Join us at Taste of Paleo, August 15
August 6, 20152015 Artisans of the Grasslands Conference
September 14, 2015Meet Gigi. (Or should we say meat?)
You may remember Gigi as the inventor of those delicious meat waffles we posted a while back. (Yeah, we can’t stop thinking/dreaming/drooling over them either.). She made them with our 100% grassfed ground bison – which by the way happens to also be her favorite cut of bison. We’re huge fans of everything she’s doing and thought it was about time we learned more about the woman behind the meat waffles. Read (and drool) on!
But first…here’s a video of Gigi making her famous bison waffles! Mmmmmm…
Why did you start GiGi Eats Celebrities?
I started GiGi Eats Celebrities because I just had to get off my chest how much I adore noshing on Ryan Reynolds and Zac Efron. I could no longer keep this burning secret in me! Ha! Ok no, in all seriousness, I started GiGi Eats Celebrities because I wanted to reveal the truth behind the ridiculous diet trends and fitness fads of celebrities! This theme has since morphed into something far more now though, and now I consider different foods to be the “celebrities” on my blog.
What was your personal journey to fitness and healthy eating like?
I grew up in a house where only “health food” was allowed, thus I would always venture over to my friend’s houses for “playdates,” wind up eating the entire contents of their kitchen pantries (mmm THE BLUE BOX), and then their parents would have to go to the grocery store when I went back to my house! The most unhealthy food item in my family’s pantry growing up was probably Cheerios! So as you can see, when I was younger, I rebelled when it came to healthy eating, and then karma bit me in the butt because I was diagnosed with food allergies and intolerances to pretty much everything (oh and I also had my large intestine removed)! I cannot eat wheat, dairy, gluten, sugar, some soy products, nuts and fruit! When I found out about this, instead of “poo poo”-ing my mother’s beliefs on healthy living (she’s a doctor), I decided to listen and take note, I have been studying nutrition ever since (I have my masters in Nutrition Communications from Tufts University).
What is a typical day like for you?
I am a morning person, so when the sun rises, so do I and the first thing I do is… Hit the gym! Not a day goes by where you won’t see me in the gym, workin’ it! Working out is my form of coffee, it puts PEP IN MY STEP! People always ask me how I always have so much energy, well I strongly believe it’s because of my healthy lifestyle (exercise and nutrition).
After I get my “cup of coffee” (ahem, exercise)… Every day in my life is different. I may have a bunch of meetings (with producers, food brands, agents, etc), auditions, celebrity and/or food events, work on the blog, film videos for my YouTube Channel, or even host different TV and Web shows at studios around Hollywood. Oh and sometimes… I don’t have anything planned, so I stay in my robe until about 3 or 4 pm… Working on the blog in some capacity and um, take a nap? LOL! It’s true. Being my own boss and working from home is truly a blessing!
What is your goal for the website?
The goal for my website is simple: To leave people smiling and hopefully instilling at least a little insight (I like to call my web site and YouTube videos INFO-TAINMENT)… Whether it be a health fact or tidbit of information, a delicious recipe, or informing them on a new product they had no clue about… But generally, I want my blog to be an outlet for people. A place where they can go and forget about their worries and problems and watch one of my weird videos… And hopefully laugh a little bit… Laughing is one of the best medicines out there!
If someone was only going to try one cut of bison, which one would you recommend and why?
GROUND BISON BABY!! I adore fat (but seriously, it’s my favorite macronutrient) and ground bison, even though so very lean, is the “fattiest” cut you will find. I also love mixing in various herbs and spices… And some outside of the box ingredients (anyone ever put nori or white fish into the mix?), so as to give it a little something extra (not that it really needs it)!
What is your favorite bison recipe?
Well, I am a bit biased… But I made a ground bison waffle a few months back… Here is a link to that utter genius-ness: http://gigieatscelebrities.
How do you come up with your own recipes?
My brain works in very mysterious ways, so really… I have no idea! However, I do know that my allergies and intolerances to the foods (above) help me think FAR OUTSIDE the box when it comes to recipe creation!
Who inspires you in the fitness/food area? In life in general?
My mother, but of course! After all… She is the one who introduced me to GRASS-FED/FINISHED BISON (in fact, the bison where you source from!) nearly 15 years ago!
What is it about The Honest Bison in particular that you like?
I love that The Honest Bison is, well, just that. 100% HONEST… And of course, 100% Grass-fed & Grass-finished. The way an animal eats will determine how healthy its meat. If the animal eats grains and hormone-injected food stuff, well, then, if you buy that type of meat, you too will be eating those things… After all, you truly are what you eat! That being said, if you eat 100% grass-fed/finished meat, you will be consuming a hefty dose of omega-3 fatty acids, thanks to the fact that leafy greens (such as lush grasses and hay) contain these hearty-healthy fats! I like to call grass-fed/finished animals, LAND fish… Because fish are the only other animal source that contain omega-3 fatty acids in high quantities.
What is the one piece of advice you would give people just starting their journey toward healthy eating?
Cut the crap. And when I say crap… I mean: grain-fed/finished meats. Oh and sugar too. Yep. Cut out the sugar!
We couldn’t agree with Gigi more on that last point! Check out her website or follow her for more on her really fun take on healthy eating!
