Each month, in-house tester Cesilee Castillo opens a HelloFresh delivery box, fires up her stove, and reports what tasted incredible, what took longer than promised, and what she’d do differently. No filters. No fluff. Just honesty.
Penne Rustica With a Kick
A pasta recipe confident enough to skip the heavy cream sauce. HelloFresh sent Cesilee penne with asparagus, fresh tomatoes and garlic herb butter, finished with a panko topping made with almonds, chili flakes and lemon zest. That crunch was everything.
The instructions were easy to follow; the timing estimate was honest.
The protein and vegetables ran light. Cesilee added a chicken breast and a hit of garlic salt in the pan, exactly what was needed.
Cesilee’s Ratings:
TASTE: 8/10
LOOKS: 8/10
TIME: 30 Minutes (Note: approx. five minutes over estimate)
DIFFICULTY: EASY
Verdict: Worth it! A good option. Order it when you’re craving something hearty but not heavy, and have a chicken breast on hand.
Cesilee’s Tip
Add chicken breast and garlic salt. Add a splash of extra pasta water to the pan near the end for a saucier finish. It makes a difference.
One-Pan Sweet and Spicy Chicken Lettuce Wraps
This recipe required only 15 minutes. Hoisin and gochujang coat the chicken in a sauce that’s sweet, spicy, a little tangy — bold but not overwhelming. The slaw goes on top; the whole thing lands in lettuce leaves that hold everything together.
Cesilee skipped the microwave step on the cabbage entirely — leaving it raw gives you a crunch in every bite. Big difference.
This dish was finished five minutes under the estimated time, hit a perfect 10 on both taste and presentation, and works just as well packed into containers as it does on the dinner table. It’s healthy, fast and delicious. That’s harder to pull off than it sounds.
Verdict: Cesilee’s Featured Pick of the Month 10/10. A perfect score is rare. This one earns it!
Cesilee’s Ratings
TASTE: 10/10
LOOKS: 10/10
TIME: ONLY 15 Minutes
DIFFICULTY: EASY
Verdict: Featured pick of the month! If you order one food box from this issue, make it this one.
Cesilee’s Tip
Skip cooking the cabbage. Leave it raw for crunch. And if you’re meal prepping, keep the slaw and the chicken separate until you’re ready to eat.
About Cesilee
Cesilee began cooking when she was 8 years old. She loves making Sonoran-style enchiladas with green pozole for her family and friends, but has to remember the beans on the stove so they don’t burn. Cooking for others is her love language.
Cook It. Snap It. Share It.
Cesilee is putting HelloFresh meals to the test each month in the Alive! Test Kitchen. Now we want to see what you’re cooking!
Cook it: Prepare this month’s featured food kit, put your own spin on it, or try something similar.
Snap it: Snap a photo of yourself cooking or with your finished dish.
Share it: Share your cooking picture with us using the online form (scan the QR code)!
You could win a $100 HelloFresh gift card and be featured alongside Cesilee in an upcoming issue of Alive!
- No HelloFresh membership required (unless you want to prepare the same kit as Cesilee).
- Contest is open to active Employees Club Members in good standing.
Submit your photo between the 1st and 15th of each month at: alive.employeesclub.com/testkitchen
About HelloFresh
HelloFresh is the world’s largest meal kit delivery service, providing pre-portioned fresh ingredients and step-by-step recipes directly to consumers. Its deliveries save time on meal planning and grocery shopping. Club Members can choose from more than 100 weekly chef-curated selections.