by Lisa Lillien
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Veggies. Sauce. Cheese. And more veggies. They’re like cute little veggie napoleons…only they’re HUGE, not little! These are still cute though, so no worries.
Ingredients
1 large portabello mushroom, sliced into ½-inch-wide strips
1 medium eggplant, ends removed
2 small zucchinis
1 cup canned tomato sauce with Italian seasonings
½ cup canned spinach, drained and thoroughly patted dry
½ cup fat-free ricotta cheese
2 tablespoons chopped basil
1 teaspoon reduced-fat Parmesan-style grated topping
1 teaspoon dried minced onion
1/8 teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon garlic powder
Dash nutmeg
Directions
Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
Slice eggplant in half lengthwise. Cut each half lengthwise into three slices. Cut off rounded sides of the two outer slices, so that all slices are flat on both sides.
Cut zucchini on a diagonal into ½-inch-wide slices. Discard the ends.
Set out a few layers of paper towels. As you cook veggies in the next few steps, transfer them to the paper towels to drain excess moisture.
Spray a large pan evenly with nonstick spray and bring to medium-high heat on the stove.
Lay zucchini slices flat in the pan and cook for 3 minutes per side. Remove from pan and place on paper towels.
Remove pan from heat and re-spray. Cook mushroom slices for 2 minutes per side. Remove from pan and place on paper towels.
Remove pan from heat and re-spray. Cook eggplant slices for 3 minutes per side. Remove from pan and place on paper towels.
In a small dish, combine spinach, ricotta cheese, basil, minced onion, salt, garlic powder, and nutmeg. Stir well and set aside.
Spray a deep oven-safe pan with nonstick spray. Place half of the tomato sauce in the center of the pan, and place two eggplant slices side by side over the sauce, leaving an inch or so between them. These slices are the bases for the two “stacks.”
Spread about one-fourth of the spinach mixture on top of each slice. Then layer about one-fourth of the zucchini and mushroom slices on top of each stack. Over each veggie layer, add another eggplant slice.
Spread the rest of the spinach mixture on top of stacks. Layer remaining zucchini and mushroom slices.
Cover stacks with remaining eggplant slices. Finish it all off with the rest of the tomato sauce and the Parm-style topping.
Bake in the oven for 25 minutes.
MAKES 2 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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dan’s snazzy green pepper pizzas
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PER SERVING (3 pieces): 189 calories, 3.25g fat, 1,312mg sodium, 19.5g carbs, 4g fiber, 7g sugars, 18.5g protein
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Using green peppers as pizza crust is a GREAT way to save calories and carbs. That idea came from my husband, Dan (the genius behind Dan Good Chili, which can be found in the first HG book). Thanks, Sweetie!
Ingredients
2 large green bell peppers
¾ cup shredded fat-free mozzarella cheese
17 pieces turkey pepperoni, chopped
One 8-ounce can (about 1 cup) tomato sauce with Italian seasonings
¼ cup chopped mushrooms
3 tablespoons chopped red onion
One-half no-calorie sweetener packet
1 tablespoon reduced-fat Parmesan-style grated topping
Salt, black pepper, onion powder, garlic powder, to taste
Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Cut each pepper lengthwise into thirds, so you have six “boat”-shaped pieces. Discard stems and seeds.
Place pepper pieces on a baking sheet sprayed with nonstick spray. Bake in the oven for 25 to 30 minutes, until peppers are slightly soft and edges look cooked.
Meanwhile, in a medium bowl, mix tomato sauce with sweetener. Season to taste with salt, black pepper, onion powder, and garlic powder. Stir in mushrooms and onion.
Once peppers are done, remove from the oven and set aside. Leave oven on. Once cool enough to handle, blot any excess moisture from inside the pepper pieces.
Evenly distribute veggie-sauce mixture among pepper “crusts,” about 2 tablespoons for each pizza. Top with chopped pepperoni.
Evenly distribute mozzarella cheese among the pizzas. Bake in the oven for 10 minutes, until cheese has melted.
Remove pepper pizzas from the oven and top each with ½ teaspoon Parm-style topping. Let cool slightly. Now CHEW!
MAKES 2 SERVINGS
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Chew on This
Ever wonder why bell peppers aren’t hot like other peppers? Bell peppers actually have a recessive gene that cuts out capsaicin, the stuff that makes other peppers spicy. Learning is fun…Weeeee!
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fettuccine hungry girlfredo veggie explosion
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PER SERVING (entire recipe): 151 calories, 4.5g fat, 407mg sodium, 20g carbs, 7g fiber, 7g sugars, 9g protein
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This Fettuccine Hungry Girlfredo has been attacked by veggies…and it’s gooooooooood!
Ingredients
1 package House Foods Tofu Shirataki Fettuccine Shaped Noodle Substitute
1 wedge The Laughing Cow Light Original Swiss cheese, room temperature
½ cup small broccoli florets
½ cup red bell pepper chunks
½ cup zucchini chunks
1 tablespoon fat-free sour cream
2 teaspoons reduced-fat Parmesan-style grated topping
Salt and black pepper, to taste
Optional: garlic powder, chili powder
Directions
Place all veggies in a medium microwave-safe bowl with 2 tablespoons water. Cover and microwave for 2 to 3 minutes, until veggies are tender. Once the bowl is cool enough to handle, drain water and set aside.
Rinse and drain shirataki noodles well. Dry noodles thoroughly, using paper towels to soak up as much moisture as possible. Use a knife or kitchen shears to slice them up a bit.
Place noodles in a microwave-safe bowl and top with sour cream and Parm-style topping. Break cheese wedge into pieces and add to the bowl. Microwave for 1 minute.
Stir well and microwave again for 1 minute.
Mix in veggies and season well with salt and pepper. Add some garlic powder and/or chili powder, if you like. 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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mmm mmm goo-lash
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PER SERVING (entire recipe): 197 calories, 5.75g fat, 1,258mg sodium, 20g carbs, 6.5g fiber, 3.5g sugars, 17.5g protein
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This is ridiculously creamy, thanks to two types of cheese and cream of celery soup. Soy crumbles and veggies beef up this noodle dish. All in all, it’s pretty spectacular (even though it may look a little scary).
Ingredients
1 package House Foods Tofu Shirataki Fettuccine Shaped Noodle Substitute
1/3 cup 98 percent fat-free cream of celery soup
1/3 cup frozen ground-beef-style soy crumbles
¼ cup chopped mushrooms
2 tablespoons chopped onion
1 slice fat-free American cheese
1 wedge The Laughing Cow Light Original Swiss cheese
Salt, to taste
Optional topping: fat-free sour cream
Directions
Rinse and drain shirataki noodles well. Pat dry. Place noodles in a microwave-safe bowl and microwave for 1 minute.
Drain excess l
iquid 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.
Spray a medium pan with nonstick spray and bring to medium heat. Add onion and cook for 2 minutes. Add mushrooms to the pan. Continue to cook until onion is soft.
Add crumbles to the pan and cook for 1 additional minute, until crumbles are thawed and hot.
Add soup and stir to coat veggies and crumbles. Once hot, place American cheese slice on the mixture. As it melts—it will melt pretty quickly—go ahead and mix it into the sauce.
Break up cheese wedge and stir it into the “goo,” making sure it separates and melts.
Reduce heat and add noodles to the pan. Stir to coat.
Transfer to your favorite bowl. Season to taste with salt and, if you like, add a dollop of sour cream. Mmmmm!
MAKES 1 SERVING
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HG Fast Fact:
Goulash is a dish that originated in Hungary. We think it’s only fitting that the latest variation comes from the Hungry Girl kitchen.
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Snack Attack!
No time to whip up a mini meal? These supermarket finds will do the trick if you need a snack fix for under 200 calories.
Yoplait Light, Apple Turnover: Here’s to 100 calories of creamy, apple-tastic goodness! Fat-free yogurt is a great snack or dessert, and this one is amazing. And, if apple’s not your thing, check out the other fun flavors—there’s a slew of ’em! Fridge required.
98% Fat-Free Turkey Breast Slices: Oscar Mayer, Sara Lee, and Applegate Farms all make great ones. They’re low in calories, low in fat, and PACKED with protein. Fridge required.
Progresso Light Soup, Southwestern-Style Vegetable: This soup is packed with flavor and fiber, yet it has just 60 calories and 0 grams fat per serving (and only about 120 calories for the whole can!). Fantastic! Microwave required.
94% Fat-Free Microwave Popcorn: Jolly Time and Orville Redenbacher each make individual bags that have just 100 calories a bag. This stuff comes in fun flavors, too. Microwave required.
Amy’s Mexican Tamale Pie: Holy moly. This polenta-topped mini meal is AMAZING. And with just 150 calories and 3 grams fat, you can pretty much enjoy it whenever you get the urge. Freezer and microwave required.
Fiber One Toaster Pastries, Brown Sugar Cinnamon: These are a Pop-Tart lover’s dream. Each one’s got 190 calories, 4 grams fat, and 5 whole grams of fiber. Fantastic! Toaster helpful but not required.
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chapter seven
tortilla madness
Quesadillas, Wraps, and So Much More
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Sorry to get all Wikipedia on you, but did you know that the tortilla business is the fastest-growing sector in the U.S. baking industry? No surprise there—tortillas can be used instead of bread and dough to make guilt-free pizzas, sandwiches, wraps, and more. The reason the tortilla has become an HG staple is ’cuz we’ve found a version that is HUGE, contains only 80 calories, and has 12 whole grams of fiber. That makes it a nearly perfect food, especially for many of these low-cal recipes. If you can’t locate our favorite—the large La Tortilla Factory Smart & Delicious Low Carb/High Fiber tortilla—no worries. Just look for any large, low-calorie, high-fiber one.
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lean bean ’n cheese enchiladas
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PER SERVING (1 enchilada): 187 calories, 2g fat, 976mg sodium, 29g carbs, 4g fiber, 5g sugars, 12g protein
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These taste like authentic Mexican enchiladas—cheesy, beany, and soooooo yummy!
Ingredients
2 medium-large corn tortillas
2/3 cup enchilada sauce
1/3 cup fat-free refried beans
1 slice fat-free cheddar cheese, halved
¼ cup shredded fat-free cheddar cheese
¼ cup chopped onion
1 tablespoon taco sauce
½ teaspoon dry taco seasoning mix
Optional toppings: fat-free sour cream, chopped scallions
Directions
Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
In a pan sprayed with nonstick spray, cook onion over medium heat on the stove until it begins to brown, about 2 minutes.
In a small dish, combine onion with refried beans, taco sauce, and taco seasoning until mixed well.
Spray a small baking dish with nonstick spray and set aside.
Heat tortillas in the microwave until slightly warm. Lay tortillas flat and spread about 2 tablespoons enchilada sauce onto each one.
Place one half of the cheese slice in the center of each tortilla. Evenly distribute bean mixture in the center of each tortilla.
Wrap tortillas up tightly and place them in the baking dish, seam sides down. Pour the rest of the enchilada sauce over the enchiladas. Bake in the oven for about 10 minutes, until enchiladas are hot.
Remove dish from the oven and sprinkle shredded cheese over enchiladas. Return to the oven and bake for about 5 minutes, until cheese has melted.
Plate those babies and, if you like, top with sour cream and/or scallions.
MAKES 2 SERVINGS
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HG Trivia Tidbit:
January 6th is National Bean Day. So, when that day rolls around, whip up a batch of these cheesy treats. We won’t tell if you make them on other days, too!
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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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turkey reuben quesadilla
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PER SERVING (entire quesadilla): 186 calories, 6.5g fat, 1,104mg sodium, 25.5g carbs, 13g fiber, 4.5g sugars, 19g protein
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If you’re a fan of Reuben sandwiches, your head will explode when you try this crazy quesadilla. That’s not a bad thing, folks.
Ingredients
1 large La Tortilla Factory Smart & Delicious Low Carb/High Fiber tortilla
1 ounce (about 2 slices) 98 percent fat-free turkey breast slices
1 slice reduced-fat Swiss cheese
2 tablespoons sauerkraut, drained
1 tablespoon fat-free Thousand Island dressing
Optional: additional sauerkraut
Directions
Cut cheese slice into four triangles. Set aside.
Lay tortilla flat and spread dressing over it, leaving about ½-inch of space around the perimeter. Arrange the cheese triangles on one half of the tortilla.
Spray a medium-large pan with nonstick spray and bring to medium heat. Place tortilla flat in the pan with the dressing-covered, cheese-topped side facing up.
Once cheese has begun to melt, top the cheese with turkey slices and sauerkraut, adding additional sauerkraut, if you like. Using a spatula, carefully fold the dressing-only half over the other half, pressing down lightly with the spatula to seal.
Continue cooking for about 1 minute, or until the bottom is slightly toasted. Flip tortilla and continue cooking for about 1 additional minute, or until desired level of toasty-ness is reached. Remove from heat, cut into four triangles, and enjoy!
MAKES 1 SERVING
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Chew on This
Let’s compare stats! Arby’s Roast Turkey Reuben Sandwich has 594 calories, 30 grams fat, and 55 grams carbs. Now take a look at our quesadilla’s nutritionals. Kinda makes you want to do a dance, doesn’t it?
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cheesy beefy quesadilla
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PER SERVING (entire quesadilla): 196 calories, 5g fat, 931mg sodium, 25g carbs, 13.5g fiber, 2.5g sugars, 25.5g protein
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Here’s a little bit of Taco Bell magic, right in your very own kitchen. Unnecessary extra calories not included…
Ingredients
1 large La To
rtilla Factory Smart & Delicious Low Carb/High Fiber tortilla
1/3 cup frozen ground-beef-style soy crumbles
¼ cup shredded fat-free cheddar cheese
One-half wedge The Laughing Cow Light Original Swiss cheese
1 tablespoon fat-free sour cream
½ tablespoon chopped scallions
¼ teaspoon dry taco seasoning mix
Optional: additional fat-free sour cream, for dipping
Directions
In a small microwave-safe bowl, combine soy crumbles, cheddar cheese, scallions, sour cream, and seasoning mix, stirring thoroughly. Microwave for 30 seconds. Give mixture another stir and set aside.
Lay tortilla flat and spread cheese wedge evenly over one half.
Bring a medium-large pan sprayed with nonstick spray to medium heat and lay tortilla in it with the cheesy side up. Cook for about 30 seconds.
Top the cheesy tortilla half with the soy crumble mixture.
Using a spatula, carefully fold the plain tortilla half over the other half, pressing down with the spatula to seal. Cook for about 1 minute, until slightly toasted on the bottom.
Flip and continue to cook for about 1 minute. The quesadilla is done when both sides are toasted. Remove from heat and cut into four triangles. Serve with sour cream for dipping, if you like.
MAKES 1 SERVING
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HG Fast Fact:
¡Ay, caramba! Taco Bell’s Steak Quesadilla has 520 calories and 28 grams fat! How do you say “shocker” in Spanish?!
