Apron and I can't wait to see how it goes. The food looks delicious!

    ReplyDelete
  10. Ihave never tried blue apron. I have to feed 5 and with my two boys. There would never be enough food. When they finally quit eating 6 lbs of food each I will try this out. :)

    ReplyDelete
  11. My wife and I separated 4 months ago and our children, Emily and Robert, live with her in London, but see me every weekend i needed my wife and children back home, I was totally devastated and confused and did not know how to bring them back home because i have tried all my possible best all to no avail, until an old friend of mine told me about a spell caster on the internet called Dr Unity who help people with their relationship and marriage problem by the powers of love spells, at first I doubted if such thing ever exists but decided to give it a try, when I contacted him i told him everything and he told me that everything will be fine that my family are going to come back to me, all he said all i will do is for me to provide the money for him to buy the items and i did and he told me that he is going to cast the spell, he helped me cast a spell and within 48hours my wife came back to me and started apologizing, now she has stopped going out with men and she is with me for good and for real. If you have any problem contact Dr Unity he is real and always ready to solve your problem , E-mail: Unityspelltemple@gmail.com .

    ReplyDelete
  12. My husband and I have been married for about 7 yrs now. We were happily married with two kids, a boy and a girl. 3 months ago, I started to notice some strange behavior from him and a few weeks later I found out that my husband is seeing someone. He started coming home late from work, he hardly care about me or the kids anymore, Sometimes he goes out and doesn't even come back home for about 2-3 days. I did all I could to rectify this problem but all to no avail. I became very worried and needed help. As I was browsing through the internet one day, I came across a website that suggested that Dr Unity can help solve marital problems, restore broken relationships and so on. So, I felt I should give him a try. I contacted him and he did a spell for me. Three days later, my husband came to me and apologized for the wrongs he did and promise never to do it again. Ever since then, everything has returned back to normal. I and my family are living together happily again.. All thanks to Dr Unity . If you need a spell caster that can cast a spell that truly works, I suggest you contact him. He will not disappoint you. This is his E-mail: Unityspelltemple@gmail.com .

    ReplyDelete
  13. My life became devastated when my husband sent me packing, after 8 years that we have been together. I was lost and helpless after trying so many ways to make my husband take me back. One day at work, i was absent minded not knowing that my boss was calling me, so he sat and asked me what its was all about i told him and he smiled and said that it was not a problem. I never understand what he meant by it wasn't a problem getting my husband back, he said he used a spell to get his wife back when she left him for another man and now they are together till date and at first i was shocked hearing such thing from my boss. He gave me an email address of the great spell caster who helped him get his wife back, i never believed this would work but i had no choice that to get in contact with the spell caster which i did, and he requested for my information and that of my husband to enable him cast the spell and i sent him the details, but after two days, my mom called me that my husband came pleading that he wants me back, i never believed it because it was just like a dream and i had to rush down to my mothers place and to my greatest surprise, my husband was kneeling before me pleading for forgiveness that he wants me and the kid back home, then i gave Happy a call regarding sudden change of my husband and he made it clear to me that my husband will love me till the end of the world, that he will never leave my sight. Now me and my husband is back together again and has started doing pleasant things he hasn't done before, he makes me happy and do what he is suppose to do as a man without nagging. Please if you need help of any kind, kindly contact Happy for help and you can reach him via email: happylovespell2@gmail.com

    ReplyDelete
  14. Good blog post. I want to thank you for interesting and helpful information and I like your point of view. Thank you! I love to read this type of material Good and attractive information I take from it. Thank you for posting such a good article.
    juegos de friv | friv | friv games | giochi | jeux

    ReplyDelete

  15. Are you having a hard time searching for a way to get your ex partner back, look no further, this was how i got mine back you can get yours today. My husband and I have been through every top reason for divorce; financial struggles, bankruptcy, stressful jobs, becoming parents when we weren’t ready (neither one of us would give our kids back just the amount of stress is overwhelming) we fought ALL the time over anything and everything. I threatened divorce all the time. One day after a fight I said I was done and filling. He told me he wasn’t in love with me anymore. After a day or two of cooling off I realized that divorce is not what I wanted. No, our marriage was not healthy but we had so much going against us an neither one of us were trying. I begged for him to forgive me and that I didn’t mean it. He told me he loved me but wasn’t in love with me anymore. Those words hurt and I believed him.One day i was online for tutor, as i was browsing i saw a review about a spell caster who could solve my problem, i have heard about spell casting, and magic, i said i should give it a try i contacted the spell caster his name is Dr Ewan of {covenantsolutiontemple@gmail.com}, i contacted him and he told me not to worry that all he had to do for me is a love spell, he did it and told me that i should give my husband 48 hours and that he would realize him self, i waited anxiously and one the second day of casting the spell, he came to me and told me he was sorry for the wrong he did to me, he has agreed to send me to school and we are happy. Thank you Dr Ewan you are the best. If you have any marital problem, winning of lottery and many other problems you can contact him on his email, {COVENANTSOLUTIONTEMPLE@GMAIL.COM} or call his mobile number +2347052958531, he is a good and kind man. Thanks. ELIZABETH STRONG LONDON UK

    ReplyDelete
  16. How I Was Rescued By A God Fearing And Trusted Lender {Lexieloancompany@yahoo.com}..

    Hello, I am Andrew Thompson currently living in CT USA, God has bless me with two kids and a lovely Wife, I promise to share this Testimony because of God favor in my life, 2days ago I was in desperate need of money so I thought of having a loan then I ran into wrong hands who claimed to be loan lender not knowing he was a scam. he collected 1,500.00 USD from me and refuse to email me since then I was confuse, but God came to my rescue, one faithful day I went to church after the service I share idea with a friend and she introduce me to LEXIE LOAN COMPANY, she said she was given 98,000.00 USD by MR LEXIE , THE MANAGING DIRECTOR OF LEXIE LOAN COMPANY. So I collected his email Address , he told me the rules and regulation and I followed, then after processing of the Documents, he gave me my loan of 55,000.00 USD... well if you are interested in a loan you can as well contact him on this Email: Lexieloancompany@yahoo.com or call/sms on: +18168926958 thanks, I am sure he will also help you.

    ReplyDelete
  17. In your blog I was happy to see your article, better than last time, and have made great progress, I am very pleased. I am looking forward to your article will become better and better.
    hotmail login | red ball | 192.168.1.1

    ReplyDelete