Ingrid Hoffmann - Latin dlite : delicious Latin recipes with a healthy twist

ive always loved and been obsessed with food. My lifepersonal and professionalrevolves around food. My fondest memories are attached to food and sharing meals with my family and my friends.

Sometimes I have loved food too much and too often. When I tried whatever crazy diet was hot at the momentlow-carb, no-carb, low-fat, no-fatI always failed because I felt deprived and hungry. I went back to my old ways, and not having control of my food made me feel like a failure.

At some point, I realized that I simply could not keep eating or drinking as I was. The pounds just kept piling onto my hips and waist, and it became harder to get rid of them. When I was diagnosed with an inflammatory disease, I understood why I was always feeling so sluggish and slow. My research and discussions with doctors and nutritional experts showed that much of what I was eating was having a negative effect on my health and well-being. I knew I had to change my cooking and eating habits as well as my thinking about food. I was determined to find a new approach and change my lifestyle rather than go back to dieting and depriving myself. The big question was, Could I do it without giving up the bold and hearty Latin dishes I adore and have been eating all of my life? Did this mean I could still eat rice and beans? The South American beef dishes of my childhood? The paellas and moles of my travels?

The answer is yes!

I was able to improve my health by changing my eating habits, yet stay true to my culinary roots and heritage. Latin Dlite is the culmination of this journey and offers more than 150 of my favorite recipes from Latin America and Spain. These dishes are lighter and healthier, yet they are bursting with the same bold flavors found in the traditional preparations.

The secret to my system is making small but significant changes to how I cook and eat. I used to put three tablespoons of sugar in every cup of coffee, but cut back to two, then one, and now I drink it blackwithout milk or sweetener. Instead of two slices of white toast with butter and jam or cheese for breakfast, I eat scrambled organic egg whites with vegetables or drink a fruit smoothie made with nonfat milk and a scoop of protein powder. I make sure theres at least one vegetable or salad on my plate at every meal. I cook more fish and poultry and less red meat. When Im craving something starchy, I have brown rice or quinoa. I use less fatand no butterbut punch up my cooking with herbs, citrus juices, and different vinegars. I enjoy between-meal treatslike half of an avocado or a piece of fruitbecause its healthful snacking that keeps me from becoming ravenous and overeating when I sit down to a meal. I could never cook without my beloved chiles, spices, tropical fruits, and tubers. Fortunately they are low in calories and fat, so I continue to enjoy the Latin flavors and foods I adore. I taught myself to think about where my food comes from. Did it come out of the ground or out of a can or package? Did it have a mother? I eat closer to nature and stay as far away from processed foods as possible.

My recipes in Latin Dlite also allow you the occasional splurge while making these healthy changes and sticking to them. Yes, thats right. Splurge! At the end of each chapter, theres a recipe for an indulgence. Im a firm believer that we should be allowed to eat whatever we want in moderation.

Through simple yet effective changes such as substituting healthy ingredients for not so healthy ones and still leaving room for the occasional splurge, Ive learned how to maintain my weight, improve my health, and never feel deprived. This lifestyle change has made all the difference in the world for me, and I know my approach can work for you, too.