by Diana
Serbe
Livin' Low Carb is not a
diet book, it is a love song to food. George Stella, host of the Food
Network's popular show, Low Carb and Lovin' It, is a man dedicated
to the pleasures of the table. He is also dedicated to pleasures that
don't carry a price tag of ill health and obesity.
In an introduction to Livin'
Low Carb, Stella relates the life style choices that led him to
obesity, ill health, and a life so shattered that he was living on disability.
Overweight, Stella had a heart attack at the tender age of twenty-five.
This dramatic warning to change his life style didn't scare him away
from the wrong food choices and he ballooned to 467 pounds before he
was forty. Working as a chef, he rarely ate the foods he was creating,
but returned home to raid the refrigerator all night. His life disintegrated
and his family grew obese as well. Fortunately, says Stella, he picked
up a copy of an Atkins book and began to read. Inspired by what he read,
Stella made his own adjustments and grabbed hold of a life style diet.
The photos of Stella and his family today show the positive results.
"I think about eating from
the perspective of a chef, not a doctor," says Stella. Though inspired
by Atkins, Stella has his own style and his own rules for healthy eating.
He stresses that this is lifestyle eating, not a diet, and there are
no restrictive portions, no calorie counting. Primary among his rules
is the admonition to eat fresh foods. He also stresses that everyone
should read the labels on the prepared foods. The bold type may scream
lo-fat, Stella tells us, but the smaller print reveals hidden sugars.
This is a cookbook, and Stella's
gift to us all is to make healthy eating taste wonderful. An advocate
of breakfast, he provides recipes for muffins, pancakes, omelets and
frittatas, all to kick-start the metabolism. He continues through the
day, with recipes for meats and poultry, such as country style pork
ribs with bourbon sauce, southern fried chicken in which soy flour replaces
processed white. His lasagna is made without noodles and Stella guarantees
that you'll never miss them.
He covers all food categories -
vegetables, salads, soups, appetizers, and yes, even desserts. Our personal
favorite is the section on condiments, spices and dressings which offers
a recipe for a quick and easy ketchup, made without sugar, as well as
a low-carb thousand island dressing, also without sugar. Each recipe
has a carb count. There are straightforward, step-by-step instructions
accompanied by helpful hints and cook's tips to ensure delicious results.
The Stella family slimmed down by
eating favorite foods that were slightly changed. Sugar, white flour,
and starch aren't in his lifestyle. Not so hard, with motivation and
a little advice. Here are George Stella's Seven Rules for healthy lifestyle
eating:
RULE #1: Get Rid of the Hidden Sugars
and Bring in Sugar Substitutes!
RULE #2: Low-Fat is Not Your Friend (low-fat foods are often packed
with sugar--that is, carbohydrates)!
RULE #3: 'Diet' Doesn't Always Mean Low-Carb. Learn to Read the Labels!
RULE #4: Watch Out for Bad Fats! Stella Style means using Canola Oil,
Olive Oil, and Butter, not 'Trans Fats.'
RULE #5: Out with the White Flour (and the starches), and In With the
Soy Flour!
RULE #6: Choose the Right Fruits and Veggies. Fill your kitchen with
fresh, low-carb foods--just shop the outer aisles of your grocery store!
RULE #7: Think Alternatives. Use alternative ingredients to remake your
old favorites Stella Style!
Mr. Stella has kindly shared these
recipes:
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