Strawberry, Chocolate or Vanilla?

photo: Getty Images/WireImage

27 year actress Leelee Sobieski, nominated for an Emmy for her performance in the mini-series Joan of Arc (1999), and her fashion designer fiancé, Adam Kimmel, are expecting their first baby.  A representative of Leelee’s has confirmed the news and also said that the couple is “thrilled” to welcome their first child in December.

Leelee is experiencing plenty of cravings with this first pregnancy and has a theory – “I think I like eating what little kids eat,” Sobieski told PEOPLE at the season opening of the Metropolitan Opera on Monday in New York City.  Chowing down frequently on macaroni and cheese, Sobieski, 27, says that she is preparing for the baby by doing two things: relaxing and eating lots of ice cream.

Leelee appeared in this summer’s Public Enemies (alongside Johnny Depp), modeled for her fiancés Fall/Winter 2009 look book, and will be starring in the indie drama Mad Cow opposite Arrested Development‘s Jeffrey Tambor.

All of us at le•top wish you congratulations on your upcoming new addition! We love ice cream too!

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Pregnancy: How Much Weight Did You Gain?

I was reading a blog entry about Maya Rudolph gaining 70 pounds with her first pregnancy. And I’m thinking, “OMG! That’s a lot of weight.” But I don’t think it’s completely out of the ordinary. A lot of my mommy friends gained around 50 pounds, and some up to 100 pounds. And these women are small and petite.

When I was pregnant (both times), my doctor suggested that I gain no more than 25 pounds. The first time around, I said, “Sure, no problem.” But as the pregnancy progressed, my total weight gain was around 35-40 pounds. It wasn’t like I pigged out on everything, nor was I “eating for two.” But I definitely couldn’t control my weight gain. With my second pregnancy (since I had gestational diabetes), I was put on a low-carb, no sugar diet, and I followed this diet to a T for the health and well-being of my unborn child. Trust me. It was HARD not to give in to my cravings. Yet, I still gained about 30 pounds. My point is, whether I followed a nutritional diet or not, I still gained over the recommended 25 pounds.

Just out of curiosity, how much weight did you gain?

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Le Top Chef Series: No Sugar Pineapple Coconut Sorbet

Here’s another quickie, no sugar added recipe from my good friend Sharon. I just made it today and I love, love, LOVE it!!!  The best part of this delicious frozen treat is that it barely made a dent in my glucose levels. How “sweet” is that?

All you need are a few frozen fresh pineapple pieces and 1/2 cup of coconut milk. The coconut milk has only 1 gram of carbs! (Pineapples, coconuts, bananas? Hmm… I see a theme here. I think I’m having a tropical monkey baby.)

Blend all the ingredients together until slushy, and BAM… Another sugar-free treat! If the mixture isn’t slushy enough, you can put it back in the freezer for a few minutes. You can also add a bit of sugar-substitute is you prefer it to be a little sweeter.

I had this sorbet for a snack this afternoon, and it was yummy! I also had some for dessert after dinner. I was so pleasantly surprised (both times!) that my glucose levels stayed low. Now I have two fruity, no sugar snacks to choose from: this one and the banana with cocoa powder.

You’re the best, Sharon! Keep sending me more recipes.

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Confessions of a Preggy with GD

Hmm... what should I eat?

I wake up, and I want a bowl of cereal with fruit. But nooooo(!), I can’t have any of those things for breakfast. So I have to muster all my willpower to eat eggs and a hotdog despite the fact that my mouth is really craving a deliciously cool, refreshing, invigorating, sweet glass of OJ to wash down all that protein.

Come snack time (with my hotdog breath – even though I brushed my teeth!), I feel a false sense of liberation – like I can eat ANYTHING (but not really)! It’s just that I can eat fruit or have a glass of milk if I so desire. So I grab a little tub of baby yogurt, but realize I also want a banana, but I can only have either dairy or fruit. So I stand in the kitchen contemplating what I REALLY want for a treat, and have to remember that I need to also follow it with a handful of nuts or a hard boiled egg (Mmm… not!). Can you picture this? I stand there almost walking around in circles… ARGHH.

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Le Top Chef Series: No Sugar Frozen Banana Treat

Since my announcement (okay, whining) that I have been diagnosed with gestational diabetes and banned from sugar, I have been missing my No. 1 pregnancy craving: banana splits!! A good friend of mine passed on an excellent substitute, which I love!

Take a frozen banana, add a tsp. of unsweetened organic cocoa powder, and either mash it all together or run through a food processor. Voilà…it’s a sugar-free dessert! The banana makes this a nutritious treat while the added cocoa powder makes this a guilty pleasure.

It may not be a banana split, but it sure does hit the spot!

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