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Hungry Girl: 200 Under 200: 200 Recipes Under 200 Calories

Page 9

by Lisa Lillien


  Ingredients

  One 10-ounce package frozen chopped spinach, thawed and drained thoroughly

  One 14-ounce can artichoke hearts packed in water, drained thoroughly and chopped

  One 8-ounce container fat-free cream cheese, room temperature

  One-half 8-ounce can water chestnuts, drained and chopped

  ¼ cup fat-free sour cream

  ¼ cup fat-free mayonnaise

  ¼ cup reduced-fat Parmesan-style grated topping, divided

  3 tablespoons minced shallots

  2 cloves garlic, minced

  ¼ teaspoon salt

  1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper

  Directions

  If you want to serve this dish hot, preheat oven to 350 degrees.

  In a large bowl, combine cream cheese, sour cream, mayo, and 3 tablespoons Parm-style topping until mixed well. Add salt and cayenne pepper, and stir until smooth.

  In a pan sprayed with nonstick spray, cook shallots and garlic over medium heat on the stove until soft, 1 to 2 minutes. Set aside.

  To the large bowl, add spinach, artichoke hearts, water chestnuts, and garlic-shallot mixture, and stir well.

  If serving dip cold, top with remaining 1 tablespoon Parm-style topping and you’re done!

  If serving dip hot, transfer to a medium casserole dish, top with remaining Parm-style topping, and then bake in the oven for about 30 minutes, until bubbly. Let cool slightly before serving.

  MAKES 8 SERVINGS

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  Chew on This

  Catherine de Médicis is credited as the gal who introduced artichokes to France. According to a royal chronicler, she ate so much at a courtier’s wedding that she “thought she would die, and was very ill.” We’ve been there, Catherine.

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  fluffy cinnamon—cream cheese dip

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  PER SERVING (3 tablespoons): 43 calories, <0.5g fat, 107mg sodium, 6.5g carbs, 0g fiber, 2g sugars, 2.5g protein

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  This is like a cross between sweet cinnamon frosting and a slice of cheesecake. And it’s soooo easy to make!

  Ingredients

  ¾ cup Cool Whip Free, thawed

  ¼ cup fat-free cream cheese, room temperature

  3 tablespoons Splenda No Calorie Sweetener (granulated)

  ¼ teaspoon cinnamon

  Directions

  Combine all ingredients in a bowl. Mix until thoroughly blended and smooth.

  Chill for at least 10 minutes before dipping!

  MAKES 4 SERVINGS

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  HG Trivia Tidbit:

  Cinnamon is actually one of the flavors in cola. See, it really IS in everything!

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  *

  For Weight Watchers POINTS® values and photos of all the recipes in this book, check out hungry-girl.com/book.

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  sweet cinnamon pita chips

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  PER SERVING (12 chips): 144 calories, 2.5g fat, 290mg sodium, 27.5g carbs, 6g fiber, 1g sugars, 5g protein

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  Looking for the crunch of a cracker with the sweetness of a dessert? These are GREAT for dipping. Try ’em with our Fluffy Cinnamon—Cream Cheese Dip (Chapter 5) and our Chunky Caramel-Apple Pumpkin Dip (Chapter 5)!

  Ingredients

  1 whole-wheat or high-fiber pita

  1 teaspoon Splenda No Calorie Sweetener (granulated)

  ½ teaspoon cinnamon

  Butter-flavored nonstick spray

  Directions

  Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

  In a small dish, combine Splenda and cinnamon. Mix well and set aside.

  Slice pita into six wedges. Carefully open up each wedge and separate into two triangles.

  Lightly spray a baking sheet with nonstick spray. Arrange triangles flat on the sheet with the inner part of the pita facing up.

  Cover pita triangles with a 1-second spray of butter-flavored spray. Immediately sprinkle with Splenda-cinnamon mixture. Give pita triangles another 1-second mist of butter-flavored spray.

  Bake in the oven for 5 to 7 minutes, or until triangles are crispy.

  MAKES 1 SERVING

  chunky caramel-apple pumpkin dip

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  PER SERVING (¼ cup): 52 calories, <0.5g fat, 96mg sodium, 11.5g carbs, 1.25g fiber, 4.5g sugars, <0.5g protein

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  Oh, boy! This stuff is so good, we teared up the first time it was sampled at the HG HQ. Use it as a dip, or just spoon it into your mouth straight and enjoy it as a dessert. A full cup has just over 200 calories! Get ready to cry pumpkin-inspired tears of joy. Pssst…it’s even better the day after it’s prepared!

  Ingredients

  One 8-ounce container Cool Whip Free, thawed

  One 15-ounce can pure pumpkin

  1 small (4-serving) package sugar-free fat-free vanilla instant pudding mix

  2 cups finely diced apples

  1 tablespoon Splenda No Calorie Sweetener (granulated)

  2 teaspoons fat-free caramel dip

  2 teaspoons cornstarch

  1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice

  1 teaspoon vanilla extract, divided

  ½ teaspoon cinnamon

  Dash salt

  *

  HG Heads Up!

  Love apples? Do not miss the Fun with Fujis chapter, starting on Chapter 12.

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  Directions

  Place apples in a microwave-safe dish with ¼ cup water. Cover and microwave for 2½ minutes. Once dish is cool enough to handle, drain water and set aside.

  Place ½ cup cold water in a small saucepan. Add Splenda, cornstarch, cinnamon, ½ teaspoon of the vanilla extract, and salt, and mix thoroughly.

  Bring the saucepan to medium-low heat, then stir in caramel dip. Continue cooking, stirring occasionally, until mixture is hot, thick, and bubbly, about 5 minutes. Then add the apples and stir until mixed. Refrigerate until cold, about 1 hour.

  Meanwhile, mix pumpkin pie spice and remaining ½ teaspoon vanilla extract into the Cool Whip.

  In a large bowl, combine vanilla pudding mix with pure pumpkin and stir well. Fold in Cool Whip mixture, making sure it is completely blended. Refrigerate.

  Once caramel-y apples are cold, stir them into the chilled pumpkin mixture. Store dip in the refrigerator until ready to serve. Mmmmmm!

  MAKES 16 SERVINGS

  mostly roasted veggie explosion

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  PER SERVING (1/8th of platter): 71 calories, <0.5g fat, 97mg sodium, 15.5g carbs, 7g fiber, 6g sugars, 3g protein

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  This platter is abnormally large and SUPER-DELICIOUS. Chew your veggies straight, or dip ’em in any number of our dips. (Pssst…we recommend the Sweet Caramelized Onion Dip on Chapter 5!)

  Ingredients

  1 pound asparagus

  1 eggplant, ends removed

  1 red bell pepper

  1 yellow bell pepper

  3 large carrots, peeled and cut into ½-inch-wide sticks

  1 small jicama, peeled and cut into ½-inch-wide sticks

  2 cups sugar snap peas

  6 to 8 cherry tomatoes

  6 to 8 fresh basil leaves

  ¼ teaspoon salt

  Directions

  Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

  Cut eggplant lengthwise into six to eight ¼-inch slices. Blot excess moisture from slices with paper towels. Sprinkle both sides with the salt.

  Spray a baking sheet with nonstick spray. Arrange eggplant slices flat on the sheet. Bake for about 15 minutes, flipping slices halfway through cooking, until slices are soft but not crispy. Remove from sheet and set aside to cool.

  Raise oven temperature to 425 degrees.

  Re-spray the baking sheet. Break each asparagus stalk where it naturally snaps and discard the tough ends. Lay asparagus on the sheet. Bake f
or about 7 minutes for thin stalks or about 15 minutes for thick stalks, flipping them halfway through cooking. Remove from sheet and set aside to cool.

  Re-spray sheet and lay carrot sticks flat on the sheet. Bake for about 14 minutes, flipping sticks halfway through cooking, until carrots are slightly browned but still firm.

  Meanwhile, remove stems and seeds from both peppers. Cut into ½-inch-thick slices.

  Re-spray sheet and arrange pepper slices flat on the sheet. Bake for about 10 minutes, flipping slices halfway through cooking. Remove from sheet and set aside to cool.

  To assemble, place one basil leaf lengthwise on an eggplant slice. Add a cherry tomato at the short base of the slice. Roll eggplant up from the bottom, around the tomato, and secure with a toothpick. Repeat with all of the other eggplant slices.

  Refrigerate asparagus, carrots, pepper slices, and eggplant rolls until completely chilled, at least 1 hour.

  When it’s time to serve, arrange the chilled roasted veggies on a platter with the jicama and sugar snap peas.

  MAKES 8 SERVINGS

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  HG Tip! Think raw sugar snap peas taste too “grassy”? Feel free to soften them a bit in the microwave—just place them in a dish with 2 tablespoons water, cover, and nuke for 1 to 2 minutes.

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  sweet caramelized onion dip

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  PER SERVING (1/3 cup): 74 calories, 1.75g fat, 512mg sodium, 11g carbs, 0.5g fiber, 4.5g sugars, 3.5g protein

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  This onion dip is better than ANY onion dip EVER. Seriously. There is no better onion dip anywhere. Try it and see for yourself. BTW, you can eat it with chips, crackers, veggies…even on sandwiches and wraps. YUM!!!

  Ingredients

  2 large sweet onions, chopped

  6 tablespoons fat-free cream cheese, room temperature

  ½ cup fat-free sour cream

  ½ cup fat-free mayonnaise

  1 tablespoon light whipped butter or light buttery spread

  1 teaspoon Dijon mustard

  1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar

  ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper

  ½ teaspoon salt

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  HG Heads Up!

  This tastes better after several hours in the fridge, so for best results make it the day before you plan to eat it.

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  Directions

  Heat butter in a large pan over medium-high heat. Once butter has coated the bottom of the pan, add onions, cayenne pepper, and salt. Don’t worry if onions are piled high in the pan—they will cook down. Sauté for 10 minutes, stirring often.

  Reduce heat to medium-low, and cook for an additional 25 to 30 minutes, stirring occasionally, until onions are browned and caramelized.

  Meanwhile, in a large bowl, combine cream cheese, sour cream, and mayo. Whisk until smooth, then refrigerate.

  Once onions are caramelized, add mustard and vinegar to the pan. Continue to cook for 5 minutes, stirring frequently. Remove onions from heat and allow to cool.

  Once cool, add onions to the large bowl and mix dip thoroughly. Refrigerate overnight to allow flavors to combine. Serve at room temperature.

  MAKES 6 SERVINGS

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  For Weight Watchers POINTS® values and photos of all the recipes in this book, check out hungry-girl.com/book.

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  kickin’ peanut sauce

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  PER SERVING (2 tablespoons): 55 calories, 2.5g fat, 213mg sodium, 4.5g carbs, 0.5g fiber, 1.5g sugars, 3.5g protein

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  Regular Thai peanut sauce is a fatty mess. This version is sweet and nutty yet has WAY fewer calories and a tiny fraction of the fat the regular stuff has.

  Ingredients

  1/3 cup plus 2 tablespoons plain light soymilk

  ¼ cup plain fat-free yogurt

  1½ tablespoons reduced-fat peanut butter, room temperature

  1½ tablespoons light/low-sodium soy sauce

  1½ tablespoons soy nuts, crushed

  1 no-calorie sweetener packet

  ¼ teaspoon crushed garlic

  ¼ teaspoon dried minced onion

  1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper

  Directions

  Place all ingredients except for yogurt in a small saucepan. Bring to medium-low heat. Stirring constantly, cook until ingredients are thoroughly blended.

  Remove from heat and let cool.

  Mix in the yogurt, stirring until sauce is lump-free. Enjoy hot, warm, or cold!

  MAKES 5 SERVINGS

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  HG Trivia Tidbit:

  The comic strip Peanuts ran from October 2, 1950, to February 13, 2000. During those 50 years, 17,897 strips were published. The strips still run in syndication, and we still watch A Charlie Brown Christmas every year.

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  zesty italian pita chips

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  PER SERVING (12 chips): 163 calories, 4.5g fat, 453mg sodium, 27g carbs, 5.5g fiber, 1.5g sugars, 5g protein

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  If you’re tired of boring pita chips, spice ’em up Italian-style. It’s easy!

  Ingredients

  1 whole-wheat or high-fiber pita

  2 teaspoons light whipped butter or light buttery spread, room temperature

  2 teaspoons fat-free Italian dressing

  ½ teaspoon dried parsley flakes

  ¼ teaspoon lemon juice

  ¼ teaspoon crushed garlic

  ¼ teaspoon minced dried onion

  Directions

  Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

  Slice pita into six wedges. Carefully open up each wedge and separate into two triangles.

  Spray a baking sheet lightly with nonstick spray. Arrange triangles flat on the sheet, with the inner part of the pita facing up.

  In a small dish, combine all of the other ingredients, stirring until mostly mixed. Don’t worry if butter and Italian dressing do not fully integrate.

  Evenly spread buttery mixture over pita triangles. Bake in the oven for 5 to 7 minutes, or until triangles are crispy. Serve hot, warm, or room temperature.

  MAKES 1 SERVING

  mexican bean & cheese dip

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  PER SERVING (about 1/3 cup): 87 calories, 0.5g fat, 441mg sodium, 10g carbs, 3g fiber, 1g sugars, 10.5g protein

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  This dip is a big, beany, cheesy pile of fun!

  Ingredients

  1 cup frozen ground-beef-style soy crumbles

  ½ cup fat-free refried beans

  ½ cup canned black beans, drained

  ½ cup shredded fat-free cheddar cheese

  ¼ cup fat-free cream cheese, room temperature

  ¼ cup chopped scallions

  ¼ cup canned tomatoes with green chilies, drained

  ¼ cup chopped fresh tomatoes

  1 tablespoon taco sauce

  ¼ teaspoon dry taco seasoning mix

  Optional topping: fat-free sour cream

  Directions

  In a medium microwave-safe dish, combine soy crumbles with taco seasoning and taco sauce until well mixed. Heat in the microwave for 30 seconds, then set aside.

  In a small dish, combine cream cheese with refried beans and mix well.

  Spray an 8-inch by 8-inch microwave-safe baking dish (glass is best) with nonstick spray.

  Layer the cheesy bean mixture on the bottom. Spread soy crumble mixture on top.

  In another dish, combine black beans, scallions, canned tomatoes with chilies, and fresh tomatoes. Evenly spread this mixture in a layer on top of the “meat” mixture.

  Sprinkle cheddar cheese over the entire dish. Loosely cover with microwave-safe plastic wrap. Microwave for 5 minutes, or until cheese has melted. Top with sour cream, if desired, and serve with your favorite dippers!

  MAKES 6 SERVINGS

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HG Tip! This is one of those great, prepare-ahead-of-time dishes. Prep the dish, cover with plastic wrap, and leave it in your fridge until the party starts. Then just pop it in the microwave and serve!

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  creamy vanilla dip

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  PER SERVING (2 tablespoons): 34 calories, 0g fat, 96mg sodium, 5.5g carbs, 0g fiber, 1.5g sugars, 1.5g protein

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  Dipping fruit in this stuff makes an ordinary low-calorie snack feel like a super-indulgent dessert. Make this dip often, people!

  Ingredients

  ¾ cup Cool Whip Free, thawed

  3 tablespoons fat-free cream cheese, room temperature

  3 tablespoons Splenda No Calorie Sweetener (granulated)

  ½ tablespoon sugar-free fat-free vanilla instant pudding mix

  Directions

  In a mixing bowl, combine all ingredients. Stir until smooth and blended.

  Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes before serving. Enjoy!

  MAKES 5 SERVINGS

  nacho-average tortilla chips

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  PER SERVING (12 chips): 126 calories, 3g fat, 217mg sodium, 22.5g carbs, 3g fiber, <0.5g sugars, 2.5g protein

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  These are cheesy, fiber-packed, and delicious, and they have WAY less fat than your average nacho chips. Homemade Doritos, anyone?!

  Ingredients

  2 small corn tortillas

  1 teaspoon fat-free cheese-flavored sprinkles

  ¼ teaspoon dry taco seasoning mix

 

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