Claire Gallam - Eat Skinny, Be Skinny: 100 Wholesome and Delicious Recipes Under 300 Calories

Skyhorse and Skyhorse Publishing are registered trademarks of Skyhorse Publishing, Inc. , a Delaware corporation. www.skyhorsepublishing.com 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data is available on file. ISBN: 978-1-62873-741-7 Printed in China The following recipes were originally developed for SheKnows.com: Fluffy French Crepes, 18; Blackberry Lemonade, 122; Homemade Whole Wheat Tortellini, 224; Smashed Strawberry & Blueberry Bellini, 140; Fresh Strawberry & Shrimp Salad with Strawberry Vinaigrette; Sweet Potato Gnocchi, 226; Roasted Strawberry Ice Cream, 262. T his book is dedicated first and foremost to my family, the ones who have seen me at my worst and my best and who have always believed in me. To my mom, for not only teaching me to cook, but for showing me the love behind it.

To my dad, for never giving up on me and supporting me. To my brothers, for being my first taste testers. To my twin, Liz, for always being right by my side offering wise words of wisdom and encouragement. To my best friend Emily who knew I could do this even when I didnt think I could. And most importantly, to my husband, without whom, I know I wouldnt have been able to do any of this. TABLE OF CONTENTS INTRODUCTION WHERE IT ALL BEGAN AND THE STORY OF THE DRAMATIC, REALISTIC GIRL BEHIND IT. TABLE OF CONTENTS INTRODUCTION WHERE IT ALL BEGAN AND THE STORY OF THE DRAMATIC, REALISTIC GIRL BEHIND IT.

Growing up, I always knew I was different. I dreamt about food the way the other kids dreamt about new toys and vacations to Disney World. Food was on my mind from when I woke up to when I went to bed. When you grow up with a mother who is an incredibly talented cook and baker, one who was always baking cookies and whipping up creamy mashed potatoes, food becomes a huge part of who you are, not just something you eat for nourishment. I actually remember the first recipe I made myself when I was in 3rd grade. My brothers, my cousin Curt, my Dad, and I were in the basement playing a video game on the computer.

Bored from the game, I decided I wanted to make a cake. I went into the pantry and mixed flour, unsweetened cocoa powder, a ton of cinnamon and some eggs together. I added some milk and then poured the mixture into a cake pan. I turned the oven on and slid the cake in. Of course, without baking soda, baking powder, and the right measurements, well, the cake didnt rise. It turned out hard as a rock with WAY too much cinnamon.

My cousin tried it and spit it right out. Even though it was a major fail, I remember how excited I felt as I waited for the oven to ding so I could see my creation. I may not have been born with the talent of a chef, but I knew I loved more than just eating food, I loved creating it. My love for food hasnt always had a happy ending. I was the biggest girl in my class from first grade to 7th grade. I had to wear a womens size 8 when the rest of my classmates were still in kids' sizes.

I loathed wearing a bathing suit next to my skinny cousins. I never felt like I fit in. I was always the fat girl. The one with the thunder thighs. I remember one summer my cousins were on a golf cart and I hopped on the back. They turned and said, I dont think you can ride with us.

Its too heavy now. Instead of crying, I ate. I went inside our familys cottage and found solace in a package of cookies or a pint of ice cream. As much joy food brought me, it brought equal amounts of pain. I hated what I looked like; I hated how food made me feel. It wasnt until age fourteen that I discovered I could actually do something about the way I felt.

I joined the middle school swim team when I entered 7th grade. I was overweight, unhappy, and in desperate need of exercise. I always felt confident in the water and swimming was always a release for me, so I happily joined. A few weeks into the season, my coach asked us to start keeping a food journal. He explained how the way we ate dramatically affected the way we swam. Jealous of how fast some of my teammates were, I took this undertaking very seriously.

I wrote down everything I ate, even the gum I chewed and the diet soda I drank. The night before we had to turn our first weeks entries in, I looked at what I had eaten that week. I dont think Ive ever felt so ashamed. Boxes of macaroni and cheese, packets of Kool-Aid and double servings of cake. I was so embarrassed, I forgot it at home on purpose so I wouldn't have to compare notes with my skinny teammates or my judgmental coach. That next week I worked my butt off to eat better.

And when I turned my journal in after my week of healthy eating, I had not only impressed my coach, but lost a few pounds too. When the season ended a few months later, I had lost over twenty-five pounds and was the thinnest I had ever been. For the first time in my life, I felt good about myself. I felt pretty. I finally understood the importance of healthy eating. Although I still indulged in plenty of decadent meals, that was a very defining moment in my life.

It was when I fell in love with healthy food and nutrition. When I entered college, I even took a few classes in nutrition so I could better understand it. Even though I quickly learned that science wasnt my forte, the study of nutrition always fascinated me. It was that interest that inspired me to start my blog in November of 2009. The funny thing about that was I started it as a solely nutrition blog, one that had nothing to do with cooking or recipe development. To be honest, I didnt really fall in love with cooking until a few months later.

The first recipe on my blog that I actually photographed (with an iPhone 3S), developed, and posted was a salmon steak with salsa. I only got about two comments (from my childhood friends) but I remember how much fun I had doing it. I finally understood the joy, the passion and the romance my mom felt when she made meals for us every night. From that moment on, I threw everything I had into cooking. A blog that originally began as a distraction from the job I hated and a way to understand more about nutrition turned into my dream come true, a database of healthy recipes that brought joy and purpose to my life. Many people have those defining moments in their lives where something happened that completely changed who they were and where they were going.