The Hungry Girl Diet: Big Portions. Big Results. Drop 10 Pounds in 4 Weeks (12 page)

Cook Your Growing Oatmeal in the Microwave!

Combine all ingredients
except
berries and nuts 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. Let slightly cool and thicken.

Growing Oatmeal FYI:
This 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 this recipe.

* WEEK 1 *

LUNCHES & DINNERS

Ginormous Salad with Chicken, Turkey, or Tuna

341 calories, 7.5g fat, 315mg sodium, 34g carbs, 11.5g fiber, 13.5g sugars, 38.5g protein

4 cups chopped romaine or iceberg lettuce

4 ounces cooked and chopped skinless chicken breast, no-salt-added turkey breast (about 8 slices), or low-sodium tuna packed in water (drained)

1 cup sugar snap peas, red bell pepper, carrots, and/or other high-fiber veggies (see
HG’s High-Fiber Veggies list
)

1 cup cucumber, mushrooms, and/or other high-volume veggies (see
HG’s High-Volume Veggies list
)

¼ cup canned black beans, garbanzo beans/chickpeas, or kidney beans, drained and rinsed

2 tablespoons vinegar (balsamic, red wine, white wine, rice, or cider)

1 teaspoon extra-virgin olive oil or grapeseed oil

In a large bowl, combine all ingredients
except
vinegar and oil.

Whisk vinegar with oil. Drizzle over salad, or serve it on the side!

HG Alternative:
Instead of vinegar, whisk the oil with 1 serving (3 to 4 tablespoons)
Sweet ’n Tangy Tomato Dressing
,
Creamy Cilantro Dressing
, or
Creamy Balsamic Dressing
. So good! Sodium count will vary.

Another HG Alternative:
Replace both the vinegar
and
the oil with 65 calories’ worth of bottled dressing, preferably made with olive oil. Look for options with 150mg sodium or less.

In a Hurry?
Use a bagged salad mix of pre-chopped greens. Just make sure there are no nuts, tortilla strips, or other fancy extras.

Need chicken cooking tips?
Check out
here
. If buying precooked chicken, choose options lower in sodium.

Why Olive Oil and Grapeseed Oil?

First, a word about healthy fats. It’s classic, old-school diet mentality to think that fat is the enemy and we should avoid it. But that’s just not the case. Monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats—the kinds in olive and grapeseed oils as well as in almonds and pistachios—are extremely healthy. And studies show they can help keep you feeling fuller longer. So DON’T leave out the healthy fats on this plan … Learn to love them! Just measure carefully to keep the calories in check. (This is key.)

Most people know that olive oil is full of those good fats and consider it
the
go-to oil in the kitchen. Well, grapeseed oil is just as impressive (if not more!). Its mild flavor and high smoke point make it incredibly versatile—it tastes fantastic with everything from salads to stir-frys. It’s also loaded with vitamin E and antioxidants. Give it a try!

HG Dips ’n Dressings at a Glance!

Find the full recipes and stats (including big-batch instructions)
here
!

Sweet ’n Tangy Tomato Dip/Dressing

3 tablespoons canned crushed tomatoes

1 teaspoon seasoned rice vinegar

1 teaspoon finely chopped basil

¹
/
₈
teaspoon garlic powder

Creamy Cilantro Dip/Dressing

3 tablespoons fat-free plain Greek yogurt

1 tablespoon water

1 teaspoon finely chopped cilantro

½ teaspoon lime juice

¹
/
₈
teaspoon each cumin, garlic powder, onion powder

Dash each salt and black pepper

Creamy Balsamic Dip/Dressing

2 tablespoons fat-free plain Greek yogurt

1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar

Half a no-calorie sweetener packet

HG Alternatives:
Instead of dunking your Sandwich Platter veggies in an HG dip, you can use 30 calories’ worth of bottled fat-free dressing or dip. You can also have your veggies steamed (how-to info
here
) and tossed with a tablespoon of sauce, dressing, or marinade with 30 calories or less. Sodium will vary.

Super-Sized Sandwich Platter with Tuna, Turkey, or Chicken

349 calories, 5.5g fat, 573mg sodium, 39g carbs, 10.5g fiber, 11g sugars, 40.5g protein

Sandwich

4 ounces low-sodium tuna packed in water (drained), no-salt-added turkey breast (about 8 slices), or cooked skinless chicken breast

2 teaspoons light mayonnaise

One 100-calorie flat sandwich bun
or
2 slices light bread, toasted (optional)

1 large tomato slice

1 lettuce leaf

Optional seasonings: garlic powder, onion powder, Italian seasoning

Veggies and Dip

1½ cups sugar snap peas, red bell pepper, carrots, and/or other
high-fiber veggies

1 serving (3 to 4 tablespoons)
Sweet ’n Tangy Tomato Dip
,
Creamy Cilantro Dip
, or
Creamy Balsamic Dip

If having the tuna, mix it with mayo and optional ingredients. If you’re packing your lunch to go, keep the tuna mixture separate from the bread until lunchtime.

To prepare the chicken, pound a 5-ounce raw boneless skinless chicken breast cutlet to ½-inch thickness. Bring a skillet sprayed with nonstick spray to medium heat. Cook for about 5 minutes per side, until cooked through. Season to taste with salt-free seasoning.

Assemble sandwich and enjoy with veggies and dip.

HG FYI:
If you don’t see any prepackaged no-salt-added turkey, check the deli counter. I’m a big fan of Boar’s Head deli meats. You can also cook up your own skinless turkey breast with salt-free seasonings. (It’ll take about 5 ounces raw turkey to yield 4 ounces cooked.) Or just get the turkey with the lowest sodium count you can find.

Veggie ’n Bean Bowl with Side of Greek Yogurt

333 calories, 6.5g fat, 683mg sodium, 38g carbs, 9.5g fiber, 13.5g sugars, 33g protein

1½ cups mushrooms, zucchini, and/or cauliflower

1½ cups shredded lettuce

½ cup canned black beans, garbanzo beans/chickpeas, or kidney beans, drained and rinsed

2 teaspoons vinegar (balsamic, red wine, white wine, rice, or cider)

¼ cup crumbled reduced-fat feta cheese

Side: 6 ounces (about
²
/
₃
cup) fat-free Greek yogurt with 1 optional no-calorie sweetener packet

Place veggies in a microwave-safe bowl with 2 tablespoons water. Cover and microwave for 3 minutes, or until softened. Drain and blot dry. Alternatively, in a skillet sprayed with nonstick spray, cook and stir over medium-high heat until softened, about 5 minutes.

In a bowl, layer lettuce, beans, and veggies. Drizzle with vinegar, and sprinkle with cheese. Serve yogurt on the side (add sweetener, if you like).

HG FYI:
This meal is also great chilled!

Mix ’n Match Mania! HG-ified Fish or Chicken with Hot Veggies and Salad

I love sauces, dressings, and marinades. My favorites are made by Margie’s (obscure, but worth finding!), Lawry’s (a supermarket staple), and Newman’s Own (Lite Low Fat Sesame Ginger Dressing!). And by mixing and matching them with various proteins and veggies, there are countless ways to enjoy the HG-ified Fish or Chicken with Hot Veggies and Salad on the next page. Here are just a few ideas to get you started …

BBQ chicken with cabbage

Citrus cod with broccoli cole slaw

Lemon pepper tilapia with spaghetti squash

Herb & garlic cod with cabbage

Caribbean chicken with spaghetti squash

Southwestern tilapia with broccoli cole slaw

Balsamic sea bass with spaghetti squash

Chipotle chicken with cabbage

Zesty Italian cod with spaghetti squash

Sesame-ginger tilapia with cabbage

Chile-lime sea bass with spaghetti squash

Raspberry vinaigrette tilapia with broccoli cole slaw

Ranch chicken with spaghetti squash

HG-ified Fish or Chicken with Hot Veggies and Salad

335 calories, 10g fat, 402mg sodium, 26g carbs, 8g fiber, 13.5g sugars, 35g protein

Fish or Chicken

5 ounces raw tilapia, cod, sea bass, or boneless skinless chicken breast

1 teaspoon salt-free seasoning mix (like Mrs. Dash Original Blend)

1 teaspoon sauce, dressing, or marinade with 25 calories or less per 1-tablespoon serving (like the ones by Lawry’s)

Hot Veggies

3 cups chopped cabbage, 1½ cups cooked spaghetti squash strands (measured once cooked; how-to info
here
),
or
2½ cups bagged broccoli cole slaw

2 teaspoons sauce, dressing, or marinade with 25 calories or less per 1-tablespoon serving (like the ones by Lawry’s)

1 teaspoon extra-virgin olive oil or grapeseed oil

Salad

1 cup lettuce

½ cup tomato, onion, and/or other
high-fiber veggies

½ cup cucumber, mushrooms, and/or other
high-volume veggies

2½ teaspoons vinegar (balsamic, red wine, white wine, rice, or cider)

½ teaspoon extra-virgin olive oil or grapeseed oil

Preheat oven to 350 degrees for fish or 375 degrees for chicken. Season fish or chicken with seasoning mix. Bake in a baking pan sprayed with nonstick spray until cooked through, 15 to 20 minutes. (If your fish fillet is on the thin side, check it at 10 minutes.) Drizzle with sauce, dressing, or marinade.

Steam cabbage/broccoli slaw or cook in a skillet (how-to info
here
). Drizzle veggies with sauce, dressing, or marinade. Assemble salad and serve!

Veggie FYI:
Why cabbage, slaw, or squash? HUGE serving sizes! They’re also loaded with fiber and really satisfying. You can also choose 1½ cups broccoli, cauliflower, Brussels sprouts, carrots, and/or asparagus.

Skillet Alternative!
For chicken, pound to ½-inch thickness. Bring a skillet sprayed with nonstick spray to medium heat. Cook chicken or fish for 3 to 5 minutes per side, until cooked through. Sprinkle with salt-free seasoning mix.

For best results …

Use a food thermometer. Bake chicken until the internal temperature is 165 degrees; fish should be baked until 145 degrees.

Why Salt-Free Seasoning?

We all know it’s important to keep sodium intake to a minimum. But I have a confession to make: I used to salt things—a LOT. And I didn’t give salt-free seasonings the time of day. One day, I decided to experiment a little with them, and now I’m officially OBSESSED. These mixes can take a bland piece of chicken or fish and make it taste off-the-charts amazing. My hands-down favorite is Mrs. Dash Original Blend. It goes with everything! But I also recommend having a little fun with the dozens of flavors on shelves—citrus, chipotle, sweet ’n smoky … Both Mrs. Dash and McCormick make these.

Don’t miss …
The
mix ‘n match meal ideas
!

Chicken Hungry Girlfredo Bowl

340 calories, 8.5g fat, 693mg sodium, 24.5g carbs, 10.5g fiber, 10g sugars, 41g protein

This big fettuccine Alfredo swap can be made with tofu shirataki noodles OR broccoli cole slaw!

… with tofu shirataki noodles

1 bag House Foods Tofu Shirataki Fettuccine Shaped Noodle Substitute

2 tablespoons light sour cream

2 wedges The Laughing Cow Light Creamy Swiss cheese

4 ounces cooked skinless chicken breast, chopped or sliced

1½ cups steamed broccoli, cauliflower, Brussels sprouts, carrots, and/or asparagus (veggie-steaming info
here
)

Optional seasonings: garlic powder, paprika

Use a strainer to rinse and drain noodles. Thoroughly pat dry. Roughly cut noodles. Bring a skillet sprayed with nonstick spray to medium heat. Add all ingredients
except
chicken and veggies, breaking the cheese wedges into pieces. Cook and stir until cheese has melted, mixed with sour cream, and coated noodles, 2 to 3 minutes. Top with chicken and steamed veggies (or serve veggies on the side).

… with broccoli cole slaw

One 12-ounce bag (4 cups) broccoli cole slaw

2 tablespoons light sour cream

2 wedges The Laughing Cow Light Creamy Swiss cheese

4 ounces cooked skinless chicken breast, chopped or sliced

Optional seasonings: garlic powder, paprika

Bring a large skillet sprayed with nonstick spray to medium-high heat. Add broccoli slaw and ½ cup water. Cover and cook until fully softened, 10 to 12 minutes. Uncover and, if needed, cook and stir until water has evaporated, 2 to 3 minutes. Add all other ingredients
except
chicken, breaking the cheese wedges into pieces. Cook and stir until cheese has melted, mixed with sour cream, and coated slaw, 2 to 3 minutes. Top with chicken.

Why Tofu Shirataki Noodles?

I’m a huge fan of tofu shirataki noodles. Made of a combination of tofu and yam flour, they are an EXCELLENT pasta swap with a tiny fraction of the calories and carbs. They also have a nice amount of fiber and are all-natural, gluten-free, and very filling. These are different from the similar shirataki noodles that are made
without
any tofu. I find the addition of tofu not only makes these a little bit more filling, but it also gives them more of a pasta-like texture. I highly recommend trying them out in these noodle bowls and eating them frequently throughout the four weeks of this plan. Find them in the refrigerated section of the supermarket with the traditional tofu.