Country’s finest are ready to celebrate! Taylor Swift, Carrie Underwood, and Miranda Lambert are just a few of the superstars up for a trophy at tonight’s CMT Music Awards in Nashville. All of our favorite Country celebs will be out in force and dressed to the nines.
Yet, the real action begins after the red carpet is rolled up and the stars head over to Nashville’s Hutton Hotel for the post-awards bash. Celebrity chef Cat Cora is in charge of the party menu.
The “Iron Chef” dropped by Access Hollywood Live Monday to give Billy Bush & Kit Hoover a preview of what’s cooking.
If you think Cat’s serving up a calorie-feast of fried chicken, ribs and mac & cheese – YOU ARE WRONG. The health-conscious chef is preparing a healthy spread of Chicken Skewers, Tom-Mozza, Watermelon Gazpacho, Leek and Onion Tartlets, and Chickpea Fritters — to name just a few of the dishes. The perfect combo of healthy & yummy!
Cat reveals to Healthy Hollywood that serving up a good-for-you meal is a wonderful gift to family and friends. The best news – it’s super simple to prepare – especially now that lots of veggies & fruits are in season.
Cat’s 5 Tips To Healthy Meals:
1) Pick the brightest most colorful produce at the Farmers Market to ensure you’re shopping seasonally & taking advantage of the freshest fruit and vegetables possible throughout the year.
2) When cooking for large amounts of people or hosting a backyard BBQ, plan to make several do-it ahead dishes, such as chilled soups like my Watermelon and Cucumber Gazpacho for the warm summer months. Make ahead dishes provide you with more time the day of, and free you up to enjoy the party with friends and family.
3) Plan a grilled menu with fresh veggies such as asparagus and artichokes for sides, lean proteins like chicken and/or shrimp to grill and skewer, and even dessert can be grilled, such as peaches, apricots, plums or other stone fruits served with some cheese, honey, or balsamic syrup drizzled on the top. Grilling keeps you outside with the backyard festivities, keeps your kitchen cool by not having to turn on the oven or stove, & cuts down on the cooking time significantly.
4) Have lots of easy side dishes for people to fill up their plates with, such as my Three Bean Salad with Mint, White Cheddar Scallion Cornbread Madeleines, and Broccoli Slaw, which uses the stems of broccoli & is mayo-less, so it stays crisp & crunchy and is low fat, delicious, & full of fiber.
5) Keep party fare varied and global – I love to take inspiration from cuisines from all over the world, and keep the menu varied and diverse when throwing parties. This way, there’s something for everyone, from Tuna Tataki Lettuce Gyros with Tzatziki, to Cinnamon-Roasted Pulled Pork with Fennel-Citrus Marmalade, to Lamb Meatballs with Harissa and Sesame.
For Cat’s healthy recipes, head to www.catcora.com Plus, check out the CMT Music Awards live tonight on CMT at 8 PM.
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