Sometimes, I am just lucky. I was followed by Chefmade on Twitter and I noticed that the proprietor is the caterer we used for the Husband’s 40th. She did not realize I was a blogger. She is piloting her new personal chef delivery service and she gave me and the husband the opportunity to test it out for two weeks at no cost. So if you have been around here, you know I love fresh, delicious, healthy food, but I am not a talented chef (or food photographer).
I have tried some great prepared meals from Factor 75 and Cooked and have tested out prepare your own from Meez Meals, Blue Apron and Hello Fresh. The cool thing about Chefmade is that most of the entrees are fully prepped and put together but they come with heating/cooking directions so they are super fresh when you cook and eat them. The lunches, breakfasts and treats come ready to eat. It is a great approach for busy people. No shopping, no prep, but fresh and healthy meals ready to cook and eat. Chef Sarah Arel sends the menu out weekly on Monday and asks for order by Wednesday for the following Sunday night delivery. She currently delivers in Chicago only. The prices are super reasonable and are from $4.99 for breakfast to $18.99 for a dinner for 2 and $36.99 for dinner for 4.
Week 1 items we tried with descriptions by Chefmade:
- Carrot Ginger Chicken Salad – Seared and shredded organic chicken breasts with red bell peppers, edamame, rainbow carrot strips, quinoa and green onions served with shredded romaine lettuce and a bright and flavorful carrot ginger salad dressing. Gluten free. Dairy Free.
- Chewy Peanut Butter Granola Bars – All natural peanut butter, toasted peanuts, chopped dates, oats, wheat germ and whole wheat flour. Sweetened naturally with honey.
- Raspberry Almond Chia Pudding – Healthy breakfast pudding made with pureed raspberries, shredded coconut, chia seeds and almond milk. Topped with almond butter, kiwi and mint.
- Indian Spiced Chicken with Yogurt Sauce – Fresh organic chicken marinated with ginger, coriander, cumin and cinnamon. Served with a spiced greek yogurt sauce, green onion and ginger basmati rice, and a side of pickled chili cabbage salad.
- Stuffed Poblano Peppers (for 2) – Roasted poblano peppers stuffed with black beans, creamy cornmeal, chunks of tomato, and a little bit of heat from jalapeno peppers. Topped with melty pepper jack cheese.
- Teriyaki Salmon with Lentils (for 2) – Fresh poached salmon with handmade teriyaki glaze. Served with lentils cooked in a rich tomato sauce with aromatics. Gluten free. Dairy free. Pescatarian.
We really enjoyed the week 1 items we tried. The salmon with lentils was pre-cooked and came with two large pieces. I ate it for lunch over 3 days. I ate the salmon cold and warmed. It was perfectly cooked and well seasoned. The husband at the poblano peppers for lunch and dinner one Sunday and he was a fan. He liked that it was nice and spicy – his only request next time is to add some meat. (He’s a carnivore.) The chicken salad was really awesome and had so much chicken and the perfect amount of dressing. I did not need any of the extra dressing, but there was some in there just in case. The granola bar was packed with peanuts. Yum. The one miss was on my part. I was not 100% clear on the cooking instructions for the Indian Spiced Chicken. I ate the cabbage salad with my other greens and it was super tasty. I used the rice, too. By the time I asked Sarah about the chicken, I thought it may have been in the fridge too long. So, I did not make it.
Week 2 items we tried with descriptions by Chefmade:
- Baked Thai Style Halibut with Coconut Couscous (for 2)– Halibut baked en papillote on a bed of fluffy couscous with a flavorful thai seasoned sauce made from coconut milk, cilantro and ginger.
- Baked Ziti with Handmade Marinara (for 2) – Perfectly baked al dente ziti noodles with slow simmered marinara sauce, mozzarella, parmesan and ricotta cheeses and topped with fresh basil leaves.
- Roasted Chicken Salad with Arugula and Pistachio – Roasted cruelty-free, antibiotic-free chicken tossed with a creamy lemon pistachio dressing, crispy oven baked onions, juicy cherry tomatoes and served with peppery arugula.
- Shaved Cauliflower Salad with Curry and Paneer – Curry spiced roasted cauliflower tossed with blanched peas, crispy paneer, parsley leaves and dried apricots with an orange shallot dressing, and topped with crispy toasted almonds.
- Matcha Green Tea Chia Pudding – Healthy and delicious breakfast pudding made with vanilla scented almond milk, organic chia seeds, and packed with antioxidants from organic matcha green tea powder. Topped with fresh blueberries and raspberries
- Strawberry Barley Scones – Whole grain barley and buttermilk scones with a strawberry jam filling, caramelized just a bit around the edges.
- Swiss Chard Galette with Whole Wheat Crust (Frozen) – Handmade buttery whole wheat crust topped with wilted swiss chard, onions, ricotta and gruyere cheese. Have it vegetarian or made with spicy italian sausage.
- Cheese Pizza (Frozen) – Handmade frozen pizza, miles better than what you would normally find in the freezer aisle. Tender self-rising crust, handmade pizza sauce, and freshly grated mozzarella.
Week two we got more than we could eat due to my travel schedule and the fact that the Husband doesn’t usually eat dinner home during the week. I shared the ziti and the galette with friends. The reports were positive on taste but they did say that the cook time was a bit long which took away from the full convenience factor for them. I loved, loved, loved the salads this week. The dressing on the roasted chicken salad was AMAZING and the curried cauliflower was perfectly seasoned and delicious. The halibut was really good and super easy to make in the oven. The one addition I would have made was adding vegetables in the cous cous. I just made some zucchini and added it to the two meals. The scone was very fresh and tasty and I froze the second one to have another time. The husband raved about the pizza. I tried some and agreed. The spicy sauce was delicious and the homemade crust was crisp on the outside and chewy on the inside. He said it was worth the wait and that it was better than any other frozen pizza he has ever had. Well, it was frozen but fresh and chef-made! He wants to order more STAT. Only one miss for us. Neither one of us was a big fan of the chia pudding. I am just not a fan of chia puddings in general and the husband thought it was kind of bland.
The food comes packed in containers that you can put in the oven if need be which is awesome. The ingredients are not listed on the web or packaging but Sarah assures me that they will be soon. She is also planning to add nutritional information when she is able. For me, the ingredients are most important as I am pretty good with portion size and estimating calories, but I know this is important to many people.
As you can see, we were big fans of the healthy, fresh food from Chefmade. We will definitely be checking out the weekly menus and ordering from now on. Here is this week’s menu. If you are in Chicago, check out Chefmade & get $15 off on your first order with code ericafindschefmade. I just placed my order! There is no minimum order but there is a $10 delivery fee. With the coupon, I got two lunches and a dinner for one plus two soups for $35! So, it’s a pretty great deal, too!
Want to see what other people are trying on Tuesday? Check out the Tried It Tuesday link up at Lake Shore Runner!
Please note: I was not compensated for this post. I was given free products in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own (and those of the Husband.)
PS. Don’t miss my great giveaways!