WeCook

Chicken satay bowl

WeCook’s meals are delicious, and you can get $50 off your first 3 orders

Healthier and cheaper than your average takeout, but just as easy.

Montreal company WeCook delivers prepared meals to homes or offices across Quebec and Ontario. Last week we spoke to the company’s founder Etienne Plourde, and this week we report on eating WeCook meals for dinner for seven straight days (instead of ordering out four times a week and spending way too much money).

Note that, because you choose your dietary needs and preferences when ordering meals, this selection tends towards low-carb pescetarian, but lots of meatier options are available, and WeCook has a new menu every week.

Chicken satay bowl

Connoisseurs of poke would opt for this super fresh but filling dish in a flash. Alongside rough-cut chicken and basmati rice, this dish is made up of cucumbers, carrots, radishes, edamame beans, sushi ginger slices and a tangy peanut-based sauce.

Penne with basil pesto

Penne with basil pesto, sundried tomatoes and pine nuts

The penne was a perfect consistency, an impressive feat for pre-prepared and reheated pasta, with a satisfying, generous dollop of quality basil pesto, sundried tomatoes and pine nuts. Speaking of generous, the portions of this and the other pasta dish we tried (see below) were pretty substantial, as are all the meals — though half portions are also available.

Vegetarian stew on spaghetti squash

Zucchini, eggplant, tomatoes, corn, red peppers, Kalamata olives

A solid option for vegetarians and the low-carb set, this dish benefited from the excellent consistency of its veggies, especially zucchini and eggplant, which tend to get mushy and rubbery, respectively. Kalamata olives provided hints of salty flavour, contrasting nicely with bursts of freshness from the lightly cooked tomatoes and red peppers. The stew was simply but effectively seasoned with onions and garlic, rosemary, salt, pepper and Parmesan cheese.

Salmon, asparagus, rice pilaf

Salmon fillet, asparagus, rice pilaf and Florentine sauce

This was probably our favourite meal of the lot, a simple but beautifully rendered salmon fillet, rice pilaf and asparagus with a tasty, creamy Florentine sauce.

Summer salad

Summer salad with zucchini, tomatoes, strawberries, corn and Mediterranean chicken

Like the salad at the top of this list, this dish is well-suited for warm weather (though it’s apparently summer all year long at WeCook) and despite its low-carb ingredients, it’s pretty substantial. The dressing, made with paprika, chili flakes, olive oil,  cider vinegar, brown sugar and Dijon’s mustard, salt, pepper, parsley, oregano, garlic, paprika, chili flakes, olive oil, cider vinegar, brown sugar, Dijon’s mustard.

Veal flank with red wine sauce

Veal flank with red wine sauce

This is a great choice for meat lovers. The tender and juicy veal, even without its bold wine sauce, typically comes with a Greek potato-asparagus option but there’s also the option of choosing basmati rice and asparagus or just vegetables.

Sweet and sour chicken

Sweet and sour chicken

A simple but super effective combo of beautifully rendered sweet and sour chicken with basmati rice, roasted peppers and basmati rice. The mild rice balances the chicken’s rich flavour pretty perfectly. ■

Browse this week’s menu here and see more details on the WeCook website. (Use the promo code cultmtl50 and get $25 off first purchase, $15 off second purchase and $10 off third purchase.)

For more Montreal food and drink coverage, please visit our Food & Drink section.