Apartment Life | Blue Apron

Cooking in a NYC apartment usually comes in at a strong second to Seamless. There are moments when I decide to give cooking a go but ultimately those moments are few and far in between.

Then I saw these Blue Apron ads all over the subways and had to give it a try.

No harm, no foul right?

And you guys, there wasn't any foul done at all! Instead it made my life a million times easier (and affordable) when it came to dinner time. Plus, no grocery store visits were needed (hell YES).

From the start, it's pretty much fool-proof. After setting up an account you get to choose your week's recipe and customize it to your needs! I thought that was pretty convenient, especially the delivery options.

I had the box delivered to my office (packages tend to disappear from my apartment) and didn't have to worry about the food spoiling. Each box is refrigerated to make sure the ingredients are fresh #winwin.

Here's a peak at the amazing recipes included in my box. My mouth is basically salivating just thinking about it.

I started the week with the Three-Cheese Cannelloni. It came with fresh pasta sheets and lots of cheese. I LIVE for cheese.

One of the things that deters me from any homestyle cooking is the prep. All that chopping, cutting, and dirty-dish making - no thanks. With Blue Apron, almost none of that happened or were kept to a bare minimum. The majority of their fresh ingredients were already prepped and made me a much happier person. 

Also, how cute is the packaging?

Mmm, butternut squash and kale filling. Prior to this I have never cooked with butternut squash - kind of embarrassing right?

The end result was scrumptious cannelloni that were happily devoured by me and the boyfriend. For once we were so excited pasta, mainly because it wasn't the standard spaghetti and mystery sauce when we're at our wits end.

My overall thoughts, Blue Apron is certainly an option for those who want to save time and has the flexibility for almost any #GirlBoss. If we want to get specific, each meal takes around thirty-five minutes - a lot faster than selecting a meal (off Seamless) + waiting for its delivery.

Blue Apron isn't a New York thing either, it's available Nationwide. To get you started, Blue Apron is offering my readers two free meals on the house! Redeem the promotion by clicking here.

Learn more: www.blueapron.com

Blue Apron provided my first box for free for an honest review. Each box after was paid for. All opinions expressed are my solely my own.

Five Main NYC Chill Spots

Although there are a multitude of gems hidden across the city (aka the island of Manhattan), these spots always have me coming back for more when the temps rise. Except for the food spots, those places will always own my soul year round.

The Frying Pan

is amazing and quite frankly better than any rooftop bar. With a cool breeze from the water and a variety of drinks, this place always has me coming back with my wolfpack.
www.fryingpan.com

The drinks here at Elsa are superb + crafted with the utmost care. A super chill spot in the East Village where you can actually carry on a conversation with good friends. Bonus: It's so chill you'll barely recognize celebs sitting near you.

www.elsabar.com

Let's just say that if you got locked in overnight at the Chelsea Market you wouldn't care. This place has everythinggg! Well, everything but a Duane Reade but seriously it's still amazing and situated right next to the highline.

www.chelseamarket.com

Micheladas and heavenly arepas, also know as Caracas. Worth the wait and worth every dollar, you'll definitely find me here at least once a month. I swear if I didn't owe Sallie Mae so much loot, I'd be here every night.

www.caracasarepabar.com

So after the party, it's the after party, but after that it's straight to Pomme Frites. Open late, a million and one different sauces, fresh fries it would make any happy-houred person cry. Even if you're not happy-houred it's still one of those places you NEED to check out and eat at. Your tummy will thank you. 

www.pommesfritesnyc.com

Don't forget you can always tweet me at @TheStyleBoro if you ever need some last minute NYC recommendations. I'd be happy to always help!!

EYE Scream

For days when you're craving something sweet and find truck delicacies fun here's something to check out: Van Leeuwen Artisan Ice Cream. It's all natural and organic for those of you who care. And for the rest of us, it's thick, creamy and amazing. 

You can get a small serving @ $3.50, medium for $5.25, and large for $6.75. Twitter them @VLAIC.

Don't worry non-sweet tooth lovers, there is coffee too. Here's the site if you're intrigued: www.vanleeuwenicecream.com.

I hope summer never ends, but it will. Either way until it does I'll be there... Everyday.