Outside-In Cheeseburger Patty

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Per Serving (entire recipe): 4 Points+
179 calories, 6.5g fat, 502mg sodium, 1.5g carbs, 0g fiber, 1g sugars, 26.5g protein 

The recipe: "Hungry Girl 1-2-3", page 15
or http://www.hungry-girl.com/newsletters/raw/1251


This is one of the rare Hungry Girl recipes that actually calls for ground beef.  Usually, HG seems to use lean or extra-lean ground turkey in her recipes.  Since I don't eat red meat, I made these patties with lean ground turkey, which has similar stats to the extra lean ground beef (just a tad more calories and fat).  The main reason I picked this recipe is because my husband loves mushrooms and cheese.  What could be better than a cheese and mushroom-filled burger? 

To save time, and from having to flip the burger patty, I cooked mine on my George Foreman Grill.  I had quadrupled the recipe, and actually made four patties.  Although the cheese didn't necessarily ooze out of the burgers, you can visibly see the cheese trying to escape out of the patty in the picture above.  I tried my best to completely enclose the cheese into the meat, but it was just a little difficult to do. 

The good thing, though, was that there was a fairly large amount of cheese.  A whole laughing cow cheese wedge in the middle of a burger patty is a good amount to make it nice and cheesy.  The mushrooms and other seasonings made this burger have a yummy flavor.  Everyone in my family enjoyed these, and I would consider making them again.  Maybe next time I can perfect the art of completely enclosing the cheese in the middle!

The Morning Waffle Dip

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Per Serving (entire recipe): 8 Points+
299 calories, 5g fat, 1,075mg sodium, 43.5g carbs, 3g fiber, 5g sugars, 23.5g protein 

The Recipe: "300 under 300", page 78


On the weekends, I like to deviate from my usual breakfast of oatmeal and a banana, and try something different.  This recipe called out to me because it has both sweet and savory ingredients - one of my favorite combinations.  The idea of using waffles as the bread in a breakfast sandwich sounded like a fun idea as well.
This sandwich was very easy to make, and I was eating my breakfast in no time.  All you need is some Egg Beaters, turkey bacon, fat free cheese, and, of course, low fat waffles.  After you put that together in an already yummy sandwich, you then get to dip it in sugar free syrup.  So good!  And compared to the usual calorie amounts in a restaurant meal that includes waffles, eggs, bacon, and cheese, you can't beat only 299 calories.  Try this and enjoy!

Oh Honey! Walnut Shrimp

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Per Serving (1/2 recipe, about 8 shrimp): 5 Points+
208 calories, 4g fat, 658mg sodium, 18.5g carbs, 1g fiber, 10g sugars, 24g protein 

The recipe: http://www.hungry-girl.com/chew/show/2160

This recipe was featured in an email not too long ago, and it reminded me of a chinese food dish my husband loves.  Since I'm always trying to convince him that low calorie food CAN taste good, I thought this would be a good recipe to make.  Unfortunately, he came home late and had gotten fast food on the way home.  Definitely not healthy!  So, I got to eat this dish on my own.
While I am not as big a fan of the Honey Walnut Shrimp dish my husband loves, I did think it was pretty tasty.  This recipe, however, was definitely not as good.  And I don't think it was just because it was made to be lowfat.  The sauce on the shrimp was a little to mayonnaise-y for my taste.  I did taste honey a little, but the mayo overpowered the other flavors.  It ended up having a creamy taste to it, but not in a good way.  I added a little soy sauce to the dish, which helped with the overall flavor. 
Unfortunately, the HG email states that this dish does not refrigerate well, and to consume immediately.  Since I was the only one eating this dinner, there were some leftovers.  With soy sauce, though, the leftovers tasted just about as good as the original meal.  The breading was just a little bit soggy. 
Overall, I was not a big fan of this dish.  I would skip it and try one of the other HG Chinese food recipes instead.  There was even a new HG email out this week for an orange chicken recipe that I might try out in the future.

Insanely Irresistible Corn Pudding

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Per Serving (1/12th of recipe, about one 3-inch square): 3 Points+
116 calories, 2.25g fat, 235mg sodium, 20.5g carbs, 1g fiber, 6.5g sugars, 3.5g protein 

The recipe: "300 under 300", page 416


While this was definitely tasty, I would not say that it was "insanely irresistible".  I'm not sure what I was expecting, but I guess I thought it would be more pudding-like and less corn bread-like.  To me, this just tasted like a moist cornbread.  Good, but I'm not sure if it was really worth the calories.  The serving size was fairly small as well.  While it looks like a nice-sized slice, it was very thin, so there wasn't much to it. 

Overall, I would rather just have a small slice of cornbread instead of this recipe.  Or, even better, save the hundred or so calories and skip it altogether.  If you are a cornbread fan, this might be worth a try, though.

Colossal Asian Veggie 'N Chicken Pack

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Per Serving (1/4th of recipe, about 1 1/2 cups): 5 Points+
222 calories, 1.5g fat, 811mg sodium, 19g carbs, 3.25g fiber, 9.5g sugars, 30.5g protein 

The recipe: "300 under 300", pages 170 - 171
or http://www.hungry-girl.com/newsletters/raw/1587 

As I've said before, I love making Hungry Girl foil packs.  They are quick, easy, and always turn out moist and yummy.  This recipe had TONS of veggies in it, which I love.  You get so much food for so little calories - awesome! 
My main complaint about this recipe was the lack of sauce.  For all those veggies, there was only 3 tablespoons of oyster sauce, along with a little rice vinegar.  I like to be able to taste my sauce!  Plus, when everything is cooked in the foil pack, the veggies release quite a bit of liquid, watering down the already too-small amount of sauce.  In other words, this recipe needs more sauce! 
To compensate, I ended up adding soy sauce to my serving.  Although it adds a lot of sodium, it doesn't really add any calories, and it was worth the added flavor this dish was desperately needing.  If you make this recipe, it might be worth it to add a tablespoon of lower calorie stir-fry sauce to each serving for more flavor.  I have found ones for only 20 calories a tablespoon that taste great.  The portion size alone is a good reason to make this dish, even though it needs a little help!

Eggs Bene-Chick Mug

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Per Serving (entire recipe): 4 Points+
153 calories, 1.75g fat, 831mg sodium, 15.5g carbs, 3g fiber, 2.5g sugars, 20g protein

The recipe: "300 under 300", page 26
or http://www.hungry-girl.com/newsletters/raw/1499


While I avoided the Hungry Girl egg mugs for quite some time (microwaving eggs seemed gross to me), I am now finding they are actually pretty good.  I love eggs benedict, so I gave this recipe a try.  This turned out nice and tasty. 
I was worried that the english muffin would turn out soggy or chewy, but, surprisingly, it didn't.  By lightly toasting it before nuking it, the muffin stays a nice texture.  There was the perfect amount of english muffin, egg, ham and sauce in this recipe.  So good!  I loved the hollandaise sauce as well.  It was nice and tangy, and made me feel as though I was truly eating Eggs Benedict.  A good substitute for a breakfast favorite.

Cheesy Pigs in Bacon Blankies

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Per Serving (1/8th of recipe, 1 pig in a blanket): 4 Points+
164 calories, 6.75g fat, 877mg sodium, 16g carbs, 0g fiber, 3.5g sugars, 10.5g protein 

The recipe: "300 under 300", pages 178 - 179
or http://www.hungry-girl.com/newsletters/raw/1495


Since I have been so busy recently, and am often not home to cook dinner, my husband actually pitched in and made this recipe for me.  Not bad, huh?  One of my kids' favorite lunches is pigs in a blanket.  So, I figured they would love this recipe.  For their pigs in blankies, we eliminated the bacon, but they loved the fact that there was cheese inside.


This recipe was fairly simple, with a nice twist on a classic favorite.  We added broccoli for a side and called it dinner, but you could definitely eat this for lunch or even a snack.  The calories were low enough where you could easily have two of these and not have overdone it.  These were easy to make, and worth trying.

Spicy Chicken Crunchtastic Supreme

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Per Serving (entire recipe): 6 Points +
240 calories, 3.75g fat, 897mg sodium, 33.5g carbs, 7g fiber, 3g sugars, 23.5g protein

The recipe: "300 under 300", pages 340 - 341
or http://www.hungry-girl.com/newsletters/raw/880


This recipe is supposed to be an imitation of a menu item you can find at Taco Bell.  I love Taco Bell, but I usually avoid it since there are very few healthy options to eat there.  I was pretty skeptical that this recipe would actually taste like a fast food dish.  Surprisingly, it did! 

I did not have a high fiber tortilla to make this with, so mine was probably an extra 50 calories or so.  But, I made another one a day later, and it tasted just as good with the high fiber tortilla.  I'm not sure if it was the fact that the final cooking process made all the ingredients warm, like the fast-food version you can buy, or the fact that the substituted ingredients are similar to the actual thing, but this really did taste like I was eating a fast-food meal.  I even felt a little guilty after eating it, and had to remind myself that it was not the same as eating the real thing. 

Since making this last week, I have made this two more times - both with a high fiber tortilla.  It tasted just as good each time, and I think this is going to now be on my list of favorites.  It definitely satisfied my Taco Bell cravings, so anytime I feel like Taco Bell again, I will make this recipe.  Yum!

Pow! Sock! Bam! Jambalaya

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PER SERVING (1/4th of recipe, about 1 1/2 cups): 6 Points+
256 calories, 5.5g fat, 688mg sodium, 30.5g carbs, 3.5g fiber, 6.5g sugars, 20g protein 

The recipe: "300 under 300", page 242
or http://www.hungry-girl.com/newsletters/raw/1603


The other night, I actually had some time to cook dinner for my family!  I chose this recipe because I thought it would be something different for a change - not to mention I love jambalaya.  Unfortunately, the recipe didn't turn out.  The photo above is the giving up point of this recipe.  Sadly, it wound up in the garbage after I rescued some of the sausage from the pot.  I was disappointed to say the least, since it was my first Hungry Girl recipe for the blog in quite some time now. 

My problem was the rice.  When I saw that the recipe called for uncooked rice, and that it was supposed to be cooked for 35 minutes, I had a feeling it would actually take much longer to cook the rice.  My rice NEVER got cooked, though, and I'm not sure what the heck I was doing wrong.  I covered it and reduced the heat to medium low, like the recipe said to.  Perhaps the heat wasn't up high enough?  It was hot enough to bubble the entire time, though.  The liquid in the pot got completely soaked up into the still-undercooked-rice, so I added some hot water, thinking that would help.  Nope!  After an hour and a half - yes, an hour and a half! - I gave up on the recipe and called it a day.  Luckily, I never did add the shrimp, so I didn't waste so much food.  But, I really hated having to throw everything away.  The rice was crunchy, though, and it is almost impossible to eat something with undercooked rice in it. 

I am not saying this recipe is hopeless, though.  The flavors were very good, and I could tell it would have turned into a nice and flavorful jambalaya.  It definitely had some heat to it, but I like spicy foods.  My recommendation is to cook the rice separately, and to use that in the recipe instead of uncooked rice.  There shouldn't be a problem with having too much liquid, since there wasn't enough liquid to cook the uncooked rice in the first place.   

Hopefully I will have more success with the next recipe!  I will try to make this again in the future and do a new review for it.  Next time I will be cooking the rice before adding it to the pot!

Colossal Asian Veggie 'N Chicken Pack

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Per Serving (1/4th of recipe, about 1 1/2 cups): 5 Points+
222 calories, 1.5g fat, 811mg sodium, 19g carbs, 3.25g fiber, 9.5g sugars, 30.5g protein 

The recipe: "300 under 300", pages 170 - 171
or http://www.hungry-girl.com/newsletters/raw/1587 

As I've said before, I love making Hungry Girl foil packs.  They are quick, easy, and always turn out moist and yummy.  This recipe had TONS of veggies in it, which I love.  You get so much food for so little calories - awesome! 
My main complaint about this recipe was the lack of sauce.  For all those veggies, there was only 3 tablespoons of oyster sauce, along with a little rice vinegar.  I like to be able to taste my sauce!  Plus, when everything is cooked in the foil pack, the veggies release quite a bit of liquid, watering down the already too-small amount of sauce.  In other words, this recipe needs more sauce! 
To compensate, I ended up adding soy sauce to my serving.  Although it adds a lot of sodium, it doesn't really add any calories, and it was worth the added flavor this dish was desperately needing.  If you make this recipe, it might be worth it to add a tablespoon of lower calorie stir-fry sauce to each serving for more flavor.  I have found ones for only 20 calories a tablespoon that taste great.  The portion size alone is a good reason to make this dish, even though it needs a little help!

Running for Motivation

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I did it.  I officially registered for a half marathon.  No more 10k's just to keep myself in shape and running.  A half marathon.  June 30.  I will actually have to train for this one.
As I've said before, my life has become WAY hectic, and it has been close to impossible for me to find time just to cook dinner - let alone write for my blog.  Right now, we have a couple of weeks of state testing at my school, so I have some much needed time to catch up on all my favorite blogs, and even write a few posts myself.  I really do miss cooking and writing HG reviews on a regular basis. 

One thing that has, in a way, replaced my regular blogging is running.  I was in desperate need of a way to get some new motivation.  I am less than 10 pounds away from my original goal weight of 145 pounds, but I can't seem to quite get there.  I am proud to say that, although the scale has gone up and down a few pounds, I have pretty much been maintaining my weight during the past 6 months or so.  But, I want to lose weight, damn it! 

So, I registered for a half marathon.  I've been running a few 10k's here and there, but I haven't done a half marathon since the Disneyland half in 2006.  More than five and a half years ago.  Pre-kids. 

I have been thinking about doing another half marathon for about a year now, but I just couldn't figure out how to find time for the training.  With working late Mondays and Wednesdays, and trying to spend as much time as possible with my two kids and husband, time is definitely limited now.  So, I run at night after the kids go to bed. And I run early Saturday morning before they wake up.  Here is my current running schedule:


Tuesday  - 5 mile speed run on treadmill (9pm)
Thursday - 4 - 5 mile hill run on treadmill (9pm)
Saturday - 8 - 11 mile long run outside (6am - 7:30am)


Crazy, right?  It's working, though, and that's what counts.  And even though it is so hard to run after a full day of work and kids, or to wake up at 5:30am on Saturday to get ready to run 8 - 10 miles, it has been worth it.  I feel like a runner again.  And the weight is starting to come off again. 

For kicks, I pulled out my running file where I have kept all my times from my previous races.  I had forgotten how fast I used to be, and it has given me even more motivation to train for this half marathon.  While I don't think I will get a new PR (personal record), it is something to strive for next time (and there will be a next time).  Here is my race history:

Pre-Baby:
San Diego Rock 'n Roll Marathon - 6/5/05 - 4:44:29
Long Beach Half Marathon - 10/16/05 - 1:57:28
Orange County Half Marathon - 1/8/06 - 1:55:29 - (my personal record, an 8:58 pace!)
Carneros Wine Country Napa to Sonoma Half Marathon - 7/16/06 - 2:26:21
Disneyland Half Marathon - 9/17/06 - 2:01:22

Post-Baby:
Apple Valley 10k - 10/24/09 - 58:38
Apple Valley 5k - 10/24/09 - 32:14
Calabasas Classic 10k - 11/8/09 - 1:14:43 (with friends)
Universal Studios 10k - 12/13/09 - 56:36
Calabasas Classic 10k - 11/13/11 - 1:04:46
Universal Studios 10k - 12/4/11 - 1:18:17 (with friends)
Victory 4 Victims 10k - 4/15/12 - 59:08

TBD:
Mojave Narrow Half Marathon - 6/30/12

I'm so excited to be back in the game, so to speak.  I feel good about my running, am comfortable running up to 8 miles so far, and know it will only get easier as I lose more weight.  I just hope my motivation will last this time and I will finally reach my goal weight once and for all!

Southern Living What's for Supper

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Southern Living What's for Supper
by Southern Living, Vanessa McNeil Rocchio
Publication Date: April 24, 2012

Buy new: $19.95 $13.57
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Review & Description

Southern Living solves the constant dinner dilemma with What's for Supper. This all-inclusive book of easy and delicious alternatives to fast food is a one-stop guide to quicker meals families can simply enjoy. Contributing Editor and Southern Living Test Kitchens expert Vanessa McNeil Rocchio has provided over 150 of her favorite 30-minute recipes that are fast, simple, and full of fl avor. From kid-favorites like Grilled Chicken Tacos and Tangy Turkey Burgers to sure-to-become family favorites like Chicken Cordon Bleu and Crunchy Crab Cakes, there's something for everyone in What's for Supper. The book also includes tips and advice for overcoming even the greatest mealtime challenges, including pleasing picky eaters and making a meal solely from items in the pantry.


From a quicker-than-quick "No-Cook Supper" to a meal just for two, What's for Supper is today's answer to speedy, hassle-free cooking. Readers can trust Southern Living to provide only the best and most reliable recipes-so never again will they have to worry when their family asks "What's for supper?"

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #187 in Books
• Published on: 2012-04-24
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Dimensions: 9.25" h x .75" w x 7.50" l, 1.54 pounds
• Binding: Paperback
• 256 pages

Vegan Cooking for Carnivores: Over 125 Recipes So Tasty You Won't Miss the Meat

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Vegan Cooking for Carnivores: Over 125 Recipes So Tasty You Won't Miss the Meat
by Quentin Bacon, Ellen DeGeneres, Roberto Martin, Portia de Rossi
Publication Date: April 24, 2012

Buy new: $29.99 $17.99

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Review & Description

Ellen DeGeneres' personal chef, Roberto Martin, shares over 125 delicious vegan recipes he's created for Ellen DeGeneres and Portia de Rossi that he hopes will make healthy vegan cooking accessible and easy for everyone. Portia de Rossi explains in her foreword, "Roberto taught me that the key to making good food vegan is substitution...you can enjoy all your favorite foods and never feel deprived."

Some of the standouts Martin, a Culinary Institute of America-trained chef, has developed for Ellen and Portia include: Banana and Oatmeal Pancakes, Avocado Reuben, Red Beans and Rice, "Chick'n" Pot Pie, and Chocolate Cheesecake. Featuring mouthwatering photographs by award-winning food photographer, Quentin Bacon, this cookbook will appeal to die-hard carnivores and vegetarians alike.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #8 in Books
• Published on: 2012-04-24
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Dimensions: 9.75" h x 1.00" w x 8.00" l, 1.94 pounds
• Binding: Hardcover
• 240 pages

CocaCola, 57 Weird, Interesting & Useful Uses & Recipes

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CocaCola, 57 Weird, Interesting & Useful Uses & Recipes
Brian Morris Technical Advisors (Author)
2 days in the top 100
(1)

Download: $0.99
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Review & Description

CocaCola is enjoyed in 162 coutries. But do you know how many other uses it has, besides being a great drink?
This book outlines 57 weird, interesting and useful uses for CocaCola.
For instance, it is used in cooking recipes for cakes, sauces, barbecues, then we get into plumbing, engineering, policing, teaching science and it is used in the beauty industry. Coca Cola has interesting benefits as a cold remedy, treatment of Delhi belly, baby colic, and many more uses.
See how many EXTRA applications you can find for this enjoyable beverage.
Knowing all this stuff makes great small talk at dinner parties and weddings.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #394 in eBooks
• Published on: 2011-08-06
• Released on: 2011-08-06
• Format: Kindle eBook
• Number of items: 1

Martha's American Food: A Celebration of Our Nation's Most Treasured Dishes, from Coast to Coast

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Martha's American Food: A Celebration of Our Nation's Most Treasured Dishes, from Coast to Coast
by Martha Stewart
(1)
Release Date: April 24, 2012

Buy new: $40.00 $24.32
34 used & new from $24.28

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Review & Description

In this beautiful volume, a love letter to American food, Martha Stewart, who has so significantly influenced the American table, collects her most favorite national dishes, as well as the stories and traditions behind them. These are recipes that will delight you with nostalgia, inspire you, and teach you about our nation by way of its regions and their distinctive flavors. Above all, these are time-honored recipes that you will turn to again and again.

Organized geographically, the 200 recipes in Martha’s American Food include main dishes such as comforting Chicken Pot Pies, easy Grilled Fish Tacos, irresistible Barbecued Ribs, and hearty New England Clam Chowder. Here, too, are thoroughly modern starters, sides, and one-dish meals that harness the bounty of each region’s seasons and landscape: Hot Crab Dip, Tequila-Grilled Shrimp, Indiana Succotash, Chicken and Andouille Gumbo, Grilled Bacon-Wrapped Whitefish, and Whole-Wheat Spaghetti with Meyer Lemon, Arugula, and Pistachios. And you will want to leave room for dessert, with dozens of treats such as Chocolate-Bourbon Pecan Pie, New York Cheesecake, and Peach and Berry Cobbler.

Through sidebars about the flavors that define each region and stunning photography that brings the foods—and the places with which we identify them—to life, Martha celebrates the unique character of each part of the country. With all the dishes that inspire pride in our national cuisine, Martha’s American Food gathers, in one place, the recipes that will surely please your family and friends for generations to come. 
 

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #107 in Books
• Published on: 2012-04-24
• Released on: 2012-04-24
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Dimensions: 10.23" h x 1.27" w x 8.30" l, 3.68 pounds
• Binding: Hardcover
• 432 pages