My name is Taryn… and I am a cheater. Yes, it’s true. I am always looking for shortcuts and cheats, especially when it comes to making dinner (but definitely not with my husband, duh). I have been known to slave away in the kitchen the entire weekend just so that I don’t have to think about ‘what’s for dinner’ throughout the week. If you’ve ever tried this, you know there is an incredible amount of recipe research and planning involved; more often than not, it’s totally worth it.
For those that don’t have the time, energy, or resources to do all of that crazy meal planning, Gayelyn Bates may have just what you need. Gayelyn is the creator of freschef, a locally based company created in 2009 that creates quick, balanced and tasty meals.
Gayelyn found a need in her own life when she was a busy working mother. She wanted to be able to cook healthy, from-scratch meals for her children, but found that at the end of a long work day and appointments that that can be a daunting task.
freschef is perfect for everyone. All meals are packaged for two servings. The dishes were created with the aid of a dietitian and chefs, ensuring that all the meals are well balanced and properly proportioned.
I recently had the opportunity to try out three of their delicious entrees. None took over 20 minutes to prepare and the instruction cards included were foolproof. I adore that these are complete meals and the only thing that you need to contribute is a little olive oil.
We tested out the Steak au Poivre, Chicken Piccata and Apple Ginger Pork Loin Chops. All three were a huge hit in my family with our overall favorite being the Steak au Poivre. Normally, steak preparation is left in the very capable hands of my husband, but since I was testing out the ease of use of the product, I took full control. I was left with two perfectly cooked steaks and I must mention that the toasted seasoned orzo was talked about long after the dishes were all washed and put away.
Here’s a little “tour” of the preparation of Steak au Poivre:
freschef Steak au Poivre
Prepping the steak
freschef Steak au Poivre
freschef Steak au Poivre
Yellow carrots and zucchini
Finished product: Steak au Poivre w/ Toasted Seasoned Orzo and Yellow Carrots and Zucchini
Since nothing is frozen and packaged daily, the prep and cooking time go by in an instant leaving extra time at the table to reconnect with your family and catch up on the happenings of everyone’s day. For much less than you would pay for dinner out, you can have a quick and healthy meal and extra time for the things that really matter.
freschef currently offers ten entrees in 70 Arizona Fry’s locations. They have also been making tons of cooking and tasting presentations in said stores. Go check out their website or Facebook page for all the up to date information on dates and locations. Be sure to check out at least one of their meals and let us know what you think. I am sure you will be as pleased as we were…and I may just be giving my freezer a break for while!
For more information about freschef, visit freschef.com.
Disclaimer: Samples were provided complimentary to PhoenixBites for review purposes. However, this has no effect on our opinions and comments regarding our experience. View our Disclosure Policy for further explanation.