Katherine MacAlister finds tasty organic meals need not be difficult when the exact ingredients are delivered

It was extremely ungrateful of me I know, but when my Riverford Recipe Box arrived on my doorstep I sighed.

I’d just got back from work, was tired, hungry and harassed and the kids were worse.

I didn’t have the time or the inclination to cook. It was a beans-on-toast night, not a gourmet dinner evening, but on opening the box I realised I had no option. It was bulging with fresh food begging to be cooked and wouldn’t wait.

Disgruntled I checked out the recipes, to discover we’d been sent the vegetarian box. Boston beans with potato pancakes, veggie kedgeree and a fennel and olive tagine all sounded adventurous, but still not really what I’d had in mind when I signed up for the experience.

An hour later, however, when we were sat around the table enjoying the finished result, I was eating my words.

The food was absolutely delicious, despite cooking it myself, bursting with flavour and way out of my comfort zone. It was also remarkably easy to undertake.

Riverford had taken me on and won, proving that simple food could taste fantastic, while encouraging me to try something new.

It also meant the kids’ routine menu was interrupted and everyone was happy.

Riverford has long delivered vegetable boxes to enthusiasts around the country, but the recipe box is a new departure.

The ingredients are specially weighed and measured, taking a lot of the hard work out of the equation.

There is a meat (original) recipe box and quick box to choose from and each includes three recipes and ingredients for two to four people.

We cooked a different recipe each night and the results got better and better. Guests came over one night and we served the kedgeree, adding our own smoked haddock.

The tagine, which Mr Greedy had frowned upon, was the biggest success of the week, so juicy and flavoursome, he had seconds.

As for the cooking itself, if like me you don’t really follow recipes, it’s harder to adapt, but all the ingredients are already weighed and measured so it’s pretty straight forward. The instructions are clear and concise and the produce top notch.

In fact, with more guests arriving at the weekend I repeated all of the suggested recipes, and served them alongside a huge baked ham.

A massive success then, and one I can’t wait to repeat.

Riverford Recipe Boxes are inspirational, tasty and kick you up the backside, something we all need now and again. I’m a total convert.

See the range at riverford.co.uk/recipeboxes