I’m excited to share an exclusive Cooking with Alison discount code for CleanMeals.ca! Clean Meals is a subscription service that delivers fresh, healthy, and pre-cooked, meals from Ottawa to Windsor, Ontario. (Service to Quebec is in the works!) The menu changes every week and they work for dietary restrictions (e.g. vegan, halal, etc.). This is the perfect gift for someone that has just had a baby, someone that’s too busy to cook, people with difficulties getting groceries and/or cooking, and whole families that want to live well. The individual meals contain a protein (vegan options available) and at least one side (e.g. vegetables, rice, whole-wheat grains). They come vacuum sealed and just need to be microwaved for a minute and a half before eating/serving. The meals are full of fibre, so if you eat mindfully, they are definitely filling.

Clean Meals has been crucial to my life. Lately, I purchased a house, packed most of my belongings, moved out temporarily, sold my condo, and packed some more, all while working 2 jobs and trying to take care of my family. Oh and I’m working on losing a few pounds so that I can fit into my best woman dress (for my best friend’s upcoming wedding). See below for a sample menu of one week’s worth of meals.

Use this EXCLUSIVE PROMOTION CODE to get $25 off your first order of CleanMeals.ca: cleanalison$25

Expires Aug 31, 2018

Also, be sure to check out Clean Meals’ Project End Hunger! They are delivering healthy meals to homeless and less fortunate people in Toronto and the GTA! For as low as $50 you can provide 10 meals for 10 people! See details on how you can help here. #PROJECTENDHUNGER

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Raclette (the meal) consists of melted Swiss or French raclette (the cheese) served over dried meats, boiled potatoes, pickled onions, and gherkins/cornichons (see my favourite brand here).  Although there are commercially available raclette warmer machines and raclette grills for home entertaining, I much prefer the traditional method of melting the cheese by an open fire.  A half round of raclette cheese is placed (ie. propped) near a fire with the cut side facing the heat.  As the surface of the cheese warms, a large knife is used to scrape the melted cheese onto your plate.  If you don’t have access to a fire, you can use your electric or gas stove.  Simply stick a long, sturdy fork into your block of cheese and hold it close to the hot stove burner.  I imagine you could probably do this with a BBQ grill as well.  Note:  Don’t eat the rind. Luckily, it is easy to peel away as the cheese melts.

This is my idea of the perfect winter meal to be enjoyed sitting around the fire place in a ski chalet (this would be great for low-key and no-fuss romance).  Raclette is also a wonderful way to enjoy a camp fire in the summer.

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