Eating healthy…it often feels complicated and time-consuming, right? Well, it doesn’t have to be. I used to be a Clinical Dietitian and spent my days preaching about good nutrition and how it reduces the risk of chronic disease. Even with the strong correlation between good health and good nutrition, people still fall short on eating healthy.
Most people said that time is a major factor when it comes to healthy cooking. Typically, most of us are rushing around on the weekdays then trying to catch up on chores, sleep, and getting in some much needed socializing on the weekend. This seems to leave very little time for cooking and grocery shopping. This is where Doorganics comes in to play.
When I heard that Doorganics delivers organic local groceries right to your door (for free), I was instantly hooked. Doorganics involves my favorite things: online shopping, locally grown organic food, and saving myself a trip to the always busy grocery store. Since I loved my Doorganics experience so much, if you continue reading you will receive a discount on your first Doorganics’ delivery! What a deal!
Speaking of organic, as a Dietitian, there are several science-based reasons that I would recommend buying organic products. First and foremost, organic foods are grown without the use of most synthetic pesticides or artificial fertilizers. There have been studies that link excessive exposure to pesticides to possible health defects. Organic foods can also have up to 50% more omega-3 fatty acids. These omega-3 fatty acids are linked to improved cardiovascular health and newer research suggests they may help protect against Alzheimer’s disease and dementia. Both of these are great reasons to start incorporating more organic foods into your life!
I have to be honest. I have never purchased food online. It’s something that I’ve always been interested in but never pursued. If I had known how easy and fun the Doorganics process was, I would have done this MUCH sooner!
From start to finish, my groceries were ordered in just five minutes. Their website is incredibly easy to use and allows you to select from a variety of in-season produce, pantry staples, meats, and so much more.
Starting off, you select a produce bin, these range from small to large in size and can include fruits, vegetables, or both. This time, I went with a small produce bin which includes 10 different fruits and vegetables. This bin can be customized by making up to four substitutions per week. This “swap and shop” function is perfect for planning your weekly menu and customizing it to your preferences.
Once my produce bin was selected and customized to my needs, I went on to look through over 150 Michigan-made grocery items. Everything you could imagine from dairy, pantry staples, to meat. Since I knew I wanted to make an epic lamb dinner (keep reading for the recipe!), I was able to customize a few grocery items based on this dish.
Typically, when I meal plan, I select the produce items I use every week, like onions, garlic, potatoes, and bananas. These are things I use for the base of a lot of my recipes and bananas are definitely my go-to for breakfast recipes and post-workout snacks. Meal planning is very important for my life. It prevents me from grabbing take-out, helps me stick to a budget, and keeps me utilizing in-season foods which help contribute to sustainability.
Once I had my grocery list finalized the magic happened.
My list was submitted for delivery and my Doorganics bin appeared on the delivery date that I had selected. Opening the green bin felt like Christmas morning! My bin was filled with the most vibrant and fresh produce. The lamb came packaged in its own insulated bag and my fruits and vegetables were kept nice and cool in the bin with a cold pack. It was 95 degrees that day so I was thrilled that everything stayed cold and perfectly fresh!
Throughout the week, I was able to make some delicious dishes thanks to the items in my Doorganics delivery. I used potatoes and garlic for a pork tenderloin dish and sweet baby broccoli with my soft scrambled eggs for breakfast. But, the main attraction that I had been planning was a Grilled Mediterranean Lamb and Quinoa Salad.
I planned to use a variety of vegetables and herbs in this dish and cook everything on the grill, all within under 30 minutes!
The flavors from the fresh produce and the lamb were out of this world. I honestly took one bite and stopped to cherish it. I am a very tough critic when it comes to my own cooking and this dish was amazing.
The lamb had a beautiful earthiness that paired well with the sweet grilled yellow pepper and onion with a boost of acidity and freshness from the grilled lemon and fresh herbs. It really goes to show you that having fresh, in-season, and organic produce makes all the difference.
I loved this dish so much thanks to Doorganics’ fresh and organic grocery items, that I jotted down the recipe for you to try it as well.
Grilled Mediterranean Lamb and Quinoa Salad
Serves 4
Ingredients:
1-pound ground lamb
2 teaspoons ground coriander
1 ½ teaspoons ground cumin
1 teaspoon paprika
1 teaspoon kosher salt, additional to taste
½ teaspoon parsley
¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes
¼ teaspoon ground black pepper, additional to taste
1 tablespoon olive oil, divided
1 yellow bell pepper
1 yellow onion, sliced in half
1 lemon, sliced in half
6 spring garlic, green tops finely chopped, garlic bulbs left whole
1 cucumber, peeled, seeded, and diced
8-10 sprigs of cilantro, rough chopped
2 cups cooked quinoa
1 cup plain Greek yogurt
Preparation:
Preheat grill to medium-high heat (375-400 degrees). Begin to gather equipment and ingredients needed for the recipe.
First, cook quinoa according to package directions to yield 2 cups cooked. Prep the cucumber by peeling, removing the middle seeds, and dice into small pieces. Rough chop the cilantro and the tops of the green spring garlic. Set aside until you are ready to assemble the salad.
Combine ground lamb with coriander, cumin, paprika, salt, parsley, red pepper flakes, and black pepper. Form into 8, 2oz ovals or 4, 4oz ovals. Brush a ½ tablespoon of olive oil onto the lamb ovals.
Place ½ tablespoon of olive oil on the yellow bell pepper, yellow onion halves, lemon halves, and garlic bulbs.
Place the bell pepper and onion on the grill for approximately 4 minutes, turning as the outside begins to char then place the lamb ovals on the grill and cook for approximately 2-3 minutes on each side, smaller ovals will cook more quickly than large ovals. While lamb is grilling, place lemon and spring garlic bulbs on the grill, these will cook in approximately 2-3 minutes.
Dice the grilled yellow onion, yellow pepper, and spring garlic bulbs then toss them with the diced cucumber and season with salt and pepper to taste.
To assemble, swipe ¼ cup plain Greek yogurt with a spoon across the plate in a half circle. Place ½ cup of cooked quinoa on the plate then top with a quarter of the grilled vegetable mixture. Place grilled lamb ovals on top and garnish with fresh herbs. Squeeze grilled lemon over the top of each plate. Enjoy! This dish also holds up well for next day leftovers!
Now that you know how simple and amazing Doorganics is, I would love for you to give it a try! You can enter the promo code GOODEATS at checkout to receive $12 off your first Doorganics delivery.
Check out Doorganics’ blog for more recipes made primarily with their fresh and organic grocery items.
Happy cooking!
Jenny with the Good Eats 