Tex Gourmet

Gourmet Recipes & Gifts

Healthy Meal Recipes

Healthy eating starts with a plan. It's easy to say that you want to eat more local, seasonal foods and cut out the processed, refined sugar, starch, and fat, but without healthy meal plans to keep you on track, time and circumstances will quickly conspire to have you right back at that fast food drive-thru, picking up last-minute food for the family.

So, what should you do? The secret to eating right is to have your recipes lined up for the week, scheduled in such a way that you don't need to babysit a 5lb roast on your family's busiest night, and have all the ingredients that you need on hand, where you can find them. Time is an issue for almost everyone these days, but that shouldn't be an excuse for resorting to highly processed "convenience foods". Not only are there thousands of healthy recipes that can be thrown together in 20 minutes or less; you can also plan ahead to make large portions of slow-cooking foods like soups, stews, and large meat cuts on a Saturday or Sunday afternoon, then freeze individual portions for easy meals on busier days.

The ritual of cooking on a weekend afternoon is a great way to spend family time, getting kids (and spouse!) more involved in the food they eat. Kids learn to make dietary choices by watching their parents, and the only way to instill good eating habits that will last a lifetime is to model them at home. Involve kids in choosing the weekly menu... offer them several healthy choices and let them choose what they want, and on which days. Let them watch and help with preparing the shopping list, and assist with age-appropriate cooking activities on "cooking day". It's amazing how many eighteen-year-olds leave the house for college or work, knowing only how to zap a frozen dinner in the microwave. It's a parent's job to teach children the skills they will need when they grow up, and what skill is more basic than the ability to feed themselves?

In addition to strengthening the bonds of family, healthy meal plans can strengthen the bonds in a community. If you've never visited your local farmers' market, you'll be amazed at the difference between the frenzy of hunch-shouldered supermarket shoppers maneuvering their battered carts through the crowded grocery store aisles, and the bustle of people talking and laughing as they move from stall to stall at the open air market, chatting with the farmers over tables of fresh, sustainably raised, local meat and produce. It's night and day.

So, give it a try. Sit down, write out a week's worth of recipe plans, write down all the ingredients you will need, and set aside a few hours one day to roast a chicken or make a huge pot of stew and a loaf of homemade bread. See how good it feels to toss out all the shrink-wrapped trash that you know you and your kids shouldn't be eating, and replace it with fresh, locally-grown food that makes your mouth water as it simmers on the stove on a cold winter afternoon. By changing your diet, you can change how you look, how you feel, and even your children's future. Why wait?

Rachel Steffan is a foodie with an interest in increasing people's awareness of local food, sustainable agriculture, and healthy eating.

Healthy Meal Plans

Cuisinart SIMPLE AND ENTICING RECIPES - COOK BOOK

$19.95

SIMPLE AND ENTICING RECIPES - COOK BOOK

Cuisinart 2-lb Convection Bread Maker

$129

Easy Choices: 16 pre-programmed menu options, 3 crust colors, and 3 loaf sizes offer over 100 bread, dough/pizza dough, sweet cake and jam choices. Healthy Options: Low-Carb and Gluten-Free preset menu options and recipes. A Cuisinart exclusive! Artisan Dough: Special menu option takes basic dough through several long, slow cool rises for chewier textures and rustic crusts. Better Crusts and Texture: Unique convection feature circulates air for superior crust color, and texture. Standout Styling: Classic lines, smooth brushed stainless steel, embossed logo and large, sturdy, stay-cool handles. Perfect Timing: Audible tone indicates time to add fruit, nuts and other "mix-ins." Second tone offers option of removing paddle before baking or removing unbaked dough to shape by hand. And More: 15-minute Pause, Bake-Only option, 12-Hour-Delay Start Timer and Power-Failure Backup 680 watts Limited 3-year warranty

Cuisinart Electric Cookie Press

$29.95

Perfect Cookies in Minutes 12 Traditional and Holiday Stainless Steel Cookie Discs 8 Designer Stainless Steel Pastry Tips Automatic One-Touch Operation Consistent Flow of Dough or Icing Every Time Recipes Included Limited 3-Year Warranty

Cuisinart® Electric Skillet

$129

Brushed stainless-steel construction with nonstick interior Die-cast stainless steel handles with embossed Cuisinart logo 12" x 15" oval cooking surface 1500 watts of power Tempered-glass cover with stainless-steel rim and handle Warm to 450°F temperature control dial with indicator light Fully immersible and dishwasher safe Instruction/recipe book with 30 recipes Limited 3-year warranty

Cuisinart GreenGourmet® Electric 14-inch Skillet

$149

14-inch round cooking surface, over 150 square inches Cuisinart Ceramica® nonstick coating PTFE/PFOA/petroleum free Polished stainless-steel finish 1800 watts of power Die-cast stainless-steel handles with embossed Cuisinart® logo Tempered-glass lid with stainless-steel rim and handle Adjustable temperature control dial that ranges from Warm to 450°F, with indicator light that turns off when desired temperature is reached Instruction and recipe booklet with over 30 recipes Limited 3-year warranty

Cuisinart® Griddler

$99.95

Contact grill, panini press, full grill, full griddle and half grill/half griddle Removable and reversible dishwasher-safe nonstick cooking plates for easy storage Cooking plates drain grease for healthful cooking Integrated drip tray collects grease and is easy to store Sturdy panini-style handle with hinged floating cover adjusts to thickness of food Selector knob to choose grill or griddle function Adjustable temperature controls for grill or griddle Red/green indicator lights for easy operation Brushed stainless-steel housing Dishwasher-safe scraping tool for easy cleanup Instruction manual with gourmet recipes Limited 3-year warranty

Cuisinart Juice Extractor

$149

Die-cast and stainless steel housing Exclusive easy unlock and lift system Exclusive foam management filter disk Exclusive anti-drip adjustable flow spout Quiet operation Large 3 inch feed tube for whole fruits and vegetables 5-speed dial control with blue LED light ring 2-liter pulp container 1-liter juice pitcher Easily juices hard and soft produce All removable parts are dishwasher safe Cleaning brush included 1000 watts of power Recipes included Limited 3-year warranty

Cuisinart Non-Stick Slider Basket

$14.99

Put the fun back into grilling with the Cuisinart® Non-stick Slider Basket. Grill up to 9 delicious mini-burgers with a single flip of a basket and be the star of the party. Just load mini 2.5" burgers into the designated spots and place the basket on the grill. Turn the basket once and remove the top cover to add cheese, bacon, onions, BBQ sauce or anything you and your friends might want. Remove each burger with a fork or small pair of tongs. Ideal for appetizers before the big meal. Or grill them up for your kids and their friends. Eating burgers has never been so fun. Grill up to 9 mini slider burgers with a single turn Easy to top with cheese or other fun toppings Dishwasher-safe nonstick coating Elongated handle makes grilling easy and safe Ring design allows for easy burger removal 19.3" L x 8.4" W x 1.3" H 1.3 lbs.

Cuisinart Easy Pop™ Popcorn Maker - Black

$59.95

Elegant popping bowl with built-in ventilation and bowl cover Brushed stainless-steel base with embossed logo Motorized stirring mechanism for better popping Aluminum in base of the popping plate ensures even heat distribution and unlimited popping cycles Popping complete in under 5 minutes Removable nonstick cooking plate with cool-touch handles Easy-to-clean parts; the bowl, bowl cover and popping plate are removable and dishwasher safe A healthy alternative to microwave popcorn ½ cup of kernels and 1 tablespoon of oil yield up to 10 cups of fresh popcorn Limited 3-year product warranty

Cuisinart Easy Pop™ Popcorn Maker

$59.95

Elegant popping bowl with built-in ventilation and bowl cover Brushed stainless-steel base with embossed logo Motorized stirring mechanism for better popping Aluminum in base of the popping plate ensures even heat distribution and unlimited popping cycles Popping complete in under 5 minutes Removable nonstick cooking plate with cool-touch handles Easy-to-clean parts; the bowl, bowl cover and popping plate are removable and dishwasher safe A healthy alternative to microwave popcorn ½ cup of kernels and 1 tablespoon of oil yield up to 10 cups of fresh popcorn Limited 3-year product warranty

	ZiwiPeak All-Natural Real Meat Grain-Free Canned Dog Food - Venison & Fish Recipe (12/13.5-Ounce cans) List Price: $55.41 Sale Price: $37.87
	Each can of ZiwiPeak 'Daily-Dog' Cuisine is retort cooked (low temperature pressure-cooking that maximizes the nutritive quality of the raw ingredients) in its own sterile container. Each serving contains a high percentage of nutritional New Zealand muscle meat and internal organs in a highly digestible form for peak animal health...

	ZiwiPeak All-Natural Real Meat Canned Dog Food - Lamb Recipe (Single 13.5 oz Can) List Price: $10.99 Sale Price: $3.95 Average Rating:
	Each can of ZiwiPeak 'Daily-Dog' Cuisine is retort cooked (low temperature pressure-cooking that maximizes the nutritive quality of the raw ingredients) in its own sterile container. Each serving contains a high percentage of nutritional New Zealand muscle meat and internal organs in a highly digestible form for peak animal health...

	ZiwiPeak All-Natural Real Meat Grain-Free Canned Dog Food - Lamb & Venison Tripe Recipe (12/13.5-Ounce cans) List Price: $55.41 Sale Price: $37.87 Average Rating:
	Each can of ZiwiPeak 'Daily-Dog' Cuisine is retort cooked (low temperature pressure-cooking that maximizes the nutritive quality of the raw ingredients) in its own sterile container. Each serving contains a high percentage of nutritional New Zealand muscle meat and internal organs in a highly digestible form for peak animal health...

	Pacific Natural Foods Soup, Spicy Black Bean, 32-Ounce Cartons (Pack of 12) List Price: $43.08 Sale Price: $43.08 Average Rating:
	This south of the border sensation features a winning combination of black beans, green bell peppers, simmered to perfection and infused with spices to create an exquisite soup. Add a dollop of sour cream, tortilla chips and some cilantro and it doesnât get any better than this!

	Pacific Natural Foods Organic Soup, French Onion, 16-Ounce Cartons (Pack of 12) List Price: $32.24 Sale Price: $20.06 Average Rating:
	Fresh organic onion sautéed in real butter brings out the natural sweetness and deep caramelized flavor of the onion. Then we add a hint of garlic for a rich, robust taste. Float a slice of toasted baguette and melt cheese over the top of the bowl for a mouth-watering starter or make it a meal in itself...