which of these top tv chefs have put your health on the back burner

by jill schildhouse
illustration by marci roth
CHEF PHOTOGRAPHS (LEFT TO RIGHT) GETTY IMAGES , GLENN HARRIS/PR PHOTOS
which of these top tv chefs have put
FdVVWI0900_40-43_Food2.indd 40
your health on the back burner?
9/16/09 9:03:41 AM
w
CHEF PHOTOGRAPHS (LEFT TO RIGHT) BY JANET MAYER/PR PHOTOS, ERIK KABIK/PR PHOTOS
hose mouth doesn’t water while watching Food Network chefs
effortlessly whip up one tasty treat after another? The shows
leave us feeling empowered to get into our own kitchens and emulate their
creations. But our favorite culinary stars may be offering up more than
cooking competency and satisfaction to our taste buds—some recipes also
come with a dash of extra calories, a pinch of fat, a few too many sprinkles
of salt and heaping portions.
So, which celebrity chefs’ cooking styles deserve role-model status and
which could use a little garnish of health? Let’s examine Paula Deen, Giada
De Laurentiis, Rachael Ray and Bobby Flay to find out—each rated on a
scale of one to three forks, with three the healthiest.
vim & vigor · wi nter 2009
FdVVWI0900_40-43_Food2.indd 41
41
9/16/09 9:04:10 AM
HEALTHY RECIPES KEY
1 FORK: health on the back burner
2 FORKS: a dollop of health thrown in
3 FORKS: health is main ingredient
paula deen
Having picked up the
secrets of Southern
cooking from her
grandmother, Paula
Deen is no stranger to
comfort food. A few
of her best-known
recipes include fried
peanut butter, honey and
banana sandwiches (and
while rolling them in sugar,
Deen chuckles and says, “Yes,
we manage to make it a little bit more
fattening!”), and macaroni and cheese that’s
wrapped in bacon and deep-fried. While she
does serve up a few healthier items, such
as basil grilled chicken and salmon and
citrus asparagus, it’s her down-home style
that viewers have come to expect (and love).
“These recipes are decadent indulgences and
should be treated so,” says Elisa Zied, R.D., spokeswoman for the American Dietetic Association. “The
main message her followers should take away is
portion control.” So don’t shun all the deliciously
fattening goodies made on Paula’s Home Cooking, just
keep servings to a sliver, pair them with lighter sides
and only make them on special occasions.
42
vim & vigor · w inte r 2 0 0 9
FdVVWI0900_40-43_Food2.indd 42
giada de
laurentiis
Born in Rome and
raised in a large
Italian family, Giada
De Laurentiis long
has had a passion
for cooking. From
Mediterranean classics
such as sautéed shrimp with
basil mint pesto to grilled lamb
chops marinated in garlic and herbs,
her dishes are often well-rounded and full
of fresh, healthful ingredients. Of course,
she also enjoys making chocolate calzones
and biscotti and topping many dishes
with cheese, so proceed with caution
when she starts using these ingredients
on her show, Everyday Italian.
“Giada’s use of olive oil in many
of her dishes is a heart-healthy choice,”
says Zied, who also suggests pairing pastas with
healthy vegetable-based sauces and switching to
whole-wheat noodles. “To cut down your carb
intake,” she adds, “serve pasta as an accompaniment, not as the centerpiece of your meal.” Zied also
likes De Laurentiis’ use of seafood, such as salmon,
which provides a lower total fat intake than similar
servings of meats and chicken while delivering key
nutrients and healthy omega-3 fats.
PHOTOGRAPHY BY (TV) JGROUP/DREAMSTIME, (WOOD FORK) LAQUI/DREAMSTIME
9/16/09 9:06:19 AM
Rachael Ray
Bobby Flay
When looking for meals that are quick to make
but seem as though you slaved over the stove for
hours, many turn to Rachael Ray’s 30 Minute Meals.
America’s cooking sweetheart reminds viewers that
home-cooked meals, with help from store-bought
shortcuts, are a much healthier alternative to takeout meals made with too much salt and fat. Ray
offers up lots of fresh vegetables, healthy proteins
and herbs as seasonings, such as salmon burgers
made with lemon juice, parsley, egg whites and
finely chopped garlic, with fresh slaw and romaine
lettuce salad. Her pet
name for heart-healthy
extra-virgin olive oil,
EVOO, has become so
popular it was added to
the Oxford American
College Dictionary.
“With all of her shows
and cookbooks, Rachael
seems to cover all the
basic food groups and
mixes up the types of
fare she cooks,” says
Zied of Ray’s vegetarian and low-carb
options. “She also
shows viewers that it
doesn’t have to cost a
fortune to eat healthfully.”
Proving you
can throw
everything from
lobster to dessert on the grill,
Bobby Flay teaches
Boy Meets Grill viewers
an alternative cooking
method that’s healthier than
frying or sautéing because fat can drip away
from the food. Flay uses fresh ingredients
and goes way beyond burgers and hot
dogs—try Cabernet-marinated flank steak
stuffed with cheese, prosciutto and basil; or
grilled plums on a bed of Greek yogurt mixed
with walnuts, cinnamon, orange zest and honey.
“While Bobby grills a lot of red meat, he also
often chooses chicken breasts and fish as his protein
source,” says Zied, noting that you shouldn’t eat
more than a 4- to 6-ounce serving of lean protein
each day, with lower-fat options such as beans, soy,
tofu and fish being the better choices. If you eat
beef, such as a 4-ounce serving of filet mignon, limit
your intake to once or twice a week. “Too much is
linked to cancer,” warns Zied.
delicious details
go
Before you don your chef’s hat and apron, be
sure you’re making smart choices. Visit the American
Heart Association at americanheart.org/
deliciousdecisions for heart-healthy recipes,
from the appetizer through dessert.
become your household’s celebrity chef
Big-name chefs don’t always pay attention to healthy habits
in the kitchen, but you can with a little strategic planning. To
promote a more nutrition-friendly environment in your home,
follow this advice from Tara Randle, registered dietitian and
certified diabetes educator at Lake Regional.
1. CONTROL PORTIONS. “Good food doesn’t mean
deprivation,” says Randle. By savoring smaller amounts of
something you really enjoy, you can still indulge on occasion.
“I’d rather someone enjoy a sliver of full-fat cake than suffer
through a big low-fat muffin.”
2. USE REAL INGREDIENTS. It may be easier to reach
for prepackaged and processed foods, but they are full of
unhealthy ingredients you can’t pronounce and usually cost
more than fresh food.
3. SEASON SOUNDLY. “There are ways to make your food
taste better without adding fat or calories,” says Randle. Try
fresh herbs instead of salt, use mustard instead of mayo and
switch to low-fat dairy products.
vim & vigor · wi nter 2009
FdVVWI0900_38-43_Food.indd
FdVVWI0979_Commons
2.indd 3
43
43
7/16/09 1:21:22
9/21/09
9:55:57 PM
AM