Chef and co-host of The Food Network’s The Kitchen, Katie Lee has always had a passion for good food. She studied journalism and food science at Miami University in Oxford, Ohio and her life’s path has always included food in one regard or another. Lee has had many accomplishments that have ranged from writing two cookbooks entitled The Comfort Table and The Comfort Table: Recipes For Everyday Occasions to hosting Bravo’s Top Chef and guest judging on shows such as: Halloween Baking Championship, Beat Bobby Flay, Top Chef All Stars, Iron Chef America and more. She has even written a novel called Groundswell about a woman who heals from her divorce through surfing.
Despite all of her accomplishments, her most recent feat has been her journey into motherhood with the recent birth of her first child, Iris Marion, an adorable baby girl who was born last month. It's evident that Lee is definitely enjoying motherhood and that preparing delicious, healthy meals is still the norm in her household. When Moms.com spoke with Lee, she stated that she has chosen to breastfeed her daughter and that it is very important to eat foods that help to keep your body healthy and strong postpartum.
In the interview below, Lee gets candid about her own pregnancy cravings, the adjustments that she made in her eating while pregnant with Iris, as well as her most recent project participating in The Behind the Burger Bash hosted by Rachel Ray which was virtual this year.
(Moms.com): Congrats on your first baby, Iris Marion! While pregnant, did you have any unique food cravings or special go-to recipes and meals that you relied upon?
(Katie Lee, KL): While pregnant with my daughter, I really loved grilled cheese and peanut butter with grape jelly. In the first trimester, I had a really hard time eating popcorn, and popcorn is one of my favorite snacks!
(Moms.com): While pregnant did you change your diet to accommodate the pregnancy, and post-pregnancy have you implemented new meal plans or eating habits?
(KL): I want to make sure to keep up with my fruits and veggies, and I made sure I was getting all necessary nutrients to fuel Iris. I have always eaten a “colorful” diet filled with produce, I’ve just made some adjustments to not eat the “gassy” veggies, like broccoli and Brussels sprouts, quite as much since I am breastfeeding.
(Moms.com): While you are a new mom and enjoying those sweet cuddles, you've recently competed in a new project, The Burger Bash. How exciting?! Can you tell us a bit more about this competition?
(KL): Of course! This year’s Burger Bash celebrated everyone’s favorite BBQ meal – and it was all virtual! Rachael Ray hosted, and everyone competing was a previous Burger Bash competitor (did you know I won the first ever Burger Bash in 2008?) The celebrity judges included representatives from Elvis Duran and the Morning Show, Danielle Monaro, Nate Marino and Skeery Jones, who joined together to serve as Elvis’ co-judges! Because I so recently gave birth, I actually dialed in virtually from home!
(Moms.com): The Gardein Ultimate is a plant-based burger. What does the verbiage "plant-based" mean, and in your experience what are some of the benefits of a plant-based diet?
(KL): The term “plant-based” is used for foods, specifically, that might have originated from meat, but have been reformulated to include no meat at all. I love Gardein’s plant-based offerings especially, because they’re free from cholesterol, dairy, artificial colors & flavors and trans fats. They also offer 19 grams of protein per serving and cook, smell and taste like a meat burger.
(Moms.com):Do you have any fun plant-based recipes that you would like to share?
(KL): Of course! I’d love to share the recipe I used for this year’s Burger Bash, The Gardein Beastie Burger Patty Melt, which can be found on ReadySetEat.com. Gardein’s New Ultimate Burger gets loaded up with sweet caramelized onion, gooey American cheese and a slathering of special sauce, it’s incredible.
(Moms.com): As you're probably starting to realize, when it comes to parenting--time is of the essence. Do you have any tips for saving time when preparing meals?
(KL): When thinking of ways to save time when cooking, my biggest tip is being prepared, making meals ahead of time has been a huge help for me. Having a well-stocked pantry, refrigerator, and freezer is key.
(Moms.com): Did you always know that you wanted to be a chef, and how did your journey to becoming a co-host of 'The Kitchen' begin?
(KL): I’ve loved to cook for as long as I can remember, but I didn’t think of it as a career until I started taking food science classes in college. I was a journalism major and I wanted to combine my love of food and writing. The success of The Kitchen has been the greatest blessing and I am so grateful to get to do what I am passionate about for my career.
(Moms.com): Can you speak to the correlation between food and self-care?
(KL): Taking good care of yourself starts with what you eat, in my opinion. Not only making sure that it is nutritious, but also that it tastes good and that you enjoy eating it. I think meals give us moments of joy and a bonus of keeping you in good health at the same time. If you can get a few minutes to be in the kitchen and cook, it can be relaxing and a way to unwind as well.
(Moms.com): Where can our viewership find out more about what projects you have going on, find more of your recipes, and keep up with your work in general?
You can keep up with me on my social media channels which are: Instagram @katieleebiegel, Twitter @KatieLeeKitchen as well as on Food Network!
You can also learn more about what Katie Lee is up to on her website: katieleebiegel.com or on the Food Network's YouTube Channel. If you are on the look-out for a few new and interesting recipes, check out some of Katie Lee's diverse recipes HERE.