Hungry Girl is here! She isn’t a nutritionist or a dietician, just a woman who, according to hungrygirl.com, “is
obsessed with food –– how wonderful it is, and how much of it she can eat and still fit into her pants.”
Lisa Lillien (the hungry girl herself) is a New York Times best selling author of four cookbooks that teach us how to make all of our guilty pleasures totally guilt-free.
Walking by Bliss Bakery in Eickhoff can be considered cruel and unusual punishment for collegiettes who are watching what they eat. Hours spent in the gym can be completely negated by that luscious, velvety, mouth-watering chocolate cake staring you down from across the cafeteria.
Quimby’s kitchen is quite the temptress as well. The Mac and cheese — oozing with gooey deliciousness — practically bats long, cheesy eyelashes at you, drawing you in until you find yourself asking for just a little more (or a lot more) on your plate. You can’t resist; yet again you’ve been seduced.
Living off campus presents just as hefty a challenge for the health conscious collegiettes. Its easy fall victim to the instant (and instantly unhealthy) microwavable meal, or struggle to maintain a balanced diet without mom cooking for you. Who has the time, resources, cash or recipes to whip up a healthy breakfast, lunch and dinner anyway?
Luckily, These three treats — straight from hungrygirl.com — will help every collegiette indulge in her favorite foods, while staying on the healthy course.
While our Dorm Dwelling collegeiettes are no doubt constricted to the Eikhoff selection and the limited microwave possibilities, staff writer Jackie O’Malley uncovered all you need to know about eating healthy in Eick. Click here to get the scoop (and no, not more Mac and Cheese).
However, for the collegiettes with access to a kitchen and some Betty Crocker incentive, here are three meals that are healthy, easy and most importantly, delicious. Find out how to make the perfect breakfast sandwich, add a new spin on tuna, and cook up some healthy pesto pasta!
For Breakfast
(Her Campus has simplified this Hungry Girl recipe for collegiettes on the go!)
HG breakfast sliders to HC breakfast sandwich flat!
Why it Tricks you: Eggs are healthy — why not add some cheese and bread to make a sandwich?
Too Yummy to be true: Breakfast sandwiches can contain close to 800 calories and more than 40 fat grams
The HG (and HC) Solution:
Ingredients:
1 Arnold Select/Oroweat Sandwich Thins roll (preferably Honey Wheat)
1 slice fat-free American cheese
1/2 cup fat-free liquid egg substitute (like Egg Beaters Original)
3 slices (about 2 oz.) Canadian bacon
HC alternative: use a slice or two of deli meat — like turkey or ham (our favorite are Boar’s head’s All Natural Smoked Uncured Ham, Maple Glazed Honey Coat Hame, and Smoked Virginia Ham; or Oven gold Roasted, skinless Turkey and their Lower Sodium Oven Roasted Turkey — all are only 60 calories)
Directions:
Separate the top and bottom pieces of the roll and set aside.
Bring a medium skillet sprayed with nonstick spray to medium heat. Add egg substitute and tilt skillet so the egg substitute coats the bottom, creating an egg pancake.
You can add your deli meat right into the cooking egg. Tear it up into strips and distribute it throughout your egg pancake.
To instantly melt your cheese, tear it up into pieces and add to skillet now
Without stirring, cook until solid enough to flip (about 2 minutes). Carefully flip and cook until firm, about 1 minute.
When your egg pancake is cooked, assemble your breakfast sandwich by placing the egg on one piece of bread and close it up with the other half of the flat roll.
If using bacon:
Remove egg and set aside. Remove skillet from heat, re-spray with nonstick spray, and return to medium heat. Lay Canadian bacon slices flat in the skillet, and cook until lightly browned on the bottom, about 1 minute. Flip slices and cook for another minute. Place it on your sandwich with the egg.
(The following are nutrition facts based on using Canadian bacon)
Serving Size: entire recipe
Calories: 254
Fat: 3.5g
Sodium: 1,288mg
Carbs: 27g
Fiber: 5g
Sugars: 4.5g
Protein: 30g
Compare To
Serving Size: 3 breakfast sliders (no sides)
Calories: 780
Fat: 43.5g
Sodium: 1,900mg
Carbs: 52g
Fiber: 3g
Sugars: 22g
Protein: 45g
For Lunch
(For our Dorm-dwelling and off-campus collegiettes)
The New Tuna
Why it Tricks You: Canned tuna has to be better than my peanut butter and fluff sandwich right?
Too Yummy to be True: Tuna packed in oil adds a bunch of fat and calories. Also, the best type of tuna is solid white albacore, NOT chunk light tuna
According to Hungrygirl.com, Bumble Bee Premium Albacore Tuna in Water is the healthy alternative to canned tuna. It’s low in cals, high in protein and nutrition, and it can be stored in your pantry or in your desk at work for an instant lunch.
Some HG ideas for a tuna lunch:
Toss it into a salad
Mix with some dijonnaise and spread it on whole wheat bread to add some pizzaz to the traditional tuna sandwich
Eat it straight from the pouch!
Serving Size: 2 oz.
Calories: 60
Fat: 1g
Carbs: 0g
Protein: 13g
Fiber: 0g
Compare To
Serving Size: 2 oz.
Calories: 110
Fat: 6g
Carbs: 0g
Protein: 13g
Fiber: 0g
For Dinner
The Sneaky Little Starch Monster
Pesto Pasta
Why it tricks you: It’s green! It has herbs! Olive oil and nuts are good for me, right?
Too Yummy to be True: The average order has more than 60 grams of fat and over 1,000 calories
The HG solution: Secret Calorie Cutting Weapons
Fat free ricotta cheese
Tofu Shirataki, a pasta alternative made from blending the root of the Konnyaku (a member of the yam family) and tofu.
Ingredients:
1 cup fresh basil leaves
1/4 cup fat-free ricotta cheese
2 tbsp. reduced-fat Parmesan-style grated topping
2 tbsp. pine nuts
1 tsp. olive oil
1 tsp. chopped garlic
1/4 tsp. salt, or more to taste
1/4 tsp. black pepper, or more to taste
2 packages HYPERLINK “http://www.hungry-girl.com/newsletters/raw/1449#shirataki” House Foods Tofu Shirataki Spaghetti Shaped Noodle Substitute
Directions:
Sauce: place all ingredients except noodles in a small blender or food processor, and blend/process until a smooth paste forms. Set aside.
Use a strainer to rinse and drain noodles well *HC TIP: You do not need to boil these noodles like traditional pasta, just pat them dry thoroughly and cut them up a bit.
Bring a skillet sprayed with nonstick spray to medium-high heat on the stove. Add noodles and, stirring often, cook just until all water has evaporated and noodles are hot.
Transfer noodles to a bowl and immediately toss with pesto sauce. If you like, add additional salt and pepper to taste.
MAKES 2 SERVINGS
Serving Size: 1/2 of recipe (about 1 cup)
Calories: 177
Fat: 10.75g
Sodium: 490mg
Carbs: 13g
Fiber: 4.75g
Sugars: 1.5g
Protein: 8g
Compare To:
Serving Size: 1/2 an order (about 1 cup)
Calories: 564
Fat: 33g
Sodium: 720mg
Carbs: 47.5g
Fiber: 3g
Sugars: 3g
Protein: 18g