EveryPlate Zesty Pork Tacos

Review:
     This is the second recipe from EveryPlate I have made. These pork tacos were tasty, though they didn't blow me away. The recipe was much quicker than the Tuscan chicken pasta. From start to end photo, it took me 36 minutes so dead-on for estimated time.
     Some of the terminology and instructions on the recipe cards I again found confusing, so I have translated them into how I would do my own recipe post here. I could definitely see myself making these again, but adding some actual hot spice as there was none whatsoever. Due to the poor quality of the lime, I did not have enough lime zest for the  lime creme step and just used straight sour cream. I recommend doing the step as it would probably help make these tacos pop.
    I took the second portion of these to work the next day, and neither the tomato salsa nor the radishes held up and it had a bad odor. I think this was partially due to the poor quality of the tomatoes and the radishes. See picture of how smushed the tomato was, and note the rot on the red onion in the ingredients picture below as well as the very blemished skin on half of the lime.

Estimated cook time: 35 minutes
Actual cook time: 36 minutes

Zesty Pork Tacos
from EveryPlate

Ingredients:
- 10 oz. ground pork
- 6 tortillas
- 3 radishes
- 1 roma tomato
- 3 cloves garlic
- 1 red onion
- 7 g. Fajita spice
- 2 oz. sour cream
- 1 lime
- salt, pepper, sugar

Instructions:
1. Small dice tomato. Peel and thinly slice red onion. Finely chop enough red onion to get 2 Tbs. minced.
2. Thinly slice radishes. Zest lime for 1 tsp. lime zest, then quarter lime. Mince garlic.
3. In a small bowl, combine tomato, chopped onion, half of the lime zest, and half of the juice from the lime, salt, and pepper.
4. In another small bowl combine raddish slices, rest of the lime juice, a large pinch of both salt and sugar.
5. Heat a drizzle of olive oil over medium high heat. Add sliced onion and season with salt and pepper. Cook until softened and browned, about 5 minutes. Add garlic and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute.
6. Add pork and Fajita seasoning to pan, separating pork until fully cooked, about 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.
7. In a small bowl, combine sour cream, 1 Tbs. water, and remaining lime zest. Wrap tortillas in a slightly damp paper towel and microwave for 30 seconds until supple.
8. Add pork, tomato salad, and raddish pickle to a tortilla. Tip with lime creme.

EveryPlate Tuscan Herbed Chicken

So for the first time, I tried a meal box. This had a good deal on FB so I got 6 meals, 3 recipes for $20 including shipping. Even with the severe discount, this is more than I generally pay for food. I hit the Hy-vee deals pretty hard! I quite enjoyed the experience. But due to cost, poor quality of ingredients, and the wastefulness the thing I doubt it's an experience I will duplicate. But: here is my experience and review of it.

I have put the instructions as they came with my personal notes in parentheses.

Review:
     So this was my first meal box ever. It came in a box, which was lined with a shiny foil bubble wrap bag. At the bottom were 2 big reusable ice packs, then the meat, and on top of that another big reusable ice pack, and on top of that was everything else. If I was doing this as a regular thing, the waste alone would probably kill me but since I think this will be a one time experience, I am keeping the ice pack to reused for coolers in the future.
     Most of the produce and meat looked okay, though the red onion has a very bad rotten spot on it (you will see in next post) and the tomatoes are very weak in color. All in all, everything seemed fine.
     With this first recipe, I do think it made a decently sized meal. More like a lunch than a dinner, though. I was hungry enough the first night to eat both servings (which I regretted!). I actually put the whole thing into MyFitnessPal item-for-item (based off the original recipe measurements) to get an exact calorie count. The meal itself was quite tasty! Something richer than I would make for myself, definitely but I think with my modifications and an added vegetable side or salad added this is a meal I see myself making again.
    I found the instructions confusing at times. They seem to jump around from task to task and it's just hard to follow. I have not copied the instructions below but put down my, slightly more logical, interpretation of them. I would consider myself a decent home cook in terms of technique and speed of prep and I think their time estimate is simply inaccurate having followed all the instructions on the card in order.

Estimated cook time: 40 minutes
Actual cook time: 55 minutes

Tuscan Herbed Chicken
by EveryPlate

Ingredients:
- 6 oz. linguini
- 10 oz. chicken breast, boneless skinless (half breasts, and pound flat)
- 1 roma tomato
- 3 cloves garlic
- 4.5 g. Tuscan heat spice
- 1/4 cup grated Parmesan
- 1 oz. cream cheese
- 4 tsp. olive oil (you can get away with half of this just for on the chicken directly)
- 2 Tbs. butter (I recommend leaving out)
- salt

Instructions:
1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Heat a large skillet on medium head with a light drizzle of olive oil.
2. Small chop tomato. Slice 2 cloves of garlic, finely mince the remaining clove.
3. Pat chicken breast dry with a paper towel. Put breasts into a bowl and add drizzle of olive oil, minced garlic clove, salt, pepper, and half of the Tuscan heat spice. Combine well.
4. Once pasta water is boiling, add pasta. Cook for 9-11 mins. Reserve 1/2 cup of liquid, then drain.
5. Add chicken to heated frying pan. Cook until browned, about 7-10 minutes a side (if not flattened. Otherwise, less)
6. Once cooked, transfer to a cutting board to rest.
7. In chicken skilled, melt the 2 Tbs. butter (or skip!). Add the sliced garlic and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute.
8. Add tomato, remaining seasoning, a pinch of salt and pepper and cook together for another 2-3 mins.
9. Stir in cream cheese, half of the Parmesan, and 1/4 cup of the reserved pasta water. Bring mixtre to a simmer and add pasta. If pasta seems dry, add more reserved water and stir together until creamy. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
10. Divide pasta between 2 bowls, and thinly slice chicken breast and divide between two bowls. Top with remaining Parmesan.