Tom Valenti loves cooking—and eating—delicious food. But when the chef and owner of the acclaimed restaurants Ouest and The West Branch in New York City was diagnosed with diabetes 15 years ago, he was determined to continue to enjoy food while maintaining his health. Now he’s sharing his tips, techniques, and recipes in the new book You Don’t Have to Be Diabetic to Love This Cookbook.

The title really says it all. With recipes like Salmon Ceviche; Red Onion and Soppressata Pizza (yes, pizza!); and Stuffed Chicken Breasts with Basil, Goat Cheese, and Sun-Dried Tomato, this is a book for anyone who wants to eat delicious, healthful food. And unlike many chef-written books, these recipes are easy to prepare and generally call for ingredients you can find in any grocery store.

What I think readers will appreciate most is Valenti’s easy-going, conversational tone. He may be a famous chef, but you’ll feel like you have a good friend in the kitchen guiding you along. You’ll learn why he believes eating a satisfying meal will make you less likely to overeat and, therefore, why he was adamant about using only what he terms “real foods”—you won’t find any fat-free cheese or fake mayonnaise here. He explains why lemon juice and vinegars are a virtually calorie-free way to brighten and enhance the flavors of many dishes. And he demonstrates how to upsize the proportions of vegetables and lean protein and downsize the proportion of carbs. Oh, and he’s passioniate about the importance of eating breakfast every day.

I asked him if he had any advice for people who may be dealing with the shock of a recent diabetes diagnosis. “Managing diabetes is a marathon, not a sprint,” he said. “Work with your doctor, find time to cook healthy, and understand that you are certainly not alone!”

Recipes
We have two recipes from Valenti’s book. The Spaghetti Squash Spaghetti is a clever and delicious way to feel like you’re having pasta while getting several servings of vegetables. The Basic Steamed Chicken is not so much a recipe as an easy method for making sure you always have a fresh, healthy source of lean protein in the fridge, which is then ready to be added to salads, sandwiches, soups, pasta, whatever. It’s a brilliant idea—one that I’m going to start doing myself.

Win a Copy of You Don’t Have to Be Diabetic to Love This Cookbook!

Do you have a healthful eating or cooking tip to share? Post it in the comments section and you could win a free copy of Tom Valenti’s cookbook!

Recipe: Spaghetti Squash Spaghetti with a Vegetable Tomato Sauce

(Reprinted from You Don’t Have to Be Diabetic to Love This Cookbook, by Tom Valenti and Andrew Friedman, Workman Publishing, 2009)

Serves 6

Ingredients
2 medium-size spaghetti squash (about 4 pounds each)
4 teaspoons unsalted butter
¼ cup store-bought low-sodium chicken broth
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 medium-size Spanish onion, cut into small dice
4 large garlic cloves, minced
1 large carrot, cut into small dice
1 rib celery, cut into small dice
1 tablespoon tomato paste
5 cups canned crushed tomatoes, with their juices
¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
½ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese, plus more for serving (optional)
¼ cup pine nuts
1 cup diced zucchini
1 cup diced red bell pepper
1 cup diced white button mushrooms
2 tablespoons thinly sliced fresh basil leaves

Directions:
1. Preheat the oven to 350ºF.

2. Cut the spaghetti squash in half lengthwise. Scoop out and discard the seeds. Place the squash halves cut-side up on a baking sheet. Place 1 teaspoon of butter and 1 tablespoon of broth in each hollowed-out cavity and cover it with aluminum foil. Bake the squash until a knife-tip pierces it easily, about 1 hour.

3. Meanwhile, make the sauce: Heat 1 ½ tablespoons (4 ½ teaspoons) of the olive oil in a heavy-bottomed saucepan over medium heat. Add the onion, garlic carrot, and celery and cook until softened but not browned, about 5 minutes. Add the tomato paste and cook, stirring to coat the other ingredients, 2 to 3 minutes. Add the tomatoes and their juices, bring to a boil over medium-high heat, then lower the heat and let simmer very gently for 30 minutes. Stir in the red pepper flakes and Parmesan cheese.

4. Toast the pine nuts in a large pan over medium heat, shaking the pan frequently to prevent scorching, until golden brown and fragrant, about 3 minutes. Set the pine nuts aside.

5. Heat the remaining 1 ½ tablespoons (4 ½ teaspoons) of olive oil in a heavy-bottomed pan over medium heat. Add the zucchini, bell pepper, and mushrooms and cool until al dente, about 4 minutes.

6. To serve, using a fork, scrape flesh out of each squash half and transfer it to a large bowl. Add the sauce and cooked vegetables and toss to mix. Divide the spaghetti squash among 6 plates and top it with the toasted pine nuts, basil, and more Parmesan cheese, if desired.

Nutritional Information (per serving):
Calories: 111
Total fat: 6 g
Saturated fat: 1 g
Trans fat: 0 g
Total carbohydrates: 15 g
Dietary fiber: 5 g
Total sugars: 8 g
Protein: 3 g
Cholesterol: 2 mg
Sodium: 13 mg

Exchanges:
Fat: 1
Vegetables: 2.5

Recipe: Basic Steamed Chicken

(Reprinted from You Don’t Have to Be Diabetic to Love This Cookbook, by Tom Valenti and Andrew Friedman, Workman Publishing, 2009)

Serves 4

Ingredients:
1 chicken (about 3 pounds), skin removed
1 teaspoon coarse salt
Freshly ground black pepper
2 sprigs fresh rosemary
1 lemon, cut in half
4 cloves garlic, crushed and peeled

Directions:
1. Rinse the chicken under cold running water and pat it dry with paper towels. Season the chicken inside and out with the salt and some pepper. Stuff the cavity of the chicken with the rosemary, lemon, and garlic and tie the chicken legs together with kitchen string.

2. Pour water to a depth of 1 to 2 inches into a large, heavy-bottomed pot and bring to a simmer over medium heat.

3. Place the chicken in a steamer basket and set it over the simmering water without letting the basket touch the water. Cover the pot and steam the chicken until it is plump all over and the meat juices run clear when pierced at the thigh with a sharp knife, 45 minutes to 1 hour.

4. Using tongs or a meat fork (insert the fork into the cavity), transfer the chicken to a cutting board. Snip off and discard the kitchen string. Remove and discard the rosemary, lemon, and garlic. (If you like, you can also use the broth that’s in the pot, strain it, let it cool, then refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 3 days or freeze it for up to 2 months.)

5. If not serving the chicken immediately, carve it and wrap the individual pieces in plastic wrap, then refrigerate them for up to 2 days.

Nutritional Information (per serving):
Calories: 203
Total fat: 5 g
Saturated fat: 1 g
Trans fat: 0 g
Total carbohydrates: 2 g
Dietary fiber: 1 g
Total sugars: 1 g
Protein: 35 g
Cholesterol: 114 mg
Sodium: 606 mg

Exchanges:
Lean meat: 4.3