[Lacyt74]

Hi girls! I don't know about anyone else, but I have always hated the term 'gal'.....it seems FATTER somehow. Lol! So, on to my question. Has anyone out there tried using Hungry Girl's website/recipes for weight loss? It seems like a LOT of food so you would feel satisfied. I especially like the food expander section and recipes. Huge portion alert! I am about to embark on my Hungry Girl journey next week.🍉

[BettyBooty]

I haven't looked at her website in several years, but I remember her being all about using fat-free and heavily processed "diet" foods as replacements for high calorie, high fat regular foods. I wasn't impressed. I know there were a few of her tips or recipes I read and thought WTF???? but I cannot recall any specifics now. It had to be something like 6 or more years ago. I am surprised she is still around.

[Munchy]

That's what we do over on the volumetrics thread. Large, filling portions with low calories helps you stay on track because you're so full

Come check out our thread for ideas!

[Lacyt74]

The replacements I a referring to are: mushrooms for meat, cauliflower for potatoes or rice, and zucchini ribbons in place of pasta. They all look great.

[Lacyt74]

Thanx, Munchy!

[Psychic]

I've made a couple of recipes from there, but I don't follow her all that much. Some sort of lasagna and some chicken recipes. I've seen Hungry Girl cookbooks in stores, if you'd be interested.

[Pinkhippie]

I actually saw the Hungry Girl cookbooks in my library yesterday when I was looking for the magical cookbook that would have healthy cheap dinners that my kids would actually eat. ( I don't think that cookbook exists. )

Maybe check your library to see if they have them and then you can see if you like her recipes.

[Munchy]

Originally Posted by Pinkhippie

I actually saw the Hungry Girl cookbooks in my library yesterday when I was looking for the magical cookbook that would have healthy cheap dinners that my kids would actually eat. ( I don't think that cookbook exists. )

Maybe check your library to see if they have them and then you can see if you like her recipes.

I make healthy cheap dinners that my kid eats - what do they like to eat now?

[luckymommy]

http://www.skinnytaste.com/ I like this website and have used a lot of the recipes. I wasn't too crazy about H.G. because I also felt like a lot of it was with Splenda, etc., but I haven't looked into it for years....maybe there's more to it now. I hope it works for you.

[BettyBooty]

Originally Posted by Lacyt74

The replacements I a referring to are: mushrooms for meat, cauliflower for potatoes or rice, and zucchini ribbons in place of pasta. They all look great.

Ah, OK. I like adding mushrooms to meatballs or meatloaf (I think it keeps the 93% lean meat moister b/c it can get kind of dry), and riced is the only way my husband will eat cauliflower (I love it all ways). Zucchini as noodles doesn't do it for me, personally, and neither does spaghetti squash. Sautéed zukes with tomato sauce on them are tasty, but I don't consider them a substitute for pasta.

[Pinkhippie]

Originally Posted by Munchy

I make healthy cheap dinners that my kid eats - what do they like to eat now?

Cheese, broccoli, pizza but only with cheese, raw carrots (never cooked!) spaghetti (only sometimes) chicken nuggets (never any grilled chicken, has to be breaded) mac n cheese (but not home made) grilled cheese, cheese quesadillas, grapes, pears, apples, oranges, most any kind of fruit. I am ashamed. My dh has food texture issues and he was eating mostly junk food and the kids were eating it too. He stopped and is actually eating raw meal replacement meal shakes for dinner now so I am cooking for the kids and they can't eat their dad's junk food anymore. They are 2 and 5. I have an 11 year old also but she eats a huge variety of healthy food. The five year old likes pb and j and turkey sandwiches and oatmeal but the 2 year old won't touch them. At least they like and will eat whole grain bread. They don't like ground beef or turkey either. Or beans. Sometimes they will eat baked potatoes.

Any ideas for me?

[Munchy]

Originally Posted by Pinkhippie

Cheese, broccoli, pizza but only with cheese, raw carrots (never cooked!) spaghetti (only sometimes) chicken nuggets (never any grilled chicken, has to be breaded) mac n cheese (but not home made) grilled cheese, cheese quesadillas, grapes, pears, apples, oranges, most any kind of fruit. I am ashamed. My dh has food texture issues and he was eating mostly junk food and the kids were eating it too. He stopped and is actually eating raw meal replacement meal shakes for dinner now so I am cooking for the kids and they can't eat their dad's junk food anymore. They are 2 and 5. I have an 11 year old also but she eats a huge variety of healthy food. The five year old likes pb and j and turkey sandwiches and oatmeal but the 2 year old won't touch them. At least they like and will eat whole grain bread. They don't like ground beef or turkey either. Or beans. Sometimes they will eat baked potatoes.

Any ideas for me?

That's not bad at all! They like raw veggies and fruit, so that's a start. For us, I do use reduced fat dairy. 2% cheese slices in grilled cheese, and 2% shredded cheese is in our house, along with reduced fat cream cheese, skim milk, and light sour cream.

When I make pizza, I use a high fiber/low calorie pita as a crust. The kids get to make their individual pizzas with little faces or whatever. It's how I got my daughter to start eating spinach, by shredding it and using it as hair. You can also puree vegetables into marinara sauce and they can use that for pizza or for pasta.

My daughter also loves quesadillas. She favors black beans, but would your kids eat either smashed "re-fried" beans with cheese or chopped chicken in them? With 2% cheese and corn tortillas cooked in a mostly dry pan, they're really not that unhealthy.

I also soak chia seeds in almond milk overnight, and mix that with frozen fruit and baby spinach or baby kale. The first time I did it, I never told her there was spinach in it. Now she requests it.

I know you said they don't like ground beef, but will they eat burgers? I finely shred vegetables and add them to ground turkey or if I want a "classic," I take ground beef and mix it up to 50% with finely food processed mushrooms. You can't detect it at all!

Three things that I always keep in my freezer are

Cauliflower macaroni and cheese:
Take one chopped head of cauliflower, steam in a small amount of water until tender. Puree cauliflower, add 1 cup sharp cheese, and season to taste. Freeze in ice cube trays until frozen, transfer to a labeled freezer bag. To serve, microwave as many cubes as needed and mix with cooked pasta or a mixture of cooked broccoli and pasta. This can also be used as a cheese sauce for veggies.

Chicken/yellow squash nuggets:
Shred 1-2 squash and squeeze out as much liquid as possible. Mix with 1lb ground chicken, 1 egg, seasoning, form into “nuggets” and bread with your choice of bread crumb. Bake at 425 for 15 minutes on a lightly greased cookie sheet. Cool and freeze on a cookie sheet. Once frozen, transfer to a labeled freezer bag. To serve, microwave until thawed or bake for a crisp exterior.

Turkey/zucchini meatballs:
Shred 1-2 zucchini and squeeze most of the liquid out. Mix with 1lb ground turkey, 1 egg, seasoning, parmesan cheese, and choice of bread crumb. Bake at 425 for 15 minutes. Cool and freeze on a cookie sheet. Once frozen, transfer to a labeled freezer bag. To serve, microwave until thawed or simmer in sauce.

[Pinkhippie]

Originally Posted by Munchy

That's not bad at all! They like raw veggies and fruit, so that's a start. For us, I do use reduced fat dairy. 2% cheese slices in grilled cheese, and 2% shredded cheese is in our house, along with reduced fat cream cheese, skim milk, and light sour cream.

When I make pizza, I use a high fiber/low calorie pita as a crust. The kids get to make their individual pizzas with little faces or whatever. It's how I got my daughter to start eating spinach, by shredding it and using it as hair. You can also puree vegetables into marinara sauce and they can use that for pizza or for pasta.

My daughter also loves quesadillas. She favors black beans, but would your kids eat either smashed "re-fried" beans with cheese or chopped chicken in them? With 2% cheese and corn tortillas cooked in a mostly dry pan, they're really not that unhealthy.

I also soak chia seeds in almond milk overnight, and mix that with frozen fruit and baby spinach or baby kale. The first time I did it, I never told her there was spinach in it. Now she requests it.

I know you said they don't like ground beef, but will they eat burgers? I finely shred vegetables and add them to ground turkey or if I want a "classic," I take ground beef and mix it up to 50% with finely food processed mushrooms. You can't detect it at all!

Three things that I always keep in my freezer are

Cauliflower macaroni and cheese:
Take one chopped head of cauliflower, steam in a small amount of water until tender. Puree cauliflower, add 1 cup sharp cheese, and season to taste. Freeze in ice cube trays until frozen, transfer to a labeled freezer bag. To serve, microwave as many cubes as needed and mix with cooked pasta or a mixture of cooked broccoli and pasta. This can also be used as a cheese sauce for veggies.

Chicken/yellow squash nuggets:
Shred 1-2 squash and squeeze out as much liquid as possible. Mix with 1lb ground chicken, 1 egg, seasoning, form into “nuggets” and bread with your choice of bread crumb. Bake at 425 for 15 minutes on a lightly greased cookie sheet. Cool and freeze on a cookie sheet. Once frozen, transfer to a labeled freezer bag. To serve, microwave until thawed or bake for a crisp exterior.

Turkey/zucchini meatballs:
Shred 1-2 zucchini and squeeze most of the liquid out. Mix with 1lb ground turkey, 1 egg, seasoning, parmesan cheese, and choice of bread crumb. Bake at 425 for 15 minutes. Cool and freeze on a cookie sheet. Once frozen, transfer to a labeled freezer bag. To serve, microwave until thawed or simmer in sauce.

Thanks a lot for the ideas! I will try your recipes. My oldest daughter has a terrible habit of dissecting her food looking for every unidentified aspect of it and its hard to sneak veggies into the little ones food as they now do the same thing. argh! They don't like refried beans at all though, or chopped chicken. Burgers are hit and miss. They will only eat them sometimes. I do make pita pizzas though, and those are always a big hit. Maybe I could try that veggie puree sauce as pizza sauce.

I am totally going to try the veggie sauce puree and the chicken nuggets, meat balls and cauliflower mac n cheese. Thanks!

I did have a small victory last night. My five year old tried my steamed artichoke and liked it!

[3fcuser291505109]

i tried one recipe (pumpkin pie) for thanksgiving and it was AWFUL sorry to say!

[jeminijad]

She is definitely a good source for people who needs volume to feel satisfied.

The bulking pasta bowl is a good trick - you should only eat 2oz dry pasta as a serving, but you don't feel full, right? Whatever veggies you like in equal volume to the cooked pasta (I can do half spaghetti squash, half angel hair for piccata and it still tastes good to me.) I agree a straight swap of squash/zucchini for pasta is not very satisfying.

2oz bowties with a bunch of mushrooms and broccoli w/not too much asiago light cream sauce works for me, too.