Hungry Girl: Recipes and Survival Strategies for Guilt-Free Eating in the Real World

by Lisa Lillien

Do you want to eat burgers, chocolate cake, frozen margaritas, fudge, and French fries―and still fit into your pants? Is life not worth living without brownies and onion rings? Do you want a surefire way to tame your cravings? From breakfast ideas and chopped salads to guilt-free junk food and cocktails, Hungry Girl recipes taste great but are low in fat and calories. Check it out!

• Eggs Bene-Chick: 183 calories
• Bring on the Breakfast Pizza: 127 calories
• Ooey Gooey Chili Cheese Nachos: 216 calories
• Big Bopper Burger Stopper: 202 calories
• Dreamy Chocolate Peanut Butter Fudge: 65 calories
• Lord of the Onion Rings: 153 calories
• Rockin' Tuna Melt: 212 calories
• 7-Layer Burrito Blitz: 277 calories
• I Can't Believe It's Not Sweet Potato Pie: 113 calories
• Cookie-rific Ice Cream Freeze: 160 calories
• With easy instructions, simple steps, and hilariously fun facts and figures, Hungry Girl recipes are as fun to read as they are to make!

And when you're not in your kitchen, check out HG's 10 mini survival guides, plus tips 'n tricks that'll help you make smarter food choices anywhere, anytime!

Genres: Cookbooks, Cooking, Food, Nonfiction, Health, Diets, Reference

336 pages, Paperback

First published April 29, 2008

About the author

The creator of HungryGirl.com shares her best tips, recipes, and advice to live a healthy and full life!"

Lisa Lillien is not a nutritionist, she's just hungry. She's the founder of Hungry Girl, the website and daily email service providing approximately one million fans with guilt-free recipes, food and product reviews, dieting news, shockers and more. She also writes weekly columns for WeightWatchers.com and Yahoo!, and regularly contributes to Redbook magazine. She has appeared on TV shows like Rachel Ray and Extra, and now has her own show on the Cooking Channel. Her Hungry Girl cookbooks are New York Times bestsellers. She lives in Los Angeles, California.

http://us.macmillan.com/author/lisali...

Reviews

[Erin · Rating 1 out of 5]

This book is terrible! The author claims to be a "self-appointed 'foodologist'" which means nothing. She just put together a bunch of recipes, substituting normal ingredients with "lite" "fat-free" "no-calorie" and "sugar-free" (splenda-flavored) foods, most of which are so processed and chemically flavored that they are not at all healthy. And as for cocktail hour? Mix your liquor with Diet Soda and drink Lite Beer!

[Christine (AR) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Substitution cooking. Every recipe I've tried out of this book has been pretty tasty. I never would have tried Almond Breeze milk substitute otherwise (makes the best chai ever, srsly), so for that alone, worth the price.

[Deb · Rating 2 out of 5]

This cook book has a lot of good ideas if you're into alternative foods and soy products; most of the recipes are written for single-servings, so they're ideal for solo cooks.

However, I didn't make anything from this cookbook: most of the recipes advocate fat-free cheese (or even soy cheese...*shudder*), soymeat subtitutes for real meat, and tofu everything. This is not "real world" cooking: it's escapism from cooking in the real world.

But, not all cooks and eaters are made alike. If thats what you're looking for, then you'll love this cookbook--there are even Weight Watcher points on the website these recipes stem from. Many of the recipes involve microwave cooking and are ready in five minutes or less, so this book will be helpful if you're looking for quick snacks that aren't calorie-laden.

Me? I'll eat pickles instead. It's a no-cooking snack that's pretty awesome-tasting, fat-free, and only dangerous to those who need to lower their sodium intake. Win!

[AuthorsOnTourLive! · Rating 5 out of 5]

Lisa Lillien is not a nutritionist, she's just hungry. She is the founder of www.hungry-girl.com, and close to half a million loyal fans receive her daily emails containing guilt-free recipes, food and product reviews, dieting news, shockers, and more. From breakfast ideas and chopped salads to guilt-free junk food and cocktails, Hungry Girl: Recipes and Survival Strategies for Guilt-Free Eating in the Real World, recipes taste great but are low in fat and calories.

We met Lisa Lillien when she visited the Tattered Cover Bookstore in Denver. You can listen to her talk about Hungry Girl: Recipes and Survival Strategies for Guilt-Free Eating in the Real World here:
http://www.authorsontourlive.com/?p=155

[Jasmine · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good book for those who strive to be really healthy. Granted a lot of the ingredients are tofu, soy, diet, and are alternatives to eating foods such as french fries (kale chips is one of her alternatives in another book.) I have made her brownie muffins (the one with the cake mix and the pumpkin puree) they turned really great. I'm not too keen on substituting a lot these ingredients for healthier options since I don't exactly like a lot of foods anyways, but some of the ideas are open to each person's own modifications. I mean, if you really, and I mean REALLY, wanted to be healthy and/or even go on a diet, be my guest! You should look into this book! If you aren't wanting to spend the money on this, check out her website for free recipes! She also has a mailing list. :)

[Lynne · Rating 2 out of 5]

Too heavy (haha - unintentional pun) on fake foods, including artificial sweeteners, for my taste. Lots of fat-free dairy etc. (She is apparently a big fan of "Cool Whip Free" as well - ick!). While I am obviously no expert on healthy eating, I just don't think these "recipes" are the answer. There are a few recipes I might try, like the baked squash fries. For now I'll just stay fat.

[Nightowltoo · Rating 3 out of 5]

The restaurant section is helpful, but the recipes weren't my cup of tea. I'm more of a cook from scratch, not cook from cans, kind of girl. I can also figure out that using reduced fat cream cheese (or sour cream) instead of regular will cut calories.

If you are not a cook from scratch kind of cook this will be helpful, if you are you will be disappointed. (

[Jennifer · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love HG. If you have not read her, subscribe to her list serve it is awesome and everything is in WW points. It is not in WW points in her cookbook though, butshe gives youall thedetaisl so you can figure it out easily. Also, nothing she suggests is ever high in points.

[Tisha · Rating 3 out of 5]

The idea of the book is fun. The author takes traditional recipes and makes them over to be more healthy. There are fun facts throughout the book. However, she tries too hard to be cool. Most recipe titles included something like "crazy-good", "rockin'", or "fiber-ific".

[Courtney · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a great cook book for those that are trying to be good with their eating habits! It contains easy recipes that are yummy! They also have a website that you can sign up for and receive new recipes everyday. I'm a fan!

[Heather · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great. I have found lots of receipes and they are actually good. There are receipes that call for like soy and stuff like that, but she gives you other suggestions or you can do your own.

I have done several receipes out of here.

[Michelle · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good recipes for indulgences. Okay, some foods just can't be subbed, but at least Lillien gives it the ol' college try. She has turned me on to Fiber One Cereal, Laughing Cow Lite cheeses, Canned pumpkin, and butternut squash. The chili recipe in this book is good.

[Moorhead Public Library · Rating 3 out of 5]

A cookbook with fun and tasty recipes that is especially helpful for those trying to lose weight without depriving themselves.

[Talea · Rating 1 out of 5]

There are only about 3 recipes in the entire book I'm willing to try and even then two are variations of drinks I already make. I'm not a big fan of processed foods and this book has a lot of that in it. I picked it up desperate to find good low carb foods and snacks that I could make easily. While there were a few, there wasn't anything that just stood out and said wow. I'm certain there is a market out there for this kind of thing, just not with me. I also have to agree with an earlier review, the names of the recipes are just out there and off-putting in my opinion.

[Kylene · Rating 2 out of 5]

I met the author several years ago at her book signing. She is really nice, and I'm glad that her recipes and strategies for health worked for her. I did make a few of the recipes, and they were okay. I think my cooking has evolved since then and uses recipes with fresh ingredients instead of canned or processed ones.

[Diane Peterson · Rating 3 out of 5]

This cookbook was OK. There were some good recipes and some good ideas for day-to-day living. I was surprised, however, at the number of dessert and snack recipes. These would not work on a more stringent program.

[E · Rating 3 out of 5]

OK, I don't LOVE all of the ingredients. At times some of the recipes feel a little repetitious. However, there are some great ideas and a few "keepers".

[Paschalis]

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[Reving · Rating 2 out of 5]

http://revingsblog.blogspot.com/2018/...

[Stephanie Gonzales · Rating 1 out of 5]

This book is terrible advice. It's like reading a diet book from the 90's. Diet soda or any soda should never even be in your brain as "okay".
Soy is not good for you. Avocados are healthy and should not be avoided. Just because the Nutrition Guide reads that candy is fat free, it is still loaded with sugar which is digested into fat. Whole milks are nutritious. Full fat cheese is healthy. Fat free cheese does not melt.
I'm no dietician or even a writer, but even I know that 100 calorie snack pack is 100 of emptiness. No nutritional value. I know the difference between a medium chain fatty acid and a long chain fatty acid.
I did appreciate some suggestions when reading about fast food and how to really lean a lot into the steamed veggies for Chinese. Mexican food though, guacamole is good for you, good for your heart and brain. I'd just skip the fat free sour cream, it tastes like crap and isn't fooling anyone. Love the idea of putting double filling in one taco and ditching the extra shell!
This just seemed like more of a gimmick fad diet book, not a healthy cookbook at all. Not all calories are equal.

[Heather · Rating 5 out of 5]

Hungry Girl cookbooks are a great tool for those wanting to watch what they eat, along with the calorie content. It is also great for single women as the portions to be made are smaller, usually for one or two people, which is great and makes cooking fun again. Helpful tips are given throughout the book, along with pictures of the food and tools needed. Simple and easy and good tasting are what this cookbook series is all about.

I love Hungry Girl cookbooks. They are wonderful, easy and super yummy, my husband and mum even liked it all. I really enjoy the fact that the portions are small and usually for one person as I am usual alone at home considering my husband works out of town a lot and cooking for one is never fun, but this makes it fun and easy, not to mention simple as well. I recommend these books to anyone. They are great. I already own two and am sure to buy the rest.

[Jen · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a great book for ideas on low-cal snacks. There's heavy reliance on Splenda, soy, and processed food, but for someone like me, it's easier to wean my way into cooking by using shortcuts. One of the things I like about these recipes is that they're mostly designed for one serving, which is unusual. It's also got recipes for parties, so it's not just a solo cookbook, though. Weight Watchers has worked in conjunction with the author for some of the recipes, so if you're familiar with their program (and focus on fiber) some of the food will be recognizable. I also like that it's got personality.

I'm looking forward to the "chocolate cream pie"--low cal pudding and whipped cream covered with crushed graham cracker. Quick, easy, and better for my belly than the alternative :)

[Amy · Rating 3 out of 5]

I don't know about this one. I believed the hype and purchased my own copy, convinced that these recipes must be really wonderful, delicous ways to trick your brain/body. Not my experience so far. I love to cook (and eat) and consider myself somewhat of a "foodie" and these just don't cut it. (I made the "fudge" which was a box of cake mix, mixed with a buttload of pumpkin. Other than the fact that it was brown, there was no resemblance to anything choco-like.)

This seems to be a humongo trend right now--the food fake-out. This book reminds me of the Jessica Seinfeld book that came out last year. Except instead of trying to fool your kids, you're trying to fool yourself. I didn't work on me.

[Amy the book-bat · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have decided to try to eat healthier and picked this cookbook up at the library. I am anxious to try some of the recipes. So many of them sound tasty and they look to be simple to make. I have tried one of her recipes from the Dr. Oz website and it was pretty good, so I feel confident that the ones here will be good as well. I like that this is not a "diet" but rather suggestions for items to swap out to make dishes healthier with lower fat and sugar. Sometimes it just takes someone to say if you swap this for that, you will be better off because you don't always think of it yourself. I like the fun conversational style the book is written in, it is entertaining as well as informative... all good things when it comes to food! :-)

[Megan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Hungry Girl is Weight Watchers meets Rachel Ray! I just love her.

The helpful hints throughout the book make you want to read it like a novel. I was so interested in the "Shockers", which will hopefully help me steer clear, and the recipes seem so simple and easy, yet look yummy!

This will definitely be a go-to book for me long after I've reached my dieting goal. The tidbits scattered throughout the book will definitely help keep me on track when I'm searching for a healthy recipe.

I especially love that she gives some healthier alternatives for foods you just don't want to give up--like margaritas! Who wouldn't love a 100 calorie margarita or cosmo?!?!?!?

[Brenda Cregor · Rating 4 out of 5]

WOW! Lisa Lillien has penned two more books!
Not all of these recipes will make it to my table, but this cookbook is inspiring nonetheless.
My dear friend, Debbita, gave me her copy ( complete with recipes she tagged with ***** five stars for their fantastic flavors).
Sometimes, when I am out of control, like when I eat half a cream cheese pie in the course of a day, I enjoy reading Lillien's preaching on how long I would have to dance, vacuum, run, etc. before burning off a certain number of calories.
She is witty and uses pumpkin and butternut squash in great abundance----my kind of gal.

[Stacy+Augie Greenfield · Rating 4 out of 5]

I cannot wait to try these Weight Watchers friendly recipes! Yup, I live by myself and you know what? I dislike cooking a recipe that serves 4. I eat one serving and then I'm forced to choke down 3 more servings as left overs. Growdy. I always end up throwing food away. That's depressing. These recipes are designed for one and perfect for bringing my lunch to work! Hollah!
I'll be trying the Crazy Good Turkey Taco Meatloaf; hacked and whacked BLT salad; freakishly good french onion soup; and the cherry vodkatini.

[Gracee · Rating 4 out of 5]

Love this one! Do-able, imaginative, tasty recipes that even my husband will eat! Mr "I WON'T eat tofu" @@
Recipes with ingredients that most Weight Watcher members have in their pantry / fridge. The only thing that would make it better would be to have converted their recipes into point system. But that is easy enough to figure out.

Met my lifetime goal - yay me!, plus hubby lost 10 lbs without feeling deprived.

[Lisa · Rating 2 out of 5]

There are no Weight Watchers points listed in the book. You have to go the author's website to get the points listings. I had hoped to be able to flip through the book and glance at the points to see if it was a recipe I wanted to use. I'm sure it's some copywrite issue with Weight Watchers, but it was a huge inconvenience. Glad this was a library book.

Sign up at the Hungry Girl website instead. Daily emails give you recipes and substitution ideas.

[Michelle · Rating 3 out of 5]

I love the "fake-fry" stuff. Yum! Some of the dessert recipes are not so good... it's really hit or miss. Many recipes seem like they're trying to hard to be inventive. I'll keep playing with them and see what will become a staple (so far, the only think I'm going to make again are the fake-bake recipes, esp. the onion rings). I'm sure my boyfriend would prefer I never made any of them again; he thinks they're all pretty gross.