Food delivery services: Healthy meals made easy

Last week I had the opportunity to try out a new service available in Ontario called Mealspirations. It’s a food delivery service that provides specific recipes along with the ingredients to make each one. On the menu last week was Pan Seared Rainbow Trout with Panzanella Salad, Canadian Beef Paillard with Greens, Berries and Crumbled Goat Cheese and Herb Crusted Pork Loin Chops with Sweet Potato Mash and Roasted Vegetables. Having a menu already planned for three days of the week made it easy to stick to healthy eating.

Here’s how it works: You sign up for the package that best fits your needs (for example, classic or vegetarian and two- or four-person boxes). Then, each Sunday a box with that week’s fresh ingredients will be delivered to your home. Inside will be everything you need to make the three meals on the menu for that week, including the recipes. You may need a few additional items (such as butter, salt, olive oil, etc.) but they’re things you most likely already have. The first meal I (okay my fiancé actually did the cooking) made was the Pan Seared Rainbow Trout. The top photo is of the ingredients and the photo below shows the finished dinner. Delicious!

Pan Seared Rainbow Trout with Panzanella Salad
Serves two.

Ingredients
2 pcs. 6 oz. rainbow trout fillets
1 tomato – cut into cubes
1 cucumber – sliced in thick pieces
1 yellow bell pepper – seeded and cut into cubes
1/4 red onion – cut in half and thinly sliced
French baguette – cut into cubes
1 Tbsp capers – drained and chopped
Basil – leaves picked and chopped
1/4 tsp garlic – minced
1 Tbsp white win vinegar
1/4 tsp Dijon mustard
1 Tbsp grape seed oil
1/4 cup + 1 tsp extra virgin olive oil – divided
Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions
1. In a large pan, heat 2 Tbsp olive oil over medium heat. Carefully add bread and mix with oil. Sauté until golden brown, about 5-10 minutes.
2. Prepare your ingredients.
3. In a large bowl, whisk the garlic, Dijon mustard, vinegar and 2 Tbsp + 1 tsp olive oil together to make the vinaigrette. Add the tomatoes, cucumber, yellow pepper, red onion, basil, capers and warm toasted baguette. Toss with the vinaigrette and season with salt and pepper to taste. Let the salad stand for 10-15 minutes to allow flavours to develop.
4. While salad is sitting, season both sides of fish with salt and pepper. In a large pan, heat grape seed oil over medium-high heat until oil begins to smoke. Turn heat down to medium and carefully place both pieces of fish in pan, skin side down. Cook until fish is 85 percent opaque for 7-8 minutes, with only the centre remaining translucent. Gently flip fish onto flesh side and turn off burner. Using the residual heat, allow the fish to finish cooking for 1-2 minutes (internal temp. 70ºC/158ºF).
5. Divide the trout and salad between two plates and enjoy.

Related:
‘ 14 healthy 30-minute meals
‘ 10 incredibly easy lunches
‘ 5 steps to healthier family meals