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Hungry Girl revamps diet food
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When Lisa Lillien lost about 30 pounds seven years ago, she did it by giving up "everything good."
But she knew she couldn't maintain such a strict diet. So instead she worked to control her weight through smaller adjustments likely to last.
By May 2004, Lillien's success had prompted her to send e-mail newsletters with diet tips and recipes to a handful of weight watching friends.
Though she dreamed of turning her service into more, she let it develop naturally through word-of-mouth. It worked. By December, she was reaching about 10,000 subscribers.
Four years later, her "Hungry Girl" missives reach 450,000 subscribers daily. Now that newsletter -- and its Web site spinoff Hungry-Girl.com -- have spawned a mini-industry, including product endorsements and a new cookbook.
"I love to gossip. I love to share information. And food is something I feel really passionate about."
Nothing is off-limits for the Hungry Girl, from tuna melts to twice-baked potatoes, from brownies to banana bread. Lillien believes there's a smart way to indulge in just about anything.
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"It's just about finding guilt-free versions of the foods that you love and finding a way to incorporate things like pizza and onion rings and ice cream on a regular basis and still fit into your pants."
Fajita steak salad
The acid in Diet Coke helps tenderize the meat in this steak salad. This filling salad has just 253 calories.
Start to finish: 45 minutes (15 minutes active)
Servings: 1
3 ounces raw boneless lean top sirloin, thinly sliced
4 ounces Diet Coke
1/2 small yellow onion, sliced
1/2 medium yellow bell pepper, sliced
1/2 medium red bell pepper, sliced
3 cup chopped romaine lettuce
4 baked tortilla chips, crushed
1/4 cup salsa
2 tablespoons fat-free sour cream
In a small bowl, combine the steak slices and Diet Coke. Refrigerate for 30 minutes
Coat a nonstick skillet with cooking spray and heat over medium-high. Add the steak slices and all of the soda marinade to the skillet.
Cook for 1 to 2 minutes, or until the surface of the steak is no longer pink. Transfer the meat to a plate (leaving the marinade in the pan) and set aside.
Reduce the heat to medium. Add the onion to the skillet and saute for about 2 minutes. Add the yellow and red bell pepper and cook for another minute.
Return the steak to the skillet and cook for another minute.
To serve, arrange the lettuce in a large bowl and top with the steak and vegetable mixture. Top tortilla chips, salsa and sour cream.
(Recipe from Lisa Lillien's "Hungry Girl," St. Martin's Griffin, 2008)
Breakfast pizza
Eggs may seem an unlikely base for a pizza, but this recipe uses them to bring out the best of two dishes -- pizza and omelets. This is a filling breakfast with just 127 calories for the entire pizza.
Start to finish: 15 minutes
Servings: 1
1/4 cup canned tomato sauce
Salt, pepper and other seasonings (such as basil, oregano or red pepper flakes)
1/2 cup fat-free liquid egg substitute
2 tablespoons chopped green bell peppers
2 tablespoons chopped mushrooms
1/4 cup shredded fat-free mozzarella cheese
In a small bowl, mix the tomato sauce with desired seasonings. Set aside.
Coat a small skillet with cooking spray, then heat over low. Pour in the egg substitute, cover and cook for 3 minutes, or until the egg is mostly set.
Carefully flip the egg, cover and cook for another minute. While the egg cooks, combine the peppers and mushrooms in a small microwave-safe bowl. Microwave for 30 seconds.
Uncover the skillet and spread the tomato sauce over the egg. Sprinkle the cheese over the sauce, then top with the vegetables. Cover the skillet and cook for another 2 minutes, or until the cheese is melted.
By Hillary Rhodes
Source: El Paso TimesAll rights reserved.