Naturally Thin From Bethenny Frankel

I don't know if you remember me telling you about Bethenny Frankel before, but I first met her at ChefDance in Park City in January. Her new book, Naturally Thin, is fresh off the press and I wanted to tell you more about it. First, let me start by saying that I hate diets. Who doesn't? But as a food writer and founder of a company that is all about food you could say I'm a bit obsessed with eating, and as such, would like to shed a few pounds before summer. Naturally Thin is a book about how to free ourselves from dieting, so Naturally Thin isn't a diet, it's a way of life. Better yet, Bethenny tells us that we don't have to give up the foods we love. We simply need to moderate our intake. As a natural foods chef (among many other things) her goal is to "democratize" health. That is, she wants health to be accessible to everyone, not just stars on the red carpet who can afford personal chefs and trainers to keep their bellies flat. Everyone deserves to eat well, be healthy and feel good. Amen. She bases her no-diet tricks on 10 easy, no brainer rules. I'll share some of my favorites with you: 1. Your diet is your bank account Just like a bank account you need to manage how much you spend and save. It's simply being aware of what you're putting in your body; balancing not only the amount you eat, but also food "categories" (carbs, proteins, dairy, veggies, etc..) If you eat a hamburger for lunch, then it's salad for dinner. Easy. No counting calories or points or any of that; just being cognizant of what you eat. 2. Get Real This is one of my favorites because I grew up eating what I like to call "hippie food." My mom always piled our plates high with whole grains, fresh fruits and vegetables, and her own soups. We all get busy, but I will fall off the wagon if a diet tells me I can't have something. Bethenny doesn't say no to processed foods, but says to limit them and choose foods as close to their natural state as possible. And, as most of us know, raw foods are high in fiber so they fill us up more. 3. Taste everything, eat nothing I know that sounds strange, but how many times have you been to a cocktail party with a lovely spread of food and you chow down a bit too much on the pâté and brie? Both Bethenny and I have spent a significant amount of time in Italy where we learned the expression mangia poco ma bene. Meaning "Eat little, but well."  Bethenny says we don't have to avoid the food table, in fact have it all, but only a taste of each. I like that, because again, if I know I can't have it I'll eat the whole darn thing. One of her other rules, which helps to moderate us in the "taste everything, eat nothing" rule, is to spoil our appetite with something healthy before we go to a party, that way we aren't pigging out. What happens when we overdo it? Bethenny says, "Don't focus on your guilt - focus on healing."  She has recovery recipes - light and easily digestible foods - to naturally flush our system and get us back on track. We just returned from Mexico (lots of chips and guacamole, beans, pork - you get the picture) and my jeans were a bit tighter than they were when I left. I've been eating her Pureed Zucchini Soup and I already feel better (and can zip up my jeans!). It's darn good too, even if you don't need the recovery! Pureed Zucchini Soup 1 medium red onion, evenly chopped 6 cups chicken stock or broth 6 medium sized zucchini, evenly chopped Salt and pepper to taste 12 oz. frozen butternut squash, defrosted 1 cup plain soy milk Juice of 1/2 a lemon Sauté the onions in a large pot using nonstick pray, until lightly soft. Add the chicken stock, zucchini, salt, and pepper. Cook until zucchini are soft. Using a hand immersion blender, puree the mixture until smooth. Add the defrosted butternut squash. Turn off the heat and add the soy milk and lemon juice. Season with more salt and pepper, to taste. At the end of the day I like to relax with a little glass of wine or a cocktail - who doesn't! Bethenny has a line of cocktails coming soon called SkinnyGirl. Her SkinnyGirl Margarita, in stores in May, is a low-sugar, low-cal version that she says is "the one to trust" since it's free of all that heavy syrup you get in restaurant margaritas. She even asks bartenders to make it for her, which I now do too! SkinnyGirl Margarita 2 ounces clear tequila (100% pure agave) Large splash of lime juice, or 4 lime wedges Tiny splash of orange or citrus liqueur Optional: a splash of club soda to lighten it up. If you're tired of dieting, but want to look and feel good by summer, then I recommend this as a read (and no, I wasn't paid to tell you that). Bethenny also has a cookbook coming out next year, but check out her website for more about her and other delicious recipes.