La La Anthony Doesn't Like to Cook—Except When It Comes to Making Chicken Soup

Plus, we talked about her favorite holiday foods, the gift you can get for anyone and her partnership with Delsym.

With her fruitful career as an actress, La La Anthony knows a thing or two about maintaining good health with a busy schedule. You may have seen Anthony star in popular films and TV shows like Think Like a Man and Power. Today, the successful businesswoman and philanthropist is taking some time away from the stressful schedules to talk about feeling your best during the holiday season.

Anthony has partnered with Delsym this cold and flu season to send 250 families a Comfort Meal Kit, which includes ingredients to make her favorite chicken soup recipe. At EatingWell, we’re big fans of chicken soup, so we were eager to hear more about it. Plus, we talked with Anthony about the Christmas dinner dish she eats every year, her favorite exercise to do when the weather is colder and the last-minute gift that’s perfect for anyone.

EatingWell: What’s your favorite cough & cold season meal?

Anthony: My chicken soup. Because I am not a cook, the fact that I know how to make this chicken soup is actually incredible. And I'm excited to be able to bring that into everyone's home as well. With the Delsym Comfort Meal Kit, you get all the ingredients to my favorite chicken soup that I grew up with. It’s something I'm looking forward to making this holiday season, even if someone isn't sick. It's just that good.

EatingWell: What are your go-to holiday snacks or appetizers to keep you energized until the main meal?

Anthony: I am a snacker, which is not always the best thing, because I don't know if I always go for the healthy snacks. I love chocolate, so I'm really trying to lean into dark chocolate. I know it's healthier, instead of what I normally go to. Thanksgiving just passed, and we love to infuse my Hispanic heritage with rice, beans and pasteles that we mix with some of the traditional holiday food.

Related: What Happens to Your Body When You Eat Chocolate Every Day

EatingWell: What is a must-have dish on your holiday dinner table?

Anthony: Pasteles is it. It’s hard to describe. There's chicken on the inside, you cook it in a paper and open it up. But I can't remember a holiday where that hasn't been the staple for us.

EatingWell: The colder months can mean shorter days, more comfort foods and more time spent indoors. Do you have a favorite exercise that helps you feel fit and healthy this time of the year?

Anthony: I work out frequently, and that's always kept me on top of my game. You just want to make sure you're staying healthy so that you can be good, the people around you can be good and everybody can feel better together. That's important. So, now it's a lot of weight training. I still love boxing as well. I have to mix it up so that I can stay engaged and focused.

EatingWell: What is a meaningful but easy gift you think people can get for their loved ones at the last minute?

Anthony: My mind would go to a great candle, where the scent has some type of meaning or there's something behind why you chose this particular candle. Also, I've seen so many great candles with quotes or scripture on them that speak to the person you're getting the gift for. But with a beautiful candle, I just don't think you can ever go wrong with that.

Related: I Found the Best White Elephant Gifts, and They’re All Less Than $40

EatingWell: The La La Land Foundation’s ThreeSixty Program has done some great work, and it brings up the topic of togetherness during the holidays. During this time of year, what’s something people can do for those who can’t spend the holidays with their families?

Anthony: The greatest gift is giving back, so we've done holiday dinners at Rikers Island for those who unfortunately can't have their family in that environment. But there [are] ways, whether it's making a meal or putting a plate together and bringing it to a person. I've put so many meals in [an] Uber [and said to the person receiving it], like ‘Hey, just go outside. There's an Uber out there with a plate of holiday food for you.’ The smallest things make so much of a difference, so there's definitely ways to still spread that love for those who unfortunately don't have access to that family vibe or that love, per se.

EatingWell: What does 'eating well' mean to you?

Anthony: To me, it’s paying attention to what I'm putting inside my body. I always hear in my mind: ‘You only have one body. Your body is your temple. Take care of it.’ It's very easy to go the wrong way when it comes to eating because that's what you see around you all the time. But you have to be mindful of making sure that you're taking care of yourself. You take care of yourself in so many other ways. Why are you not taking care of the main vessel? So, eating well is just loving yourself and taking care of yourself.

This interview has been edited for clarity and length.

Read the original article on Eating Well.