Looking radiant in red, Bethenny Frankel wowed a crowd of hundreds of New York women who showed up hoping to get the “skinny” on how to be Naturally Thin and unleash their Skinnygirl Chef at last night’s Learning Annex event, Skinnygirl Cooking for Your Naturally Thin Life. Ever since I first saw Bethenny on the first season of The Real Housewives of NYC, I’ve been a fan of her authenticity as a TV personality and appreciation for healthy food as a natural foods chef.
Candid shots of Bethenny during the Q&A;
I posted Naturally Thin the Holistic Way about a year ago after reading her first book, Naturally Thin. The post is a health coach’s perspective on the tips in her book. Because while the tips are helpful and can work, the support of a health coach can keep one accountable and help them work the recommendations into their own personal lives.
Getting my books signed and telling Bethenny about my blog
Last night Bethenny reviewed the concepts in her first book and then delved into her new book, The Skinnygirl Chef where she encourages readers to treat their refrigerator like their closet learning what herb goes with what vegetable and how to mix and match basic items. She also lists basic kitchen utensils and ingredients for stocking a healthy kitchen.
Then, of course, the Rules. I don’t want to ruin it for those who haven’t read the book so I’ll be general here.
#1 Don’t Be a Hero: Know your limits and don’t try to do everything. I practice this rule everyday. I’m not in my kitchen making souffles and I don’t attempt to make anything that has a lot of ingredients or complicated instructions. It’s not worth it. Cooking should be fun and relaxing, not stressful.
#2 Use What You Have: Self explanatory, really. I’m the type of person who hates to waste food so I enjoy getting creative and playing around to substitute one ingredient with another depending on what I already have.
#3 Something’s Got to Give: Don’t try to substitute every ingredient to make an item low fat, just do one or two things at a time.
#4 Embrace the ‘It Ain’t Worth It’ Moment: This rule goes hand in hand with rule #3. You won’t always be able to find the perfectly healthy ingredient to use so just go with what you have or can find and move on, especially if the rest of the recipe is healthy.
#5 Taste As You Go: Taste the food as you’re cooking it so you can learn to distinguish the flavors. Who doesn’t do this?
#6 Mise in Place: Put all your ingredients in place before you start cooking. This cuts down on the amount of time you’ll spend cooking and minimizes mistakes.
#7 Memorize a Few Basics: How many teaspoons are in a tablespoon and other important measurements. There’s a complete list in the book.
#8 Presentation is Everything: Food is more enjoyable when it’s garnished and arranged nicely on the plate. More than that, take the time to set the table and sit down without any distractions when eating a meal. You’ll eat more slowly and digest the food better. My boyfriend and I do this everytime we eat at home. Our table is set, we light a candle and enjoy the food and the moment.
#9 Utilize the Leftovers: Store leftovers in serving size portions, get creative with them in recipes and take doggie bags from restaurants. Amen!
#10 Minimize Cleanup: Bethenny shares tips for making cleanup easier, like using fewer pots and pans or asking your hubby for help. I’m lucky that my boyfriend and I generally share the cleanup but I also try to clean as much as I can as I go. My mom is the complete opposite and it drives me crazy so I guess that’s why I obsess about it.
Finally, the book shares a lot of recipes for breakfasts, lunches, dinners and snacks and provides “use what you have” tips.
Bethenny shared her motto for exercise: Do what you can, when you can consistently and after a Q&A;, Bethenny’s husband, Jason, ended the evening on a high note by commenting amidst the audience: “You are the sexiset, most beautiful woman and I love you.”
Jason arrives and watches from the audience
Which Skinnygirl tip resonates most with you? Which would you like to try?
Signing books with Jason by her side
Ha! I totally thought of you!
Well, clearly, I agree with #5! 😉