Cooking up a storm with Simply Cook

*Written in collaboration with Simply Cook  

Cooking is something that I really enjoy and I cook the majority of my meals from scratch but there are times when I just fall flat with new ideas and inspiration for family-friendly meals to try out and our weekly meals can end up getting a little repetitive. Now that we are back in local lockdown where I live and I want to do more than just bake loads of banana bread, I feel it's the best time shake things up and be more creative in the kitchen in a stress-free way and hopefully bring more joy into our lives with good food.

This is where Simply Cook comes in and unlike other meal boxes, this recipe box is very budget-friendly (your first box starting at £3) and contains four easy to follow recipes with nonperishable herbs, spices, pastes, oils, garnishes and rubs that you won't find in a supermarket.

I have to say I didn't know what to expect or if the recipes would be realistic and doable for a busy family as well as take into account people with a smaller budget but I have to say right from the start I've been very impressed. The recipes in my box included Cuban Mojo Pasta which was delicious, Chilli Con Carne, Stroganoff and Thai Red Curry, all of which were hits with the kids.

The recipes cards are very clear and they strike the balance between creating dishes that feel a bit special and a step up from normal everyday meals yet have simplicity at the heart of everything with each dish only needed 4-6 basic fresh items, some of which I already had at home and what I didn't was easy to pick up at my local supermarket so absolutely no need for specialist shops or additional artisan ingredients.

But the main highlight without a doubt is is the flavour these dishes pack, I really felt like I've taken my home cooking to a new level. The Cuban Mojo Pasta was probably the best pasta dish I have made in years and a lot of that came down to the carefully balanced flavour pots - with this dish, in particular, my kit included a seasoning pot, garlic paste and a white wine reduction. Everyone enjoyed this including the kids and it was a breeze to make and I have to say I impressed myself.

The bonus about the Simply Cook cooking box subscription is that it's letterbox friendly so you don't need to wait around for delivery and it's also contact-free. Each box contains 4 meals per delivery and everything has a long shelf life plus if you have had enough it's super easy to cancel. If you're stuck for ideas or just want to change up your weekly meals then I really recommend trying out Simply Cook.