“Top Chef” Carla Hall Shares Her Recipe for Moderation

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I’m a “Top Chef” junkie, and one of my all-time favorite contestants is Washington, DC-based Chef Carla Hall. Where other contestants brought ego and attitude to the table, Hall always served up her own flavor of generous, spirited optimism. She consistently dazzled judges with her creative spin on nourishing fare, like a stellar vegan African Ground Nut Soup. The show’s viewers shared my affection for Hall and voted her the fan favorite in the recent “Top Chef: All-Stars.” And now she’s one of the favorite co-hosts on the popular ABC daytime series, “The Chew.”

carla hall

Hall originally wrote this blog post for her site and is letting us share it with you here. We think you’ll love her philosophy on healthy eating and why good nutrition, moderation and occasional indulgences all belong on the same plate.

Hootie-hoo!

By Carla Hall

The key to smart food choices starts with a healthy balance of nutritional foods that allow for some less nutritional foods in moderation. I personally have temptations and unhealthy foods that call my name from time to time. But in order to avoid the feelings of deprivation that can lead to weight gain, you must indulge.

Yes, indulge! Everyone needs to treat themselves from time to time for following a healthy and balanced lifestyle. But be sure to treat yourself in moderation. Know when enough is enough.

Here are some quick tips to help you eat the things you love without overindulging.

Pay attention to your body, and stop when you’ve had enough.

I love food, and I love to eat, and being a chef, I’m constantly around food. If I don’t pay attention to portion sizes and my body’s cues, I’ll keep eating and eating until the food is gone. Eating slowly helps me pace myself and allows my brain to catch up. Matthew [Hall’s husband] is constantly alerting me when I eat too fast.

Eat only when you’re hungry.

This can be difficult for most people. One great way to tell if you are really hungry or just being impulsive is to ask yourself: If the plate was full of broccoli would you still eat it? If you wouldn’t, then don’t reach for the treats that are tempting you.

Give in to your cravings from time to time.

If you have a sweet tooth, go ahead and eat a cookie. But only have one instead of two or three . . . or the whole plate. Easier said than done, I know. Eating in moderation requires training on your part. If you’re able to train yourself to give into cravings without binging, you’ll be able to enjoy the not-so-good foods from time to time.

Use your salad plates.

Studies have shown that using smaller plates at meal time will help you eat less. Another easy trick is to keep the serving dishes in the kitchen while you eat in the dining room. This forces you to get up and walk to the kitchen if you want more.

Everything in moderation leads to a happier, healthier life, as demonstrated in my approach to cooking natural and organic meals with Southern and French-inspired flair.

Beyond what you put in your mouth, regular exercise every day will help you add balance to your life. It’s a natural progression to watch what you eat if you have a consistent exercise regime. Those who have a balance of diet and exercise will ultimately reach total health and wellness faster than those who don’t.

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Carla Hall's Spicy Carrot and Ginger Soup

This carrot and ginger soup recipe demonstrates “Top Chef” contestant and cohost of “The Chew” Carla Hall’s deft touch with nourishing ingredients. It’s also the type of healthy everyday food she favors that leaves room for some well-chosen indulgences. She uses herbal tea bags as bouquet garni to infuse flavor and silken tofu instead of heavy cream to give this carrot soup body. Unsweetened carrot juice underscores the flavor of the fresh carrots while coconut water adds a subtle tropical note. “Using vegetable and fruit juices in addition to or in place of stock is another way to add layers of flavor,” says Hall.

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Carla Hall’s Spicy Carrot and Ginger Soup

Prep Time: 20 minutes

Cook Time: 30 minutes

Yield: Serves 4-6

Carla Hall’s Spicy Carrot and Ginger Soup

Ingredients

  1. 2 cups vegetable broth
  2. 1 cup unsweetened carrot juice (freshly juiced or bottled)
  3. 1 cup unsweetened coconut water
  4. 3 high-quality lemon-ginger tea bags
  5. 1 (2-inch) piece fresh ginger, cut into ¼-inch slices
  6. 2 dried chiles, halved
  7. 1 tablespoon olive oil
  8. 5 medium carrots, roughly chopped
  9. 2 stalks celery, roughly chopped
  10. 1 leek, white and light green parts only, washed and roughly chopped
  11. 1 medium onion, roughly chopped
  12. Sea salt, to taste
  13. Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
  14. 1/2 cup silken tofu
  15. 1/4 cup unsweetened flake coconut, toasted
  16. Zest of 1 lime

Instructions

Combine first 3 ingredients in a small saucepan, and bring to a boil. Add tea bags, ginger and dried chiles. Reduce heat, and simmer at least 20 minutes.

Heat a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add oil. Add carrots, celery, leek and onion. Season with salt and pepper. Cook 5 minutes or until onion is translucent.

Strain stock mixture through a fine-mesh sieve into the pot with the vegetables. If you like lots of ginger, add the ginger pieces. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat, and simmer 5-7 minutes or until the carrots are tender. In two batches, puree soup in a blender or food processor with half the tofu per batch, until the soup is silky smooth. Return pureed soup to pot and adjust seasoning, if necessary.

Ladle soup into soup bowls. Garnish evenly with toasted coconut and lime zest.

Notes

Cook Time: 30-40 minutes

http://nourishnetwork.com/2011/04/27/top-chef-carla-hall-4-step-recipe-for-moderation/