The Hungry Girl Diet: Big Portions. Big Results. Drop 10 Pounds in 4 Weeks (13 page)
Read The Hungry Girl Diet: Big Portions. Big Results. Drop 10 Pounds in 4 Weeks Online
Authors: Lisa Lillien
The Hungry Girlfredo Bowl is a go-to staple of mine for both lunch AND dinner, and I eat it several times a week … YUM!
Need help cooking up that chicken?
Check out
here
. You can also find precooked chicken breast at the supermarket. Choose kinds lower in sodium.
HG Alternative:
Steam your slaw by microwaving it right in the bag, if the package says it can be done. Then transfer to a microwave-safe bowl. Add all other ingredients
except
chicken, breaking the cheese wedges into pieces. Microwave for 3 minutes, and stir well. Top with chicken.
HG’s Special Stir-Fry
351 calories, 8.5g fat, 624mg sodium, 28.5g carbs, 7g fiber, 13.5g sugars, 38.5g protein
1½ cups small broccoli florets
1½ cups sliced bell pepper
½ cup sliced onion
1 teaspoon olive oil or grapeseed oil
5 ounces raw boneless skinless chicken breast, cut into bite-sized pieces
¼ teaspoon salt-free seasoning (like the ones by Mrs. Dash)
2 tablespoons sauce, dressing, or marinade with 25 calories or less per 1-tablespoon serving (like the ones by Lawry’s)
Bring a large skillet sprayed with nonstick spray to medium-high heat. Add veggies, and drizzle with oil. Cook and stir until slightly softened, about 4 minutes. Add chicken, and sprinkle with seasoning. Cook and stir until veggies are soft and chicken is cooked through, about 4 more minutes. Add sauce, dressing, or marinade, and stir well.
Time-Saving Alternative:
Use 1½ cups frozen broccoli florets and 2 cups frozen stir-fry veggies!
Another Time-Saving Alternative:
Use 4 ounces precooked chicken breast, and add with the sauce, dressing, or marinade!
MEALS FOR WEEKS 2 - 4
Strawberry Peach Oatmeal Parfait
Knife & Fork Avocado Chicken B-fast Burrito
Chicken So Low Mein with Side Salad
Crunchy Beef Tacos with Side Salad
Pizza-fied Chicken with Saucy Spaghetti Swap
Sesame-Ginger Salmon & Veggies
Balsamic BBQ Chicken with Side Salad
Fruity Fish & Potato Foil Pack with Side Salad
Faux-Fried Chicken Strips with Side Salad
Chicken Parm with Saucy Pasta Swap
* WEEKS 2 - 4 *
BREAKFASTS
Growing Oatmeal FYI:
HG oatmeal cooks for twice as long as standard oatmeal, and it WILL thicken up. Don’t worry if it seems like a lot of liquid at the beginning. And old-fashioned slow-cooking oats are a must. Instant won’t work in these recipes.
Cook Your Growing Oatmeal in the Microwave!
You can use this method for all the oatmeal recipes except the parfait …
Instead of combining the specified ingredients in a nonstick pot, combine them in a very large microwave-safe bowl (at least 10-cup capacity—your oatmeal will bubble up while it cooks!). Mix in 1¼ cups water. Microwave for 12 to 15 minutes, until thick and creamy, stirring halfway through. Continue with recipe as directed.
Pumped-Up Protein Oatmeal
337 calories, 7g fat, 340mg sodium, 49.5g carbs, 9g fiber, 15g sugars, 20g protein
½ cup old-fashioned oats
2 no-calorie sweetener packets
1
/
8
teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
1
/
8
teaspoon cinnamon
Dash salt
¾ cup fat-free milk
½ cup canned pure pumpkin
1
/
3
ounce (about 2 tablespoons) vanilla protein powder with about 100 calories per full scoop
2 teaspoons light whipped butter or light buttery spread
In a nonstick pot, combine all ingredients
except
pumpkin, protein powder, and butter. Mix in 1¼ cups water. Bring to a boil and then reduce to a simmer.
Add pumpkin and cook and stir until thick and creamy, 12 to 15 minutes.
Transfer to a medium bowl, and stir in protein powder and butter. Let slightly cool and thicken.
Protein Powder Picks:
Designer Whey and Rainbow Light
HG Alternative:
Not into protein powder? Have 2 large hard-boiled egg whites on the side instead.
Strawberry Peach Oatmeal Parfait
344 calories, 8g fat, 361mg sodium, 50.5g carbs, 7.5g fiber, 25g sugars, 21g protein
Oatmeal
1
/
3
cup old-fashioned oats
1 no-calorie sweetener packet
¼ teaspoon cinnamon
1
/
8
teaspoon vanilla extract
Dash salt
¾ cup fat-free milk
Parfait
2
/
3
cup chopped peaches
2
/
3
cup chopped strawberries
1
/
3
ounce (about 1½ tablespoons) sliced almonds
Side: 2 large hard-boiled egg whites
Combine all oatmeal ingredients in a small nonstick pot. Mix in ¼ cup water.
Bring to a boil and then reduce to a simmer. Cook and stir until thick and creamy, 4 to 5 minutes.
Transfer to a medium bowl and let slightly cool. Cover and refrigerate until chilled, at least 1½ hours.
Stir oatmeal. In a tall glass, layer half of each ingredient: oatmeal, peaches, and strawberries.
Repeat layering with remaining oatmeal, peaches, and strawberries. Top with almonds, and serve with egg whites.
Time-Saving Tip:
Cook your oatmeal the night before, and let it chill overnight. In the morning, just assemble and eat!
Apple Walnut Oatmeal
345 calories, 8g fat, 363mg sodium, 48g carbs, 8g fiber, 16g sugars, 21.5g protein
½ cup old-fashioned oats
¼ cup chopped apple
1 no-calorie sweetener packet
¼ teaspoon cinnamon
1
/
8
teaspoon vanilla extract
Dash salt
¾ cup fat-free milk
¼ cup canned pure pumpkin
¼ ounce (about 1½ teaspoons) chopped walnuts
Side: 2 large hard-boiled egg whites
In a nonstick pot, combine all ingredients
except
pumpkin, walnuts, and egg whites. Mix in 1¼ cups water. Bring to a boil and then reduce to a simmer. Add pumpkin and cook and stir until thick and creamy, 12 to 15 minutes.
Transfer to a medium bowl and let slightly cool and thicken. Top with nuts, and serve with egg whites!
The Hard-Boiled Truth: Tips & Alternatives
* To save time, prep a dozen hard-boiled egg whites at once. For a mini tutorial, click
here
.
* Whip up a mini scramble instead. Two large egg whites equals ¼ cup liquid egg whites/fat-free liquid egg substitute. In a microwave-safe mug sprayed with nonstick spray, microwave for 1 minute. Stir and microwave for 30 seconds, or until set. Or make your scramble in a skillet sprayed with nonstick spray.
* Don’t like eggs? Just add
1
/
3
ounce (about 2 tablespoons) vanilla protein powder to your oatmeal after cooking it. Look for one with around 100 calories per scoop, like Designer Whey.
Blueberry Almond Oatmeal
345 calories, 7g fat, 371mg sodium, 49.5g carbs, 8.5g fiber, 17g sugars, 22g protein
½ cup old-fashioned oats
1 no-calorie sweetener packet
¼ teaspoon cinnamon
1
/
8
teaspoon vanilla extract
Dash salt
¾ cup fat-free milk
¼ cup canned pure pumpkin
¼ cup blueberries
¼ ounce (about 1 tablespoon) sliced almonds
Side: 2 large hard-boiled egg whites
In a nonstick pot, combine all ingredients
except
pumpkin, blueberries, almonds, and egg whites. Mix in 1¼ cups water. Bring to a boil and then reduce to a simmer. Add pumpkin and cook and stir until thick and creamy, 12 to 15 minutes.
Transfer to a medium bowl and let slightly cool and thicken. Top with berries and nuts, and serve with egg whites!
HG FYI:
There’s helpful oatmeal info
here
and tips about egg whites
here
.
Knife & Fork Avocado Chicken B-fast Burrito
335 calories, 7.5g fat, 650mg sodium, 46.5g carbs, 15.5g fiber, 10g sugars, 30g protein
1 medium-large high-fiber tortilla with 110 calories or less
2 cups chopped spinach leaves
¼ cup chopped onion
½ cup egg whites or fat-free liquid egg substitute
1
/
8
teaspoon each onion powder and garlic powder
Dash black pepper
1 ounce cooked and finely chopped skinless chicken breast
¼ cup seeded and diced tomato
1 ounce (about 2 tablespoons) diced avocado
Side:
2
/
3
cup raspberries and/or blackberries
Optional seasonings: chili powder and additional onion powder, garlic powder, and black pepper
Microwave tortilla on a microwave-safe plate for 10 seconds, or until warm.
In a large microwave-safe mug, microwave spinach and onion for 2 minutes, or until softened. Blot away excess moisture, and distribute cooked veggies across the middle of the tortilla.
Spray the mug with nonstick spray, and add egg whites or substitute and spices. Microwave for 1 minute.
Stir in chicken. Microwave for 1 minute, or until set.
Distribute egg scramble over the cooked veggies, and top with tomato and avocado.
Wrap up tortilla by first folding one side in (to keep filling from escaping), and then rolling it up from the bottom.
Serve with fruit and devour!
HG Alternative:
Skip the tortilla, and serve burrito contents with a 100-calorie flat sandwich bun or light English muffin.
EggaMuffin B-fast
313 calories, 8.5g fat, 627mg sodium, 41.5g carbs, 14g fiber, 9.5g sugars, 24g protein
Sandwich
One 100-calorie flat sandwich bun or light English muffin
½ tablespoon light whipped butter or light buttery spread
1 slice Sargento reduced-fat cheddar cheese
1
/
3
cup egg whites or fat-free liquid egg substitute
Dash each garlic powder, onion powder, and black pepper
½ ounce (about 1 slice) reduced-sodium ham
Sides
2 large tomato slices
1 cup raspberries and/or blackberries
Toast bun or muffin halves, if you like, and spread with butter. Place cheese on the bottom half.
In a microwave-safe medium bowl or wide mug sprayed with nonstick spray, combine egg whites or substitute with spices. Microwave for 1 minute. Gently stir and microwave for 30 seconds, or until set.
Transfer egg “patty” to the cheese-topped half of the bun or muffin. Top with ham and the other bun or muffin half. If you like, microwave for 15 seconds, or until cheese has melted.
Serve with tomato slices and berries.
HG FYI:
This recipe calls for Sargento cheese because of its impressively low sodium count. If you can’t find Sargento, get the reduced-fat cheddar cheese with the lowest sodium count.
Leftover Ham Tip:
As one of your snacks, pair an ounce (about 2 slices) of reduced-sodium ham with 60 calories’ worth of veggies (see
60-Calorie Veggie Portions
)!
Veggie-Packed Egg Mug B-fast
328 calories, 7.5g fat, 648mg sodium, 41.5g carbs, 11.5g fiber, 10g sugars, 29g protein
One 100-calorie flat sandwich bun or light English muffin
2 teaspoons light whipped butter or light buttery spread
½ cup sliced mushrooms
¼ cup chopped onion
¼ cup chopped asparagus
2
/
3
cup egg whites or fat-free liquid egg substitute
1
/
8
teaspoon each onion powder and garlic powder
Dash black pepper
2 tablespoons shredded reduced-fat cheddar or Mexican-blend cheese
¼ cup seeded and diced tomato
Side: ½ cup raspberries and/or blackberries
Toast bun or muffin halves, if you like, and spread with butter.
Spray a large microwave-safe mug with nonstick spray. Add mushrooms, onion, and asparagus. Microwave for 2 minutes, or until softened.
Blot away excess moisture. Add egg whites or substitute and spices, stir, and microwave for 1½ minutes.
Stir in cheese and tomato. Microwave for 1 minute, or until set. Serve with berries and buttered bun or muffin.
