Saturday, December 10, 2011

HOLIDAY DINING TIPS FROM HG!!!!

We've got tips on holiday dining to get you from Thanksgiving 'til New Year's Day! And don't miss the recipe roundup after all the tips... YAY!
                 
               
                                If You're Hosting...

Keep guilt-free staples on hand. Click here to check out a few ingredient essentials we're never without this time of year. And don't forget to stock your home bar, HG-style!

Make sure you don't get SO distracted that you forget to eat during the day. We know -- it's easy to get caught up in all the prep work, but remember to sip lots of water and make time for lunch.

Don't give in to the "tradition" of serving a fattening feast. Serve the classics without the calorie overload! You don't have to load up the mashed potatoes with butter and heavy cream or use Grandma's sugar-and-egg-laden pumpkin pie recipe. We've got some sneaky swaps for holiday favorites -- totally suitable for the dinner table!
                 
                If You're a Guest...

Don't leave for the party hungry! You'll arrive and immediately start grazing on appetizers and then pounce once the meal is served. Have a snack with protein and drink some water before you head out.

Bring a dish. Check in with the host/hostess ahead of time and find out what you can contribute; then whip up something guilt-free and delicious. (See the recipe roundup below!) Your host will appreciate the help, and you'll know that you have at least one option that you can really indulge in no matter what else is served.

Get a little physical activity earlier in the day. We mention this here because, if you're hosting, you'll likely be moving around all day -- cooking and getting your home ready for invaders... um, we mean guests. But if you're just attending the soiree, chances are you have the day off. So take a walk in the a.m., do some yoga... whatever!
                               
                 
               
                                Either Way...

Don't go overboard with cocktails. The calories add up... and with a glorious feast ahead, who wants to drink a ton of calories? Plus, if you ingest a lot of alcohol, you'll be more likely to make foolish food decisions later.

A substantial breakfast. A light lunch. Lots of water. A protein-packed snack. What are these? Our recommendations for what to eat and drink before the holiday dinner. Don't do the "I'm saving all my calories for the big meal" thing -- it's a bad idea. If you're ravenous and dehydrated at dinnertime, you'll probably overdo it.

Survey before you serve. Check out your options, and consider what's worth splurging on. Then fill your plate with lean meat (YAY turkey breast!) and veggies (ones that aren't loaded with cream sauce or butter) before you tackle the decadent stuff. Salad and broth-based soups are excellent starters, too.

Eat your favorites! It is a special occasion, so don't deprive yourself -- just don't go crazy with the amounts. Once you have a good base of lighter stuff in front of you, add small servings of the seasonal goodies you love. Dig stuffing? Grab a scoop. Mashed potatoes? Add a dollop to your plate. And when it comes to dessert, have a small portion of your favorite with a cup of tea or coffee.
                 
                HG-for-the-Holidays Recipe Roundup!

The Classics Collection! For our time-honored, traditional holiday swaps, CLICK HERE! You'll find pies, cranberry sauce, stuffing, casseroles, and SO much more. And now for some of our latest creations...

Cran-tastic Apple Cornbread Stuffing - Our newest stuffing option for you to consider serving up. It's so good, people. SO GOOD.

Great Garlic Miracle Mashies - We upgraded our original recipe (seen here). Why? Because garlic is awesome. Check it out!

Cheesy Scalloped Potatoes 'n Turnips - This dish has HOLIDAY DINNER written all over it. Make it and see!

Creamy Pumpkin Faux-sotto and Butternut-Potato Swirly Mashie Casserole - Two spectacular and squash-tastic side dishes. How will you choose just one?

Big Beef 'n Bacon Meatloaf - Want a fun and hearty new dish for the table? We suggest this -- bacon is a crowd pleaser!

What's Shakin'? Beany Bacon Soup - Speaking of bacon... If you're thinking of serving a soup, this pick will make everyone smile!

"Happy Holidays" Hot Fruit Crumble, Eggnog Puddin' Pie, and Apple of My Cake - Moving on to desserts, we've got three right here that everyone will love!

Crazy-Delicious Apple Dumplings - Baked apples, covered in dough, filled with gooey, fruity filling. "Crazy-delicious" is not an exaggeration...

Freezy Downside-Up PB Dream Pie - Don't be scared away by the chilly nature of this dessert -- it's too good to leave off this list!

Candyland Peppermint Pie - When things start getting wintery, a slice of this pie will keep things wonderland-y too...

Thanks HUNGRY GIRL!!!!  :)
                               
               

Thursday, December 8, 2011

A little Comic Relief

Diet Totals 758-Pound Loss
I have dieted continuously for the last two decades and lost a total of 758 pounds. By all calculations, I should be hanging from a charm bracelet.

I have done a lot of kidding around with Weight Watchers, but it is the only organization in which I ever lost a great deal of weight. But I fought them.

Every Tuesday morning, a group of us had to "weigh in" before the lecture. Our ritual was enough to boggle the imagination. We got together a checklist of precautions before we actually stepped on the scale.

Bathroom? Check. Water pill? Check. Have you removed underwear, wedding rings, nail polish? Check. Set aside shoes and earrings? Check. Are you wearing a summer dress beneath your winter coat? Check.

The first week I stepped on the scale and my instructor said, "You have gained." (Next week, I cut my hair.)

The next week, she said, "You have lost eight ounces, but that is not enough." (I had the fillings in my teeth removed.)

The third week, I had dropped a pound, but my instructor was still not pleased. (I had my tonsils taken out.)

Finally, she really chewed me out. She accused me of not sticking to the diet and not taking it seriously. That hurt.

"I didn't want to tell you," I said, "but I think I am pregnant."

"How far?" she said coldly, clicking her ballpoint pen to make a notation on my card.

"Possibly three days," I said.

She glowered. "Any other excuses?"

"Would you believe I have a cold and my head is swollen?"

"No."

"How about I was celebrating the Buzzard's Return to Hinckley, Ohio, and had butter on my popcorn?"

She tapped her pen impatiently on the card and stared at me silently.

"Lint in the navel?" I offered feebly.

"How about first one at the trough?" she asked dryly.

I learned quickly never to argue with a woman who had the scales on her side.

I saw my old instructor the other day and she eyed me carefully and said, "When are you returning to class?"

"As soon as I have my appendix removed," I said returning her gaze.

I'm not sure, but I think I heard her moan.
~~Erma Bombeck

Friday, November 18, 2011

Feel More Energized!

Got too much on your plate (and we don't mean food)? Here's what you can do to optimize your energy level and get it all done.
Just reading your to-do list is enough to make you tired: Pick up dry cleaning, go to the gym, learn software, plan birthday party, prepare for tomorrow's meeting, et cetera. If only you had the energy to get it all done.

You can have more vim and vigor with just a few diet and lifestyle changes, like the ones below. Try these strategies at home, not to mention at work or at school. You won't be sorry.
  
Don't skip meals
To maintain your energy level, your body breaks down the food you eat into glucose, otherwise known as blood sugar — the main fuel for your brain — and sends a steady stream of it to your body's cells.
"To feel energized throughout the day, your blood glucose level should stay within a certain range," says Neva Cochran, MS, RD, a nutrition consultant based in Dallas. If your blood glucose drops too low — which can happen if you go too many hours without eating — you could feel lightheaded and lethargic, says Cochran. Your best bet: "Don't go more than four hours without eating something nutritious," she advises.

Balance meals with carbohydrates, protein and fat
It's important to get a balance of food types — no matter which plan you're on. "A combination of carbohydrates, protein and fat helps moderate blood glucose absorption so that your blood sugar rises gradually," says Cochran.

On the other hand, if you eat only carbohydrates, your blood glucose level could rise and drop quickly, leaving you hungry and low on energy within an hour or two after eating. Similarly, if you only eat protein, you'll get calories but they won't kick in fast enough to make you feel energized, says Cochran, because your meal's missing that carbohydrate-exclusive sugar-boost.

Activate your day
Even though you may feel pooped after your workout, moderate exercise can actually give you energy. "As you exercise, you use blood glucose," Cochran explains. Your body then pulls glycogen (the stored form of carbohydrate in the liver and muscles) into your bloodstream, which can ultimately make you feel more energized as your blood glucose level rises. To rev up your daily routine, Cochran recommends revving pacing when you're talking on the phone and taking the stairs at every opportunity.

Get an hour's more sleep
To function at your best, the National Sleep Foundation (NSF) recommends at least eight hours of sleep a night for adults. But according to a recent NSF poll, on average, adults sleep just under seven hours nightly during the work week.

With a chronic sleep deficit, it may take you long to execute low-level mental chores such as figuring the tip on your lunch check. And say goodnight to multitasking and making sound judgment calls — especially in crisis situations. All told, "anything that's not routine is difficult to do if you're tired," says Andrew A. Monjan, PhD, MPH, chief of the neurobiology of aging branch of the National Institutes of Health in Bethesda, MD.

Nix caffeine
Granted, caffeine can be a quick picker-upper, because it stimulates brain cells. But if you have trouble getting to sleep at night, "avoid caffeine after lunch," advises Sonia Ancoli-Israel, PhD, director of the sleep disorders clinic at the Veterans Affairs-San Diego Health Care System. Besides obvious sources of caffeine — coffee (103 mg caffeine/6 oz cup), tea (36 mg/6 oz cup) and cola beverages such as Diet Coke (46.5 mg/12 oz) — take stock of your diet's hidden caffeine sources, such as chocolate or coffee-flavored foods. Even some decaffeinate coffee has been found to contain small amounts of caffeine.

Fight those food cravings!


5 Tricks to Fight Food Cravings
By Mehmet C. Oz, MD, and Michael F. Roizen, MD

 We know weight loss isn't as simple as "eat less and exercise more." (If it were, you wouldn't be reading this, and we wouldn't have written YOU: On a Diet, which is about dieting smart, not dieting hard.) You need ways to get over the humps, around the cravings, and through the temptation to binge. Coming up!

How to Give Temptation the Slip

    Practice mindful meditation. Spend just 7 minutes a day focusing on recognizing, accepting, and experiencing your cravings rather than trying to ignore or suppress them. Dieters who do have far fewer food cravings, and resist them better. Here's the trick to eating mindfully so you'll eat less.
    Get on your feet. Especially if you're craving chocolate. A quick walk will curb even major chocoholic cravings in just 15 minutes. It works by stimulating feel-good brain chemicals and feeding your spirit.
    Hit the mute button and do sit-ups -- or this -- when commercials come on. You'll switch off cravings, too. Adults (and kids) eat more snack foods after watching TV shows loaded with food ads.
    Try yoga. Aside from making you stronger, suppler, and calmer, yoga helps you tune in to your appetite and recognize whether you're actually hungry or just bored. Do this simple sun salutation series for a nice workout.
    Have that little cookie you can't stop thinking about. Sometimes, trying to stifle a craving makes it grow so intense that, when you finally cave, you eat the whole bag. Yep, having one little banana-oatmeal-walnut cookie now may save you from having 30 later. Don't beat yourself up. Relish it. Take a small bite, savor the taste, have another bite. Thoroughly enjoy it. Then move on.

Friday, October 28, 2011

Hungry Girl's Halloween Goodie Guide!!!!


LOW-CALORIE CHOCOLATE TREATS
These tiny treats can't be beat. Each one has 20 - 35 calories and 0.5 - 1.5g fat (PointsPlus® value 1*).

3 Musketeers Minis
Hershey's Kisses
Sixlets 8-piece tubes
Tootsie Roll Midgees
Whoppers Malted Milk Balls 3-piece tubes

CHOCOLATE MINIS
Minis are the small, typically square morsels. The kinds below have 35 - 55 calories and 1.5 - 3g fat (PointsPlus® value 1*) per piece.

Baby Ruth
Butterfinger
Hershey's Special Dark, Krackel, Milk Chocolate, and Mr. Goodbar
Kit Kat
Milky Way
Nestlé Crunch
Reese's Peanut Butter Cups
Snickers
Twix

SNACK-SIZE/FUN-SIZE CHOCOLATE
Snack-size and fun-size candies are usually about 2 inches long and weigh in at around half an ounce. The ones listed here have 60 - 85 calories and 1 - 4g fat (PointsPlus® value 2*) per piece, pack, bag, or box.

3 Musketeers
Baby Ruth
Butterfinger
Hershey's Milk Chocolate
Junior Mints
Kit Kat (one 2-piece bar)
M&M's Milk Chocolate
Milky Way
Nestlé Crunch
Raisinets
Snickers
York Peppermint Patties

SNACK-SIZE/FUN-SIZE CHOCOLATE PART II
Same specifics as the last list of snack-size/fun-size treats (about 2 inches long and half an ounce in weight), but these are a little higher in stats. Each bar or pack has 90 - 95 calories and 4 - 6g fat (PointsPlus® value 3*).

100 Grand
M&M's Peanut
Mr. Goodbar
PayDay
 
LOW-CALORIE CONFECTIONS
These goodies are impressive in the stats department: 30 - 50 calories and 0 - 1g fat (PointsPlus® value 1*) each.

AirHeads mini bars
Laffy Taffy mini bars
Now and Later (2 pieces)
SpongeBob SquarePants Gummy Krabby Patties
Starburst (2 pieces)
SweeTarts Chews
Twizzlers Cherry Pull 'n' Peel snack-sized pieces
Twizzlers Strawberry Twists snack-sized pieces

CALORIE-BARGAIN TREAT-SIZE/SNACK-SIZE BAGS
Pouches, packs, bags, and packages! Each of these small sacks has 50 - 55 calories and 0g fat (PointsPlus® value 1*).

Brach’s Candy Corn
Hot Tamales
Mike and Ike
Sour Patch Kids
Swedish Fish

MORE MINI BOXES 'N BAGS
While not quite as pint-sized in the calorie department as the last list, each petite pack has a reasonable 60 - 75 calories and 0 - 1g fat (PointsPlus® value 2*).

Dots
Mini Chewy SweeTarts
Skittles Fun Size
 
LOW-CALORIE SWEETS & SUCKERS
All-star stats here! Just around 20 - 25 calories and 0g fat (PointsPlus® value 1*) each.

Dum Dums
Everlasting Gobstopper mini pouches
Pixy Stix (3 straws)
Smarties rolls

MID-CALORIE CLASSICS
With 50 - 60 calories and 0 - 0.5g fat (PointsPlus® value 2*) per pop, these long-lasting goodies are some of our favorites.

Blow Pop
Ring Pop Halloween
Tootsie Caramel Apple Pops
Tootsie Pops
 
FUN PICKS WITH 50 OR FEWER CALORIES
Each treat, roll, package, or pouch has 35 - 50 calories and 0 - 1g fat (PointsPlus® value 1*).

Fruit by the Foot Mini Feet
Fruit Roll-Ups Mini Rolls
Jet-Puffed BooMallows
Pop-Tarts Mini Crisps Fun Size pouches
Rice Krispies Treats Mini Squares
Snyder's of Hanover 1/2-oz. bags

UNIQUE TREATS, STELLAR STATS
Unexpected and guilt-free! Each one has 60 - 70 calories and 2 - 3.5g fat (PointsPlus® value 2*).

Angie's Artisan Treats Authentic Kettle Corn Halloween Snack Packs
Pirate's Booty Aged White Cheddar 1/2-oz. bags
Quaker Chewy Fright Night Chocolate Chip mini granola bars
Sun-Maid Vanilla Yogurt Raisins Mini-Snacks

NEAT SWEETS, NICE NUTRITIONALS
Chomp into one of these for 100 - 120 calories and 3 - 3.5g fat (PointsPlus® value 3*).

Herr’s Chocolate Mini Pretzels Halloween Treat Size bags
Keebler Scooby-Doo! Baked Graham Cracker Sticks packages
Peeps Chocolate Covered Marshmallow Pumpkin

 Prepare to spend 180 - 200 calories and 9 - 10.5g fat (PointsPlus® value 5*) if you indulge in one of these tricky treats.

Cheez-It Baked Snack Crackers packages
Keebler Mini Fudge Stripes packages
Reese's Peanut Butter King Size Pumpkins (1 pumpkin, half of package)

HG Heads-Up! Some of the treats in this email are small versions/servings that are only available during Halloween season. The stats for snacks and sweets sold year-round in standard packaging may differ.

THANK YOU....HUNGRY GIRL!!!!  :)

Tuesday, October 25, 2011

5 Ways to Tame Food Temptations



 Article By: Robin Westen
    
Unless you're wearing blinders, temptation is everywhere. TV, radio, billboard and magazine ads bombard you with the same message: "Eat." How can you prevent temptation from leading you astray?

Images of delectable foods saturate the media. Well-meaning friends and relatives offer you fries, pies and everything in between. How often are you able to resist?

If the answer is less often than your waistline would like, try these five "T's" to help you tame that temptation tiger:

Timing.
When do your cravings strike? Mid-morning? Between lunch and dinner? Right after work? Midnight? Identify your most vulnerable time for when temptation strikes, and plan ahead by keeping healthy snacks handy. You can't eat an infinite amount of them, but they'll help you avoid higher-calorie indulgences.

Hitting the sack earlier is another timely strategy. According to psychological researcher John De Castro, PhD, of Texas' Sam Houston State University, exhaustion makes us more vulnerable to overeating. So the more you sleep, the less you're likely to be tempted.
Tasting.
Temptation thrives on all-or-nothing behavior, so turning down something you crave might only serve to fuel your craving. Just because a slice of cake is high in calories doesn't mean you can't try a bite or two—just be sure not to over do it. Next time you're at a restaurant, let someone else order dessert, and allow yourself a bite. Savoring a small taste can be surprisingly satisfying.

Teaching.
Let's face it, you know what foods are extra-hard for you to resist. So identify them and do something about it. That might mean keeping Ben & Jerry out of your freezer and pepperoni out of your fridge. Or it could entail finding another route to the bus stop if your regular route takes you past the golden arches. Knowing your triggers will help you tackle the toughest temptations.

Taking charge.
For every situation that rattles your control, come up with one good rebuttal. Say, for example, the couch looks more tempting than that bicycle collecting cobwebs in your garage. Remind yourself that getting even five minutes of physical activity is etter than nothing. Focus on what you're getting—a fitter body—rather than what you're giving up—a sitcom.

Talking.
Have you kept quiet about your weight-loss goal because you're worried you might not reach it? Many people do, often out of fear of failure. But in fact, says Vermont psychologist Sally Mattson, making a public commitment often has the opposite effect. Sharing your goal can strengthen your resolve and create a support community. After all, most people love to offer encouragement. You, in turn, may inspire others to lose weight—or at least discourage them from offering you tempting foods.

Sunday, October 23, 2011

Here's the Skinny on the “unique” Halloween Candy Calories



By Adriana Velez

Halloween Peeps…….Have you been to the candy aisle yet this month? Holy bat wings -- there are all sorts of fun, new Halloween candy on the shelf this year, plus some of the oldies-but-goodies that come out every October. Pretzels with chocolate seem big this season, and there's more dark chocolate than ever before. It's like they're creating new treats just for me!

But hold on there, self.  Let's look at those calorie counts -- do I dare?

I know Halloween without candy is like Easter without Jesus, but when you start adding up the numbers in your typical trick-or-treat bag, it starts to look, well, SCARY! Not that I'm the one trick-or-treating. Or that I'm stealing from my kid's stash. Because I am so not. I would never! Well, maybe I would. But what if I based my candy theft on calories? Which candies would I, ahem, borrow?

I have a very complex algorithm that factors calories per serving against potential deliciousness. It goes something like this:
calories per serving \div \!\, potential deliciousness (by a factor of 10) \propto \!\, what's on sale = ... where was I?

And now, the results of my exhaustive study.

Pretzel M&M'S
Calories: 180

Deliciousness factor: Are you kidding? Salty, sweet, and crunchy -- one of my favorite combinations.

Worth it? Hey, they're under 200, so I say yeah.

Peanut Butter M&M'S
Calories: 220

Deliciousness factor: Pretty good, though I like a saltier peanut butter and the proportion of chocolate to peanut butter could be better.

Worth it?   I would probably hesitate a moment and then pass.

Halloween Kit Kat
Calories: 210

Deliciousness factor: Ugh, white chocolate dyed orange. No thank you.

Worth it? Pass.

Reese's Peanut Butter Pumpkins
Calories: 90

Deliciousness factor: Love the Peanut Butter Cup no matter what shape it comes in.

Worth it?    Wowza.    If you only eat one "snack size," it's just 90 calories! That's a big "if," though. Can you stop at one? I say worth it.

Hershey's Tombstones Milk Chocolate
Calories: 200

Deliciousness factor: Hmph, Hershey's milk chocolate is nothing special, no matter what it looks like.

Worth it?   Nah.

Hershey's Tombstones Cookies & Cream
Calories: 220

Deliciousness factor:   I guess it's a step up from the plain bar.

Worth it? Higher in calories and only marginally tastier: I say give me a real cookie instead.

Hershey's Kisses Pumpkin Spice
Calories: 210

Deliciousness factor:  Just white chocolate with a pumpkin-flavored outer layer. There are no "natural" pumpkin flavors in there.  Not so delicious unless you love white chocolate.

Worth it?   Pass.   I'll have a slice of pumpkin pie instead.

Halloween Ring Pops
Calories: 60

Deliciousness factor: Don't these all taste the same? But I do love me some edible jewelry. Sometimes pretty candy seems to taste better, know what I mean?

Worth it?  Under 100 calories, lasts a long time, and you get to wear it -- I say yes!

Halloween Peeps (pumpkins and ghosts)
Calories: 110

Deliciousness factor: So disgustingly overly sweet, they're kind of good.

Worth it?   GROSS!!!  But they are cute to look at!

Snickers Dark
Calories: 170

Deliciousness factor: At last, my candy bar dreams have come true!

Worth it?   Those Milky Way Dark bars nearly undid me back when they came out. I'm afraid I'll totally lose it once I try the Snickers Dark.   But hey,  only 170 calories in the snack size? Maybe I'll risk it.

Monday, October 3, 2011

New Weight Study...interesting!

               
New Study May Change the Face of Weight Management

Despite a population that has heard the "eat less, exercise more" advice a bazillion times over, obesity levels are still crazy-high. So a team of experts at Harvard University stepped up to investigate specific food choices and lifestyle habits that influence weight gain. More than 120,000 healthy men and women were observed over a period of 12 to 20 years, with evaluations every 4 years. (Side note: WOW.) Some of the results are surprising; others less so...

The foods that were found to be most closely associated with weight gain are potato chips, potatoes (including boiled or mashed potatoes and French fries), and sugar-sweetened drinks. Potatoes show nearly three times the impact of sweets and desserts!

People who ate more yogurt, fruit, nuts, veggies, and whole grains gained less weight over the years than others. Yogurt and nuts top the list of foods linked to less weight gain.

Those who slept less than 6 or more than 8 hours a night gained more weight than the 6 - 8 crowd. (Sleep = good. Too much = bad!) The more TV a person watched and the more alcohol he or she consumed, the greater the weight gain. (Um, not surprising!)

We just might be chomping on fewer potatoes and more pistachios this year, plus turning off the TV early to catch some extra zzzzzzzzs...

Thanks again...HUNGRY GIRL!

Sunday, September 25, 2011

Weight Watchers Magazine Subscription for only $3.99!!! WOW!


Tanga just posted a deal on their site for Weight Watchers magazine! Get a 1 year subscription for only $3.99! If you prefer you can actually select up to 3 years at this price in the drop down box.
At this price per year you are getting an entire year of issues for less then the cost of a single issue!
To get this price use code WEIGHT at checkout. Allow 10-14 weeks for your first issue to arrive!
**Remember, Tanga’s prices can go up during the day, depending on the amount of people that have purchased the deal.  So better to purchase earlier vs. later on this one.

Friday, September 23, 2011

WE LOVE PUMPKIN!!!!


PUMPKIN…….. So beautiful, so orange... so delicious! Today we're giving props to our favorite form of the large squash. You know it, you love it, so put your hands together for... CANNED PUMPKIN!!!
                 
What Is It?
100% Pure Pumpkin
PER SERVING (1/2 cup): 40 calories, 0.5g fat, 5mg sodium, 9g carbs, 5g fiber, 4g sugars, 2g protein -- PointsPlus® value 0*

Why Do We Love It?

Full of fiber - If you've been following the ongoing series of HG Salutes emails, you may have noticed that we often salute foods that are high in fiber. This is not a coincidence. High-fiber foods help to keep us feeling full and satisfied (which is kinda the whole point). The fact that today's honoree features naturally occurring, plant-style fiber is an extra-special bonus.

Loaded with nutrients - In addition to fiber, there are many other nutrients packed into this gourd. Carotenoids like beta-carotene are plentiful, as is vitamin A (each 1/2-cup serving has 300% the daily value!). Muscle-fueling potassium?  Yup, got that too.  Yay for pumpkin!

Delicious yet neutral - The stuff is naturally yummy with a fantastic creamy texture, but it's not that sweet on its own. Its mild taste makes it an excellent base for all sorts of flavors: cheesy, spicy, maple-y... even chocolatey!  This means you can use it in SO many different recipes.
                 
Pumpkin BFFs

Cake mix! Pumpkin and cake mix are almost inseparable at the HG HQ. Whether you're combining the orange stuff with spice cake for a classically seasoned pumpkin dessert or keeping it low-key with devil's food cake (no one will even know the pumpkin is there), this is a match made in HG's oven!

Pudding! Don't feel like prepping a schmancy dessert, but jonesing for something that tastes somewhat homemade? No problem -- pumpkin is very flexible (and the canned kind is already cooked). Mix some up with a sugar-free vanilla pudding snack, add some pumpkin pie spice, and dig in! (Pudding and pumpkin also join forces in our Pumpkin-licious Nog.) Not a pudding fanatic? Go for fat-free cottage cheese or fat-free yogurt with some no-calorie sweetener and vanilla extract thrown in -- an easy sweet treat with seasonal flair!

Sauce! Pumpkin works AMAZINGLY well in more than just dessert dishes. We like to add it to savory sauces to add thickness, awesome texture, and extra fiber. Whether it's a silent partner (like in this spaghetti pie recipe) or a featured artist (like in this colorful fettuccine dish), pumpkin is a GREAT add-in for sauces of all sorts!

Nemesis: Pumpkin Pie Mix! They may look similar, but these canned cuties couldn't be more different. The pie mix has more than twice the calories and over three times as much sugar as the pure stuff! People often confuse the two (thus the rivalry) -- make sure the can you grab is labeled 100% Pure Pumpkin.
                               
Pump' It Up! Recipe Roundup

Grab a can... in fact, grab several. Pumpkin-fied recipes are comin' atcha...

The Whole Enchilada Chicken Soup - Pumpkin adds amazing texture to this swap for a soup served at Chili's. Love it!

Mr. Puffy Pumpkinhead Freezy-Cool Whoopie Pie - With all the Halloween stuff already on shelves, we got to thinking about this cutie...

Savory Pumpkin Grilled Cheese - Pumpkin in a grilled cheese sandwich. It's a thing now, people. At least in our world!

Pumpkin Pie Oatmeal Parfait - A dessert-inspired breakfast that we'd eat happily any time of day? This is it!

Creamy Pumpkin Faux-sotto - Just the kind of dish you'll crave when the temperature starts to drop... Is it dropping yet?

Pumpkin Pie Sundae - Like pumpkin pie a la mode... but without any actual pie. Don't worry; the flavor's ALL THERE!

Surprise, It's Pumpkin! Enchiladas - One of the best recipes to ever come out of a kitchen emergency. Pumpkin stands in for refried beans, and it ROCKS!

Old Time Rocky Road Fudge - The mashed squash works serious magic in this incredible swap. Yum, yum, and YUM!

Nicely Iced Pumpkin-Bread Muffins - Pumpkin-y baked treats with icing that won't make YOU pumpkin-shaped. HOORAY!!!!!

Thanks HUNGRY GIRL....We love you!!!!  :)