My friends and I are constantly sharing recipes, especially recipes for great tasting low-fat meals and snacks. About a year ago, my friend’s friend turned her on to hungry-girl.com and she in turn, suggested it to me. I tried a few recipes—EZ Chicken Basil, Sloppy Jane—and a convert was born. I signed up for the e-mail newsletter and bought 200 under 200. I find myself quoting Hungry Girl on a regular basis, little tidbits and facts. Like, did you know that on average, most people spray cooking spray for several seconds longer than is necessary for what the serving size calls for? It could add loads of extra calories if you’re not careful.
While my feeling is that everyone should eat based on what works for her own personal diet and tastes, I also think it’s important to always know what you’re eating. Be aware of the nutritional content of the foods you eat. And let Hungry Girl help you. She’s got tons of helpful advice and suggestions. If you educate yourself about what you’re eating, it’s much easier to make healthy choices. My brother-in-law and I recently had a debate over which is worse for you: sausage, egg, and cheese on a muffin or a blueberry yogurt muffin? I’ll have to write in to Hungry Girl for that one.
While a lot of critics complain that Lisa (Lillien, the author behind the Hungry-Girl site and books) uses too many artificial ingredients in her recipes, there are many recipes that are just reduced-fat versions of your favorites. Try ‘em. I bet you’ll barely notice the difference. But you will save a ton of fat and calories! To get you started, here's a yummy recipe from Lisa's newest book, Hungry Girl 1-2-3:
Totally Thai Chicken Lettuce Cups
(makes 1 serving)
- 3/4 cup peeled and diced cucumber
- 2 scallions, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
- 2 tablespoons shredded carrot
- 2 tablespoons seasoned rice vinegar
- 1 tablespoon chopped cilantro
- Dash crushed red pepper, or more to taste
- 3 ounces raw boneless skinless lean
- chicken breast, cubed
- 1/8 teaspoon garlic powder
- 11/2 tablespoons Thai peanut salad dressing or sauce (low in fat with about 35 calories per tablespoon)
- 3 leaves romaine, butter, or green leaf lettuce
- Optional garnishes: lime wedges, sesame seeds
In a bowl, combine cucumber, scallions, carrot shreds, rice vinegar, cilantro, and crushed red pepper. Mix well and refrigerate until you’re ready to assemble your cups. Bring a skillet sprayed with nonstick spray to medium-high heat. Add chicken and sprinkle with garlic powder. Cook chicken, stirring occasionally, until browned and cooked through, about 4 minutes.
Place chicken and peanut dressing or sauce in a bowl and toss to coat. Remove veggie mixture from the fridge. To assemble, evenly distribute the veggie mixture and the chicken among the lettuce “cups.” If you like, finish with a squirt of lime juice and a sprinkle of sesame seeds. Chomp chomp!
per serving (entire recipe): 227 calories, 4.5g fat,
875mg sodium, 21g carbs, 3g fiber, 12.5g sugars, 23g protein
Are you a Hungry Girl fan? What's your favorite HG recipe or tip?
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