Sometimes we just need an easy dinner but really want the enjoyment of a proper home cooked meal.
When I was pregnant, as well as batch cooking into the freezer to be prepared for those early newborn days, I came across a rather lovely looking online brand selling ready-made home cooked style meals. They looked perfect. A good price, a two person option and a subscription set up that could be cancelled or adjusted at anytime. It was reasonably priced and ALL VEGAN.
So I thought I would give it go and stock the freezer with a variety of meals.
This was the start of our love affair with AllPlants. We have been with them ever since those newborn days and now my daughter is 4! I love cooking but running a household, working and having the constant juggle to manage, its great knowing that when cooking is the last thing I want to have to do – there is a choice of delicious dishes ready in the freezer to pop in the microwave or oven.
Most dishes are microwavable but some have the oven option. There’s a huge variety of cuisines and these are added to and improved all the time, plus now there’s side dishes and desserts that can be added to you order too!
To make delivery easy, the parcel can be left in a safe place so there’s no need to be in and to look after your frozen meals the box is packed with an insulating liner and dry ice to keep everything frozen.
Find out more about AllPlants sustainability and ethics over on their website.
For a while we stuck to the same six each month but then started to try new options and adjust the subscription regularly.
Now we’ve sampled a lot of the range but there’s new dishes coming to the site all the time so it’s easy to keep the variety and interest. At Christmas they even had lots of special Christmas options to make your dinner on the big day easy too!
What we think of the meals we’ve eaten:
(full details of all the meals can be found on their website with ingredients, nutritional info and benefits)
PROTEIN POWER BOWL > Miso roasted tofu, coconut and edamame smash with power grains, sweet chilli broccoli, seseame cabbage, and a pea and edamame medley. This a one of out faves. The flavour mix is spot on and it’s a filling but not heavy portion. The sweet chilli broccoli has definitely got a kick so my husband takes the lionshare of that as it’s a bit too hot for me. The best bit is the smash – perfect texture and tastes amazing.
MAC + ‘CHEESE’ > Macaroni tossed through our creamy, cheesy sauce with charred broccoli, fresh greens and a delicious toasted crumb. This is a stodgy heart warming gooey bowl of yum. Perfect when you need a nice warming filling supper.
TERIYAKI UDON > A spicy, sticky teriyaki sauce coating soft, udon noodles, with sesame mushrooms, mixed fresh veg and a sprinkling of toasted cashews. This is a spicy one. We had for a while before I decided to swap as just too spicy for me.
RIGATONI BOLOGNESE > A rich and hearty minced mushroom, lentil and walnut ragu, folded through rigatoni pasta and sprinkled with an almond parm crumb. Now I make a good vegan bolognese so tentatively tried this within an open mind – and pleasantly satisfied. It’s a rich tasty sauce, packing flavour.
THREE MUSHROOM RISOTTO > Creamy arborio rice enriched with porcini and thyme, topped with a garlicky medley of portobello, button + chestnut mushrooms, and toasted walnuts. Very decent, warning risotto, plenty of flavour and super mushroom-y!
LASAGNA NOCI > A hearty minced mushroom, lentil and walnut ragu poured between layers of lasagna, topped with our light butternut squash béchamel. Decent flavoursome lasagna!
TRUFFLE MUSHROOM ORZO > Orzo tossed in a cashew-based creamy sauce, with chestnut and button mushrooms sautéed with garlic, truffle oil and baby spinach. Umptious creamy risotto style dish but with orzo – really lovely tasting.
RIGATONI CARBONARA > A light and creamy carbonara sauce tossed through rigatoni pasta with smoky pancetta mushrooms and a crisp almond parm crumb. Found this not creamy enough (bit watery) but maybe that’s preferred for some, but good flavour and the pasta cooks up really well despite going in the microwave.
KALE AND CHICKPEA DAAL > Tomato chutney chickpeas topping a creamy 3-pulse daal of black lentils, red lentils and chickpeas, with spinach and garlic kale. Enjoy with rice. Definitely more of a side dish or in need of something else to give body – hence the rice suggestion
TEMPER RENDANG CURRY > An aromatic Indonesian curry with roasted aubergine, baby corn and cauliflower, with marinated tempeh and coriander wild rice. Gentle spiced curry, light but filling
SHEPHERDS PIE > A luscious, slow cooked British stew with a crushed sweet potato topping and a crispy, sprinkle of paprika crumb. I always feel like this is missing a little ompf. Nice flavour but needs a little more strength in flavours.
SUPER GREEN RISOTTO > Fresh, seasonal greens mixed through a light, creamy risotto, finished with crunchy, roasted hazelnuts. Really tasty and fresh dish, but too many green beans for my hub, on the occasion we ordered it (I think the green veg varies on season) – he’s just not a fan of the humble green bean.
BASIL + CASHEW FUSILLI > A vibrant medley of green beans, broad beans, courgette and peas, tossed with fusilli pasta and a creamy basil sauce, topped with pesto and walnuts. I really really love this dish, great flavoursome sauce, but again the green beans made it a no-no for us to get again.
BUTTERNUT + BARLEY RISOTTO > A warming and rich pearl barley and squash medley topped with toasted hazelnuts. This lacks a little flavour – needs a seasoning kick, but acts as a good side dish!
THE LOCAL VEGAN 