A Model's Foodie Blog That's Not About Diets

Model & food blogger Elettra Wiedemann. Photo: Fabio Chizzola Trunk Archive

When models reveal their diets, it’s often to answer the question of how exactly they stay so skinny. Advice on green juices, an abundance of water, and lots of veggies usually follows. Model-turned-food blogger, Elettra Wiedemann’s mouth-watering website Impatient Foodie offers a different approach. While there are plenty of healthy dishes like quinoa bowls and salad wraps, you will also find amazing recipes for sour cream pancakes and Nutella tarts.

Related: Real Talk With Clean Food Dirty City

The focus at Impatient Foodie on finding the most delicious recipes that work for a busy lifestyle. “I’ve found there is a disconnect between food reality and food aspiration,” says Wiedemann. “So many people want to make good and responsible food choices, but they don’t really have time to spend five hours at the farmer’s market or stand over a pot of stew for four hours while it simmers. A lot of the food sites don’t speak to those time constraints.” When Wiedemann develops recipes, she aims to create dishes that feature healthy local ingredients, are uncomplicated, and don’t take too much time. “I am the most impatient person I know, so if I feel like cooking a dish was a relatively painless process, I post it. If I feel exasperated and annoyed, I don’t share it. I don’t post things that take two days to prep and hours to cook. My life is too chaotic most of the time to commit to that kind of cooking.”

Wiedemann health philosophy isn’t about eliminating foods, but about everything in moderation. “If I eat pasta al forno one night, then I probably plan for breakfast and lunch to be a little bit lighter. It’s not about restricting yourself, it’s about keeping an eye on the balance.” That balance occasionally means indulging.  “Sometimes it’s OK to just blow the doors off and not worry about it. You just run for an extra half hour on Monday and Tuesday and everything will even out.”  It does help that Weidemann is a fitness buff who has completed five triathalons, however. The one thing Wiedemann does try to minimize? Meat recipes. “Meat carries a huge carbon footprint, especially if somebody were to eat it everyday,” she explains. “A meat dish every once in a while isn’t going to hurt anybody, but it’s not something you should be eating every day.”

Related: Healthy Living on the Cheap

Sweet Potato Pie. Photo: Davide Luciano. Styling: Claudia Ficca

Wiedemann, who was first discovered by Bruce Weber and is the daughter of model and actress Isabella Rossellini, admits that her modeling career has influenced her approach to food and health. “When I started, I really had to teach myself how to cook really good food, but without all the extra stuff, I didn’t worry about when I was growing up like fats, and sugars.” Wiedemann explains. “Most of the models I know are really great cooks for that same reason. We’ve had to relearn how to cook.” She notes a distinction between today’s models with the supermodels of the ‘90s. “They all talked about drinking champagne and eating cotton balls, but now there is much more of a focus in the fashion community on making good choices. I think everybody understands it’s more of a sustainable, long-term strategy for health and looking your best.” Her favorite beauty food?  “My very Italian answer is olive oil. I think it’s really good for you. It helps your skin, body, hair and everything.”

Frittata Tricolore. Photo: Davide Luciano. Styling: Claudia Ficca

FRITTATA TRICOLORE + A SALAD WITH ELETTRA’S SECRET DRESSING

- Serves about 4 people-

6 EGGS, SCRAMBLED

3 TOMATOES, ROUGHLY CHOPPED

1 HANDFUL OF RAW SPINACH, WASHED AND DRIED, ROUGHLY CHOPPED.

1 CUP OF MOZZARELLA, CUT INTO SMALL CUBES

½ – 1 CUP COOKED QUINOA (OPTIONAL)

LETTUCE, WASHED AND DRIED WELL

1 TABLESPOON OF TAHINI

2-3 TABLESPOONS OF OLIVE OIL

½ TEASPOON OF BALSAMIC VINEGAR

SALT TO TASTE

.    Set your oven to 400°F

.    Oil a skillet or oven proof pan and set aside

.    Scramble your eggs and set aside

.    Chop up your tomatoes, spinach, mozzarella, sprinkle in (optional) cooked quinoa and add to the eggs with a pinch of salt. Mix well so everything is distributed evenly.

.    Put the egg mix into a skillet over high heat and cook until it just starts to set, then put it in the hot oven 8-10 minutes (set a timer!)

.    Meanwhile, wash you lettuce and dry well. Set aside.

.    In a small bowl, whisk the tahini, olive oil, vinegar and mix extremely well until it’s looks like a thick sauce. Add salt to taste. If you want a thinner dressing, add in more olive oil or ½ teaspoon of water.

.    When your timer goes off, check the frittata. If you want it to be more golden on the top put it under the broiler. Each broiler is different – 4 minutes did the trick for us, but watch yours like a hawk because broilers can go very bad, very quickly!

Serve frittata with salad.