Hungry Girl: How low fat recipes are like craft books

I am infatuated with Hungry Girl. It’s a collection of low fat recipes and dieting tips for women. The website looks fun and perky, like the cover of a chick-lit novel, and HG has low fat recipes for “fun foods” like onion rings and ice cream shakes and eggs benedict. She compares them side by side with the “real” version to give you some perspective. šŸ™‚ I found the site while searching for recipes using Shirataki “Miracle” noodles, another current infatuation of mine.

Fine, I confess. I gained some newlywed bliss weight because I have a high metabolism hubby who HAS to eat ice cream every night or wither away. (I hate him. Love him, but hate him.) And I have to be a bridesmaid this year plus fit into a nice dress for RWA conference. And I was tired of feeling down every time I tried on a pair of pants that didn’t fit anymore. Excuses, excuses…So I’m dieting. Dieting is a bad word in the weight loss world. I know it’s supposed to be a lifestyle change, but hey, I’m dieting. No two ways about it.

I made this great recipe for low fat onion rings yesterday. (Crushed high fiber cereal, seasonsings, egg white, dip the rings and bake them.Ā  It’s awesome!) And I realized I was feeling good not only because I got to have onion rings for a snack without all the fat, but I liked following a recipe and cooking. Part of me enjoys the actual process of dieting. I like the extra thought and effort it takes to plan out meals and hunt out recipes and the success of finding little tricks.

Because it makes me feel like I can cheat the system. MWHAHAHAHA!!!

Which is exactly why I like to study writing craft. I’m searching for Donald Maas’ Writing the Breakout Novel right now to add to my bookshelf. Reading books like that makes me look at my writing and evaluate what I’m doing. It’s the same high of finding low calorie noodles or cooking “no-guilt” recipes. It’s extra work, but somehow, I hope that therein lies some secret and that I’ll find the trick I need to make my writing phenomenal. I don’t mind working overtime for it, but I just want to believe there is a way. That anyone can do this.

I want to fit into my skinny suit and write a bestselling novel while eating onion rings. I want it all.

7 Comments

  1. Kristi
    Jun 04, 2009 @ 11:53:31

    Check out Cooking Light’s website (www.cookinglight.com). They post many of the recipes from their magazines (& cookbooks) on there, and they have good, interesting recipes. I get their annual cookbooks every year–they have all the recipes and a few of the cooking articles from the entire year’s worth of magazines. Their magazine is really good too–yummy recipes and articles about fitness and cooking.

    I also had the problem of the high-metabolism hubby. When we were first living together I gained probably 10-15 pounds because I’d make enough food for both of us, and eat half. And I had no business eating the same amount that he did. It takes some serious practice to figure out your own portion sizes and learn to say no to desserts or sodas or coffee drinks that his metabolism can afford but yours can’t. Especially when food is all so yummy….

    I’m still carrying some of my extra weight, btw. But I got my revenge when I was pregnant. He gained baby weight along with me….mine came back off again after the kiddos were born, but his still hasn’t. Muhahahahah! (Of course, now he’s actually interested in lighter cooking. Finally)

  2. Dara
    Jun 04, 2009 @ 13:43:32

    I know I need to eat better. I’m one of those high metabolism people, but I need to actually eat things that are good for me rather than the sweets. It’s probably doing a number on my body on the inside, not to mention it’ll probably all catch up to me in the next five years.

    The lighter cooking would be good for both me and hubby (who has mentioned that he’d like to lose weight) .

  3. Lisa
    Jun 04, 2009 @ 22:15:10

    I love Hungry Girl! She has some really great recipes. I used to get her e-mail newsletters, but I fell off the list. If you’re not already subscribed, you should sign up. They always had great recipes and dieting tips.

    I’m not sure if this happens to a lot of people or not, but before I started writing I was very focused on diet and exercise. Always at the gym, always counting every calorie, but now that we’re on submission I’ve been living off of ice cream and gold fish. Not good. I still go to the gym, but mostly just to give my fingers a break from refreshing my e-mail….

  4. Jeannie
    Jun 05, 2009 @ 04:59:26

    Dara re:”Iā€™m one of those high metabolism people, but I need to actually eat things that are good for me rather than the sweets.”

    Jealous!

  5. Jeannie
    Jun 05, 2009 @ 05:02:34

    Kristi – Cooking Light is awesome! I tried a lasagna receipe off of there. okay, so it was still lasagna so not “no guilt” but definitely less guilt. šŸ™‚

    Lisa – I feel you on the submission watch. I have to drag myself to the gym as an excuse to get away from my computer. Even then I check my Blackberry constantly. It can happen any moment, right? Fingers crossed for you and your sister!

  6. Jax Cassidy
    Jun 05, 2009 @ 23:51:04

    I must investigate the website. I gained some weight for sitting on my butt at the computer. It’s hard to get motivated when you don’t have someone to work out with. I miss pilates/yoga. I am definitely going back to classes once life settles!

  7. diet-meal-recipes
    Oct 13, 2009 @ 15:20:32

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