Never Trust a Skinny Cook?

I'll admit it. I'm a little leery of skinny cooks.

Giada DeLaurentiis? Sure, she looks great biting into all of her olive-oil-soaked goodness with that big, toothy grin and occasional Italian accent. But does she really eat what she cooks - on a regular basis? I find myself doubting that she does, or subconsciously loathing her for being able to eat like that while keeping her size 2 frame.

No, I'm more prone to enjoy cooks like Ina Garten, Lucinda Scala Quinn, Nigella Lawson or Paula Deen. You know they eat what they cook.

However, last week I saw a cook book that sparked my interest and, in turn, my debit card. The queen of skinny, Gwyneth Paltrow, has put out another cookbook. This one entitled "My Father's Daughter".

I browsed through some recipes online before hitting Barnes & Noble last week. There were several things that sucked me in. First off, she includes a "well stocked pantry" list to give you an idea of staples to pick up at the grocery store. And, she includes tips for getting your children involved in the cooking process. I also love that most of the recipes are from her family members or family friends...especially her late father (hence the name of the book). And lastly, I love that the recipes are somewhat SIMPLE and wholesome.

I'll admit, I've only tried one recipe so far - Spaghetti Limone Parmeggiano. I added grilled chicken sauteed with mushrooms and some capers. Very tasty and super simple!

But outside of that, I've found myself being inspired by her recipes. For example, I've now cooked the most fabulous omelet for myself three or four times since purchasing this. A standard (all natural egg) omelet filled with mushrooms, diced onions, tomato, reduced fat colby jack and a mix of organic arugula and a spring herb mix. (No, I haven't gone organic...have you seen the rising price of groceries?? It just happens that the arugula and fresh herb mix were both organic. So it makes me feel somewhat like a granola-tree-hugger. Oh, if only I could buy only organic! But I digress.)

It seems that I usually buy cookbooks for the mere inspiration! But I am planning to make several of the recipes from this book in the next week. I'm not sure how well these will translate into WW-friendly meals come June, but I have a feeling it will only take a few tweaks to shape them into point-friendly delights. And regardless, I love that she only uses natural, wholesome ingredients - the kind you feel good about your kids eating.

(Gwyneth also has a great blog where she writes about all things healthy: http://www.goop.com/)

In short, this cookbook gives me a warm fuzzy. Granted, it would be a warmer fuzzy if I were able to have a nice glass of cabernet sauvignon while preparing these dishes...but I can hold out for another month :) I love how she writes about food and family and the importance of sitting down together over a good meal and conversation.

So, do we trust a skinny cook?

My vote so far is yes.

Now, if only I could afford her trainer.