Giada De Laurentiis And Her Secret to Staying Slim

TV chef Giada De Laurentiis maintains her slim figure by following a portion-controlled diet and working out every day.

Being around delicious food is not a problem for the Food Network Chef because she eats small portions and it is deeply ingrained in her diet.

"Small portions [are the key to staying thin]," De Laurentiis told Redbook. "When it comes to pasta or things that are very filling, I find that after three or four bites, I often don't need to eat much more. But I will tell you that there are times where I cannot control myself. It's usually with sweets, chocolate especially."

When she's on the road, she also stays fit by doing yoga. She revealed to Health, "I do yoga-stretching and core work. Every morning I do sun salutations. Sometimes I do a little meditation. My sister-in-law introduced me to Deepak Chopra's website, which sends you daily reminders. I try to center myself because I'm around a lot of different energies, and it gets a little crazy and chaotic."

Meanwhile, she shared to People one of her stay-trim tricks that's included in her new book, Giada's Feel Good Food: My Healthy Recipes and Secrets.

Here's a copy of the recipe.

Turkey, Kale, and Brown Rice Soup
Serves 4

2 tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
5 large shallots, chopped
3 medium carrots, peeled and cut into ½-inch pieces
1 large red bell pepper, cut into ½-inch pieces
8 oz. ground white turkey meat, broken into small chunks
1 tbsp. herbes de Provence
5 cups low-sodium chicken broth
1 (15-oz.) can diced tomatoes, drained
1 cup cooked brown rice
1 small bunch (4 packed cups) kale, center ribs removed, leaves coarsely chopped
½ tsp. freshly ground black pepper
1 tsp. salt, divided
¼ cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves
¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese

1. In a large pot over medium-high heat, heat oil, then add shallots, carrots and bell pepper. Stir frequently until vegetables begin to brown and soften slightly, 8-10 minutes.

2. Add turkey and stir until the meat turns white and begins to color very slightly around the edges, 5-7 minutes. Add herbes de Provence and stir for 1 minute.

3. Add broth, diced tomatoes and cooked rice, and bring to a boil. Stir in kale, then season with black pepper and ¼ tsp. salt.

4. Reduce the heat to medium-low. Cover and simmer until vegetables are tender, about 15 minutes. Season with the remaining ¼ tsp. salt.

5. Ladle the soup into bowls. Sprinkle each serving with parsley and Parmesan cheese.

In 1 serving: 361 calories, 12g fat, 627mg sodium, 39g carbs, 6g fiber, 10g sugars, 24g protein