by Lisa Lillien
Two 1-second sprays nonstick spray
Directions
Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
In a small dish, combine cheese sprinkles with taco seasoning and mix well.
Cut each tortilla in half. Cut each half into three triangles.
Spray a baking sheet lightly with nonstick spray. Arrange tortilla triangles close together on the sheet.
Cover triangles with a 1-second spray of nonstick spray. Evenly sprinkle half the seasoning mixture over triangles.
Flip triangles over. Again, cover with a 1-second spray of nonstick spray. Sprinkle remaining seasoning mixture over triangles.
Bake in the oven for 4 minutes. Carefully flip tortilla triangles over on the sheet.
Bake in the oven for an additional 4 minutes, until chips are crispy.
MAKES 1 SERVING
peachy-cream fruity fondue
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PER SERVING (¼ cup): 45 calories, 0.5g fat, 118mg sodium, 9g carbs, 0.5g fiber, 4.5g sugars, 1.5g protein
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Fruit-flavored fondue Heck, yeah! This dip is sweet, creamy, and delicious.
Ingredients
1½ cups frozen peach slices
½ cup sugar-free pancake syrup
¼ cup fat-free cream cheese, room temperature
2 teaspoons light whipped butter or light buttery spread
1 tablespoon brown sugar (not packed)
1 tablespoon cornstarch
½ teaspoon vanilla extract
¼ teaspoon cinnamon
Dash salt
Directions
In a microwave-safe bowl, combine peaches and pancake syrup. Microwave for 1 minute.
Place peach mixture in a blender with cream cheese, and then blend until completely smooth. Set aside.
In a small bowl, combine cornstarch with 1 tablespoon cold water. Stir until cornstarch has dissolved. Add brown sugar, vanilla extract, cinnamon, and salt, stirring until mixed thoroughly.
Bring a medium pot to low heat and add butter. As butter begins to melt, add peach mixture and cornstarch mixture, and stir well.
Raise heat to medium-high. Stir continuously for 3 to 4 minutes, until mixture begins to bubble and thicken. Reduce heat to low, and allow mixture to return to a warm temperature.
If you have a fondue pot, transfer mixture to the pot and set temperature to low. If not, transfer to a bowl and dip away!
MAKES 7 SERVINGS
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HG Tip! This dip can be made in advance and re-heated to serve later. Heat over low heat so fondue does not burn.
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Photographic Insert 1
Gooey Cinnamon Rolls with Cream Cheese Icing, Chapter 1
Morning Minis
Slammin’ Smoked Salmon ’n Bacon B-Fast Sandwich, Chapter 1
Tutti Frutti Biscuits, Chapter 1
Fro-Yo’ed Up Oatmeal Sundae, Chapter 1
Easy Caprese Breakfast Pizzas, Chapter 1
Piña Colada Parfait Surprise, Chapter 1
Cinnamon-Vanilla French Toast Nuggets, Chapter 1
Cheesy-Good Breakfast Tartlets, Chapter 1
Grab ’n Go Breakfast Cookies, Chapter 1
Egg-stravaganza
That’s a Lotta Frittata, Chapter 2
Cheesed-Up Pepperoni Pizza Scramble, Chapter 2
Super-Cheesy All-American Breakfast Bake, Chapter 2
Dip It Good
Nacho-Average Tortilla Chips, Chapter 5
Sweet Caramelized Onion Dip, Chapter 5
Holy Moly Guacamole, Chapter 5
Scoopable Chinese Chicken Salad, Chapter 3
Scoopable Salads
I Can’t Believe It’s Not Potato Salad!, Chapter 3
Veggie-Loaded Tangy Tuna Salad, Chapter 3
Sweet ’n Chunky Chicken Salad, Chapter 3
Start Me Up!
Sassy Southwestern Egg Rolls, Chapter 4
Mmmm-azing Mini Mushroom Tartlets, Chapter 4
Devilish Eggs, Chapter 4
H-O-T Hot Boneless Buffalo Wings, Chapter 4
Bacon-Bundled BBQ Shrimp, Chapter 4
fluffy speckled peanut butter dip
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PER SERVING (2 heaping tablespoons): 49 calories, 1.5g fat, 64mg sodium, 7.5g carbs, <0.5g fiber, 2g sugars, 0.5g protein
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We’ve dipped apple slices, strawberries, pretzel sticks, and even celery stalks into this stuff (yes, it’s true). Of course a plain old spoon works, too.
Ingredients
1 Jell-O Sugar Free Vanilla Pudding Snack
¾ cup Cool Whip Free, thawed
¼ cup Reese’s Puffs cereal (original)
1 tablespoon reduced-fat peanut butter, room temperature
¼ teaspoon vanilla extract
1 no-calorie sweetener packet
Directions
Place cereal in a sealable plastic bag. Using a rolling pin or a can, crush cereal completely by rolling it firmly over the bag on a flat surface. Set aside.
In a bowl, combine pudding and peanut butter, stirring until completely mixed.
Add Cool Whip, vanilla extract, and sweetener, stirring until mixed well.
Stir in cereal crumbs and place bowl in the fridge. Refrigerate for at least 10 minutes before serving. Enjoy!
MAKES 6 SERVINGS
very-veggie spread
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PER SERVING (1/3 cup): 45 calories, 1.25g fat, 244mg sodium, 6.5g carbs, 2.5g fiber, 2g sugars, 2g protein
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This is called a spread, but it’s definitely good enough to eat as a snack or side dish. Veggie-tastic!
Ingredients
1 medium eggplant, ends removed
2 cups roughly chopped fresh spinach leaves
1½ cups chopped portabello mushrooms
¾ cup canned cannellini beans, drained
One 14.5-ounce can diced tomatoes with roasted garlic, drained thoroughly
1 tablespoon olive oil
½ teaspoon salt, divided
¼ teaspoon crushed garlic
Optional: additional salt, black pepper
Directions
Peel eggplant carefully. Cut into ½-inch-thick circles. Salt lightly on both sides, using about 1/8 teaspoon of the salt total.
Spray a large pan with nonstick spray and bring to medium-high heat. Cook eggplant slices for 4 to 5 minutes on each side, pressing down with a spatula occasionally, until soft. Set aside to cool.
Remove pan from heat and re-spray with nonstick spray. Return to medium-high heat. Add mushrooms and cook for 2 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Add spinach to the pan and toss and cook until wilted. Drain excess liquid and set aside to cool.
Place beans, olive oil, and 1 tablespoon water in a blender or food processor. Puree until smooth. If blending slows, stop blender, remove from base, push mixture down toward the blade, and then continue blending.
Place eggplant in a large bowl and roughly mash with a potato masher or fork.
Add bean mixture, veggie mixture, canned tomatoes, ¼ teaspoon plus 1/8 teaspoon salt, and crushed garlic to the bowl. Mix well to combine.
Let sit, at room temperature or in the fridge, for at least 1 hour to allow flavors to combine. If you like, season to taste with pepper and additional salt. Enjoy hot, warm, or cold!
MAKES 12 SERVINGS
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HG Tip! This one tastes better the longer it sits.
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Big Dippers!
Wondering what else you can dip into some of your dippy new pals? Check out these ideas…
Toasty and Tasty: Make mini toasts out of wheat bread. Using a serrated knife, carefully cut a thick piece of whole-wheat bread into two thin slices. Then cut each slice into four squares. Bake in the oven at 350 degrees for 3 to 4 minutes. Eight mini toasts contain around 100 calori
es! Recommended dips: Crazy-Creamy Spinach Artichoke Dip and Hungry, Hungry Artichoke Hummus.
Saved by the Bell: Slice red bell peppers (those are the sweetest) into little bite-sized “boats.” They’re perfect little dip-holders. Recommended dips: Sweet Caramelized Onion Dip, Mexican Bean & Cheese Dip, Very-Veggie Spread.
Protein-Packed and Ready for Action: Attention, meat-lovers! Skewer some chicken, lean beef, or shrimp, and grill or bake until fully cooked. Then dip away! Recommended dips: Kickin’ Peanut Sauce, Holy Moly Guacamole, Not-So-Secret BBQ Sauce.
100-Calorie Dippers…Sweet!: Portion-controlled packs of mini cookies come in a zillion varieties and are PERFECT to dip into any of our sweet, desserty dips. Go crazy! Recommended dips: Chunky Caramel-Apple Pumpkin Dip, Creamy Vanilla Dip, Fluffy Speckled Peanut Butter Dip, Fluffy Cinnamon-Cream Cheese Dip.
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chapter six
mini meal mania
Bitty Bites with Bigtime Flavor
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Wondering what exactly a “mini meal” is? It’s something so satisfying that you could consider it a meal, but with few enough calories that you could eat many of ’em throughout the day. That’s actually the best thing about the little meals in this chapter—the calorie counts are so reasonable that these can double as super-filling snacks. Who wants a boring energy bar when you could have one of these?
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totally pumpin’ fettuccine
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PER SERVING (entire recipe): 129 calories, 3g fat, 639mg sodium, 19g carbs, 6.5g fiber, 6g sugars, 7g protein
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It’s pumpkin time again, peeps! This recipe is for noodles surrounded by a rich, creamy, DELICIOUS, pumpkin-infused sauce. Yum…
Ingredients
1 package House Foods Tofu Shirataki Fettuccine Shaped Noodle Substitute
One-half wedge The Laughing Cow Light Original Swiss cheese
¼ cup plain light soymilk
¼ cup canned pure pumpkin
¼ cup fat-free chicken broth
¼ cup finely chopped onion
1 teaspoon reduced-fat Parmesan-style grated topping
½ teaspoon chopped garlic
½ teaspoon garlic powder
1/8 teaspoon salt
Dash black pepper
Optional: additional salt and black pepper
Directions
Rinse and drain shirataki noodles well. Pat dry. Place noodles in a microwave-safe bowl and microwave for 1 minute.
Drain excess liquid from noodles. Dry noodles thoroughly, using paper towels to soak up as much moisture as possible. Cut noodles up a bit using a knife or kitchen shears. Set aside.
In a separate dish, combine soymilk, pumpkin, garlic powder, salt, and pepper. Mix well and set aside.
Bring a small saucepan to high heat. Add chicken broth, onion, garlic, and cheese wedge half. Stirring occasionally to break up the cheese, cook until broth has mostly evaporated, 2 to 4 minutes.
Reduce heat to medium and continue to cook for just 1 minute or so, until onion and garlic begin to brown. Add pumpkin mixture. Stir until sauce is thoroughly blended and hot.
Add sauce to your noodles and stir well. If you like, season to taste with more salt and pepper. Finish with Parm-style topping and enjoy!
MAKES 1 SERVING
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HG Tip! Find House Foods Tofu Shirataki at select supermarkets, most Whole Foods locations, and Japanese markets.
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ez tomato-basil chicken
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PER SERVING (¼th of recipe): 175 calories, 1.5g fat, 251mg sodium, 11g carbs, 2g fiber, 6g sugars, 28g protein
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It really is EASY. Three ingredients, peeps! It’s also extremely DELICIOUS!
Ingredients
1 pound raw boneless skinless lean chicken breast tenders
1½ cups (half a 28-ounce can) crushed tomatoes with basil
1½ cups thinly sliced onions
Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Bring a pan sprayed with nonstick spray to high heat on the stove. Add onions and cook just until they begin to brown, about 3 minutes.
Pour half the tomatoes (one-fourth of the can) into a medium baking pan. Lay chicken in the pan and top with onions.
Pour the rest of the tomatoes (another one-fourth of the can) evenly over chicken and onion. Bake in the oven for about 30 minutes, until chicken is cooked through.
Allow chicken to cool and sauce to thicken slightly before serving. Ta-da!
MAKES 4 SERVINGS
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For Weight Watchers POINTS® values and photos of all the recipes in this book, check out hungry-girl.com/book.
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crazy calypso salad
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PER SERVING (about 2 cups): 174 calories, 5g fat, 429mg sodium, 21.5g carbs, 4g fiber, 13.5g sugars, 12g protein
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This salad has shrimp, mango, avocado, and a sweet citrus dressing. It’s like a tropical vacation in your salad bowl!
Ingredients
For Salad
8 cups fresh spinach leaves
8 ounces cooked medium shrimp
2 cups chopped mango (about 2 mangos)
1 cup cubed avocado (about 1 small avocado)
For Dressing
1/3 cup seasoned rice vinegar
2 tablespoons lime juice
1 no-calorie sweetener packet
1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
Directions
Combine all ingredients for dressing in a small bowl. Mix well and set aside.
In a large serving bowl, combine all salad ingredients. Pour dressing over salad. Toss until all ingredients are coated. Devour!
MAKES 5 SERVINGS
big bad burger wrap
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PER SERVING (entire recipe): 199 calories, 5.5g fat, 1,368mg sodium, 27.5g carbs, 16.5g fiber, 4.5g sugars, 23.5g protein
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This is a HUGE hit with guys. Maybe it’s because the mix of mustard, Ketchup, and pickles makes it taste EXACTLY like fast food…Yeah, that must be it.
Ingredients
1 large La Tortilla Factory Smart & Delicious Low Carb/High Fiber tortilla
1 Boca Original Meatless Burger
1 wedge The Laughing Cow Light Original Swiss cheese
1 pickle spear, chopped
1 teaspoon mustard
1 teaspoon ketchup
2 dashes Frank’s RedHot Original Cayenne Pepper Sauce
Directions
Prepare Boca patty according to box directions, either in the microwave or in a pan sprayed with nonstick spray. Chop patty into bite-sized pieces. Set aside.
To make sauce, combine mustard, ketchup, and hot sauce in a small dish. Stir well and set aside.
Warm tortilla in the microwave for 10 seconds. Lay tortilla flat and spread cheese wedge on top.
Place chopped burger and pickle in the center of the tortilla. Top with sauce. Fold the sides of the tortilla in, and then roll it up from the bottom. Enjoy!
MAKES 1 SERVING
smothered pig in a blanket
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PER SERVING (entire recipe): 196 calories, 5.25g fat, 950mg sodium, 24g carbs, 2.5g fiber, 5g sugars, 14g protein
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Our guilt-free piggies in a blanket (find those in our first book) have been such a hit, we decided to take that recipe to the next level. This time it’s super-sized and smothered…
Ingredients
1 fat-free (or nearly fat-free) hot dog
1 serving Pillsbury Reduced Fat Crescent Rolls refrigerated dough
½ slice fat-free cheddar cheese (cut slice on a diagonal so your half is triangle-shaped)
¼ cup low-fat veggie chili
Directions
Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
Stretch or roll out the triangle-shaped dough slightly, to make it a larger triangle.
Lay cheese triangle at the base of the dough. Place hot dog at the base and gently roll it up.
Place your blanketed pup in a baking pan sprayed lightly with nonstick spray. Bake in the oven for 12 to 14 minutes, until dough appears slightly browned and crispy.
Meanwhile, heat chili in the microwave. Once your pig in a blanket is fully cooked, plate it and top with chili.
MAKES 1 SERVING
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HG Fast Fact:
Other names for the ever-popular Pigs in a Blanket include “Wiener Winks,” “Kilted Sausages,” and “Würstchen im Schlafrock,” which pretty much means “sausage in a nightgown.” Oooooh, pretty!!!
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so low mein with chicken
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PER SERVING (1½ cups): 167 calories, 1.5g fat, 925mg sodium, 19g carbs, 6g fiber, 4g sugars, 18g protein
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I crave chicken lo mein but avoid it at all costs, since it has astronomically high fat and calorie counts. This version tastes as good as regular lo mein (yes, AS GOOD!) but has a teeny-tiny fraction of the calories and fat. This recipe’s a keeper, people!
Ingredients
3 packages House Foods Tofu Shirataki Spaghetti Shaped Noodle Substitute
One bag (about 12 ounces) frozen Chinese-style stir-fry mixed veggies
8 ounces raw boneless skinless lean chicken breast, cut into strips
1 cup bean sprouts
½ cup chopped mushrooms
½ cup thinly sliced zucchini
½ cup chopped scallions
¼ cup shredded carrots
¼ cup reduced-sodium or light soy sauce
