Wednesday, April 28, 2010

"Your body keeps an accurate journal…regardless of what you write down!" :}

HG finds the Best & Worst Fast-Food Sides

Hungry Girl Goes... In Search of the Best and Worst Fast-Food Sides
Article By: Lisa Lillien aka "Hungry Girl"

Every once in a while, you’re gonna have to eat at a fast-food restaurant (it happens). Here are some of the best and worst sides you'll find at the drive-thru...

McDonald’s
Best: Fruit ‘n Yogurt Parfait
Worst: Large French Fries

I've loved the Fruit ‘n Yogurt Parfait for years. It’s delicious, it’s filling, and the calorie count is impressive. Large fries on the other hand... Depending on what you’re eating, those may have more calories and fat than your sandwich. Not cool. Don’t do it.

Each parfait has 160 calories, 2g fat, 1g fiber, and a POINTS® value of 3.

A large order of fries has 500 calories, 25g fat, 6g fiber, and a POINTS value of 11.

Burger King
Best: BK Fresh Apple Fries with Caramel Dipping Sauce
Worst: Large Onion Rings with Ranch Sauce

Apple fries may be the best “better for you" side dish out there right now. I like that they're cut to look like French fries and that they come with yummy low fat caramel sauce. On the flip side? Onion rings in ranch sauce. Sure, crispy onions taste good — especially with creamy dressing. But this is ridiculous.

An order of apple fries with caramel sauce has 70 calories, 0.5g fat, 1g fiber, and a POINTS value of 1.

A large order of onion rings with ranch dipping sauce has 650 calories, 42g fat, 5g fiber, and a POINTS value of 16.

Wendy’s
Best: Mandarin Oranges
Worst: Bacon and Cheese Potato

Hooray for Wendy’s, master of French-fry alternatives! It’s pretty awesome that you can order a combo meal and choose your side instead of just getting fries tossed in. But while a baked potato isn’t an awful option for a main course at this joint, getting it in addition to a sandwich adds a few more calories into the mix than you need...

An order of mandarin oranges has 80 calories, 0g fat, 1g fiber, and a POINTS value of 1.

Each bacon and cheese potato has 460 calories, 13g fat, 7g fiber, and a POINTS value of 9.

Carl’s Jr.
Best: Garden Side Salad with Low Fat Balsamic Dressing
Worst: Chili Cheese Fries

Bummer alert! The only side at Carl’s house that’s not crazy-high-calorie is the side salad. The good news is that it’s super low in calories, but good luck finding something not awful to pair it with. And those chili cheese fries...The numbers speak for themselves. Horrible.

A side salad with low fat balsamic dressing has 85 calories, 3g fat, 2g fiber, and a POINTS value of 2.

Each order of chili cheese fries has 980 calories, 56g fat, 8g fiber, and a POINTS value of 23.

Friday, April 23, 2010

More awesome recipes from "Hungry Girl"


Cereal hasn't been "just for breakfast" for a while now. And today, it's for DESSERT. Check out these cereal-icious recipes...

Cocoa Loco Krispymallow Treats


PER SERVING (1 treat, about 3" X 2.5"): 122 calories, 2.75g fat, 99mg sodium, 25.5g carbs, 3.5g fiber, 12g sugars, 1.5g protein -- POINTS® value 2*

HELLO, delicious! The second we tasted Chocolate Cheerios, we KNEW we had to make marshmallow-infused squares with the stuff. Adding Reese's Pieces and M&M's was just a stroke of genius...

Ingredients:
3 tbsp. light whipped butter or light buttery spread (like Brummel & Brown)
3 cups mini marshmallows
3 cups Chocolate Cheerios cereal
3 cups puffed wheat cereal
1 1/2 cups Fiber One bran cereal (original)
One 1.53-oz. package Reese's Pieces candy, lightly crushed
One 1.69-oz. package Milk Chocolate M&M's candy, lightly crushed

Directions:
Spray a 9-inch by 13-inch baking pan with nonstick spray. (Despite use of the pan, you won't actually be baking.) Set aside.

Place butter in a large pot/saucepan on the stove, and set heat to low. Once butter has melted, add marshmallows and stir until those are completely melted as well. (This may take a while, but it's worth it!) Remove from heat, add all three cereals, and stir gently until thoroughly coated.

Using a spatula sprayed with nonstick spray, press mixture evenly into the baking pan. If needed, lay a sheet of wax paper flat over the mixture, and press until the surface is even; then remove. Sprinkle both types of crushed candy evenly over the top, and press down with the spatula. Let cool completely.

Cut into 15 pieces (each about 3 inches by 2 1/2 inches) and EAT!

MAKES 15 SERVINGS


Freezylicious Strawberry Squares

PER SERVING (1 square, about 2.5" X 2.5"): 173 calories, 2.75g fat, 142mg sodium, 35g carbs, 5g fiber, 21.5g sugars, 4g protein -- POINTS® value 3*

Mmmmm! Chilly, sweet, tart, and bursting with strawberry flavor. These frozen squares are super delicious!

Ingredients:

For Crust
1/4 cup light whipped butter or light buttery spread (like Brummel & Brown)
1 cup Fiber One bran cereal (original)
1 cup Fiber One Caramel Delight cereal
3 tbsp. Splenda No Calorie Sweetener (granulated)
1 tsp. cinnamon

For Filling
Half a 14-oz. can (1/2 cup plus 2 tbsp.) fat-free sweetened condensed milk
2 cups frozen strawberries, slightly thawed
16 oz. (2 cups) fat-free strawberry yogurt (like the kind by Yoplait Light or Fiber One)
1 cup Cool Whip Free, slightly thawed
1 tsp. vanilla extract

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

In a small microwave-safe bowl, combine butter with 2 tbsp. water. Microwave until just melted; set aside.

In a blender or food processor, grind both types of cereal to a breadcrumb-like consistency. Transfer to a bowl, and add butter mixture, Splenda, and cinnamon. Stir until mixed well. Spray an 8-inch by 8-inch baking dish with nonstick spray. Evenly distribute crust mixture along the bottom of the dish, using your hands or a flat utensil to firmly press and form the crust. Press it into the edges, but not up the sides.

Bake in the oven for 10 minutes; remove and let cool.

Clean and dry blender (if you used it earlier), and add all ingredients for filling. Blend at high speed until completely mixed and smooth. Pour evenly over the crust in the baking dish, covering it completely. Cover and freeze for 6 hours, or until firm.

Before serving, remove from freezer and let thaw for 5 - 10 minutes. Cut into 9 squares and enjoy!

MAKES 9 SERVINGS

Thursday, April 22, 2010

Here I Go...

All right Jenn, I said I'd post so here I go! I don't have any cool low fat/low cal recipes, but I want to be a loser too! I just finished my first workout with Jillian's 30 Day Shred and it kicked my butt! I've been walking on the treadmill and counting calories for two and a half weeks now. Last week I lost 2 lbs. Maybe I can keep it up and lose some more weight before summer is officially here!
One quick tip I got from my neighbor who is a professional trainer. She said that we should always workout using intervals. So if we are going to do 30 minutes of cardio we should have 3 one minute intervals where we push it as hard as we can. On the treadmill I run at 6.0 miles an hour for one minute out of every ten minutes. It really gets my heart rate going and makes me give my all.
Good luck ladies!

Tuesday, April 20, 2010

Yummy Queso Dip by "Hungry Girl"


Beso Mi Queso!

That means, "Kiss my cheese!" And while we don't really recommend getting all smoochy with a bowl of steaming cheese dip, don't be surprised if someone lays one on YOU after you serve our Gooey-Good Queso Dip. Get your dunk on!

Ingredients:
1 cup frozen ground-beef-style soy crumbles (like the kind by Boca or Morningstar Farms)
3/4 tsp. dry taco seasoning mix, divided
3/4 tsp. ground cumin, divided
1/3 cup light plain soymilk
2/3 cup shredded fat-free cheddar cheese
2 wedges The Laughing Cow Light Original Swiss cheese
1 1/2 tbsp. fat-free cream cheese, room temperature
1/8 tsp. chili powder, or more to taste
30 (about 1 2/3 oz.) Guiltless Gourmet All Natural Yellow Corn Tortilla Chips (or another brand of low-fat baked tortilla chips)

Directions:
Bring a small pot sprayed with nonstick spray to medium-high heat. Add frozen crumbles and sprinkle with 1/2 tsp. taco seasoning and 1/4 tsp. cumin. Cook for about 4 minutes, mixing occasionally, until thawed and hot. Remove seasoned crumbles and set aside. Remove pot from heat and let cool slightly.

To the pot, add soymilk, all three cheeses, chili powder, remaining 1/4 tsp. taco seasoning, and remaining 1/2 tsp. cumin. Add 1/4 cup water and bring to medium-low heat. Stirring frequently, heat until cheeses have melted and mixture has a smooth, sauce-like consistency.

Add seasoned crumbles to the pot, and continue to cook and stir until hot. If you like, warm chips in the microwave. Place dip in a fun bowl, and serve with chips!

MAKES 3 SERVINGS


Serving Size: 1/3rd of recipe (about 1/3 cup dip and 10 chips)
Calories: 186
Fat: 4g
Sodium: 821mg
Carbs: 17g
Fiber: 3g
Sugars: 1.5g
Protein: 19g

POINTS® value 3*

Tuesday, April 13, 2010

More news from "Hungry Girl"


Spotted on Shelves...

Kraft Singles Melt Downs - What's your favorite way to enjoy cheese? If you said, "melted," you're in luck. These new reduced-fat cheese slices come in flavors inspired by melty classics: Pizza, Taco, and Nacho. WOW. Each slice has 45 calories, 2.5g fat, 240mg sodium, 1 - 2g carbs, 1g sugars, and 4g protein (POINTS® value 1*) and promises to melt in mere seconds in the microwave. We've tried them, and they're pretty good!

Crystal Light Pure Fitness - This new on-the-go drink mix is perfect for those looking to hydrate with a low-cal option that's free of artificial sweeteners. It's lightly sweetened with a combo of cane juice, sugar, and Truvia, plus it has added electrolytes. The packets come in Lemon Lime, Grape (which tastes GREAT!), and Strawberry Kiwi. A half-packet serving makes 8 oz. and has 15 calories, 35mg sodium, 3g carbs, and 3g sugars (POINTS® value 0*). Refreshing!

The Skinny Cow Low Fat Ice Cream Cups - That Skinny Cow REALLY knows what she's doing when it comes to delicious, guilt-free frozen treats. Grab a li'l cup of Chocolate Fudge Brownie, Dulce de Leche, Strawberry Cheesecake, Caramel Cone, or Cookies 'N Cream ice cream! Each portion-controlled mini carton has 150 - 170 calories, 1 - 3g fat, 65 - 90mg sodium, 29 - 33g carbs, 4g fiber, 17 - 24g sugars, and 4 - 5g protein (POINTS® value 2 - 3*). YAAAY!!!


MINI-MANIA... Small Is the New Large!

Have you noticed that we're EXTREME here in the U.S.? First, portions were GINORMOUS (and still are, for the most part). Now, they're SHRINKING in the best way possible -- one that prevents us from having to be rolled out of our favorite restaurants. Dairy Queen has announced that it'll begin selling Mini Blizzards in August, which will be about half the size of the current Small Blizzard (but probably STILL way too high in fat and calories!). Pinkberry is debuting cones and mini cups, each of which will hold a 3-oz. serving of fro yo. And have you seen the ads for the new Mini Meals at McDonald's? Think Happy Meals without the plastic toys. Each Mini Meal includes a Snack Wrap, McChicken sandwich, or Double Cheeseburger with a small order of fries and a small drink (which can be swapped out for Apple Dippers and a bottle of water at no additional cost). Finally, we want to give a shout-out to the miniature desserts offered at sit-down places: Chili's Sweet Shots, Applebee's Dessert Shooters, P.F. Chang's Mini Desserts... Keep downsizing those crazy-big portions, food people!
Way to go, Hungry Girl!!! :)

Monday, April 12, 2010

Susan...this is for you! :)

When I read your post about drinking soda....it made me happy....only because I too, share your soda pain. I LOVE DRINKING SODA!!! There I said it! My father has always drank soda....we were always a soda family! My hubby makes fun of me because it doesn't matter what I'm doing, I like having some kind of drink next to me! LOL Luckily most of my soda drinks are diet...occasionally Mtn Dew is the only thing that hits the spot! I am just addicted to the fizz & sometimes the caffeine too. Two of my favorite drinks are diet coke with a small splash of regular coke & diet Mtn Dew with a splash of regular Mtn Dew just to take the edge off the diet....if you know what I mean :) I sound like a shady alcoholic mixing my drink of choice, don't I??? LOL

I can't stand the taste of regular, plain water......so when I started doing Weight Watchers, I decided to put Crystal Light packets in my water bottles. It was so much easier to drink 3 or more bottles of water per day & only have an occasional soda. Crystal Light has really saved me! I love most of the flavors & it makes me forget I'm drinking water :) Have you tried Crystal Light? If not, give it a try when you really want a soda & maybe it can be a great replacement once in a awhile. Good luck! Don't worry....you don't need to completely cut out soda (unless you want to), cut down a little bit & it will make a big difference! :)

Cucumbers Are Awesome!!!


1. Cucumbers contain most of the vitamins you need every day, just one cucumber contains Vitamin B1, Vitamin B2, Vitamin B3, Vitamin B5, Vitamin B6, Folic Acid, Vitamin C, Calcium, Iron, Magnesium, Phosphorus, Potassium and Zinc.

2. Feeling tired in the afternoon, put down the caffeinated soda and pick up a cucumber. Cucumbers are a good source of B Vitamins and Carbohydrates that can provide that quick pick-me-up that can last for hours.

3. Tired of your bathroom mirror fogging up after a shower? Try rubbing a cucumber slice along the mirror, it will eliminate the fog and provide a soothing, spa-like fragrance.

4. Are grubs and slugs ruining your planting beds? Place a few slices in a small pie tin and your garden will be free of pests all season long. The chemicals in the cucumber react with the aluminum to give off a scent undetectable to humans but drive garden pests crazy and make them flee the area.

5 Looking for a fast and easy way to remove cellulite before going out or to the pool? Try rubbing a slice or two of cucumbers along your problem area for a few minutes, the phytochemicals in the cucumber cause the collagen in your skin to tighten, firming up the outer layer and reducing the visibility of cellulite. Works great on wrinkles too!!!

6.. Want to avoid a hangover or terrible headache? Eat a few cucumber slices before going to bed and wake up refreshed and headache free. Cucumbers contain enough sugar, B vitamins and electrolytes to replenish essential nutrients the body lost, keeping everything in equilibrium, avoiding both a hangover and headache!!

7. Looking to fight off that afternoon or evening snacking binge? Cucumbers have been used for centuries and often used by European trappers, traders and explores for quick meals to thwart off starvation.

8. Have an important meeting or job interview and you realize that you don't have enough time to polish your shoes? Rub a freshly cut cucumber over the shoe, its chemicals will provide a quick and durable shine that not only looks great but also repels water.

9. Out of WD 40 and need to fix a squeaky hinge? Take a cucumber slice and rub it along the problematic hinge, and voila, the squeak is gone!

10. Stressed out and don't have time for massage, facial or visit to the spa? Cut up an entire cucumber and place it in a boiling pot of water, the chemicals and nutrients from the cucumber with react with the boiling water and be released in the steam, creating a soothing, relaxing aroma that has been shown the reduce stress in new mothers and college students during final exams.

11. Just finish a business lunch and realize you don't have gum or mints? Take a slice of cucumber and press it to the roof of your mouth with your tongue for 30 seconds to eliminate bad breath, the phytochemcials will kill the bacteria in your mouth responsible for causing bad breath.

12. Looking for a 'green' way to clean your faucets, sinks or stainless steel? Take a slice of cucumber and rub it on the surface you want to clean, not only will it remove years of tarnish and bring back the shine, but is won't leave streaks and won't harm you fingers or fingernails while you clean.

13. Using a pen and made a mistake? Take the outside of the cucumber and slowly use it to erase the pen writing, also works great on crayons and markers that the kids have used to decorate the walls!!

Pass this along to everybody you know who is looking for better and safer ways to solve life's everyday problems.