It’s hard for me to understand why people hate Gwyneth Paltrow so much. I mean they really hate her. She was voted most hated celebrity (over Chris Brown I might add) in a recent Star Magazine poll. More hated than someone who hits women? That’s a lot of ill will. And a large statement about the readers of Star Magazine.
But I stand by GP. I regularly read her web site. I own both her cookbooks. The first one I picked up at Goodwill for $1.00, but I do own it. I think she is a smart business woman, and I admire her for being brave and trying a lot of different things (country music, Glee, foodie, GOOP) in a world that likes to put you in a box and keep you there. She’s trying to be accessible even if it’s not always working. And I like her for that. I can’t hate her because she’s been successful. Or she married a rock star. Or is best friends with Beyonce and Jay-Z. I can’t hate her for naming her kid Apple. Even if she did kick-off the trend of celebrities giving their kids quirky names. And let me be perfectly clear, I don’t dislike her at all. I am enamored by her. And I was not a bit surprised when she was on the cover of People last week as the World’s Most Beautiful Woman – even if she says she was.
In her new cookbook, It’s All Good, she moves away from the comfort food favorites of her first cookbook My Father’s Daughter and goes deeper into healthy eating and eliminating processed food. Since I’ve been through an elimination diet, recommended by a doctor and a dietician (not a celebrity), this is probably more accessible to me than to others. For me, tossing out gluten and dairy and red meat just isn’t that big of a deal. Yes, some of the ingredients are way out there. I’m not one to tromp around town looking for raw cacao powder or a whole sea bass. But many of the recipes are really more ideas of how to combine things for delicious healthy food. And I’m more than happy to have more ideas in my arsenal. I already know how to cook, I just need more variety in a diet that can already feel somewhat limiting. And if I ever to do come across a whole sea bass, I’ll know just what to do with that sucka.
1) Quinoa – Okay, Gwyneth did not discover quinoa. It’s been making its way into the food mainstream for the last few years as the new super grain. And to be perfectly honest, I just did not get it. I found it bland and mushy. It was one of those foods that I begrudgingly ate because I needed a break from brown rice. But now I finally GET quinoa. GP unleashed the secret of how to cook quinoa so that it is actually good: rinse the quinoa, use less water ( 1 3/4 cup water to 1 cup of quinoa) and tuck a paper towel between the pot and the lid while its resting to absorb the excess moisture. I’ve been eating quinoa for breakfast two different ways – savory with sautéed greens and a fried egg and sweet with warmed almond milk and nuts (both recipes are in the book). It’s no longer something that I suck up and eat but a food that I can’t get enough of. Brown rice now has a little competition.
2) Banana Ice Cream – There isn’t any dairy in this “ice cream” which has already made it my go to treat. Basically you freeze some bananas, put them in a food processor with a little almond milk and vanilla and it turns into creamy deliciousness. Then sprinkle with a combination of roasted almonds, real maple syrup and salt and holy moly. It’s ridiculously good. I made up little ramekin sized portions to keep in the freezer, and my first batch has already been wiped out. Get the whole recipe. You will not be sorry.
3) Broccoli & Arugula Soup – This has made a really good lunch for me over the past week. Plus it helps me get in a good dose of veggies. I’ve adapted Gwyneth’s more complex recipe for a make quick, single portion that doesn’t involve a lot of pots and pans. I basically cook about two cups of broccoli in the microwave. Sprinkle with some salt and garlic powder. Put it in a blender with ¾ cup hot water and a couple of handfuls of arugula. I squeeze a little lemon juice on top (sometimes even out of a little plastic lemon – gasp!). It makes a nice savory thick soup that is surprisingly filling – and really, really bright green.
So yes, I love these recipes just as much as I love Gwyneth. You can find even more recipes and an interview with her about the book here. And she didn’t event have to ask me to highlight them on my blog. But wouldn’t it be awesome if she did?
I’m trying something on the blog – a weekly Three Things series. Why three? Well, two is not enough. Five is too many. And four is too, well, just too even. Check back next Friday to see what three things have made it on my radar.
No Gwyneth haters here! Actually, I have to confess that I’ve secretly fantasized about being her BFF for a really long time–like since the 90s. This is a thing that (until now) only my husband has known about me, I think. The things that people hate about her just don’t bother me. In my fantasy world, I imagine us going shopping (her being my personal stylist, of course) and us going through all our crazy detox diets together (because after all, those can be tough, and sometimes a girl just needs a little support in such matters, and…well, frankly I’m just tired of doing them alone). Well, one can dream, right? By the way, I’ve always cooked quinoa with a perfect 1:1 ratio and it comes out great–fluffy and al dente. The bananas sound intriguing–will definitely try.
Oh geez – we really are the same person!!! Yeah, I think she has the rep of being stuck up and uppity. She doesn’t have that girl-next-door quality that makes celebrities popular. I think I also relate to her misunderstood-ness and that’s another reason that I like her. I’ll detox with you any day…try the bananas. I’m on my second batch.