GO AHEAD, EAT! HUNGRY GIRL TAKES THE INSANITY OUT OF INDULGING.Byline: Natalie Haughton Food Editor Some 95,000 hungry chicks (and a few guys, too) hang on every word a certain Encino Hungry Girl sends them each weekday. That gal is the petite (5-foot, 1-inch, 118 pounds), 39-year old Lisa Lillien, who started her free Hungry Girl e-mails with 200 subscribers (mostly friends) just two years ago. Also known as the Hollywood diet guru, she's been on TV's "Extra," where you may have seen her whipping up healthier home versions of popular foods like a Starbucks strawberries and creme frappuccino or a McDonald's Egg McMuffin. Or you may recognize her name from the latest celebrity, diet and fitness issue of People (released Friday). Inside, she penned a "trick your taste buds taste buds taste npl → Geschmacksknospen pl " article with guilt-free versions of Oreo McFlurries -- a Brad Pitt favorite -- and butternut butternut: see walnut. butternut Deciduous nut-producing tree (Juglans cinerea) of the walnut family, native to eastern North America. A mature tree has gray, deeply furrowed bark. squash fries for french-fry lovers like Cameron Diaz. Subscriptions to Lillien's mailings have grown like hotcakes -- mainly by word of mouth -- and she hopes to reach 100,000 by Hungry Girl's second birthday at the end of the month. "I haven't paid one penny to market or advertise the site," says Lillien. "Hungry Girl is not a destination site (although you can find archives on the site at www.hungry-girl.com) it's a free daily e-mail subscription service similar in format to Daily Candy." Her e-mails (geared primarily to women 18 to 54), have a different theme each weekday, and tout the latest diet- and food-related news. That includes guiltless guilt·less adj. Free of guilt; innocent. guilt  less·ly adv.guilt new products and other food finds that fulfill cravings with less fat and fewer calories. There's also restaurant info and lots of tips, tricks and shockers (like a slice of carrot cake Carrot cake is a sweet spice cake with grated carrot mixed into the batter. The carrot softens in the cooking process, and the cake usually has a soft, dense texture. The carrots themselves enhance the flavour, texture and appearance of the cake. at a local restaurant chain that has 1,560 calories). And it's all done with plenty of fun and humor sprinkled in along the way. Not a nutritionist nu·tri·tion·ist n. One who is trained or is an expert in the field of nutrition. nutritionist Dietitian, see there or dietitian dietitian /di·e·ti·tian/ (di?e-tish´in) one skilled in the use of diet in health and disease. di·e·ti·tian or di·e·ti·cian n. A person specializing in dietetics. , the Brooklyn native, who moved to the Valley from New York New York, state, United States New York, Middle Atlantic state of the United States. It is bordered by Vermont, Massachusetts, Connecticut, and the Atlantic Ocean (E), New Jersey and Pennsylvania (S), Lakes Erie and Ontario and the Canadian province of seven years ago, refers to herself as a foodologist. Obsessed ob·sess v. ob·sessed, ob·sess·ing, ob·sess·es v.tr. To preoccupy the mind of excessively. v.intr. with food and struggling with weight issues most of her life, she knows what it's like to fight the battle of the bulge Battle of the Bulge, popular name in World War II for the German counterattack in the Ardennes, Dec., 1944–Jan., 1945. It is also known as the Battle of the Ardennes. On Dec. . "I grew up (on Long Island) in a dieting household with a mom (Florence Lillien) who was on every fad diet fad diet Popular nutrition Any of a number of weight-reduction diets that either eliminate one or more of the essential food groups, or recommend consumption of one type of food in excess at the expense of other foods; FDs rarely follow modern principles for losing under the sun. She was overweight a yo-yo dieter and always struggled with 30 to 40 pounds or so. I recall eating diet baked apples with cherry soda, chocolate-flavor Alba 77, Weight Watchers dried apple snacks and crazy recipes from the '70s. I would sometimes go on the fad diets with my mom when I was teenager, as I always wanted to lose 15 to 20 pounds." But all that changed five years ago when she lost 25 pounds (on her own diet with lots of fruits and vegetables, lean meat, lots of water and exercise, but no rice, potatoes, bread, pastas or starches). "I realized I didn't want to live the rest of my life never eating those things again," she notes. "So I started exploring different options and turned to Weight Watchers' point system for maintenance (she joined online). It seemed to be the most reasonable way to incorporate things like bread, cake, cookies, snacks, etc., back into my diet." It's a lifestyle for her now. "There is nothing I don't eat there are things I eat more of or less of but I pretty much eat everything. "The key for me is to find food swaps guilt-free alternatives to the foods I love. If I want pizza, lasagna, hamburger, french fries, chocolate, ice cream, etc., I have guilt-free versions I can indulge in, but not all on the same day. It is like a safety net to know that they are there for me." And that's what really inspired her to start Hungry Girl. There is plenty of obvious diet information available, but, "The stuff that is a little more tricky is how to deal with your cravings for indulgent foods. "My philosophy of eating is you're only as bad as your last meal. The most important thing is to get back on track right after you make a bad food choice and not let it snowball into a day or three or five days." A graduate of the State University of New York (body) State University of New York - (SUNY) The public university system of New York State, USA, with campuses throughout the state. at Albany with a major in communications, Lillien has worked in entertainment media for Nickelodeon, TV Land and, most recently, Warner Bros BROS Brothers BROS Benefits and Retirement Operations Section (King County, Washington) BROS Barnes and Richmond Operatic Society (London, UK) . But she left to concentrate on Hungry Girl and now consults a couple of days a week. Lillien receives about 200 e-mails weekly "love letters," she calls them. "I feel like you're my long lost girlfriend," says one subscriber. Another writes, "Sometimes being overweight and dieting is like being adrift in a giant wasteland, but your sense of humor Noun 1. sense of humor - the trait of appreciating (and being able to express) the humorous; "she didn't appreciate my humor"; "you can't survive in the army without a sense of humor" sense of humour, humor, humour and good information help me make it through the day quite often." "Her writing is energetic, enthusiastic, informative and entertaining and it's almost like talking to Noun 1. talking to - a lengthy rebuke; "a good lecture was my father's idea of discipline"; "the teacher gave him a talking to" lecture, speech rebuke, reprehension, reprimand, reproof, reproval - an act or expression of criticism and censure; "he had to her personally," says Flora Becker of Sherman Oaks, a meeting leader at Weight Watchers for two decades. Lillien's power is immense these days and she has impacted the sales of several products, even though she is not paid to write about them. "I write about what I love and I'm not afraid to name names." When she wrote a rave review about Tofu Shirataki noodles Shirataki noodles are thin, gelatinous traditional Japanese noodles made from the roots of the Konjac plant which grows in subtropical and tropical parts of eastern Asia. Also known as konnyaku and elephant yam (not related to any other species of yam. (her site had so many hits, it was down for an hour) and did a segment on them for "Extra," sales skyrocketed. And high demand for them on Amazon.com's gourmet food section (where they are one of the hottest-selling food products) caused delivery delays for manufacturer House Foods. When she's not working or exercising, you might find Lillien hunting for favorite collectibles (advertising memorabilia, kitschy '70s and '80s stuff), traveling or eating out with her husband, Dan Schneider Dan Schneider may refer to:
Natalie Haughton, (818) 713-3692 natalie.haughton(at)dailynews.com Shrimptastic Fettuccine fet·tuc·ci·ne n. In both senses also called tagliatelle. 1. Pasta in narrow flat strips. 2. A dish made with such strips of pasta. [Italian, pl. Hungry Girlfredo 1 (8-ounce) package refrigerated re·frig·er·ate tr.v. re·frig·er·at·ed, re·frig·er·at·ing, re·frig·er·ates 1. To cool or chill (a substance). 2. To preserve (food) by chilling. Tofu Shirataki Fettuccine Shape noodles noo·dle 1 n. A narrow, ribbonlike strip of dried dough, usually made of flour, eggs, and water. [German Nudel. 1 wedge Laughing Cow Light, Creamy Swiss Original cheese 2 teaspoons Kraft Reduced Fat Parmesan Cheese a kind of cheese of a rich flavor, though from skimmed milk, made in Parma, Italy. See also: Parmesan 1 teaspoon fat free sour cream 1/3 cup chopped cooked broccoli 5 medium cooked shrimp Salt and pepper
Rinse fettuccine noodles VERY well. Microwave in a glass dish on high power 1 minute; drain well and pat dry. Add cheeses, sour cream and broccoli. Mix thoroughly. Microwave on high power 30 to 45 seconds, stirring once or twice, to melt cheese. Top with cooked shrimp. Add salt and pepper to taste. Makes 1 serving NUTRITIONAL INFORMATION PER SERVING: 135 calories; 4.5 grams fat; 11.5 grams carbohydrate; 5 grams fiber; 11 grams protein. Upside Down Coconut Cream Pie A cream pie is a type of pie typically made of usually firmer versions of dessert-style puddings. It is a typically American dessert. The filling is usually a rich custard made with flour and/or cornflour, eggs and milk. 1 Jell-O Sugar Free Vanilla Pudding Snack cup 1/4 teaspoon coconut extract OR 1 teaspoon Torani Sugar Free Coconut Syrup 1 Honey Maid graham cracker square, crumbled OR 1/4 pouch of a 100 Calorie Packs, Honey Maid Cinnamon Thin Crisps, crushed Shredded coconut Fat Free Reddi-wip Scoop pudding out of plastic container and place in a dish. Mix in extract or syrup. Top with crushed graham crackers and a mini handful of shredded coconut. Finish off with a squirt or two of Reddi-wip. Makes 1 serving NUTRITIONAL INFORMATION PER SERVING: 130 calories; 5.5 grams fat; 15 grams carbohydrate; 1.5 grams fiber; 1.5 grams protein. GOOEY See GUI. CHILI CHEESE NACHOS NACHOS Not Another Completely Heuristic Operating System 3 ounces fat-free Cheddar cheese 2 ounces Velveeta Light 2 tablespoons fat free cream cheese 1/2 cup light vanilla soy milk Soy milk (also called soya milk or soybean milk) and sometimes referred to as soy drink/beverage and even soy latte) is a beverage made from soybeans originating from China. 1 (7-ounce) bag Guiltless Gourmet Guiltless Gourmet is a snack food brand. It was founded in 1989 by Doug Forman, who was looking to create a healthy chip. The first tortilla chips were created in his kitchen and distributed locally. The brand became very popular and grew quickly. Tortilla Chips, Yellow Corn flavor 1 (10-ounce) package Boca Meatless Chili Salsa 2 tablespoons fat free sour cream Melt all three cheeses in a saucepan with soy milk. Place chips on a large microwave-safe platter (and heat in microwave oven). Heat chili (in microwave oven), and cover chips with it. Pour cheese sauce all over chili on chips. Spoon salsa on top, along with a few dollops of sour cream. Makes 5 servings NUTRITIONAL INFORMATION PER 1/5 OF RECIPE: 259 calories; 4.5 grams fat; 40 grams carbohydrate; 5 grams fiber; 15.5 grams protein. HUNGRY GIRL'S RECIPE: FANTASTIC FUDGE CAKE A fudge cake is a small chocolate pastry that contains fudge. They are shaped as small round cakes, hence the name. "This recipe is also known as "Death By Chocolate, if topped with chocolate ice cream and lashings of whipped cream. SUNDAE 1 Deep Chocolate Vitalicious VitaTop (purchase at www.vitalicious.com) 1/2 cup Dreyer's Slow Churned Rich & Creamy Light Vanilla Ice Robert Matthew Van Winkle (born October 31, 1968), better known as Vanilla Ice, is a Grammy Award nominated, American Music Award winning American rapper and actor known mostly for the 1990 single "Ice Ice Baby. Cream Fat-Free Reddi-wip Rainbow sprinkles for top Heat VitaTop in microwave oven on high power 10 seconds. Place ice cream on top. Top with a squirt of Reddi-wip and a few sprinkles. Makes 1 serving NUTRITIONAL INFORMATION PER SERVING: 210 calories; 5 grams fat; 275 milligrams sodium; 40 grams carbohydrate; 6 grams fiber; 7 grams protein. PEPPERONI PIZZAS 1 light English muffin 1 tablespoon Buitoni Garden Vegetable Sauce 1 ounce shredded fat free mozzarella moz·za·rel·la n. A mild white Italian cheese that has a rubbery texture and is often eaten melted, as on pizza. [Italian, diminutive of mozza, a cut, mozzarella, from mozzare, cheese 8 slices turkey pepperoni Split English muffin, spread sauce on each half. Top with cheese. Place pepperoni on top (cut pepperoni into small pieces and it'll seem like more). Bake at 350 degrees 12 to 14 minutes. Makes 1 serving NUTRITIONAL INFORMATION PER SERVING: 182 calories; 2.5 grams fat; 24 grams carbohydrate; 5 grams fiber; 19 grams protein. HUNGRY GIRL'S 100-CALORIE PINA COLADA pi·ña co·la·da n. A mixed drink made of rum, coconut cream, and unsweetened pineapple juice. [Spanish, strained pineapple : piña, pineapple + colada, strained. FREEZE 1 1/2 ounces Bacardi Island Breeze (liquor), coconut flavor 3 tablespoons Torani Sugar Free Coconut Syrup 1/4 cup low-fat OR low-calorie vanilla ice cream (such as Breyer's Cal Smart) 1 tablespoon crushed pineapple in its own juice 3/4 cup crushed ice 1 packet Splenda (individual size) Combine all ingredients in a blender container. Blend on high speed 30 seconds. Pour into a tall glass. Makes 1 serving NUTRITIONAL INFORMATION PER SERVING (APPROXIMATE): 100 calories; 1.5 grams fat; 12 grams carbohydrate; 2.5 grams fiber; 1.5 grams protein. HUNGRY GIRL'S STRAWBERRY CLOUD 2/3 cup frozen strawberries (plain NOT in syrup) 5 ounces light vanilla soy milk 2 teaspoons Coffee-mate Powder French Vanilla Fat Free (dissolved in 2 tablespoons warm water) 2 tablespoons Torani Sugar Free Strawberry Syrup 3 packets Splenda (individual size) 3 large ice cubes Fat Free Reddi-wip (in a can) Place all ingredients except Reddi-wip in a blender container. Blend on high speed 30 to 45 seconds until well blended and smooth. Pour in a tall glass and top with Reddi-wip. Makes 1 serving NUTRITIONAL INFORMATION PER SERVING: 135 calories; 1 gram fat; 82 milligrams sodium; 28 grams carbohydrate; 2.5 grams fiber; 4 grams protein. TOPSY TURVY BANANA CREAM PIE Banana cream pie, or Banana creme pie, is a banana variant of cream pie. It is a dessert often comprised of the following ingredients: a baked pie crust (sometimes made from graham flour), sugar, flour, salt, milk, eggs, butter, vanilla, and bananas and banana 1/2 cup sugar-free, fat-free vanilla pudding (prepared from an INSTANT sugar free pudding mix with nonfat non·fat adj. Lacking fat solids or having the fat content removed. milk) 1/4 banana, thinly sliced 2 tablespoons (frozen, thawed) Cool Whip Cool Whip is a brand of imitation whipped cream called a "whipped topping" by its manufacturer. It is used as a dessert topping and in some no-bake pie recipes. It is generally described as "non-dairy" as it contains no cream or milk and no lactose, though it does contain the Free 1/4 pouch of a 100-Calorie Pack of Honey Maid Cinnamon Thin Crisps Place pudding in small dish, then top with banana slices. Spread Cool Whip over bananas, then top with crushed thin crisps. Makes 1 serving NUTRITIONAL INFORMATION PER SERVING: 143 calories; 0.5 gram fat; 22 grams carbohydrate; 1.25 grams fiber; 1 gram protein. Top 10 super products Here are some of Lisa Lillien's favorite guiltless products to fulfill all kinds of cravings without overindulging. Most can be found in supermarkets nationwide (except where noted). Jell-O Sugar Free Reduced Calorie Pudding Snacks No matter what flavor you choose (double chocolate, vanilla, etc. they're all great), you'll spend just 60 calories and 1.5 grams of fat per snack cup to have a sweet, delicious, creamy treat (made with Splenda). Packaged six to a carton, they're especially good with a little squirt of Fat Free Reddi-wip on top. Torani Sugar Free Coconut Syrup Even though all of Torani's sugar free syrup flavors are good, the coconut is especially magical, says Lisa Lillien. This calorie-free stuff (with Splenda) does wonders for coffee drinks and is awesome for guilt-free pina coladas, too. Dreyer's Slow Churned Rich & Creamy Light Ice Cream This ice cream is so good you will not believe it's low in fat. It is hands-down the best-tasting scoopable guilt-free ice cream, notes Lillien. All of the flavors (almond praline, French silk, peanut butter cup, raspberry chip royale, cookie dough Cookie dough refers to a blend of cookie ingredients which has been mixed into a solid yet malleable form but has not yet been hardened by heat. The dough is often then separated and the portions baked to individual cookies, or eaten as is. , chocolate chip Chocolate chips are small chunks of chocolate. They are often sold in a round, flat-bottomed teardrop shape (similar to a Hershey's Kiss). They are available in numerous sizes, from large to miniature, but are usually around 1 cm in diameter. , rocky road, vanilla, chocolate, strawberry and more) are fantastic, but Lillien's absolute favorite is the limited-edition Girl Scout Samoa cookies flavor (available through the end of April). Calories range from 100 to 130 and fat from 3.5 to 6 grams per 1/2 cup serving. The ice cream is packed in 1.75-quart containers. Jolly Time 100 Calorie Healthy Pop Kettle Corn, Mini Bags You'll never have to worry about overeating overeating eating too much food too quickly; leads to acute gastric dilatation in dogs and horses, acute carbohydrate engorgement in ruminants, dietetic (dietary) diarrhea in young calves and foals, abomasal tympany in bottle fed lambs and calves. popcorn again with these perfectly portioned mini bags (designed for microwaving) in a variety of flavors including the fantastic Kettle Corn (with Splenda). Each bag contains 100 calories and 2 grams fat. Amy's Mexican Tamale Pie This delicious, frozen, organic, savory vegetarian dish (packaged in an 8-ounce box) made with pinto beans, corn, zucchini and crushed tomatoes and topped with a light polenta po·len·ta n. A thick mush made of cornmeal boiled in water or stock. [Italian, from Latin, crushed grain, barley meal.] Noun 1. contains just 150 calories (hard to believe) and 3 grams of fat. CocoaVia Chocolate and Snack Bars, various flavors "Healthy chocolate? That rocks! These deliciously decadent chocolate bars and snack bars taste amazing, but they're packed with antioxidants Antioxidants Substances that reduce the damage of the highly reactive free radicals that are the byproducts of the cells. Mentioned in: Aging, Nutritional Supplements antioxidants, n. and calcium. All that for just 80 to 100 calories and about 3 to 5 grams of fat per bar," notes Lillien. Ideal to keep in your purse or desk when you crave chocolate. The Laughing Cow Light, Creamy Swiss Original These 35-calorie soft, spreadable wedges (eight to a package) are not only a great substitute for cream cheese, but also melt incredibly well, making it simple to create delicious, low-cal cheese sauces. This product is always on Lillien's grocery list. House Foods Tofu Shirataki Noodles, Fettuccine or Noodle shape These noodles have changed Lillien's life. Made from a blend of tofu and flour from a yam-like Japanese root called konnyaku, an 8-ounce package has just 40 calories (1/20th the calories of regular pasta), very little fat and few carbs. The noodles are great in soups, stir-fries and fettuccine dishes. Look for them (floating in liquid in a plastic pouch) in the refrigerator section of Whole Foods and Asian markets. Be sure to rinse well before microwaving. Vitalicious VitaMuffins, VitaTops and VitaBrownies, various flavorsThese vitamin-fortified, healthy baked goodies contain 100 calories each (2 ounces) and from none to hardly any fat (depending on the flavor). While the chocolate flavors will satisfy chocolate cravings for some, others may find them rubbery and lacking in rich chocolate flavor. Lillien has worked with the company to develop and launch her own Hungry Girl flavors, including Banana Fudge and Double Chocolate Dream. Available online at vitalicious.com or at Heavenly Diet Store in Sherman Oaks. Barry's Bakery, French Twists, Wild Raspberry, Chocolate, Key Lime, Maple French Toast and other flavors "Wow, these are great!" says Lillien. Sweet and crunchy, each twist with layers of puffed pastry has just 60 calories and 2 grams fat. Warning: You may have a hard time stopping yourself from eating the entire box (4.5 ounces and containing about 10 twists) in one sitting. (Lillien likes the Maple French Toast flavor best.) CAPTION(S): 17 photos, box Photo: (1 -- cover -- color) Who's hungry? If it's you, get rid of the guilt at Hungry-Girl.com (2 -- color) There is nothing I don't eat - there are things I eat more of or less of - but I pretty much eat everything. ``The key, for me, is to find food swaps - guilt-free alternatives to the foods I love,'' says Hungry Girl creator Lisa Lillien. Andy Holzman/Staff Photographer (3 -- color) Jell-O Sugar-Free (4 -- color) Jolly Time (5 -- color) Torani (6 -- color) The Laughing Cow (7 -- color) House Foods Tofu Shirataki Noodles (8 -- color) Barry's Bakery - French Twists (9 -- color) Amy's Mexican Tamale Pie (10 -- color) Dreyer's Slow Churned Rich & Creamy Light Ice Cream (11 -- color) CocoaVia Chocolate and Snack Bars (12 -- color) Vitalicious VitaMuffins (13 -- color) SHRIMPTASTIC FETTUCCINE HUNGRY GIRLFREDO (14 -- color) HUNGRY GIRL'S FANTASTIC FUDGE CAKE SUNDAE (15 -- color) HUNGRY GIRL'S STRAWBERRY CLOUD (16 -- 17 -- color) no caption (animation of Hungry Girl) Box: Top 10 super products (see text) |
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