Marley Spoon

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Ever wondered about those meal delivery box services you see advertised on TV? I've just had my first experience of Marley Spoon , and it's a winner. Read on for my review of the whole experience from ordering to box to plate.



I have to admit to having a love/hate relationship with cooking. If I have plenty of time and I can experiment with recipes and ingredients with a glass of wine in hand (and if someone else does the cleaning up), I'm a happy cook. The reality of my life has rather gotten in the way of this culinary nirvana over the years. With six children, home-schooling, and running a business from home, the time element was shot to pieces, although I did have plenty of people to help (somewhat reluctantly, I must say) with the cleaning up. These days, we're a household of five, so meals are more manageable and I even have my very own sous chef in the form of my university student son. Cooking and I have become very good friends once again, and I was looking forward to trying something new in the home-delivered form of Marley Spoon's ingredients and recipes.

In the beginning...
Ordering is easy via the website . You can choose from a 2 or 4 person box, as well as the number of meals per week. You can also choose a vegetarian option.

Twelve recipes for each delivery week are outlined on the site with images, so you'll know exactly what you're getting and what's involved in preparing and cooking it. They offer a wide range of delicious recipes each week, so choosing could be difficult, but easily entered at the click of a mouse. You also pick your delivery day and preferred time slot. Easy as.


The package
The delivery was preceded by a call from the delivery driver and arrived within the requested timeframe. After delivery I also received a text message confirming delivery. Very efficient.



It was like Christmas as we opened the cardboard box to see the cornucopia inside. We had ordered two meals for 4 people and inside the box were 2 large paper bags, a foil plastic bubble-wrapped parcel and a frozen cold pack for keeping everything chilled. All food and ingredients were clearly labelled and the chicken was free range. Large format recipe cards outlined the ingredients supplied, the pantry staples we would have to add, the utensils needed, and nutritional information, all illustrated with high-quality images.



Monday: Recipe 1 - Tamarind Chicken Parcels with Shredded Coconut and Chinese Broccoli
(30 minutes prep)


As we were in the middle of university exam block, helpers were thin on the ground at our house, so all the work was going to be done by me. But how hard could it be, I reasoned, with packaged, labelled and measured ingredients and large recipe cards with very clear instructions and images? Not hard at all, as I was soon to happily discover.


We began our culinary journey with this tasty recipe. Using the recipe card made the preparation process very easy to follow, and everything went according to plan. It really couldn't have been simpler.



I am known for never following a recipe exactly. I can't resist the urge to 'tweak', which I think is all part of the creative culinary process. In consultation with my sous chef, we decided to change up the rice a little, opting to make ours coconut rice.



The finished product was delectable, with a thumbs up from all four of us (my older daughter was absent this evening). It was fragrant and tasty, and there was plenty for everyone.



The Verdict:** Winner, winner, chicken dinner!
**
Tuesday: Recipe 2 - Serrano Ham and Pumpkin Risotto with Freekeh
(40 mins prep)
Never heard of freekeh? Well, neither had I. Apparently it's a wholegrain, touted by some as 'the new quinoa'. And you can substitute your usual arborio rice with freekeh to make risotto. Who knew?



As a family, we love our risotto. During winter it's a regular on our menu, with options including chicken, bacon, pumpkin or mushroom. We were all looking forward to trying a new version, especially one that included Serrano ham.



Once again, the process was simple and easy to follow.



The finished product was easily enough to feed all five of us - bonus! It was a tasty and interesting alternative to risotto made with rice. The nutty flavour of the freekeh combined well with the pumpkin, the ham was smoky and crispy, and the toasted walnut garnish was genius.



The Verdict: Freekeh'n awesome!

The experience
is perfect for busy households looking for interesting and healthy recipes, high-quality ingredients and timely home delivery.
• For a 4 person box the price works out at $9.50 per person per serve.
• You can skip or pause your subscription any time.
• Delivery is free.
• Everything you need is supplied, apart from pantry staples such as sugar, oil and eggs.
• You get only what you need for each recipe - no waste. Good for the environment and your hip pocket.
• All ingredients were very fresh and good quality.
• Our 4 person box easily fed our family of 5, including two large and ravenous men.
• For those creatively inclined you can add your own personal touch and tweak recipes as desired.

For more information and to check out Marley Spoon, go to their website https://marleyspoon.com.au : click here and save $35 off your first order!

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