Giada De Laurentiis

We're in the final push of the holiday season, but there is still some celebrating to do — a few champagne toasts included! That being said, ring in 2013 on a healthy note with Giada De Laurentiis's favorite healthy indulgence: fruit-filled Bellinis. In an exclusive POPSUGAR interview, Laurentiis shared a few tips and tricks on how to enjoy this tasty treat during the most tempting time of the year.

The champagne- and fruit-filled Bellini, unlike most sugary cocktails, is a low-calorie option (only 78 calories per four-ounce serving), while fruit is filled with fiber and antioxidants. You can have the best of both worlds by blending a bag of frozen fruit with two tablespoons of sugar in a food processor, then adding a spoonful or two to a flute of champagne. If you are hosting guests, then consider making a Bellini bar with a a variety of fruit purees. Giada recommends raspberry, blueberry, and the classic mango. Finish off your party with light appetizers that aren't bread-heavy, like this spicy chipotle hummus dip served with veggies. Cheers!

When it comes to creating a festive mood for the holidays, Giada De Laurentiis knows a little something about spicing things up. And that's not just in the kitchen, but in the beauty department, too. Giada, a spokesperson for Clairol Natural Instincts, recently switched her hair color to the brand's Navajo Bronze shade. "It's a little redder than normal," Giada said of her new color. "Last time I did Toasted Almond, but I thought in the Winter it's kind of nice to have darker hair."

The Food Network chef also shared a clever way to lighten up a delicious chocolate mousse. Taking out the dairy and replacing it with avocado, Giada made a decadent chocolate dessert far better for you than its traditional counterpart. And this smart, healthy-thinking attitude marks what Giada is all about. "Natural Instincts wants to empower women through their hair color," she said, "and I want to empower women in the kitchen."

In terms of making wise food choices a constant during this festive time, Giada has even more helpful advice: "When you go to a holiday party, make sure you eat a little something before you go. Never go hungry, or else you are going to be eating everything in front of you." And one thing she does recommend indulging in is a little bubbly. "Champagne is alcohol, but it has very low calories and low sugar, so it's actually a really great one to have during the holidays," she says. "But add a spoonful of puréed raspberries to it and all of a sudden you've added accents to your drink." Want the easy recipe? Watch Giada show us how to create the perfect holiday cocktail.

And in case you're the host of a holiday soiree, Giada has another tip for keeping it all together. "When I have a party at my house, I have a drawer in my kitchen where I keep a little mascara, a little powder, and a little lip gloss in case I need a quick touch-up." The chef also prefers "lots of shimmer eye shadow" and her hair pulled up in a bun with a sparkling elastic. Quips Giada, "My daughter loves it, so we both wear our hair the same way, and then we pull our bangs down."

“I don’t eat a lot of anything. A little bit of everything, but not a lot of everything. Small meals all day long.”

— Giada De Laurentiis

Being a chef can sometimes spell bad news for the waistline, especially if your days are full of cooking and tasting calorie-rich foods. But celebrity chef Giada DeLaurentiis's simple moderation tip seems to be working! The Food Network star looks happy and fit on the cover of November's Women's Health.

While Giada says she loves to indulge ("I would eat chocolate all day long. I also like rosé wine,” she told the magazine), she makes fitness a priority as well, enlisting the help of yoga trainer Kathryn Budig three or four days a week.

The votes have already been cast for season eight's Food Network Star. Before the winner is announced on the finale this Sunday at 9 p.m./8c, we spoke to Giada De Laurentiis on her experience as a mentor, her favorite recipe from the season, and who she's betting will win.

YumSugar: What's it like being a mentor on Food Network Star?
Giada De Laurentiis: In the past we have said that I was a mentor, but truly, I didn't really get a chance to mentor these folks. I think I learned a lot, and I feel emotionally invested in the show. I think you'll find that's what it was like for Bobby Flay and Alton Brown, as well. I really felt like [the people on my team] were almost my kids. I felt so emotionally invested in their future and in their performances.

YS: What was the most important lesson you learned from your team?
GDL: I think that one of the most important lessons I have learned from my team is that sometimes we try desperately to turn someone into something that we think they should be, when really we need to let them grow on their own. I learned that 10 weeks isn't always enough to polish that gem. It's important that [the contestants] stay true to who they are. As much as I want to make them grow and move faster, the experience of turning them into these stars takes time, and I need to be more patient.

Find out Giada's favorite recipe from the show and who she thinks will win.

Chef Giada De Laurentiis has signed on to be the spokeswoman for the Clairol Natural Instincts hair color line. And as an on-camera chef, she knows a lot about beauty and food — so much so that many of her favorite culinary ingredients are often used in her DIY beauty remedies! Find out the treatments she learned from her movie star grandmother, along with some of her other beauty tricks, when you keep reading.