Jennifer Iserloh - Secrets of a Skinny Chef: 100 Decadent, Guilt-Free Recipes: A Cookbook

Secrets
of a
Skinny Chef 100 Decadent
Guilt-Free Recipes JENNIFER ISERLOH Introduction by JOY BAUER , MS, RD, CDN To Granny INTRODUCTION I met Jennifer three years ago, when she helped develop recipes for my book, Joy Bauers Food Cures. Since then, she has become my go-to culinary connoisseur, as well as a dear friend. Jennifer has always been extraordinarily generous with her time and expertise, so when she asked me to write the introduction for this book, I jumped at the chance to give back a little. Truth be told, I also knew how easy it would be to gush about her recipes, because Ive sampled Jennifers creations on many occasions. I will always remember the time she showed up on a Friday night that found me too beat to stand, much less cook dinner for my family. She arrived like a modern-day Mary Poppinscalm, cool, and with a tote full of foodand proceeded to whip up her mouthwatering . My husbands exact words were, No way is this healthy! and my kids showed their appreciation by literally licking their plates clean! As a nutritionist and avid home cook, I know how difficult it can be to prepare meals that are healthy, low-cal, and delicious.

Too often, diet cookbooks sacrifice taste for results, which means they end up in a box somewhere far from the kitchen. The brilliance of Secrets of a Skinny Chef is that neither your waistline nor your taste buds suffer. Jennifer is a talented chef who once struggled with her own weight, and her Skinny Secrets were born of lots of trial and error. Only those that satisfied her discerning palate ended up on these pages. Getting comfortable in the kitchen is one of the most powerful steps toward weight loss that you can take; it allows you to be in charge of ingredients and portions. Its also more economical than eating out all the time, and if you have children, it sets a great example.

So if youre really serious about losing weight and achieving your overall health goals, I cannot recommend Secrets of a Skinny Chef more highly. It is imbued with Jennifers wonderful spirit, taste, and knowledgeand I, for one, cant wait to discover more of her secrets. Joy BauerMS, RD, CDN ACKNOWLEDGMENTS The special people in my life are the most important things to me, even more so than my enjoyment and passion for food. I think thats why my life is so rich, because I combine both my loves in what I do. I am especially grateful to Patricia Gold, my adorable and clever granny, who raised me. She is incredibly creative, funny, and practical.

She taught me the nuances of good home-cooked food while educating me about human nature while enjoying life every day by being positive and sharing with others. Infinite, deep, and everlasting thanks to my dad and stepmom, two artists who taught me how important it is to be generous, an important quality for any home cook! Even though Im all grown up, I still love to have their handholding and parental support. I have two Joys in my life, and their name says it all. Joy Bauer, my nutrition fairy godmother, has been an endless source of support and advice. Im not the only life she has touched and upliftedshe is changing the way we eat and live by mentoring thousands of people to live happier and healthier lives through sound nutrition. My second Joy, Joy Tutela of David Black Agencywho watched over me like a guardian angelhas an incredibly sharp eye, wit, and business savvy.

She has guided me through the world of publishing with a kind and steady hand. Words cannot express my gratitude. Thanks to the entire crew at Rodale Inc., whose enthusiasm, support, and dedication have fueled my excitement for this book. Special thanks to my editor, Shannon Welch, for her valuable suggestions and all the editing and tasting along the way, and for everything she has done behind the scenes. I am also grateful to Marianne Hayden for honing and broadcasting the Skinny Chef mission and for helping me to become a better communicator. Special thanks to Kimberly Yorio and Caitlin Friedland of YC Media Public Relations and Yelena Gitlin of Rodale for helping me spread the word that good health and delicious meals are attainable.

A big thank you, girl to each and every one of my tribe of trusted female advisors: Stephanie Lyness, Jessica Seinfeld, Glenora Blackshire, Donna Mahanna, Inger Slade, Omnika Thompson, Natacha Arnoult, Susan Marks, and Leslie Dantchik have always been there with their career advice about cooking, television, and videoworks. They have guided me to become a strong, secure, and competent business woman. Wonderful editors have taught me much about writing, and so I want to express my appreciation to the crew at Self magazine, especially Lucy Danziger, Carla Levy, Erin Hobday, and Tula Karras; to Kristen Dollard at Rodale; to Kat Kinsman at AOL Slashfood; and to Maridel Reyes of Vital Juice. I also want to thank my TV friends and energetic hosts who continue to inspire: Montel Williams and the people at Montel Media; Audra Lowe along with Ashley Diamond at Better TV; Tony Tantillo; and Richard Schwartz. A million thanks to the dozens of New York City chefs who have allowed me to train in their kitchens, starting with my chef mentor Scott Bryan, who taught me that great food is made with lots of soul and hard-core technique. Thanks to Dan Barber, Tyler Florence, and Shea Gallante for letting me see inside their worlds and being so generous with tips and ideas that only top chefs know.

Hugs to my Hoboken gang on Park Avenue and Washington Street, who taste-tested just about every recipe in the book and gave honest feedback sprinkled with loving encouragement. And last but never least, to Uli, business partner, loving husband, and the rock that anchors me in life and everything I do. I love you, Coco! DITCH THE DIETS AND ENJOY FOOD AGAIN In my years as a private chef, many people have told me theyre confused about nutrition, sick of dieting, and tired of putting energy into exercise programs they hate. So why cant we stop eating fast food, consuming huge portions, and overloading on sugar? And why do we find ourselves eating even when were not hungry? I have fallen into the food traps myself. As a teenager, I would stop by a convenience store every afternoon to pick up my daily candy bar and high-sugar soda. Every night after dinner Id sit and watch TV, feeling sorry for myself and thinking about how fat I looked and uncomfortable I felt.

Then one day, I gave up that candy bar and the soda! I didnt change anything else in my lifeI just wanted to see what would happen if I made a minor change to my routine. A few months later (and a dress size smaller), I understood how much that little afternoon treat was affecting my body. This realization became the first of many secrets that I learned on my way to becoming a professionally trained chef and recognized healthy cooking expert. Back in my childhood, I didnt know any better. People would offer advice, vague things like Eat lots of fruit and vegetables, Limit sweets, and Exercise often. But until you apply the principles to your own life, youll never know how you can improveand how quickly the change might come.

Thats why I decided to put all my hard-won secrets into one book so that you too can focus on celebrating food and enjoying your favorite meals without feeling guilty or facing negative consequences. Growing Up in Grannys Kitchen I grew up in a family of food fanatics, outstanding cooks, and passionate, overindulging eaters. Granny raised me the old-fashioned way, especially when it came to food. Sit-down meals were served at regular times, and everything was made from scratch. Granny did not approve of fast food, but there was nothing wrong with having an extra serving of her homemade stew. Granny started cooking when she was 8 years old, around the time her mother died.