http://bostonherald.com/entertainment/food_dining/food/view.bg?articleid=1320359&position=1
Shannon Allen believes there’s no need to sacrifice flavor on the altar of good health.
In her new television show, “The Pregame Meal,” which debuted last week on Comcast SportsNet and NECN, the wife of Boston Celtics [team stats] star Ray Allen prepares delicious recipes that are also good for you — with assistance from local sports figures and celebrities.
Among those joining Allen behind the stove are Boston Red Sox [team stats] third baseman Kevin Youkilis [stats], New England Patriots [team stats] wide receiver Wes Welker, MIX 104.1 FM DJ Sue Brady and superstar chef Ming Tsai of Wellesley’s Blue Ginger. Plus, many of Ray Allen’s teammates show up.
While she whipped up a pot of turkey chili one recent afternoon in her Metrowest kitchen, Allen said the idea for the show came from her own experience cooking for her husband and family.
“I’m not a chef,” she said. “I don’t pretend to be. I’m just a busy mom who has happened to be making a pregame meal for the past 15 years. I have a husband who is a professional athlete and food is very important in getting him to his next athletic performance.”
Additionally, the discovery that one of her sons — who’s 4 years old — has type 1 diabetes brought a new awareness to Allen’s approach to cooking.
“I never even knew what a carb was before Walker was diagnosed and I had no idea how it impacted your body and your circulatory system, your pancreas,” she said. “I didn’t even know what blood sugar was. But you really have to have a conscious effort and take responsibility for what you put in your mouth because eventually it really does affect your overall health and wellness.”
Allen’s refrigerator and pantry are stocked with healthy ingredients.