Biggest Loser's Chef Lorena Garcia Puts a Healthy Spin on Fast Food
Sure, you probably recognize Chef Lorena from NBC’sThe Biggest Loser, but if you have recently walked through the Miami Airport (Concourse D to be exact) this name will most certainly ring a familiar bell. There in the hustle and bustle of one of our Nation’s hottest airports, is the hottest trend in healthy food. Unlike most airport options, Lorena Garcia’s restaurant offers selections fresh to order. The items are fresh and handmade; and although healthy, are also insanely delicious.
Garcia said that she opened the restaurant to, “Give healthier options for travelers.”
While healthy is one ingredient to Garcia’s success, delectable would certainly follow it. Garcia claims, “Often times people have the misconception that healthy food means sacrificing flavor. In reality, there are so many ways to bring out and add flavor to foods in a healthy way.” With a menu varying from fresh fruit to grilled chicken ciabatta to a tomato mozzarella salad, these options will have your taste buds tingly and changing their mind about what healthy food is.
To further encourage fans of her cooking to lead a healthier lifestyle, Garcia has included several tips on her website. Some of these tips include ordering a small salad before your main course to prevent over eating. Others include advising one to stock up on fresh fruits and veggies and trying different methods of cooking such as grilling or slow cooking. Garcia even includes a list of spices such as cayenne pepper, which can be used not only to rev up the flavor of your entrée, but to give your metabolism a swift kick as well!
As if giving us the gift of tasty food were not enough, Garcia has also taken on a topic she feels rather passionate about; the link between unhealthy foods and childhood obesity. In an effort to do her part to tackle this worldwide problem, Garcia has created Big Chef, Little Chef. Big Chef, Little Chef is a series of hands-on cooking classes and workshops, created by Garcia to help teach children and their families about healthy cooking as well as the benefits of adding nutritious items to their daily menus.
For those of you not lucky enough to taste the healthy decadence of Garcia’s cuisine in Miami, I would suggest you check out her website. Jam packed with healthy recipes, tips and tricks for changing your eating habits, and even a grocery list for quick and healthy snacks, you may leave your computer feeling famished, but never disappointed. Still craving more of Lorena Garcia? Check out her book, New Latin Classics (available for purchase in September).
For more information on Lorena Garcia, please visit her website: http://www.cheflorenagarcia.com/
From the Book, NEW LATIN CLASSICS by Lorena Garcia. Copyright © 2011 by Lorena Garcia. Reprinted by arrangement with Ballantine Books, an imprint of The Random House Publishing Group, a division of Random House, Inc. All rights reserved.
Sian Bitner
Assistant Editor