Vegetarian Star

Iron Chef competitor, founder of Chefs for Humanity and a celebrity chef who’s publicly acknowledged the value of incorporating more vegetarian meals in a healthier diet, Cat Cora, is one of several celebrities praising Congress and Obama for putting the Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act into law.

“From the First Lady’s Chefs Move to Schools initiative to the President’s Childhood Nutrition bill, the Obama Administration has instigated a much-needed attitude change towards proper nutrition. As a chef and as a mother of four, I understand the importance of providing my own children with wholesome meals and firmly believe that all of our nation’s children should be afforded the same opportunity to grow up healthy which is why this legislation is so important.”

A sample of what school menus looked like before and what they may offer now that the law has been signed is available online.

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Cat Cora made a stop on Masterchef, another reality TV cooking show hosted by Gordon Ramsay. Cora is known for her healthier, sustainable approaches towards cooking and the chefs’ challenge took them to the local farmers market.

Jamie Oliver was amazed at how many children couldn’t recognize fruits and vegetables when he traveled to a school before filming his Food Revolution series, but even the Masterchefs stumbled over a few of the uncommon items. Still, Joe Bastianach, judge of Masterchef and restaurateur was impressed. He writes at the Huffington Post this must be a sign of America getting more conscious at what goes onto their plates.

“Today we are getting more familiar with the cornucopia that is grown locally in our communities, and becoming acquainted with produce that just a few years ago could only be identified by chefs and farmers. The fact that the contestants got as far as they did tells me that America is really embracing the farm to table movement — getting away from processed and prepared foods, and taking an interest in what goes into their dishes and meals.”

The episode with Cora can be viewed below.

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Cat Cora has a morning regime we all could benefit from–breakfast that consists of vitamin rich fruits and vegetables, omega rich nuts and heart healthy soy.

“We do protein smoothies in the morning,” the chef told WebMD. “Here’s how to make them: Add some fresh baby spinach, frozen mango chunks, five or six almonds, a little soy milk, a little juice if you like, some protein powder, and blend it up. Delicious! We love it around the house. We call it a Shrek drink to get the boys to drink it. And they do!”

Might we suggest using Tony Gonzalez‘s All-Pro-Science vegan protein powder from hemp, pea and brown rice protein in Cora’s shake?

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Cat Cora will soon unveil her line of eco-friendly and healthier collection of pots, pans and skillets.

The Iron Chef competitor who’s promoted Morningstar Farms veggie products and says she’ll often cook vegetarian for her family has revealed the set will be made from bamboo and other non-toxic materials.

“Every chef wants her own line!” she told WebMD. “It’s a new business venture. My line is different because it uses a lot of acacia wood — a renewable product that’s like bamboo. It’s eco-friendly, doesn’t expand and holds up better when washed and used. I’m also doing utensils with acacia wood and stainless steel together, which I haven’t seen been done before.”

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Michelle Obama hosted several celebrities chefs at the White House garden, including Rachael Ray and Cat Cora, to harvest vegetables with school children to prepare a meal for the group to eat. Unfortunately, not every part of the meal was vegetarian, but the First Lady encouraged the chefs to help schools nationwide plant gardens.

About 900 chefs are signed up in the “Chefs Move to Schools” program, which pairs chefs with school communities to teach children and parents cooking skills and nutrition.

“You know more about food than almost anyone, other than the grandmas, and you’ve got the visibility and the enthusiasm to match that knowledge,” said Mrs. Obama during a speech.

The actual footage of the chefs and children harvesting vegetables from the garden takes place around minute 19:00.

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Alex Guarnaschelli, the executive chef at NYC’s Butter restaurant, has made the rounds in the celebrity chef world, including competing against Cat Cora in Iron Chef America, and judging on the Food Network’s Food Network Challenge, Chopped and The Best Thing I Ever Ate.

But none of these experiences beat preparing food for some of her favorite celebrities, like Prince, who has a thing for eating seasonal vegetables at 3AM.

From Popeater:

“I love Prince. He comes here whenever he’s in town. He’s a vegetarian, eats very late at night and we go back a few years with my 3AM vegetarian meals for him. Just bringing him plates and plates of local vegetables is one of my favorite celebrity interactions I’ve had. Watching this firecracker of a person eat my food is incredible.”

Although some data suggests frozen may be equal or better than fresh as far as nutrition goes, nothing beats a crisp, fresher from the garden local veggie like a green bean sauteed in olive oil and sprinkled with organic herbs.

Whether you eat your veggies at 3AM or 3PM, what’s your favorite local treat to cook in the kitchen?

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Michelle Obama‘s gardening adventures in the White House backyard started a trend of local eating, sustainable practices and a return to the basics of cooking among ladies worldwide.

Will Tobey Maguire be the one to lead the men to get their fingers dirty?

The vegetarian actor is helping launch The Teaching Garden, a initiative that, according to iVillage, will, “promote ecologically sound food and lifestyle choices.”

The organization was founded by Tobey’s wife’s stepmother and inspired by the First Lady’s move to reduce obesity in children.

Maguire, along with pro volleyball player Gabrielle Reece, L.A. Laker Derek Fisher and Iron Chef America’s Cat Cora will cook with elementary school children in California and plant a vegetable garden at a kickoff event next week.

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Celebrity Chef Cat Cora, unlike Gordon Ramsay, doesn’t feel vegetarians are a pain at all.

In fact, sometimes The Food Network Iron Chef star and her family even, gasp, joins them!

From afterellen.com:

My wife is a vegetarian, so I have to ask: Do you find it annoying to cook for vegetarians or do you approach it as an invigorating challenge?
CC: I find it a fun challenge. In the Cora family, there are nights when we go all veggie, it is cleansing. So, I appreciate where vegetarians are coming from.

Cat’s no stranger to vegetarian cooking.

If you remember, Cat joined forces with Morningstar Farms to teach families to prepare delicious, quick, and healthier meals into the diets.

She said of the partnership:

“Morningstar Farms and I have come up with some easy ways to make eating well more manageable for the home cook. I want families to understand that good food doesn’t require hours in the kitchen.”

Cat also catered the vegan dinner served during Nigel Barker‘s screening of A Sealed Fate.

So cool that Cat practices what she preaches!

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