The Surprising Breakfast That Keeps Giada De Laurentiis Looking So Fit

From Delish

Most people are creatures of habit, particularly when it comes to dashing out the door in the morning, and Giada De Laurentiis is no different. No matter how many recipes the Food Network star's tested, or where in the world she is, she starts the day with the same breakfast, day in and day out - and it's not at all what you'd expect.

De Laurentiis forgoes cereal, or the egg white scrambles and protein-packed meals most stars rave about, in favor of something simpler. And starchier.

"A 1/4 cup of brown rice in the morning, with some olive oil," she says. "I do put a lot of olive oil in it, I'll be honest. Not equal parts, but almost three tablespoons of olive oil to a 1/4 cup of brown rice. I hate to say this, but I like it swimming in olive oil."

If she's traveling and doesn't have time to make brown rice, she'll go for oatmeal and olive oil, which tends to be easier to find.

"Even Starbucks sells plain oatmeal, so I'll do that with olive oil and salt," De Laurentiis says, pausing for a moment. "Oh, and a little lemon zest, if I can get my hands on it."

It's a combination she's used for years, and she finds her body responds to it better than an eggy or sugary breakfast.

"I need a starch in the morning, then I can have my coffee and everything else," the chef explains. "I don't know why, but I think it's because it just comforts me. It kind of gives me longevity. ... Because I try not to eat a ton of bread, brown rice and oatmeal is what I go for. The fat in the olive oil keeps me very satisfied throughout the day. It's all about the olive oil."

The Happy Cooking star's very specific about portion sizes. It's been key to allowing her to eat whatever she wants - particularly the pastas she's built a brand (including several cooking shows, cookbooks, a restaurant in Vegas with a second in the works in Baltimore, and a line of jarred sauces and cookware at Williams-Sonoma) around.

"I eat small portions of everything. I don't eat a lot," she says, adding that her penchant for smaller meals extends through dinner. "A lot of times, what I'll do is eat appetizer-plate portions instead of dinner-plate portions."

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