‘Today’: Valerie Bertinelli Came Bearing (Virtual) Gifts on Her Visit to the Morning Show
Frequent Today show guest Valerie Bertinelli stopped by the show – remotely, of course – and brought along a few “gifts” for the hosts and viewers.
The Hot in Cleveland star has been working on new recipes and was excited to share them on the air.
Bertinelli had begun a series on wellness before the pandemic began
Bertinelli announced on Today in January 2020 that she was finally addressing her health once and for all. She started a new series on the morning show called “Start TODAY with Valerie.”
She appeared on the morning show to discuss the circumstances in her life that had caused her to neglect herself. The One Day at a Time star finally decided to address those issues and get proactive about her wellbeing.
In an essay she posted on Today‘s website at that time, Bertinelli laid out her emotions and her ultimate goal.
“There’s a reason that I’ve gained weight and it’s emotional,” she said. “This is just a symptom of how unhappy I’ve let myself feel and become. I’m not going to let any mistakes that I make in 2020 define me as a failure. I will find a different way to look at it.”
Bertinelli’s wellness update
In a conversation with People, the mother of one updated her fans in May 2020 on her wellness journey.
“I don’t weigh myself as much anymore,” she said. “I’ll put on some jeans every once in a while to see how they feel. Why do I have to know what number I am? I know it’s really about the internal work.”
Bertinelli looked back at her 2009 magazine cover in which she posed in a string bikini after a forty-pound weight loss. She considered how hard she worked to get to that fitness level – and wishes she had worked as hard on her emotional health.
“There’s a lot of pride and a lot of shame associated with that cover,” she said. “I worked really, really, really hard. Physically definitely. I wish to God I had worked just as hard on my mental shape.”
Bertinelli came with gifts of recipes
On Today, the Food Network star introduced viewers to new recipes, all with only four ingredients.
First up is her sunny Lemon Vinaigrette with lemons, Dijon mustard, shallot, and extra virgin olive oil.
“I love this lemony vinaigrette,” she wrote on the Today website, “because it takes mere minutes to make and instantly brightens up everything from salads to seafood and so much more.”
Her second offering was an easy Fresh Tomato Sauce with heirloom tomatoes, olive oil, garlic, and basil, of which Bertinelli wrote, “This recipe proves that you don’t have to spend hours stirring over a hot stove to make an amazing tomato sauce. This bright, fresh sauce comes together with just four ingredients in about five minutes.”
Another recipe the actor was proud to showcase was her four-ingredient hummus featuring chickpeas, tahini sauce, lemons, and olive oil.
“I’m a huge fan of hummus,” she said on the website, “but when I’m craving this creamy dip, I just don’t have the patience to wait for chickpeas to soak overnight. For a quicker version, I use canned garbanzos. Just toss them in a blender with a few flavorings to get to snacking fast!”
Try all of Bertinellli’s hearty and satisfying recipes that have helped her redefine healthy cooking in her home.
