The Unusual Breakfast Combo Giada De Laurentiis Eats Every Day

It's easy to imagine that celebrity chef Giada De Laurentiis, who is known for her love of Italian heritage and Italian cuisine, might want a coffee and a delicious baked good to start her day as many Europeans do. After all, she offers up recipes for such breakfast treats as blueberry-banana bread, lemon ricotta pancakes, and coffee-glazed zeppole on her website. While it's clear De Laurentiis likes to make these dishes, she, in fact, prefers to go a different direction for her first meal each morning.

De Laurentiis likes to start her day on a savory note with a combination of complex carbohydrates and fat, so she whips up a bowl of brown rice with olive oil. As she explains to Delish, she has a very specific formula for this meal: nearly three tablespoons of olive oil for just a quarter cup of brown rice. She says, "I hate to say this, but I like it swimming in olive oil." 

If you want to try De Laurentiis' favorite breakfast yourself, the recipe couldn't be simpler, calling for just a few basic ingredients you likely already have in your kitchen: brown rice, salt, a bay leaf, and extra virgin olive oil. 

Since this is quite a short ingredient list, you'd think every item is absolutely essential, but De Laurentiis will accept a few changes. While the brown rice is optional (when she's traveling, De Laurentiis often turns to oatmeal since it's easier to find and make on the road), the olive oil is non-negotiable  The chef tells Delish, "The fat in the olive oil keeps me very satisfied throughout the day. It's all about the olive oil."

For this integral ingredient, De Laurentiis is a fan of Lucini extra-virgin olive oil, which she uses for her breakfast, in salad dressings, and, of course, for cooking.

So should you take a page from De Laurentiis' book and add a little olive oil to your morning routine? It is considered a good source of fat and may help your heart stay healthy, according to Healthline; it could keep sugar levels in check and decrease inflammation as well. This savory, nutritious breakfast is certainly worth a shot — it seems to be working quite well for De Laurentiis.