Flavor First

Cheryl Forberg, RD, is a James Beard Award-winning chef, a New York Times best-selling author and pioneered nutrition counseling on The Biggest Loser as the show’s original nutritionist, serving as dietitian for The Biggest Loser contestants for 7 years. Cheryl co-wrote the eating plan for The Biggest Loser, and as the show’s nutritionist for 12 seasons, continued helping overweight contestants transform their bodies, health and, ultimately, their lives. Flavor First: Cut Calories and Boost Flavor with 75 Delicious, All-Natural Recipes is her latest book.

Cheryl’s culinary and nutritional degrees, and professional experience as a chef, educator and dietitian have led to the creation of her Flavor First approach.

After graduating from the California Culinary Academy (CCA) in San Francisco, Cheryl embarked on a series of European apprenticeships, culminating in stints at top French restaurants from Champagne to Strasbourg. Upon her return to the United States, Wolfgang Puck invited her to join his opening team at Postrio, his first venture in northern California.

Cheryl’s passionate devotion to healthy cooking led her away from restaurant kitchens into some of the most prestigious households in America as a highly regarded private chef. She went on to earn a degree in Nutrition and Clinical Dietetics and an RD (registered dietitian) credential from the University of California at Berkeley. She then integrated the scientific background she gained as a research dietitian at Cedars Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles into recipe creation and menu planning. This distinctive skill set enabled her to extend her culinary expertise beyond celebrated restaurant kitchens into inspired recipes that are also healthful.

Cheryl’s writing and recipes have appeared in widely read publications, including Sunset, Health, Fitness and Prevention magazines as well as the Washington Post. She is on the advisory board for Prevention magazine and a blogger for the Huffington Post.

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If you are interested in contacting Cheryl about speaking or endorsement opportunities or are a member of the media interested in Flavor First, please contact us at Media@FlavorFirst.com.

Cheryl is also available for private consultation.

Twitter Follow @cherylforbergrd

It Doesn't Have to be Bland

After 11 seasons as the nutritionist for NBC's The Biggest Loser, I've learned a great deal about the typical eating habits of many Americans, particularly the habits that cause weight gain. When I sit down with the contestants at The Biggest Loser Ranch for their one-on-one personal nutrition consultations, we review their food journals, and I help them understand how their food choices–both good and bad impact their waistlines and their overall health.

Oftentimes, they're shocked to discover just how many calories they've been taking in, as well as the unlikely sources of those extra calories. Some contestants are stunned to learn that they've been consuming an entire day's worth of calories in their beverages alone, while others discover that the seemingly "healthy choices" they've been making aren't nearly as nutritious or as low in calories as they'd assumed.

A surprising number of these excess calories come in the form of sauces, dressings, oils, marinades, and condiments–which, if not used carefully, can turn a healthy meal into a nutritional nightmare and, over time, add up to pounds of extra weight. For example, consider the bowl of French onion dip that we enjoy with our crudites, the dab of creamy mayo we use to enliven our sandwich, or even the bottled Caesar vinaigrette that seems "healthier" than creamy ranch. Just 1/4 cup of the dip can have as many as 200 calories (most of which come from fat), while a mere tablespoon of mayo can add 90 calories (all of them fat) to your otherwise virtuous turkey sandwich. Even that Caesar vinaigrette can contain 150 calories in a modest 2-tablespoon serving. And when you don't keep careful track of portion sizes, the calories add up even faster.

One reason why we always seem to be pouring, slathering, and dipping our foods with tasty extras is because our taste buds have become accustomed to the intense flavors of highly processed foods–from salty to sweet, spicy to creamy. Most dips and condiments available at the grocery store are loaded with sodium, fat, and refined sugars. And the more fake food we eat, the more our taste buds crave outrageous, manufactured flavors that can overwhelm the more subtle, natural flavors of fresh fruits and vegetables, whole grains, and healthy proteins.

Many of my clients are reluctant to part with their highly processed favorites because they don't think their cravings can be satisfied with "healthy food." But it's a misconception that simple, nutritious foods can't be absolutely bursting with flavor. And that's why I wanted to write this book.

In Flavor First, you'll learn how to tease out and enhance the natural, delicious flavors of fresh foods and create plenty of zing–naturally. From creating your own spice rubs and marinades, to whipping up delicious sauces and vinaigrettes, to learning simple cooking techniques that will add layers of flavor to your food, Flavor First will give you plenty of options for adding some zest to your weeknight routine and show you that healthy food is anything but bland.

Flavor First

It Doesn't Have to be Bland

Easy Sofrito Sauce