Eat Like A Star: Food Network's Star Marcela Vallodolid
By Ashley Mateo,SELF magazine
Want to look like a star? Have what they're having! Every Tuesday, we'll tell you what healthy breakfast helps our favorite stars kick off their day. This week, we talked to Food Network chef Marcela Vallodolid!
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"I spend a lot of time in the kitchen testing recipes for my new cookbook and the Food Network show, but with breakfast I tend to keep it fairly standard as I send my son off to school," says Marcela. "I'm hooked on granola, banana slices, almonds and a grapefruit sprinkled with some demerara sugar and I'll usually include organic vanilla bean goats milk yogurt."
We say, the more grapefruit, the better! Turns out, a grapefruit a day may ward off heart disease. A study in the Journal of Agriculture and Food Chemistry reveals antioxidant-rich red grapefruit is most effective at lowering levels of triglycerides, a type of fat associated with heart problems. Dig into one in the A.M. or for dessert, or a drink a glass of juice for ticker-happy sipping.
Plus, a dose of orange or grapefruit juice may help ward off osteoporosis, a disease that affects 8 million women. Researchers from Texas A&M University at College Station say the flavonoid-rich juice made rats' bones up to 6 percent stronger. Go for whole fruit instead of juice to get less sugar and more fiber.
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Since it's the giving season, Marcela dished out another tip for us: "Since I often don't eat the entire grapefruit for breakfast, I save half of it for later and use the shell for measuring tequila when I'm having friends and family over for drinks. It's a great trick and grabs the fresh flavor."
Try her Marcela Margarita:
Ingredients: 6 oz Sauza Silver Tequila 32 oz club soda 4 tbsp granulated sugar 4 grapefruits (juice only) or 12 -18 oz grapefruit juice
Preparation: Combine all ingredients in a pitcher. Mix well. Serve cold.
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Photo Credit: chefmarcela.com
