Kumai - Pretty Delicious : Lean and Lovely Recipes for a Healthy, Happy New You

Skinny Waist, Fat Wallet? Totally!

I quickly learned that pinching pennies is as easy as pinching poundsit just takes a little planning and a lot of ingenuity. Ive loaded the book with tons of tips and ideas for stretching your budget without blowing your diet. One trick is to shop seasonally, as seasonal produce is most often less expensive than the stuff flown in from abroad or trucked)whether youre looking out for your health or your wallet.

Cooking amazing, healthy food on a slim budget has never been tastier, and soon youll not only look and feel better than ever, but youll want to invite your friends over to share in the fabulousness. I dont know what Id do without my girlfriendsentertaining is a part of my life that I refuse to give up, even if I only have $10 to make dinner! Thats why Ive included tons of party-friendly, chic, and modern recipes that wont leave you in the poorhouse afterward.

My mom is Japanese and my dad is Polish-American, so our dinner table was always a crazy cultural mix. I dont know many people who count both miso soup and pierogis among their fave comfort foods! But it was all made with care, with the best ingredients we could afford, and it was always homemade. Throughout my childhood, my mom cooked dinner every night (shed often have to come and drag me in from the sandbox where Id be playing cooking show with old melamine dishes) and packed me the best brown-bag lunches my school had ever seen.

When I finally decided I couldnt deny my love of food any longer, I did a complete 180 and went to culinary school. I learned the basics in Le Cordon Bleu College of Culinary Arts in Los Angeles and found myself becoming passionate, studious, and serious about something other than surfing or Betsey Johnson for the first time in my life! My classmates loved to tease me about the fact that I traded my Manolos for chef clogs when I came through the kitchen (thats how I earned my nickname the Stiletto Chef). But even though peeling potatoes and carrots for $6 an hour was a far cry from earning $150 an hour for trying on jeans, I knew I had found my true calling.

I also had a rude awakening. After years of denial and dieting, I gained 10 pounds during my two terms of baking. With my tuition due and the realities of a chefs tiny starting salary staring me in the face, I knew I had to raise cash fast, which meant getting back into modeling (and my jeans!). I had to teach myself about balance and moderation and pronto.

Fortunately it didnt take me long to figure out how to trim a few fat grams and calories here and there while still eating great and keeping healthy and sexy once I really put my mind to it. I became the queen of swapping (not sacrificing), but always with flavor leading the way. Before long I had a collection of recipes that tasted great and were great for me too. Not bad for a surfer-girl-turned-model-turned-chef, right?

After getting pulled out of culinary school to compete on the first season of Bravos Top Chef, I did stints at upscale restaurant kitchens and then was cast as a host for Lifetimes Cook Yourself Thin, a cooking show that really allowed me to make a difference in peoples lives. I went on to do more shows on Lifetime and the Cooking Channel. It was amazing and gratifying to see the pounds lost by people who had successfully followed my approach to healthy eating. It seemed I wasnt the only one who needed to make some big changes in her diet, and it was exciting to be a part of that change.