The Skinny Eats: Hello Fresh (April 2017)

Hey there! How are you today? It's the end of April, can you believe it?


Do you still remember The Skinny Eats from a year ago? If you can't or have only started reading recently, here's a quick recap:

• "The Skinny Eats" (formerly Delectables) is intended for quick foodie "two cents" (maybe a few rants, but mostly raves) from yours truly --- the skinny lady who surprise, surprise actually eats but sadly (for me) hardly gains a pound and even loses more just by breathing, lol. Compared to the more sumptuous, three-course equivalent in the former Delectables posts, these ones are more concise in the same eat-and-run pace when one goes through pit stops.

For the second instalment, The Skinny Eats will be my two cents on the meal planning and shopping subscription service called Hello Fresh.

Click to "Read more".
Hello Fresh is a flexible subscription service targeted to those who want to cut down their meal planning and food grocery shopping time.

• There are three boxes to choose from (classic, veggie and family) and you can pick the number of meals which suit you. 
• You have further options to pick your recipes for each week and you have to make those changes by Wednesday midnight before your selected delivery day.
• There is no minimum subscription and you can pause or cancel your subscription anytime.
• The fresh ingredients --- including meat, vegetables, and spices --- are delivered on a weekly basis.
• The weekly box contains the exact ingredients for each recipe --- grouped together in paper bags per recipe, except for items needing freezing (usually meat and cheeses) which are in separate packs. Thus, no confusion in picking out the ingredients even for the newest of newbies in cooking. Also, no food wastage as you're only provided the ingredients that you need! 
• The weekly box comes with recipe cards to guide you step by step in cooking these recipes. The recipes can be cooked in 30 - 45 minutes with a combination of pan frying, grilling in the oven, and lots of chopping :)

Hello Fresh's closest competitor is Gousto which offers almost exactly the same terms, with slight variations in portion sizes and recipe choices. There are other subscription-based services which provide similar options for convenient meals or food preparation, e.g., Simply Cook where spices are provided and you buy the fresh ingredients, and Everdine which offers ready-to-microwave meals. (Note: This is not a sponsored post; I paid for my own Hello Fresh subscription.)


For my Hello Fresh subscription, I picked the Classic Box and since there is no lesser option, I picked meals good for two. Although the options are generally healthy with occasional treats added in, I'd say that this subscription service is geared towards convenience rather than calorie management.


I've modified The Skinny Eats ratings (very slightly) to suit my takes on these home-cooked meals:

• ❤ Nah, did not meet expectations.
• ❤❤ Good enough for a one-off meal but not as memorable.
• ❤❤❤ Loved it! Recommended and will definitely bookmark this recipe for future reference.

Here goes The Skinny Eats: Hello Fresh, in the order that I've cooked the recipes...

 

Recipe 1: Singapore Chicken Laksa

Verdict: ❤❤❤

Notes: Close enough to the authentic laksa. Since my recipes are good for two persons (actually, they can go as far as 3-4 meals for someone of my petite size), I had to freeze remaining portions. I made sure to add a splash of water when reheating to bring back the soupy consistency.

Notes from IG: One year ago, I was in Singapore enjoying the warm sunshine and unlimited choices of cuisines. To celebrate, I cooked my own Singapore chicken laksa! 🍲🍴

Recipe 2: Dukkah Prawns with Bulgur Wheat Salad 

Verdict: ❤❤

Notes: I love prawns but I am not a fan of lemon on bulgur wheat. If you're like me, go easy on the lemon garlic dressing and adjust to your taste.

Recipe 3: Treat Day Orzo with Mozzarella, Tomato and Chorizo 

Verdict: ❤❤❤

Notes: Easily THE comfort food to look forward to after a long work day!

Recipe 4: Penne all' Arrabiata with Bacon and Fresh Basil 

Verdict: ❤❤

Notes: It's meant to be 'angry' (literal translation of arrabiata), i.e., really spicy. Knowing this, I was conscious to put less chili as I prefer it not too spicy. I felt I needed more diced tomatoes and parmesan cheese though.

Recipe 5: Cheat's Lamb Moussaka

Verdict: ❤❤❤

Notes: I loved this lamb recipe with lots of rice so I did that combination instead of the ciabatta bread with rocket salad. At this point, I've had more than enough tomato-based dishes and my acidity levels shot up (not this dish's fault though but blame it on stressful times). 

Notes from IG: Lamb moussaka...a taste of sunshine in this no-agenda Saturday.

Recipe 6: Chicken Curry 

Verdict: ❤❤❤

Notes: I didn't think curry can be this easy. This one I can eat everyday.

 

I've cooked six recipes so far. Here's my personal ranking, from my most favourite to the least:

1. Treat Day Orzo with Mozzarella, Tomato and Chorizo
2. Zanzibar Chicken Curry
3. Cheat's Lamb Moussaka
4. Singapore Chicken Laksa
5. Dukkah Prawns with Bulgur Wheat Salad
6. Penne all'Arrabiata with Bacon and Fresh Basil 

I've paused my subscriptions for now. Why, you may ask?

• Due to my very tight work schedule these past weeks, it was kind of stressful for me to keep up with the use-by dates.
• Whilst the recipes were interesting introductions to my cooking routine, I think I needed a break and longed for simple menus with less ingredients.

I might go back to Hello Fresh after a breather. For now, I'm going for the less complicated.


Ciao,
Genefel