If you follow my Instagram account, you’ll have noticed that I’m trying to do more cooking at home these days. Yes, we still dine out quite frequently, but with the colder temperatures approaching, I’ve been finding comfort with my apron on in the kitchen. My go-to meals are pretty healthy – lots of salmon, kale, sweet potatoes – but there’s definitely a need to add some variety and spice into the repertoire.

Here is where these popular meal kit delivery services come into play. They provide exactly what you need to add variety, learn some new techniques, and cook up killer meals worthy of Instagram posts. I’ve tried a few of these services now – HelloFresh, Home Chef, Blue Apron – but I think my favorite may be MARLEY SPOON.

The MarleySpoon boxes come delivered with your meats at the bottom of the freezer pack, with brown bags packed on top for each recipe you’ve chosen. The brown bag will contain all the ingredients you’ll need, along with any special spices, herbs or accoutrements. It’s nicely organized and makes for neat mise en place. The recipe cards… well, I will say that since these are from Martha Stewart, the instructions could be a bit tricky. The timing is a bit off if you don’t already know your way around the kitchen or have some basic cooking skills, so I always read through all the instruction steps first, and then decide whether the timing of it makes sense for how I cook. By that I mean that I’ll sometimes prep two things simultaneously because it makes sense. For the beginner cook, though, stick to the steps in order and you’ll still create a delicious plate of food.

Here are a few of the dishes I’ve prepared from the MarleySpoon deliveries. All are super flavorful, easy to prepare, and will definitely be made again.

CHIMICHURRI STEAK | with cilantro rice and sautéed collards

HERBED CHICKEN | with couscous and sautéed escarole

RED LENTIL CURRY SOUP | with yogurt & cashews

JAMAICAN JERK-SPICED CHICKEN | with coconut rice and cucumber salad

While I can’t say enough about how flavorful each of these dishes was, my favorite thing about MarleySpoon is knowing where each ingredient comes from. For example, the chicken thighs for the dishes above come from Boulder Farms. I usually don’t cook with chicken thighs like this, but after making these recipes using the organic packs from Boulder, I’m a huge fan. They turned out so tasty and almost buttery without any added fat. Just delicious.

{Side note: I recently discovered Door to Door Organics, and you can order these Boulder chicken thighs from them for delivery}

{Disclaimer: None of these are sponsored, and all paid out of my own pocket. Thanks to my friend, MK, for the coupon code to first try out MarleySpoon.}

If you haven’t yet tried out these meal kit services, I’d highly suggest that you do. Whether you’re new to the kitchen or a seasoned cook, it’s always fun to try new recipes! Bonus for plating the dishes as shown in on the recipe cards. 🙂

If you’d like to try out Marley Spoon, send an email and I’ll reply with a code to use.

Email: cravingchicago {at} gmail {dot} com

Happy cooking and Bon appetit!