All Aboard the Blue Apron Bandwagon

About six months ago, Bry thought it would be a good idea to ask why I wasn't cooking as often as I used to (free advice for husbands, this is not a wise decision...) While my mind was racing with all of the things I wanted to say, "I'm taking care of a baby!" "Work is crazy!" "I'd rather go to the gym!" and so on. Instead, I simply said, "I'm not feeling inspired in the kitchen, but if you are, I would love if you would take care of dinner one night a week." We had a good chat about how he likes to cook but doesn't feel comfortable improvising and how grocery shopping for new/more adventurous recipes can be a hassle. We have some friends that have used different dinner kit delivery services and most of them have nothing but positive things to say, so Bry did some research and we settled on giving Blue Apron a try. 

After a few months of Blue Apron deliveries, I can truthfully say that I'm a fan. Not only does it relieve the burden of planning three dinners during the week, but the food is really delicious. Below are some pros and cons, and I'd guess that most of these are true for most meal delivery services. Read the pros and cons below:

Turkey Mango Picadillo

This meal is everything. It's comforting, hearty, flavorful, fresh, easy-to-make, it's just damn near perfect. Which is exactly why it's become a part of my regular dinner rotation. Seriously this spice combination? Bomb dot com. This version of the recipe uses ground turkey  although the original recipe called for ground pork. I've tried it both ways and you can't go wrong with either. Get the full recipe below. 

Peach flatbread pizza appetizer

Don't lick your screen. Don't you do it! I know it's tempting... but it's really better if you don't. The story behind this flatbread is that I had purchased a bunch of peaches from a farm stand. I had some girl friends coming over and was trying to think of an easy appetizer where I could incorporate the peaches. So I came up with this plan, melty mozzarella cheese, slices of perfectly juicy peaches, served on a crispy flatbread with a sprinkle of fresh basil and a drizzle of balsamic. And there you have it, the Peachy Flatbread. Truth is, I never ended up serving it to my friends because we ate our weight in cheese and funfetti dip (yes, that's an actual thing.) So, I got to enjoy this yummy pizza all by myself! It's so easy to make and only requires a handful of ingredients; it's a winner in my book! Get the full recipe below. 

The breakfast sandwich SALAD

Guys...this salad. This salad! I keep making it because honestly it's like a restaurant-quality salad but you can make it at home in about 10 minutes. Do you see it, semi-runny egg yolk, melty cheese, perfectly ripe avocado, crispy chunks of bacon and then under all of that deliciousness is the some fresh peppery arugula dressed every so slightly with the tangy juice from a lemon. Yum yum gimme some. Get the full recipe below.

Chicken and Garlic Gravy

This chicken was the moistest, most delicious chicken I've had in a long time. Now some folks might be turned off by the amount of garlic cloves the recipe calls for, don't be. Whatever you do, don't skimp on the garlic -- it's not overbearing, it's actually perfect! This recipe is sure to become a regular staple in our household. Next time, I'm going to adjust it slightly by adding in a boatload of mushrooms and some thinly sliced onions as well. Also, you must serve this with potatoes (mashed or roasted), rice isn't going to do this justice. Get the recipe below. 

Guest Post: Shmokin' Ribs

It's time for another BryGuy blog takeover. So without further ado...

IIII'm back y'all!

Ah, and this time I have some deliciousness to share with you guys and gals, so gather 'round so Papa B can drop some knowledge bombs of epic and irresistibly tasty proportions. This post is about BARBECUE. If you don't like barbecue, go apply to Mars One because this world doesn't need you.

My mom purchased me a Weber Smokey Mountain Smoker for my birthday and I have been holding off on using it for months. Barbecue takes time and the summer was just too darn full of fun to find a day to smoke. My mom was also on my tail about using it, so I decided to break this bad boy in.

Zucchini noodles with tomatoes, mozzarella & garlic sauce

You've probably already heard, spaghetti squash, SO last year. Zucchini noodles... all the rage. I thought I'd give them a try since I'm a crazed pasta lover these days and could probably afford to cut back on the gluten. First things first, you have to get your hands on a spiralizer (isn't that the weirdest name?) The cheapest option is going to be the Veggetti but I had a gift certificate so I splurged for the Paderno Spiralizer. Then you gotta get your hands on 3-4 zucchinis and start spiralizing!  

Homemade corn tortillas

I swear, I actually do eat food other than tacos, although by the looks of things on this blog, that's not how it appears. Well, a couple weeks back, when I posted my sneaky trick for easy carnitas tacos, my pal Dave reached out to me and said, "Did I ever tell you that I used to make my own tortillas? I haven't made them in forever but they are so good. We should set up a taco night so I can make them for you guys." And to that I said, HELL FREAKING YES. Plus, this way I could put together a blog post about it without having to do any actual cooking, win-win! So first things first, we prepared some watermelon margaritas. I don't think you can properly make tortillas without a little tequila in you first. 

Lemony chicken and rice soup

This winter. This freaking winter! I wish it would go away already and never ever come back. I know everyone in the Northeast (and even the Mid-Atlantic) is feeling the same way right about now. Where the heck is spring and why wasn't it hear weeks ago? We've had a few teaser days, but I'm ready for hot, sticky, unadulterated humidity. Bring. It. On. 

In the meantime, I'll share with you the staple meal that I made all winter long to make me feel warm and cozy on even the blustery-ist of days. I really think this soup passes as a meal since it contains lots of veggies, rice and tons of chicken. Plus, since it's brightened up by the lemon I will probably continue to make this in the spring too. If it ever decides to show up. Full recipe and additional photos below. 

Paleo Shepard's Pie

Shepard's pie is the ultimate comfort food, but if you go with the full-fat, extra glutenous recipe, you might end up feeling like a blob when you're finished (and that's not so comforting). This paleo version swaps out the traditional mashed potato topping for a cauliflower mash that makes it healthier, but still keeps it comforting! Also, it's chock full of veggies so you're sure to get your daily intake with a serving or two of this. Feel free to play around with the vegetables included and use whatever you have lying around!

Paleo Chicken Chili

I mentioned last week that I won the chili cook-off at work. Go me! I also mentioned that I would be sharing that recipe with you... but I lied. This recipe is close, but it's the healthier version. I mean, lets be honest, you're not going to win a cooking contest if you scale back on the calories. Truth be told, I was craving that prize-winning chili so much that I decided to make a healthier batch this week and I think I actually like this one better! I added more vegetables, removed the corn and beans, and kicked up the spices a bit. It was flavorful, hearty and bowl-licking delicious. Try it out and let me know what you think! 

Delicious and hearty bolognese

Some of you might know that Bry and I try to follow a paleo diet Monday through Friday. But last week was a little exception, as you can see by the photo. We threw caution to the wind and decided to inject a full-blown dose of gluten poison into our systems. Actually, my sister and her boyfriend were stopping by Philly for a mid-week visit and I needed to cook something quick and easy for them, so this is what I came up with. It was so delicious and hearty and oh my, how I miss pasta in my life. 

Chicken and pineapple fried rice

Don't ask me what possessed me to make fried rice, because I really have no idea. But I had some chicken and other veggies lying around and instead of stir fry I felt like fried rice was the answer -- it's the perfect one dish meal. Except I was making a boat load of it to have enough for leftovers so I ended up using two giant frying pans. 

I was really impressed with how it turned out. It tasted similar to what you'd get for takeout but with little to no grease or guilt. 

Baked and broiled crab cakes

I'm such a sucker for a good crab cake. I had never really tried to make them myself, but my mother in law bought us some jumbo lump crab meat so I decided to put it to good use. BryGuy and I prefer a crab cake with not much filler (breadcrumbs) and a nice crispy outside and a nice soft and flavorful inside. However, I was trying to be a little bit healthier with this recipe so I decided to bake the crab cakes and then crank up the broiler for a few minutes at the end to really get the outside nice and golden. They were so delicious and I served them with a horseradish remoulade and a lemon wedge.  

Stretching Thai takeout for another dinner

There is a wonderful Thai restaurant in our neighborhood, Chabaa Thai Bistro. It's a little bit pricey, but so delicious that I think it's worth it. We decided to order up some panang curry with chicken and crazy noodles for takeout after a busy day. Their takeout portions are okay, I always think you get more food if you actually eat in the restaurant, but you get enough to be satisfied. 

The thing is,there is so much of the panang curry sauce leftover and it seems like a waste to throw it away! So, with some minimal grocery shopping I was able to stretch the $15 entree into another dinner for two! 

Spicy chicken skewers and saffron quinoa

First things first, happy Friday mother lovers! Second, I really should stop doing these recipe and food posts in the morning because looking at the pictures just makes me hungry and lunch is so. far. away. 

Before you get all judgmental on me. Yes, I know quinoa is kind of a controversial topic when it comes to the paleo diet. However, if you eat bananas and sweet potatoes, then you probably shouldn't be snubbing your nose at quinoa. Here are some random people's opinions on the matter (here, here, and here) in case you care, which I'm 99 percent sure you don't. 

Asian style chicken lettuce wraps

Who loves meat wrapped in lettuce? This girl! 

Unfortunately, the ones you order at the restaurants tend to be loaded with calories and sodium, which is no bueno. PF Changs lettuce wraps? 630 calories. Cheesecake factory? 1,536 calories. WHAAAT?!?! That's my entire caloric intake for the day! 

So, what's a girl to do when she's craving some lettuce wraps but doesn't want to sacrifice her waistline? Make them at home! 

Sweet Potato Soup with Chicken and Avocado

I heart sweet potatoes, and I heart soup. Therefore I just had to make this soup (per usual, it was inspired by a recipe found on Pinterest: Sweet Potato Soup)

It's very simple really and very very flavorful. 

Asian Craving: Sweet and Spicy Beef Stir Fry

I don't know why, but I get really strong cravings for different ethnic food groups. Sometimes I can't get enough Mexican; I'm like ravenous for a good fish taco or fajitas. Othertimes it's Thai, Italian, Japanese, Vietnamese, you get the idea... Recently, when we came back from vacation, I couldn't stop thinking about Chinese food. Usually, I'd just head on over to my neighborhood Chinese spot, Han Dynasty (which is totally amazing) and slap some dan dan noodles, wontons, rice and spicy meat into my mouth and be good as gold. This time however, I decided that I should be better than that.

After a week of indulging on fried food, mojitos and pina coladas in the Caribbean, I thought maybe I should try and eat something remotely healthy. But the cravings just don't subside until they are satisfied, so I was challenged with the task of making healthy Chinese myself! I decided that I needed to make a stir fry filled with lots of vegetables and some steak. I googled some stir fry recipes for inspiration but I'm really the worst about following recipes exactly so I used a bunch of different tips for inspiration.

I can't give you exact measurements for this recipe because I didn't measure anything. But I'm showing you all the ingredients and the process and you can go to town with your own rendition. 

Amazingly Fabulous and Utterly Delicious Carnitas

I used to dislike Mexican food when I was younger and now I just can't seem to get enough of it. When the weather is warm, I'm always craving fish tacos, but in the winter I usually just make them with chicken. Well, I wanted to spice things up a bit so I was on the lookout for something new to put in my tacos and stumbled upon a gem of a recipe. Surprise, surprise, I found it on Pinterest. I've adapted my recipe from the My Kitchen Escapades Blog - Pork Carnitas recipe but apparently, that recipe is an adaptation from Cooks Illustrated.