Plated Meal Subscription Box Review & Coupon – August 22, 2015

Plated sends weekly dinner kits with high quality ingredients and chef-created recipes. Each week you’ll choose from a variety of dishes that range from meats, chicken, seafoods, and purely vegetarian options. There’s enough selection to please all palates, and the recipes are seasonally focused. We love the way each meal incorporates only a couple key herbs or spices; the flavors shine through, and the recipes remain easy to follow. We love getting boxes most week to try new recipes, and we save the must make again recipes – although they’re also available in your account. Plated’s recipes rely on mise en place and then cook, and to be honest, we often mix up the steps, but we’re both experienced cooks and know what can be accomplished while something else cooks. So, read your cards if you need the step by steps.

 The recipe card was updated earlier this year, though I wish it would indicate the ease of the meal right on the card. When your box is sent out you’ll get an email indicating the pantry items you’ll need (this week:black pepper egg kosher salt olive oil water) , plus a reminder of what meals are coming, preparation ease, cook time, and calorie count.  The cards have been further updated to add beer or wine pairing suggestions — a great idea, since many of the recipes feature exotic spices or flavor combos that would stump the novice sommelier.  We get asked a lot – Sometimes we order Plated and sometimes Hello Fresh. It just depends on what meals we’re interested in. [Hello Fresh: Take $40 off your first box with coupon code 7UT7K8]

The box has new Jute insulation. The outer plastic bag is recyclable and the jute is compostable (I’m repurposing some of mine as landscaping cloth)  This is a great step!  They have also been packing herbs in an envelope to protect them from the chillier box.

Creamy Zucchini Orzo with Goat Cheese and Heirloom Tomatoes. 30-40 minutes, 700 cal, easy.Talk about a totally satisfying one-pot style meal!  The preparation for this dish was delightfully simple — zucchini is super easy to slice, and, believe me, if you get subscription meal kits with any frequency, you can zest a lemon and dice a shallot like nobody’s business.  The orzo cooked like rice-a-roni, and there was no ladle-at-a-time risotto agony.  Goat cheese and Pecorino made for a very rich, creamy, and hearty flavor, and the lemon and tomato added the right hint of brightness.  I had a little leftover, and I served a tiny scoop as a side dish for company the following day — no store bought side could compare with that.

Sticky Japanese Chicken Wings with Zucchini Chips and Spicy Aioli. 35-45 minutes, 720 cal, easy.The sauce reduction got away from me a bit at the last minute, but even extra thick, this was a killer dish.  I had pretty good luck getting my panko to stick to the zucchini (sometimes a challenge), and the chicken cooked up easy as can be under the broiler.  The spicy gochujang added some life to the aioli dip and really kicked up the glaze for the wings.  Sweet, spicy, and exotic tasting, the wings had an intensity of flavor that teriyaki sauce can’t achieve.  The sauce had such a comforting richness that, afterwards, I had the feeling of having eaten a pot roast or similar hearty fare.

Chicken Vermicelli Bowl with Nuoc Cham and Herbs. 25-30 minutes, 590 cal, easy.

The thai chili didn’t light this one up too much, and it remained mild enough to really slurp.  The pre-roasted chicken was SUPER tender and tasty, not to mention cutting the prep time down by a bunch.  The lime and fish sauce created a slightly sour and very complementary “broth” that really took well to the fresh herbs.  With a pleasant variety of textures, this was a fun dish that sits lightly but is very satisfying.

This week had some great flavor profiles — bright and creamy, super-rich and spicy, and sour and herby.  I’m psyched that the chefs continue to dream up new twists so long-time subscribers never get bored.

For September, Plated is focusing on quick and easy dinner recipes you can get on the table in under 30 minutes.
Visit Plated to find or more or to subscribe. Currently you can get 2 free plates when you buy 4 when you sign up with this link (no code required).