Aside from quiet mornings in our sunny bedroom, cooking dinner is easily my favorite part of the entire day. May sound strange, but there is just something special about creating a meal from scratch and I love the anticipation of sitting down to break bread with our little fam. (Rarely does real bread actually make an appearance, but I think you get my drift. *wink*)

Keep reading to find out how my weeknight dinners have become even more enjoyable, and find out how to make it happen in your own home!

Mr. Pepper teases that whenever I get overwhelmed, the best way to pull me back down to earth is by putting me in a kitchen full of veggies spices super sharp knives… Ok, that last part seems a bit counterintuitive now, but chopping is so ZEN to me!

When I first discovered the online dinner service called Plated, I remembered thinking that receiving a partially prepped dinner on our doorstep sounded like something that would steal the wind from my sails, but then? I had a brilliant idea…

Super-fresh ingredients that make it easy for a whole-food plant-based eater like me!

Sitting on the sidelines sipping a glass of my evening beverage while a handsome hubby does the cooking for us? Such a lovely treat after a long day of working!

Sweet G will be the first to admit that his cooking skills typically stop at boxed mac & cheese (though he does make a MEAN poached egg), but the simple instructions included with every Plated recipe are easy enough for even complete beginners!

Our favorite recipe so far has been broiled eggplant over a bed of quinoa tabbouleh. We loved it so much that G now makes it as an impressive specialty meal for guests, and we’ve even created a few of our own variations just for fun. (Farro makes another great cous cous stand-in, and we serve it with a side of roasted asparagus for a bit of added color!)

My personal chef, hard at work. ;)

Sunset & a beautiful mess. (Don’t worry – I did the dishes.)

One of the other things that I love about Plated is that once you’ve ordered a meal from their weekly menu selection, the recipe is automatically saved to our account for whenever you’d like to re-create it again on your own time. Such a great chance to expand your cooking repertoire, and makes for an easy way to incorporate more locally sourced, creatively nutritious meals into your busy week!

Have you ever tried any type of preppable meal delivery service? I know that there are so many different kinds out there, and I’d love to hear about your thoughts and favorites!

Ps. – Next week’s menu ALREADY has my mouth watering this morning: Creamy Swiss Chard Rolls and Butternut & Kale Mac ‘n Cheese are just a few options on the agenda… You know I’m a sucker for delicious and seasonal dishes!