Cookbook author keeps ties to Northbrook strong

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Gigi Verrey is the author of "Okay, So I Got Fat." Verrey was a long-time resident of Northbrook and still comes to Sunset Foods to shop. | Joe Cyganowski~for Sun Times Media

Updated: March 24, 2012 8:54AM

Mark your calendar now for Tuesday at Northbrook Sunset Foods to sample fare prepared by author Gigi Verrey, formerly of Northbrook.

Now a recent resident of Lake Forest — Verrey, author of Okay, So I Got Fat prepares healthy fare she’s proud to serve to her family which includes her son Adam, 18, a Glenbrook North High School senior.

She and her husband Robert Gulans, a Wilmette vice-president of marketing operations, also are parents of Ben, 22, an Illinois State University junior and their youngest Joe, 8, a Bannockburn School third-grader.

And while Verrey is thrilled to be a new Lake County resident — Cook County amenities keep her driving back to Northbrook for errands and more.

“Honestly, we couldn’t get the same land for the money in Northbrook and so we decided to move to Lake Forest,” said Verrey.

“It was a difficult decision.”

How has Adam’s commute been from Lake Forest to Northbrook’s GBN?

“Not so bad,” reports his mom, “when the weather is decent.

“We bought him a car to sweeten the deal.

“He wasn’t happy about the move, especially, since most of his gang often hung out at our place.”

With Adam completing his high school career at GBN, Verrey naturally finds herself standing on Northbrook soil.

“The people make Northbrook a great place to be and live,” with Verrey noting: “Their kindness, generosity and inspiration.

“I can’t tell you how often, at the Starbucks on Cherry Lane, people would stop to talk and ask me about my book. I wrote and researched a fair amount of the book while drinking Venti Green Teas at that Starbucks. These lovely comments and inquiries kept me going.”

At the Northbrook Sunset Foods, Verrey will prepare a recipe found in Okay, So I Got Fat.

“I am so excited about this opportunity and so glad I am ‘cutting my teeth’ with such a lovely group of people,” said Verrey, grateful for the Sunset Foods opportunity.

What does Verrey appreciate and maybe miss the most about Northbrook?

“I have to say again, the people, Ron Bernardi and Bruce and the gang at Sunset,” said Verrey. “Sounds corny, but I love it there.

“It’s funny, Bruce (Gonzalez, Northbrook store manager) will find me and tell me about a new product and want me to try it out and give him my opinion. That just doesn’t happen at the bigger stores.

“While working on the 13th version of a recipe for the book, I would often need to run to Sunset for an ingredient,” said Verrey.

“I got to know everyone there pretty well over the years!”

About the book (sold via her website www.gigiverrey.com, Amazon.com and at Northbrook’s Book Bin) — the question begs: So, is it true you really got fat?

“Yes I did,” said Verrey. “It wasn’t difficult. Here’s how I did it: I got married and started living the American Dream!”

But seriously: “Really, I stopped shopping for and preparing healthy meals. More to the point, I somehow lost the time to plan healthy meals — there is a difference.

“Being a parent, business owner, and caregiver (homework, lacrosse, baseball, basketball practice, tutors) left me exhausted.”

Verrey described a former typical day, which provided fodder for a food book.

“Our typical day?” asked Verrey.

“I’d get home from work too pooped to open the refrigerator (knowing that the shopping day I kept putting off would come back to bite me in the butt), so I perfected my trademark “big sigh,” which was Rob’s (my husband’s) cue to respond to my pathetic look with, ‘Let’s go out to eat.’”

Admits Verrey: “No food was off limits. We ate fast food, nice food, and not-so-nice victuals. We ate for convenience and speed and it made us fat!”

Now with a healthy outlook, Verrey promotes “a little planning and a few simple rules.”

And first and foremost — she warns to be careful what you read.

“The difficulty for many is that there is so much information out there,” said Verrey. “Reporters (no malice intended), the Internet, newspapers and radio give us contradictory information.

“I came up with a few rules that worked. For example, ratatouille is served on Sunday night and then the leftovers are transformed into a pasta sauce served over quinoa spaghetti.”

Verrey adds color commentary: “Yum —these recipes are simple, have fewer ingredients (by in large) and are delicious! Check out my website when you have a minute: Cook and Share specifically to see some of the recipes. I am adding more adapted (Gigi-ized) recipes daily.”

“It is a work in progress!”

See her at Sunset Foods Tuesday from 6-7:30 p.m. Visit www.gigiverrey.com.

Sweet potatoes and onions

Gigi Verrey said, “This recipe is easy, amazingly tasty, and incredibly versatile.”

Yield: 6 cups

Double the recipe for breakfast, lunch, and dinner options.

3 medium sweet potatoes, peeled and sliced thin

1 medium red onion, sliced thin (about 2 cups)

Extra virgin olive oil

Sea salt and pepper to taste

Heat oven to 425 degrees. Slice onion and sweet potatoes. On a large baking sheet with sides, covered with parchment paper, layer sweet potatoes and red onions. Sprinkle with olive oil, salt, and pepper. Repeat sweet potato, red onion, and olive oil layers until veggies are used up (think lasagna). Bake 30 minutes or until the onion is slightly brown. Set aside 3 cups in an airtight container and refrigerate for later use. Serve the remaining potato/onion casserole for dinner.

Meal options

Roasted sweet potato and onion soup (makes about 3 cups)

Prepare above recipe. Mix 2 cups of the reserved sweet potatoes and onions with 2 cups organic chicken broth in a medium saucepan. Bring the soup to a boil, stir, and lower heat. Simmer 5 minutes. Turn heat off and let the pot cool for 10 minutes. Transfer the veggies and broth to a blender or food processor and puree until smooth. Add ¼ cup chicken broth and ¼ teaspoon curry powder (optional). Blend 30 seconds. Season with salt and pepper to taste; serve.

Sweet potatoes and eggs

In a medium frying pan over medium heat add a bit of olive oil. Add ½ cup sweet potatoes and onions per serving; cook undisturbed for 5 minutes or until warm. Flip once and move to the side so you can cook the eggs adjacent to the potato-onion mix. Add a bit more oil, crack 1 egg per serving and sprinkle with sea salt and pepper. Cover and cook for approximately 3 minutes.

Breakfast burrito

In a medium frying pan and over medium heat, add a bit of olive oil. Toss 1 cup sweet potatoes and onions into the oil plus ½ can of rinsed and drained black beans. Cook 5 minutes without stirring; flip once and move to one side of the pan. Add a bit more oil, crack two eggs per serving. Sprinkle with sea salt and pepper. Cover and cook for about 3 minutes. Uncover and serve with warm sprouted corn tortillas. Hot sauce optional. Yummy!