Your mom always told you to eat your veggies. Maybe you listened and swallowed down overcooked Brussels sprouts or were like me, and hid mushy carrots under your plate. As adults, though, food is a major part of life… we all have to eat. What we eat is paramount; it should be good for us and taste good. Here are my picks that check all the boxes:
Before getting into the yummy meals and snacks, I must start off with something special to my heart: sea moss. A superfood from the Caribbean (my father’s part of the world), this gel comes from algae that is harvested from the ocean. I’ve been testing out Planted Seeds Sea Moss for the past month and a half, and have seen incredible benefits thanks to the iodine, potassium, and calcium in the algae. I take a tablespoon every morning, followed by a glass of water to wash it down. Does it taste amazing? Not necessarily, it has a neutral taste. But it has helped my energy levels, increased immunity (especially during this allergy season), and improved my digestive health. Planted Seeds sea moss is harvested in St. Lucia by working with small family farmers. They hand-harvest, practice eco-farming, and pay fair wages, making this a sustainable practice for all involved. My body is obsessed with Planted Seeds and I plan on adding it into my beauty routine soon, since you can apply it to hair and skin for a radiant glow.
I’m notorious for being hangry (just ask any of my friends) and most snack foods leave me craving more and crashing later. Not Moku. This Michelin-star chef created mushroom jerky made from clean, allergen-free ingredients that satisfies vegans and carnivores alike. It’s Hawaiian-founded, with a sustainable production of their products and a Hawaiian take on their flavors of jerky! I’ve been munching on the Korean BBQ jerky, which is equal parts smoky, spicy, and sweet. I love the pull-apart factor of the jerky that mimics meat, almost to the T. I added the original jerky flavor onto my veggie burger as “bacon” and it was phenomenal, adding texture and chew. I’ve been able to actually convert some of my meat-loving friends over to Moku, which they attest tastes fresher than meat jerky. Moku: helping meat lovers become mushroom lovers, one bag at a time.
Grocery shopping can be overwhelming (fluorescent lighting, blaring music, long lines… must I go on?), at least for me. I always end up forgetting something (it’s always eggs) or grabbing a little reward of chocolate for the fifth time in a week. Kiss all of this stress goodbye with Hello Fresh, a meal-kit company that makes mealtime quick, easy, and most importantly: delicious.
The meals I made during that week were all seafood based (my favorite) and ranged from fish and shrimp to even lobster! I recruited my little brother to help out with the meals as we played chef in the kitchen. The ingredients came prepared and portioned out — perfect for those who get overwhelmed by looking at a bunch of ingredients and trying to figure out a meal. The recipe cards were included and simple instructions to follow (tip: I recommend reading all the directions before starting to cook, just to get an idea).
I made Miso Maple-Glazed Salmon, which was pretty hands-off apart from chopping vegetables and preparing the salmon to go in the oven. I added some extra spices to season the fish, but made my brother’s pieces more simple with the original glaze. The rice portion of the dish took no time at all, and forty minutes later we had a scrumptious supper.
For a hearty lunch a few days later: Warm Buttered Shrimp Rolls, which is a coastal take on the Maine delicacy but with shrimp, my favorite. First was the prep for the potato wedges. A simple quartering of the potatoes, oil and seasoning and roasted them in the oven for fifteen minutes. I made a slaw salad in under ten minutes while I seasoned my shrimp to grill them in the pan. Before I assembled my sandwich I popped the rolls in the oven with a little melted butter to get them toasty. Stuffed the fillings in and noshed on my roll while hanging outback. My friends came over and we chatted while pretending we were at the seaside with this delicious luncheon.
For the final meal kit and the one I’ll be cooking for any special occasions in the future: the Garlic Herb Butter Shrimp & Lobster Tails. I had to admit I was a bit nervous making this dish. I never cooked lobster and this would be my second time eating it (the first time was about six months ago for Thanksgiving dinner). This was a two person project, and my brother washed and dressed the asparagus and mashed the potatoes. I handled the seafood, cooking the shrimp to perfection. All that was left was the coveted lobster, which by following the directions, came out so well! (Shocking, right, when you actually follow directions). It was such a pleasure to eat this last meal.
Hello Fresh truly has something for everyone!
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