Food TV Star Reveals Healthy Cooking Secrets - East Idaho News

Food TV Star Reveals Healthy Cooking Secrets

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Getty H 101012 NadiaG?  SQUARESPACE CACHEVERSION=1349922695749Tom Briglia/FilmMagic(NEW YORK) — What do you get when you take a young, hip Canadian comedienne, add food, fun, fashion and music, then put it on TV?  Nadia G!

Nadia Giosia is one tough Canadian cookie, raised in an Italian home in the diverse neighborhood of St. Leonard in Montreal, Quebec.

“On one street you had duplexes with perfectly manicured yards  and a few blocks away were the projects,” she said. “Public school was rough but I grew up happy, in an ‘angry teen’ kind of way.”

Nadia’s family is filled with cooks, which is where she learned her culinary skills and love for food. Her dishes are approachable, delicious and uncomplicated.

Certain that an internet comedy-cooking show hybrid concept would be a smash hit, she created Bitchin’ Kitchen, her Web based show.  Nadia wrote the material, branded the concept and designed the logo and website by herself in her not-so-spare time.  Bitchin’ Kitchen was such a success that the Cooking Channel took notice and brought Nadia and her show to America and into our living rooms.

“‘Healthy eating,’ for me it’s all about cooking at home from scratch. This way I can really control what goes into my food. As for what to cook, well, we all know the drill: low-fat, low sodium, no refined carbs, lean protein. … It isn’t easy, our bodies are built to crave that fatty, juicy burger, but back in the day, hunting one down was a lot harder than going to the drive-thru, so here we are. One trick that works for me is to stick to a very healthy grocery list. This way even when you’re craving cheese puffs at midnight, all you have handy is organic raisin bran, or soy chocolate pudding. A bit painful, but healthy,” she says.

So what’s her secret to cooking healthier without sacrificing flavor?

“To be honest, you’re always going to sacrifice a bit of flavor. It’s one of those big life decisions: Do you want to shake off a greasy, delicious pepperoni pizza? Or do you want to look good in skinny jeans? Cutting down on fat and sodium is challenging, but there are a few things you can do to get some satisfaction. Experiment with spices, pile on the garlic, caramelized onions really add a ton of flavor without barely any fat. Also, get your hands some good, aged balsamic (minimum 7 years old), this stuff is so tasty you barley need to add any oil to dressings.”

Copyright 2012 ABC News Radio

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