Hudson Valley Magazine

June 2004

Good Taste

Stacey Hawkins grappled with necessity- providing healthy food for her family- and became the mother of a great invention:  Time Savor Gourmet, which offers spicy seasonings that can be used to beef up the blandest of diets.

Hawkins, who took several classes at the Culinary Institute of America and is a stay-at-home-mother of two in Newburgh, came up with the idea of turning humdrum ingredients into mouthwatering, waist-watching meals in a snap while struggling on the South Beach Diet.  She developed a line of 16 different herb-and-spice mixtures, infused oils, mustards and sauces that can be used to liven up meat, pasta and seafood.  The blends add lots of flavor, but not much else:  they're MSG, sugar, calorie and (except for the oils) fat-free.  Everything is natural.

There are seasonings to suit every palate, whether you crave a Southwestern kick or a robust Italian flavor.  The herbs Hawkins uses are grown worldwide; products from as far away as Italy and Israel come together in the blends.  "I searched the world looking for the best stuff" she says.  Each seasoning also comes with a Kitchen Basics Recipes Series card that offers 30 recipes.  Even more recipes are found on the company's Web Site ( www.timesavergourmet.com), where the products are available for purchase.  The seasonings have been a whopping success.  "People of the Hudson Valley have really embraced the product to promote a healthier lifestyle," says Hawkins.  They've also made a big difference in their creator's life:  since cooking with them, she's lost 54 pounds.

-Denise Tocco