My mom recently gifted me a weeks worth of meals from Blue Apron and I was excited to see what all of these bloggers have been talking about! Long story short, each week recipes and produce for 3 meals are shipped to your door (complete with separately labeled and measured ingredients, which I LOVED), and all you have to do is pick which meal and get to cooking!

One of my first meals was the Flank Steak with Beet Freekeh Salad and Gorgonzola. When I was telling a girlfriend about Blue Apron, she mentioned the fact it is a great way to try new foods, and I have to agree.  From wax Hungarian peppers, to sunchokes, to granulated honey, they help to introduce new foods in a non-threatening way.

Another great element is the timing.  Aside from not having to meal plan or grocery shop, all the recipes take around 30 minutes to cook.  I even prepped some ingredients the night before (diced celery, chopped carrots, etc.) which helped me to whip up one of the dishes in 15 minutes!

You can sign up for portions for 2 or 4 people, but my sister and I have found that a 2 person serving is better suited for 3 people (great for lunch leftovers).  I also was super surprised by how flavorful the dishes are.  That being said, I definitely recommend this for families, or a couple with a big eater.  I find that the strong flavors make it tough for next day leftovers… but if you are a leftover person, this may totally work for you.

Another highlight has to be the quality of the produce and meat/fish.  One night my mom bought additional steaks from Whole Foods to add to an existing Blue Apron recipe and we all chose the meat from Blue Apron in a blind tasting!  And don’t worry… you won’t be paying through the nose for that quality – each meal is $20 (which feeds 2-3 people!).  Can’t argue with that!

Flank Steak with Beet Freekeh Salad and Gorgonzola

recipe via Blue Apron

• 2 Flank Steaks
• 1 Bunch Baby Red Beets
• 1 Hungarian Wax Pepper, diced (remove stem, seeds and ribs first)
• 1 Red Onion, diced
• 1 Bunch Chives, minced
• 2 Tablespoons Butter
• 2 Tablespoons Crumbled Gorgonzola Cheese
• 2 Tablespoons Sugar
• ¼ Cup Walnuts, roughly chopped
• ¼ Cup Cracked Freekeh
• ¼ Cup Red Wine Vinegar

1. Wash and dry the fresh produce.
2. Heat 2 medium pots of salted water to boiling on high. Once the first pot of water is boiling, add the beets. Cook 26 to 28 minutes, or until tender when pierced with a knife. Drain the beets. When cool enough to handle (but still warm), using a paper towel and your fingers, gently rub the skin off each beet; discard the skins. Set the beets aside.
3. While the beets cook, add the cracked freekeh to the second pot of boiling water. Cook 18 to 20 minutes, or until tender. Drain thoroughly and set aside.
4. While the beets and freekeh cook, remove the steaks from the refrigerator to bring to room temperature.
5. In a large bowl, combine the sugar, red wine vinegar, onion and as much of the pepper as you’d like. Stir until the sugar is dissolved and season with salt and pepper to taste.
6. While the beets and freekeh continue to cook, heat a medium, dry pan (nonstick, if you have one) on medium-high until hot. Add the walnuts and toast, stirring frequently, 1 to 2 minutes, or until browned and fragrant. Transfer the toasted walnuts to the bowl of marinating onion and pepper. Wipe out the pan.
7. While the beets and freekeh finish cooking, season the steaks with salt and pepper on both sides. In the same pan used to toast the walnuts, heat 2 teaspoons of olive oil on medium-high until hot. Add the seasoned steaks; cook 2 to 4 minutes on the first side. Turn the steaks over; add the butter to the pan. Cook, occasionally tilting the pan and spooning the melted butter over the steaks, 2 to 4 minutes, or until the steaks are cooked to your desired degree of doneness. Transfer to a cutting board and let rest for at least 5 minute
8. While the steaks rest, using the large side of a box grater, grate the peeled beets.
9. Add the grated beets and cooked freekeh to the bowl of marinating pepper and onion; season with salt and pepper to taste. Stir gently to combine.
10. Thinly slice each steak against the grain. Add any juices from the cutting board to the beet-freekeh salad; stir to combine.
11. Divide the beet-freekeh salad between 2 plates. Top each with the sliced steak. Garnish with the gorgonzola cheese and chives. Enjoy!

If you are intersted in giving Blue Apron a try, click here!