Warmer weather means cooler cooking! Bring on the kale!

**This review is NOT endorsed**

I know I’m not the only one that turns to recipes that require less time by the stove when it gets warmer. This weekend in particular was absolutely beautiful (minus our rainy Sunday); it was the type of Spring weather we Chicagoan’s were hoping for!

As mentioned in my previous post, we’re continuing on with reviewing Blue Apron recipes! We received two yummy recipes, but this one in particular REALLY stood out. You know it’s good if your boyfriend gladly gets up for seconds. Now, I like to eat well and keep my body as well as others nourished with the stuff that will be tasty, but also good for us. If you haven’t been living under a rock, then you know that kale has been quite a hit in the greens category. Rightfully so! This leafy green is flavorful all on its own, but even more when mixed with very light seasoning. This recipe called for a mustard and goat cheese dressing. I was a bit puzzled at the thought of the combination, but it was ridiculously good! You better believe I saved that for future dressing ideas!

So, while the kale was marinading (being tossed every few minutes, so each leaf could be coated evenly), I was cooking the 2 eggs that came with all the blue apron goodies. Um, kudos for great transport, guys! The small carton was perfect for keeping 2 eggs safe and sound. I’m always so wary of travelling with eggs, because knowing me–they’ll find some way to break.

Everything about this recipe was so well spaced out and timed. While the eggs cooked and while the kale marinated–I was grating the carrots, cutting the tomatoes in half, and having a sip of my beer in between! My minimal carb intake this weekend, I deserved it. 🙂

The last part in the recipe was to cook the chicken. Like last week, the chicken came in a package that was already portioned off. I simply seasoned it with some salt, pepper, and the southern spice blend that was provided. I only used about half of the seasoning and the chicken was still very flavorful. The cool thing about these seasonings is that you can use as much as you want. If you don’t use it all, you can just save it for another time.

After a while you may collect a good amount of spices, so it wouldn’t be a bad idea to invest in some spice bottles to keep on hand. You can find some on Amazon for a decent price! I know I’ll be doing that soon just to consolidate the spices I keep in their original bag packaging. Less clutter, please!

Grey’s Grade: 5/5

I think one of my favorite things about this recipe is the fact that the final plating very closely resembled the reference picture! That definitely made me really happy. Other than that, I’m always looking for healthy recipes that are PACKED with flavor! This salad definitely had all the above. I don’t normally have kale in my salads, but knowing which dressings and ingredients complement the greens sure does help inspire great combinations in a salad. Each ingredient had great seasoning, and I can admit that I would gladly make this again.

It’s also important to mention that this is yet another successful recipe from my Blue Apron box. If you’re looking for some recipe inspiration or just trying to knock out 2-4 recipes a week that will save you time and even some money–I highly recommend giving this subscription box a chance. I’ll be keeping my subscription a while longer for testing purposes, but something tells me that I’ll be going back to it. I really enjoy the ease of picking out a recipe that looks delicious as well as following simple directions to put together meals that are wholesome as well as fun.

Thanks Blue Apron!

With that, I leave you with some inspiration (hopefully) for your next salad!

As always–happy nomming!

-Grey