The Hungry Girl Diet: Big Portions. Big Results. Drop 10 Pounds in 4 Weeks (14 page)

Egg Mug FYI:
When choosing a mug, the bigger, the better. The egg rises as it cooks. Don’t own any oversized mugs? Use a microwave-safe bowl.

The Great Greek Egg Breakfast

337 calories, 8g fat, 687mg sodium, 46g carbs, 14.5g fiber, 11g sugars, 26g protein

One 100-calorie flat sandwich bun or light English muffin

1 tablespoon light whipped butter or light buttery spread

½ cup chopped spinach leaves

¼ cup chopped red onion

²
/
₃
cup egg whites or fat-free liquid egg substitute

2 tablespoons seeded and diced tomato

1 tablespoon crumbled reduced-fat feta cheese

½ tablespoon chopped fresh basil

¹
/
₈
teaspoon dried oregano

Side: 1 cup raspberries and/or blackberries

Toast bun or muffin halves, if you like, and spread with butter.

In a large microwave-safe mug sprayed with nonstick spray, microwave spinach and onion for 1½ minutes, or until softened.

Blot away excess moisture. Add egg whites or substitute, stir, and microwave for 1½ minutes.

Stir in remaining ingredients
except
berries. Microwave for 1 minute, or until set. Enjoy with berries and buttered bun or muffin.

Skillet Alternative!
Feel free to make your egg breakfast in a skillet sprayed with nonstick spray as opposed to a mug in the microwave.

Tropical Fruit ’n Yogurt Bowl

307 calories, 7g fat, 160mg sodium, 48g carbs, 11.5g fiber, 28g sugars, 20.5g protein

6 ounces (about
²
/
₃
cup) fat-free plain Greek yogurt

1 no-calorie sweetener packet

Dash cinnamon

½ cup sliced strawberries

½ cup pineapple chunks packed in juice, drained

¼ cup Fiber One Original bran cereal

¼ ounce (about 1 tablespoon) chopped pecans or sliced almonds

1 tablespoon sweetened shredded coconut

In a medium bowl, mix sweetener and cinnamon into yogurt. Top with remaining ingredients.

Fiber One 101:
Fiber One is sweetened with aspartame. If you prefer a high-fiber cereal made without artificial sweeteners, use All-Bran Original.

Berry Madness Yogurt Bowl

321 calories, 8.5g fat, 141mg sodium, 48.5g carbs, 18.5g fiber, 21g sugars, 24g protein

6 ounces (about
²
/
₃
cup) fat-free plain Greek yogurt

1 no-calorie sweetener packet

Dash cinnamon

1 cup raspberries and/or blackberries

½ cup blueberries

¼ cup Fiber One Original bran cereal

½ ounce (about 2 tablespoons) sliced almonds

In a medium bowl, mix sweetener and cinnamon into yogurt. Top with remaining ingredients.

Banana-Berry Yogurt Bowl

322 calories, 8.5g fat, 125mg sodium, 50g carbs, 13g fiber, 22.5g sugars, 23g protein

6 ounces (about
²
/
₃
cup) fat-free plain Greek yogurt

1 no-calorie sweetener packet

Dash cinnamon

¾ cup chopped strawberries

½ cup sliced banana

¼ cup Fiber One Original bran cereal

½ ounce (about 2 tablespoons) sliced almonds

In a medium bowl, mix sweetener and cinnamon into yogurt. Top with remaining ingredients.

Download The Hungry Girl Diet App to create custom shopping lists and track your food! Visit
hungry-girl.com/diet
for details.

* WEEKS 2 - 4 *

LUNCHES & DINNERS

Chinese Chicken Salad

330 calories, 8g fat, 611mg sodium, 35g carbs, 11.5g fiber, 16g sugars, 35.5g protein

4 cups chopped romaine or iceberg lettuce

2 cups bagged cole slaw mix

4 ounces cooked and chopped skinless chicken breast

¼ cup mandarin orange segments packed in juice, drained

¼ cup canned sliced water chestnuts, roughly chopped

2 tablespoons Fiber One Original bran cereal

2 tablespoons chopped scallions

¼ ounce (about 1 tablespoon) sliced almonds

2 tablespoons low-fat sesame ginger dressing

Place all ingredients
except
dressing in a large bowl. Drizzle dressing over salad, or serve it on the side!

Need help cooking up that chicken?
Check out
here
. You can also find precooked chicken breast at the supermarket. Choose ones lower in sodium.

BBQ Chicken Salad

338 calories, 7g fat, 705mg sodium, 33g carbs, 11g fiber, 10.5g sugars, 38g protein

Dressing

1 tablespoon BBQ sauce with about 45 calories per 2-tablespoon serving

1 tablespoon fat-free plain Greek yogurt

¾ teaspoon ranch dressing/dip seasoning mix

Salad

4 cups chopped romaine or iceberg lettuce

4 ounces cooked and chopped skinless chicken breast

¼ cup chopped tomato

¼ cup peeled and chopped jicama

¼ cup canned black beans, drained and rinsed

1 ounce (about 2 tablespoons) chopped avocado

2 tablespoons frozen sweet corn kernels, thawed

1 tablespoon chopped cilantro

To make the dressing, in a small bowl, combine BBQ sauce, Greek yogurt, and ranch seasoning. Add 2 teaspoons water, and stir until uniform.

Place all salad ingredients in a large bowl. Top salad with dressing, or serve dressing on the side. Yum!

Veggie-rific Salad

337 calories, 9.5g fat, 630mg sodium, 38g carbs, 10.5g fiber, 14.5g sugars, 29.5g protein

4 cups chopped spinach leaves

1 cup sliced mushrooms

1 cup chopped cucumber

½ cup chopped bell pepper

½ cup chopped tomato

¹
/
₃
cup garbanzo beans/chickpeas, drained and rinsed

4 large hard-boiled egg whites, chopped

2 tablespoons crumbled reduced-fat feta cheese

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, use 1 serving (3 to 4 tablespoons)
Sweet ’n Tangy Tomato Dressing
,
Creamy Cilantro Dressing
, or
Creamy Balsamic Dressing
. Love these! Sodium count will vary.

Fajita Salad

320 calories, 9.5g fat, 613mg sodium, 28.5g carbs, 7.5g fiber, 13.5g sugars, 32.5g protein

1 cup sliced onion

1 cup sliced red and green bell peppers

1 teaspoon olive oil or grapeseed oil

4 ounces cooked and chopped skinless chicken breast or ready-to-eat shrimp

1 teaspoon fajita seasoning

4 cups chopped romaine or iceberg lettuce

2 tablespoons salsa

2 tablespoons light sour cream

Bring a skillet sprayed with nonstick spray to medium heat. Add onion and peppers, and drizzle with oil. Cook and stir until softened and lightly browned, 8 to 10 minutes.

Add chicken or shrimp to the skillet, and sprinkle with fajita seasoning. Add 2 tablespoons water. Cook and stir until chicken or shrimp is hot and liquid has thickened, about 1 minute.

Let cool slightly, about 5 minutes.

Place lettuce in a large bowl. Top with chicken/shrimp–veggie mixture, salsa, and sour cream.

Classic Chef Salad

324 calories, 10g fat, 554mg sodium, 27.5g carbs, 8.5g fiber, 13.5g sugars, 37g protein

4 cups chopped romaine or iceberg lettuce

1 plum tomato, cut into wedges

1 cup sliced cucumber

1 cup sliced mushrooms

1 cup bagged broccoli cole slaw

3 ounces (about 6 slices) no-salt-added turkey breast, chopped

1 hard-boiled egg white, cut into wedges

2 tablespoons shredded reduced-fat cheddar or Mexican-blend cheese

2 tablespoons light Thousand Island or French dressing

Optional seasoning: black pepper

Place all ingredients
except
dressing in a large bowl.

If you like, season dressing with pepper. Drizzle dressing over salad, or serve it on the side!

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.

The HG Chop Chop

326 calories, 7g fat, 432mg sodium, 35.5g carbs, 11g fiber, 19g sugars, 31.5g protein

4 cups chopped romaine or iceberg lettuce

4 ounces cooked and chopped skinless chicken breast or ready-to-eat shrimp

1 cup chopped cucumber

½ cup chopped red bell pepper

½ cup halved cherry tomatoes

½ cup peeled and chopped jicama

¼ cup chopped red onion

¼ cup canned sliced beets, drained and chopped

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 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.

Leftover Beets Tip:
For one of your snacks, make a salad of
¹
/
₃
cup sliced beets (drained), 1 cup chopped romaine or iceberg lettuce, and 1 cup
high-volume veggies
. Drizzle with 1½ teaspoons vinegar and 1 teaspoon extra-virgin olive oil or grapeseed oil.

Big Burger with Side Salad

343 calories, 8.5g fat, 583mg sodium, 36.5g carbs, 9g fiber, 10.5g sugars, 33g protein

Burger

One 100-calorie flat sandwich bun

4 ounces raw extra-lean ground beef (4% fat or less)

1 tablespoon egg whites or fat-free liquid egg substitute

Dash each salt, black pepper, garlic powder, and onion powder

1 teaspoon ketchup

1 teaspoon mustard

1 lettuce leaf

1 large tomato slice

1 thin slice onion

Side Salad

1 cup lettuce

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

½ cup cucumber, mushrooms, 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

Split bun into halves and, if you like, lightly toast.

In a medium bowl, thoroughly mix beef, egg whites, and seasonings. Evenly form into a 4-inch-wide patty.

Bring a grill pan (or skillet) sprayed with nonstick spray to medium-high heat. Cook patty for 3 to 4 minutes per side, or until cooked to your preference.

Place patty on the bottom bun half. Top with remaining burger ingredients, followed by the top bun half.

Toss salad ingredients in a medium bowl, and serve alongside your burger!

The 411 on Turkey Swapping …

Lean ground turkey has more calories and fat than extra-lean ground beef, and
extra-lean
ground turkey can be a little dry and hard to find. You can make this meal with extra-lean ground turkey, if you’d like—just look for the kind with 150 calories or less and 5g fat or less per 4-ounce serving.

Sloppy Jane Stir-Fry

339 calories, 6g fat, 700mg sodium, 31.5g carbs, 11g fiber, 16g sugars, 38.5g protein

3 cups bagged broccoli cole slaw

²
/
₃
cup canned crushed tomatoes

1 tablespoon tomato paste

1 teaspoon brown sugar (not packed)

1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce

1 teaspoon red wine vinegar

5 ounces raw extra-lean ground beef (4% fat or less)

Dash each salt, black pepper, chili powder, and 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.

Meanwhile, in a small bowl, mix all remaining ingredients
except
beef and seasonings.

Transfer slaw to a medium bowl, and blot away excess moisture. Remove skillet from heat, re-spray, and return to medium-high heat. Add beef and seasonings. Cook and crumble for 4 to 5 minutes, until fully cooked.

Add tomato mixture and slaw to the skillet and cook and stir until hot, about 2 minutes.

The Truth About Turkey …

Lean ground turkey has more calories and fat than extra-lean ground beef, and
extra-lean
ground turkey can be a little dry and hard to find. You can make this meal with extra-lean ground turkey, if you’d like—just look for the kind with 150 calories or less and 5g fat or less per 4-ounce serving.