Purple Carrot Review

Is it just me, or does 2017 feel like the year of the sign-up-for-a-monthly-box subscription? Because it sort of seems like if you have any interests at all, there's probably a company out there dying to send you a box full of whatever it is you're interested in each month. Don't get me wrong, because I do appreciate this craze... I do! It just seems to be getting a bit out of control is all, what with box subscriptions ranging from condoms to moss. But hey, who am I to judge?!

Adam and I have signed up for quite a few of these. I've tried wine boxes, make-up boxes, razor blade boxes and even tampons & chocolate boxes (because come ON!). I must admit I've given up on all of my monthly box subscriptions, though. Well, all but the razor blade one... Worth it! But anyway, because I enjoy these sorts of things, I couldn't resist signing up for Purple Carrot when I saw an advertisement for it on Facebook a while back. (Yeah, I'm a clickbait sucker.)

Like Blue Apron, Hello Fresh, and Home Chef, Purple Carrot also sends you a box of ingredients each week with three meals inside for you to cook and eat at home. The only difference with Purple Carrot is that it's all 100% vegan.

The box was organized nicely and I liked having a list of where the veggies came from. One thing I hated about Blue Apron was how they just sort of threw everything in a box, so when it came time to cook, you had to go digging around trying to find all of the ingredients. Purple Apron separates the meals; much appreciated! (Oh, BB-8 is such a camera ham!)

The first recipe we tried was the Vegetable Pad Thai with Sweet and Sour Tamarind & Vegan Egg.

As per usual, I was doing homework and Adam cooked dinner (I lurve you, Adam!) and while he was in the kitchen, he kept saying things like, "This is sorta weird..." "What IS this??" while cooking the "egg" and because I've used something like that in the past, I thought I knew what he was referring to. Well, it wasn't until we started eating that I fully grasped why he was so weirded out. The "egg" they give you is this strange yellow cornstarch-scrambled-egg-concoction. Gooey, yuck. We didn't like it. I think things like this are the reason people are afraid to try vegan food. I definitely prefer eating vegan food that isn't trying to be non-vegan food, if that makes sense. I have no idea what that scrambled egg thing was, but the dish would have been way better without it. It was also lacking in the sauce department. Grade: C

The next recipe we tried was the Spring Radish Fattoush with Sumac Vinaigrette & Minted Basmati Rice.

This was a super yummy dish. We also seemed to have a ton of leftovers, so it was something we were able to eat for dinner but also bring to work the next day which was nice. I appreciated all of the veggies and I think it was my first time ever trying fennel. I'd make something like this in the future, for sure. Grade: A

Our final recipe was the Mustard Glazed Tempeh with Red Kraut and Smashed Beets.

This was sooooooo good! Now, I know I made the comment above about being sort of weirded out by vegan food pretending to be meat/eggs/cheese, but sometimes it works. The tempeh in this recipe was super delicious, and the smashed beets with potatoes were awesome. The sauerkraut reminded me of home, and the mustard sauce gave it the perfect amount of tanginess. We devoured it and it's definitely something we'll make in the future. Grade: A+

So, my final thoughts... Honestly, I liked Purple Carrot more than the other food boxes I've tried, but at the end of the day, spending $60+ on three meals for two people each week just isn't worth it to me. I canceled my subscription after receiving this box and don't plan on trying it again in the future unless I find a coupon code.  I feel mean saying that, but I'm just being honest! I'm cheap, y'all! I wish it was more affordable because I really love these boxes and think it's a great way to experiment with new food in the kitchen. You discover so many great recipes you would have never thought to attempt otherwise, and it totally cuts out time spent searching for everything at the store.

Have you tried Purple Carrot or any other food subscription box? What did you think? As always, thanks for reading. xo