Back in November, I reviewed Riverford’s vegetarian recipe box. The meals were tasty, quick to prepare and didn’t create much washing up, so when Riverford asked if I’d like to try another recipe box, I wasn’t about to turn it down.
Along with Riverford’s usual recipe boxes are boxes created by guest chefs. The latest chefs to be featured are twins David and Stephen Flynn, who own The Happy Pear shop, cafe and restaurant in Co. Wicklow, and it was this recipe box Riverford sent me to review.
As with all Riverford recipe boxes, everything you need is sent to you in one big box – all the fresh, organic, seasonal vegetables, tinned goods (tomatoes, beans, coconut milk, etc.), with all the herbs and spices pre-measured. Recipe cards with preparation and cooking time and step-by-step instructions are included. You really can’t go wrong with a recipe box.
The first recipe I made was a Mexican leek and black bean chilli. The recipe card said it would take me 25 minutes to prepare and cook and as I had a cold and really couldn’t be bothered to cook anything, it sounded perfect.
This vegetarian (it had honey in it, otherwise it would have been vegan) chilli was definitely a good choice for a lazy day as it didn’t require much more than a bit of chopping then chucking everything in a pan and letting it simmer for a bit. It made far more than two servings – I served the chilli on top of jacket potatoes and there was enough left over for another two servings.
I must have been feeling livelier the next day as according to the recipe card, this vegetarian (easily veganised by leaving out the honey and cheese) Spanish chickpea and potato bake with sundried tomato pesto would take 70 minutes to prepare and cook. Given how slow a cook I am, I took this to mean two hours, so I started it early.
Again, the recipe card said it served two but it was huge and could easily serve four. I thought the Happy Pear guys must be the size of the Two Fat Ladies or The Hairy Bikers but, nope, there’s not an ounce of fat on either of them.
This chickpea and potato bake came with a beetroot and pumpkin seed salad but I had it with my own vegetables instead.
Unfortunately, the last recipe of puy lentil coconut dahl was a bit of a disaster. In the instructions, it says to add more water if the dahl is becoming too thick but it should be reasonably dry. I could have left this to simmer for a year and it still wouldn’t have reduced down to ‘reasonably dry’; it was swimming in liquid.
I’d like to say that despite the wateryness of it, the vegetables and lentils were tasty enough but I’d be lying. To be fair, the potatoes were okay but the lentils didn’t do anything for me.
Still, two meals enjoyed out of the three isn’t bad (and because the portions were so large, I’ve got enough leftovers to heat up and have again another day) and on the whole I’d definitely recommend the Riverford recipe boxes. They’re tasty, healthy and easy to make.
The Happy Pear recipe boxes were for a limited time only and are now no longer available. However, the usual Riverford recipe boxes are available in:
- Vegetarian
- Original
- Quick
For current prices and more information, visit the Riverford Recipe Box page on their website.
Win a Riverford Recipe Box
If you’d like to win a Riverford recipe box of your choice, enter my giveaway via the Rafflecopter widget below. Good luck!
Please note: Although Riverford deliver to lots of locations around the UK, they don’t deliver everywhere, so you might want to check they deliver to you before entering the giveaway to avoid any disappointment, as there is no cash alternative.
I’d quite like to try one 🙂
All those meals sound delicious and healthy! 😀 I wish everyone could see how tasty and easy vegetarian meals can be! 🙂
These recipe boxes are a really fantastic idea
We’ve been meaning to try out veggie boxes for a while. I think it would encourage us to eat more healthily. The recipes with your box look fab. I particularly like the sound of the daal.
I love the massive variety of recipe boxes available, something for everyone. I think they are the ideal thing for a few nights away when you are self catering. I love the fact that they mean you can try some new ingredients that you might not have done otherwise.
Its been a while since I cooked from a Veg Box selection, would love to win.
Particularly love the look of the coconut dahl
I would love to try the Riverforrd Recipe Box 🙂
Awesome prize. I’ve always wanted to try one of these recipe boxes.
i’d love to try this and to use as many vegan parts as possible
Great idea. Would love to try these boxes.
lovely prize. I’d really love to win this and try these recipes!
Gorgeous organic food. I like to try new vegetables so this sounds great.
These recipes sounds delish!! (esp the cocount dahl) xx
I want to incorporate more nutritious vegetarian meals into my diet, this would be a great way to start
this all sounds delicious . I would love to try one of these wholesome vegetarian boxes
This looks fantastic. Plase enter me into the giveaway x
Super prize. I’ve heard good things about Riverford so would like to win this.
would love to try some of your produce as you have a good reputation
I’ve seen a few of these recipe boxes around but have never tried one, this would be a great opportunity to give one a whirl
I would love to try a veggie box so please enter me in to the giveaway x
healthy nutritious meals made from these boxes are fab
fab these look great, fingers crossed I win
Would be amazing if I won this competition so yes please
I’d love to try these seem very good thank you
i would love to try a veg box subscription, i wonder if they are expensive for what you receive,
I’m always trying to eat more veg, this would be a great prize
I love the puy lentil dahl recipe – seems worth trying…
Would love to try one of these to help improve my daughter’s health
This sounds like a great idea for people who don’t like to grocery shop….which is just about every person I know. I actually love to grocery shop. The recipes sound great too. Too bad that lentil dish didn’t turn out.
I’ve always been curious about River ford food boxes, they look like a really good idea and i’d definitively love to try one in the future
I have tried a veg box before and loved it but not this one, I would love to try it out
There are so many yummy recipes you can do with Veggies, I am going through a ‘Casserole’ stage at the moment.
never tried these veg boxes before, they sound good
I would love to try one of their boxes.
I love the idea of these recipe boxes and that bean chilli looks delicious, I will have to try this one
Great prize, I’d love to give it a go
Brilliant giveaway. I’d love to win one of these 🙂
I’ve just tried a Happy Pear Riverford box too Cathy – aren’t they good? Its such a treat now and again to have everything weighed out and ready for you, and lovely new recipes to try!
Id like to give one of these recipes boxes a go
What a lovely prize. I’ve been wanting to try a recipe box for ages, keep meaning to get round to ordering one. Thanks for the opportunity 🙂
A good way to try something completely different 🙂
Oooh I’ve been eyeing up some of the recipe boxes so this looks like a good one to try!
fab concept…..and fab prize and giveaway
I would love to try one of the boxes – it would be great to have a random selection of veggies and then decide what to make with them rather than going to the shop with a pre-determined list. It would encourage and inspire me to try new recipes and the book would offer lots of great suggestions.
They all sound nice but the Mexican chili sounds perfect!
Would love to try these x
Fab giveaway, you can never have too many veggies!
SO MUCH SOUNDS GOOD PLEASE ENTER ME INTO THE GIVEAWAY
I love the idea of getting a veg box and having options on what to cook 🙂
I would love to try a Riverford recipe box, it would make me be more creative with my cooking
I love recipe boxes like these as they make trying new dishes so easy.
My parents live down the road from Riverfood & love their veggies!
Your meals/photos look lovely. I am a veggie.
I love these boxes xx
Havent tried these boxes but they look great
Looks as though there is a wide range of healthy foods. I’d love to make use of these ingredients for more tasty, interesting recipes.l
lovely idea. i would love to try one of these boxes 🙂
would love to try one of these Riverfor boxes
nice one please enter me into the competition thanks
you can never have too many veggies so this would be a great prize!
great prize – please enter me into the giveaway thanks
This food looks lovely, i need to increase the amount of veg we eat so recipes like this are great
Would love to win this. Looks nice and healthy recipes.
What a lovely prize. Great recipes too
fab prize – this looks great, fingers crossed I win!
looks yummy!I’d love to give these recipe boxes a go.
These boxes sound Fabulous! Please enter me into the giveaway, thanks!
I like the idea of these recipe boxes, I am always stuck for ideas
Great prize. I like Riverford products and would love to win a recipe box.
This is what I need to motivate me in the kitchen 😉
Yummy! These sound fab and I’d love to win one to try!
These are a great idea, especially good for having all the ingredients together so no running around trying to get them
Would be a great prize to try some new recipes with
I love the look of the Happy Pear Spanish chickpea and potato bake. It’s so different.
I love the Riverford products – would be great to get some for free
Would love to try this – I’m always on the lookout for new and interesting vegetarian recipe ideas.
Interesting recipes and ingredients. I’d like to try one.
the fab mexican chilli sounds amazing
Sounds like a great idea and good way to keep healthy
Love these boxes as you get to try recipes you might not have otherwise.
The boxes are a fab idea x
Lovely prize
What a lovely prize, and all fresh and tasty products too!
i love the idea of the quick recipe boxes 🙂
Wow I’ve always wanted to try one of these recipe boxes!
Lovely giveaway, thanks for the opportunity 🙂
Am getting more into veggie food. would love to try one of these lovelies 🙂
Those recipes sound great, especially the chilli.
Delicious and healthy <3
I would love to try one of these boxes.
I’d like to visit the Riverford shop one day
Never thought it could be so easy
This would be great
Would love to try one of Riverford’s recipe boxes! Thanks
These look absolutely gorgeous
This would be fantastic to win and very much compliment our new lifestyle we have been on for 6 months
Lovely prize, would like to try the vegetarian box especially
These boxes look fab
I would love to try the vegetarian box to have more variety to my veggie recipes as that is the way we are going right now.
Great comp 🙂
I love Riverford! Their boxes are always amazing.
Nice prize! Fingers crossed.
Very interesting recipes, great ways of getting my 5 a day.
Loving this recipe box!! We’re a veggie family , I’d love to try all your fab recipes
Love Riverford, great produce, great ethos!
really want to try these boxes
Sounds really tasty. I love meal boxes, they are such a treat. I love the fact this one’s is packed full if fresh veggies. Lovely to try new recipes too.
Id love to try this!
never tried organic food would love to grow my own but have no garden have tried to grow in pots with only a little success
Lovely giveaway, fingers crossed
This looks great fingers crossed xx
Fantastic Giveaway!
Would be ideal for our family! xx
Lovely prize with the chance to cook with more exciting veg than normal
ooh fantastic prizes 🙂
It looks so delicious!
Lovely giveaway – thank you
Great idea. Would love to try these boxes.
lovely prize
Count Me IN 🙂
I have always liked the idea of veggie boxes delivered to our door as we often choose “safe and boring” veggies.
what a great idea for a busy family
looks like a great range
Always looking to try new foods and for recipe inspiration so this would be fab 🙂
Looks fantastic x
I would love to try a box the recipes look great
this would be really nice to try
count me in please, thanks for the giveaway 🙂
Fantastic idea when you need inspiration at dinner time x
This would really help me to eat less meat with new ideas
New years resolution was to try new recipes so this would be great
These do look good – am fed up with HelloFresh (no where near enough veggie choices) and have been on the look out for something else to try
I’ve always wanted to try one of the vegetable deliveries.
those dishes look delish 🙂
always wanted to try one of these boxes!
Thank you for this review and giveaway – I’ve been curious about these food boxes and your review gives me a much better idea of what they’re all about. It’s good to know things like the contents and portion sizes.
I’ve always liked the look of these boxes. Would be lovely to try one out.
I would love to try one of these boxes, I am always struggling to think of new meal ideas.
Fresh Organic veg would be so nice to taste the freshness compared to shop brought items in bulk
idea of these boxes
love to eat these veggi meals
Oh wow fabulous would love to win thank you
I struggle with coming up with midweek dinners, so this sounds perfect.
I’d love to give this a go xx
I’d love to try this! They look amazing 🙂 I’ve been a veggie for the past 18 years 🙂
Looks scrummy!
I love the idea of having everything you need to make a tasty meal
I was not aware that Riverford do recipe boxes. I think it’s great that you can get organic vegetables in a recipe box, many other recipe boxes out there seem to use lots of packaged ingredients.
I really love the idea of the boxes
Riverford boxes were always excellent quality and their vegetarian offering has improved a lot recently. So, lovely giveaway, thank you.
I love this idea. I really struggle with picking recipes and remembering all the ingredients at the supermarket. Would love to try!
Being vegetarian often brings its problems but this is a great idea that will make life very much easier.
Would be lovely to win 🙂
Looks nice for this bed cook.
Id love to try this. I’ve been interested but wasn’t sure if it was worth it. Looks brilliant though xx
love this fab giveaway
Nice healthy giveaway
would love to try this
Wonderful giveaway
As a veggie, I’d love to try one of these!
I would love to try one of these
I would love to try one of these boxes
Would love to try these!
I love the idea of these Riverford recipe boxes! Something I would really love to try
Wouldn’t mind giving them a go 🙂 thanks for the post x
these sound fantastic, I’ve veg boxes delivered before & loved them but struggled to think of ways to use everything in the box, a recipe box would put an end to that.
My kinda giveaway – recipes look amazing! x
Wow some truly inspirational recipes here! Thanks for that and also for chance to partake in your fantastic giveaway 🙂
would love to try
The mexican chilli looks tasty and even better as it’s all weighed out and ready to go.
Those meals look so yummy x
Yummy
Would love to win
Would love to win this and try one of their boxes
I’d love to try one of these boxes
Great competition – thanks for the prize!
Love to try one of these
Fantastic prize I’d love to win 🙂
I’d love to try one so fingers crossed!
I would love to try one
I would love to try one of these recipe boxes.
Brilliant idea, I would love to try one, heard good things about them x
I’d really love to try a recipe box
would love to try one of these boxes
Looks fab and so healthy.
Great competition! I would love to try these boxes.
The recipes look great! I’d love to try one of these boxes
The photos are amazing. Would love to shock my body with these great recipes.
As a new vegetarian, I’d love to try the box!
Lovely Thanks for the Chance. They look great!
I would like to try riverford x
thanks for the chance
this would be great, may get the kids trying new foods!
Nice idea, very convenient
Would love to try one of these
would love to win
the Happy Pear Spanish chickpea and potato bake looks delicious
Would love to try a box
Love to try one of these recipe boxes, lot of people rave about them.
I never realised that Riverford boxes were available in these formats – I’d love to try a Quick box as that would be ideal for cooking a healthy meal after work.
I do like recipe boxes for a chance to try something new.
fab love to try
Fab giveaway! Would love to try a box!
I would love to try one of these
These boxes would make great gifts for that hard to buy for person in your life – thesewould suit everyone x
Boxes are a great idea, I’d love to try one
I’d love to try your recipes, they sound delicious.
I’ve always wanted to try one of these they sound very healthy and easy to make x
Cool, would like to try one.
These recipe boxes are a really great idea ,bring it on!!
Try are amazing with their veg
Looks fantastic and evrything sounds yummy 🙂
Mmmmmm hungry now!
Looks yummytastic
My mouth is literally watering!
These boxes look really inspiring!
Really honest review thanks for that
I’d love to try one of these boxes
Fab prize!!
great blog post and Fabulous prize
Sounds yummy
I’m a Rivierford customer but only fo rveggie boxes. WOuld like to try recipe.
Would love to have a box and some inspiration,
inspirational boxes
I have had a veggie recipe box and it was fantastic every thing is provided and there is no need to worry about wether you have mustard or sauce in the cupboard and its all very fresh
Would love too try this!
Fab competition
Great idea, looks great.
I love things like this, they’re so convenient – you have all the ingredients that you need to make quick and easy meals, particularly good for during the week when you don’t want to spend ages cooking after work 😛
This would be a good way to get me out of my comfort zone. I tend to cook “safe” things and don’t really experiment.
I would love to try a recipie box to get more ideas 🙂
Fab prize, would love to win
looks good we try to have at least 2 veggie meals a week and always up for trying new things x
Love to try one of these boxes
I would love to give this a go! Looks amazing!
Looks like a super box.
Love the sound of these bixes, great for some inspiration in the kitchen
original looks amazing
Lovely prize, would love to try veg I don’t usually buy
Always on the lookout for new meals, so one of these would be fab to try 🙂
Always wanted to give a veg box a go, I just worry things would go off before I had a chance to use them or I wouldn’t know what to do with certain ingredients.
I have looked and looked around the website and cant find anywhere to input my post code to see if they deliver to my area, or any guidelines on delivery locations which is a bit of a pain if they dont deliver everywhere. Fingers crossed they deliver here.
I’d love to try these recipes . I’m a vegetarian and keen to cook easy and delicious food.
This looks brilliant. Fingers crossed
They look great! I’d love to try them
these look and sound delicious would love to try
These sound great! Would love some new healthy meal ideas
Always wanted to try one of these boxes
I would love to try one of these great boxes
Fabulous just what our family needs!
Would absolutely love to try one of these 🙂
I AM NOT A VEGETARIAN BUT I AM ACTIVELY CUTTING DOWN ON EATING MEAT. I BELIEVE IT IS HEALTHIER AND I AM CONCERNED TO REDUCE BLOOD PRESSURE AND CHOLESTEROL LEVELS. AS A RESULT I AM INTERESTED OF FINDING CREATIVE WAYS TO INCLUDE MORE VEG IN MY FAMILY’S MEALS TO MAKE THEM HEALTHIER AND SATISFYING AND HOPEFULLY REQUESTED AGAIN. I FOUND YOUR REVIEW OF THE RIVERFORD RECIPE BOX BOTH INTERESTING AND INFORMATIVE. I WOULD BE DELIGHTED TO TRY ONE FOR MYSELF.