Wonder Woman

I am sure you know Giada De Laurentiis, amazing Italian chef on the Food Network.  She has delicious recipes, a friendly personality, and a love of food and family.  When you visit her website, you can see why I am calling her Wonder Woman.  She has recipes, books, a TV show, her own cookware line, and also her own blog.  She does it all.  Here are my top 3 reasons to love Giada, including one reason that is not based on what she can make with her hands, but what she can do with her heart.

Reason #3:  Her cookware is smart.  Not only can you use her cookware everyday, but she sells it at Target.  So it is easy to find and affordable.  My mom and I both have a pan of hers that we fondly call “the Giada pan.”  We use it everyday.  Seriously, everyday.

Reason #2:  Her recipes are light.  Traditionally, when I think of Italian food, I think of oil and heavy flavors.  Garlic, cheese, pasta.  Yummy, but heavy.  Giada’s recipes use those great Italian flavors, but in a light way.  They don’t put you into an instant food coma.  When I recently visited my parents, my mom found a great new recipe from Giada.  Instead of using traditional tomato sauce for pasta, she made a sauce out of roasted eggplant and cherry tomatoes.  It was such a delicious and inventive way to make sauce. 

Reason #1: Her heart is big.  My father sent me this article on Giada and her upcoming visit to local South Carolina schools.  These schools have implemented this wonderful program called “Back the Pack.”  For the schools’ needy children who often go hungry at home, students are sent home Friday afternoons with their backpacks filled with food.  Better yet, high school children work at the food warehouse to help organize the distribution of food and give back to their community.  Giada is visiting these communities to raise awareness of the program and help feed hungry children.  I am thrilled that Giada is doing this and raising awareness of the lives of our students outside of schools.  This program deserves the press and shows that Giada has a heart as big as her taste buds.