This chapter is all about having a little fun with some special ingredients. Canned pumpkin, butternut squash, and Tofu Shirataki noodles are all HG staples because they taste great, are good for you, and are crazy-low in calories. We recommend keeping a few cans of pumpkin in the kitchen cabinet, a few bags of Tofu Shirataki in the fridge, and several butternut squash in the basement. Then you'll always have the key ingredients on hand for the fantastic recipes here. From pancakes and puddings to home fries and fettuccine Alfredo—it's all here!
fun with tofu shirataki noodles |
House Foods Tofu Shirataki is a dieter's dream. Pasta is a food that so many people think they simply CANNOT eat when they're counting calories. That's why these super-low-cal "noodles" (which are actually tofu-infused strands of yam flour) can be life-changing—literally! When I first discovered these, I started cooking with them like crazy, making all kinds of Alfredo dishes, stir-frys, spaghetti recipes, and more. The Tofu Shirataki recipes in this chapter are some HG favorites, but you'll find more recipes that call for these noodles throughout the book. By the way, if you have trouble locating House Foods Tofu Shirataki (at select supermarkets, natural foods stores, or Japanese markets) you can also try these recipes using regular shirataki noodles (the ones made without tofu). Those are not quite as pasta-like, but they aren't a bad Tofu Shirataki substitute. |
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PER SERVING (entire recipe): 81 calories, 3g fat, 242mg sodium, 9g carbs, 4g fiber, 1g sugars, 4g protein |
This recipe may be the most popular Hungry Girl recipe EVER . . . and with good reason. It's really great! Feel free to add shrimp, chicken, steak, veggies—whatever—to it. This stuff is mind-blowingly fantastic! If you like your noodles super-cheesy, feel free to use the entire wedge of cheese. You'll only tack on about 17 calories to your dish.
Ingredients1 package House Foods Tofu Shirataki, Fettuccine Shape
½ wedge The Laughing Cow cheese, Light Original Swiss
2 teaspoons reduced-fat Parmesan-style grated topping
1 teaspoon fat-free sour cream
Optional: salt and black pepper
Directions
Rinse and drain shirataki noodles well. Pat dry.
Place noodles in a microwave-safe bowl and microwave for 1 minute.
Drain excess liquid from noodles and pat them until thoroughly dry. Slice noodles up a bit for fettuccine-length pieces.
Add cheese, grated topping, and sour cream. Mix well. Microwave for 1 minute and then stir.
If you like, add salt and black pepper to taste.
MAKES 1 SERVING
PER SERVING (¼th of casserole): 167 calories, 5g fat, 894mg sodium, 14g carbs, 4g fiber, 2g sugars, 17g protein |
Ingredients3 packages House Foods Tofu Shirataki, Fettuccine Shape
7 ounces canned tuna (packed in water), drained and flaked
One 10.75-ounce can Campbell's 98% Fat Free Cream of Mushroom Soup
1 wedge The Laughing Cow Light Original Swiss cheese
½ cup frozen peas
3 tablespoons reduced-fat Parmesan-style grated topping, divided
Salt, black pepper, and garlic powder, to taste
Optional: cayenne pepper
DirectionsPreheat oven to 375 degrees.
Rinse and drain shirataki noodles well. Pat dry.
Place noodles in a microwave-safe bowl and microwave for 1 minute.
Drain excess liquid from noodles and pat them until thoroughly dry. Slice noodles up a bit for fettuccine-length pieces.
Add cheese wedge to noodles and microwave for an additional 20 seconds. Mix well.
Add tuna, peas, soup, and just 1 tablespoon of the grated topping. Mix well.
Season to taste with salt, black pepper, and garlic powder. For an extra kick, add cayenne pepper, if desired.
Evenly top dish with the remaining 2 tablespoons of grated topping. Bake dish in the oven for 20 to 25 minutes (until hot and bubbly).
MAKES 4 SERVINGS
PER SERVING (1 pancake): 50 calories, 0.5g fat, 295mg sodium, 9g carbs, 1g fiber, 2g sugars, 3g protein |
Ingredients2 packages House Foods Tofu Shirataki, Spaghetti Shape
4½ cups shredded or grated zucchini
1 cup dry pancake mix
1 cup diced mushrooms
¾ cup chopped scallions
½ cup egg whites (about 4 egg whites)
1 teaspoon salt
DirectionsRinse and drain noodles well. Pat dry. Place noodles in a microwave-safe bowl and microwave for 1 minute.
Drain excess liquid from noodles and pat them until thoroughly dry. Cut noodles into pieces (about 3 inches long). Set aside.
Combine egg whites, pancake mix, and salt in a bowl. Stir in noodles, scallions, mushrooms, and zucchini. Mix well.
Spray a pan with nonstick spray and set over medium heat.
Evenly place three 
-cup scoops of the mixture in the pan, and use a spatula to flatten into pancakes. Cook until both sides of each pancake are golden brown, flipping occasionally. Repeat this process 4 more times, removing pan from heat and respraying each time and stirring remaining mixture in between batches.
MAKES 15 SERVINGS
For a pic of this recipe, see the photo insert. Yay!
TOP ATE Things to Know About Tofu Shirataki The noodle-y need-to-know info . . . 1. They can be found in the refrigerated section of the market, near the tofu. 2. They come floating in a bag of water. Do not be put off by this. 3. You should rinse them very well before using. 4. Once rinsed, dry thoroughly by blotting them with paper towels repeatedly, or even stir-frying 'em over medium heat to get rid of excess water. This step is super-important! 5. You don't need to cook them at all. Just nuke 'em in the microwave for a minute and they're ready to use. 6. They're CRAZY-long and unwieldy. They should be cut, no matter how you prepare them. 7. The texture of these noodles is a little more chewy and slippery than regular pasta. Just a heads-up. 8. Tofu Shirataki works best with thick, creamy sauces. The Laughing Cow Light cheese wedges work especially well as a sauce ingredient. |
PER SERVING (¼th of pie): 83 calories, 1.5g fat, 588mg sodium, 8g carbs, 2g fiber, 4g sugars, 10g protein |
Ingredients1 package House Foods Tofu Shirataki, Spaghetti Shape
1 cup canned tomato sauce, divided
1 cup assorted sliced veggies (onions, peppers, mushrooms, etc.)
½ cup fat-free liquid egg substitute
cup shredded fat-free mozzarella cheese
15 pieces (about 1 ounce) turkey pepperoni
DirectionsPreheat oven to 425 degrees.
Rinse and drain shirataki noodles well. Pat dry. Place noodles in a microwave-safe bowl and microwave for 1 minute.
Drain excess liquid from noodles and pat them until thoroughly dry. Cut noodles up a bit for spaghetti-length pieces.
In a round baking dish, combine noodles, veggies, egg substitute, and ¾ cup tomato sauce. Mix well.
Bake for about 25 minutes or until firm.
Remove pie from the oven and spread remaining ¼ cup of tomato sauce over it. Place turkey pepperoni on top and then sprinkle evenly with cheese.
Return pie to the oven until the cheese has melted. Allow to cool a bit (if you can!) and enjoy.
MAKES 4 SERVINGS
PER SERVING (¼th of kugel): 75 calories, 0.5g fat, 202mg sodium, 11g carbs, 2g fiber, 7g sugars, 6g protein |
Ingredients1 package House Foods Tofu Shirataki, Fettuccine Shape
1 large firm peach, cut into bite-sized pieces
¼ cup fat-free liquid egg substitute
¼ cup fat-free cream cheese, softened
¼ cup fat-free cottage cheese
2 tablespoons raisins
2 tablespoons Splenda No Calorie Sweetener (granulated)
¼ teaspoon vanilla extract
¼ teaspoon cinnamon
dash salt
DirectionsPreheat oven to 425 degrees.
Combine egg substitute, cream cheese, Splenda, vanilla extract, cinnamon, and salt. Stir until completely blended and free of lumps. Mix in cottage cheese and raisins, and then set aside.
Rinse and drain shirataki noodles well. Pat dry. Slice noodles into small pieces.
Over medium heat, toss noodles in a pan until they are thoroughly dry and beginning to toughen (about 1 minute). Transfer noodles to a mixing bowl, and top with the peaches.
Combine cheese mixture with the noodles and peaches, and stir well. Transfer it all to a medium-small baking dish sprayed with nonstick spray.
Place dish in the oven, and bake for 25 - 30 minutes, or until firm. Enjoy!
MAKES 4 SERVINGS
PER SERVING (entire recipe): 198 calories, 10g fat, 494mg sodium, 19g carbs, 6g fiber, 4g sugars, 9g protein |
These noodles are soooo good! Once you taste 'em, you'll probably never ever eat regular cold sesame noodles again. Good riddance!
Ingredients1 package House Foods Tofu Shirataki, Spaghetti Shape
1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon reduced-fat peanut butter, at room temperature
1 ounce light soymilk
2 tablespoons chopped scallions
½ tablespoon light or low-sodium soy sauce
½ teaspoon sesame seeds
teaspoon minced garlic
1 no-calorie sweetener packet
Optional: salt
DirectionsRinse and drain noodles well. Pat dry. Place noodles in a microwave-safe bowl and microwave for 1 minute.
Drain excess liquid from noodles and pat them until thoroughly dry.
Cut noodles into spaghetti-length pieces. Set aside.
In a small dish, combine peanut butter, soymilk, soy sauce, sesame seeds, garlic, and sweetener. Mix well. Feel free to season this sauce, to taste, with salt.
Pour sauce over noodles. Mix thoroughly. Top with chopped scallions and mix again.
Allow to chill in the fridge. Then enjoy!
MAKES 1 SERVING
For a pic of this recipe, see the photo insert. Yay!
PER SERVING (1 crabcake): 60 calories, 0.5g fat, 326mg sodium, 10g carbs, 1g fiber, 2g sugars, 5g protein |
These veggie-packed crabcakes are definitely not like any crabcakes you've ever had before. They're so good with some fat-free sour cream, and they taste great dipped in Dijonnaise, too!
Ingredients2 packages House Foods Tofu Shirataki, Spaghetti Shape
One 12-ounce package broccoli cole slaw mix, dry
1½ cups dry pancake mix
12 ounces drained white crabmeat
1 cup diced scallions
½ cup egg whites (about 4 egg whites)
1 teaspoon seasoned salt
Salt and black pepper, to taste
DirectionsRinse and drain shirataki noodles well.
Pat dry. Place noodles in a microwave-safe bowl and microwave for 1 minute.
Drain excess liquid from noodles and pat them until thoroughly dry. Cut noodles into pieces about 4 inches in length.
Combine all ingredients and mix well. Bring a pan sprayed with nonstick spray to medium heat.
Evenly scoop 4 spoonfuls into pan (using a total of one-fifth of the batter). Press gently with a spatula to form cakes. Cook until crabcakes are golden brown on both sides, flipping occasionally. Repeat this process 4 more times, removing the pan from the heat and respraying it in between batches.
MAKES 20 SERVINGS
For Weight Watchers POINTS® values and photos of all the recipes in this book, check out hungry-girl.com/book. |
fun with canned pumpkin |
Canned pumpkin is magical. Over the past few years, its popularity has grown so much that markets often find themselves running out of the stuff. Keep cans of it in the pantry at all times—running out of it is no fun! Pumpkin is super-low in calories (40 per ½ cup), has practically no fat, and is loaded with fiber (3.5 grams per serving). Use it in soups, sauces, for baking, in oatmeal—wherever. Pumpkin ROCKS. There are recipes that call for pumpkin throughout this book, but here are some pumpkin-y HG favorites . . . |
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PER SERVING (1 piece): 39 calories, 0.5g fat, 49mg sodium, 10g carbs, 2g fiber, 2g sugars, 1g protein |
This is a fun little pumpkin dessert. The crunchers taste best when eaten within a day or so (after that, they get a little too hard and need to be slightly thawed before eating).
IngredientsOne-half 15-ounce can pure pumpkin
One-half 8-ounce container Cool Whip Free
2 Jell-O Sugar Free Vanilla Pudding Snacks
¾ cup Fiber One bran cereal (original)
Cinnamon, to taste
DirectionsCombine pumpkin, Cool Whip, and pudding in a bowl. Mix well.
Season mixture to taste with cinnamon. Stir in Fiber One.
Spoon batter evenly into a 12-cup muffin pan (sprayed with nonstick spray or lined with baking cups).
Place pan in the freezer until crunchers are frozen.
MAKES 12 SERVINGS
PER SERVING (3 pancakes): 243 calories, 2.5g fat, 451mg sodium, 39g carbs, 4.5g fiber, 9g sugars, 15g protein |
Pssst . . . we like these drizzled with sugar-free maple syrup!
Ingredients cup regular oats (not instant)
1 tablespoon dry pancake mix
medium banana, mashed well with a fork
2 tablespoons pure pumpkin
cup fat-free liquid egg substitute
1 tablespoon fat-free cottage cheese
2 no-calorie sweetener packets
½ teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
¼ teaspoon vanilla extract
Dash of salt
DirectionsCombine all ingredients in a bowl with 3 tablespoons of water. Stir until thoroughly mixed.
In a pan sprayed with nonstick spray, over medium heat, drop batter into pan to form 3 pancakes. Once pancakes begin to look solid (about 3 minutes), gently flip.
Cook for about 3 more minutes or until both sides are lightly browned and insides are cooked through.
MAKES 1 SERVING
CHEW ON THIS:
Pumpkin is a great substitute for oil, butter, and other fatty ingredients used in baking. |
PER SERVING (1/10th of recipe): 121 calories, 1g fat, 204mg sodium, 23g carbs, 1.5g fiber, 6g sugars, 5g protein |
This recipe was inspired by a Hungry Girl subscriber named Suzanne. Thanks, Suz!
IngredientsOne 15-ounce can pure pumpkin
One 8-ounce container Cool Whip Free
One 8-ounce container fat-free cream cheese, at room temperature
7/8 cup fat-free sour cream (almost 1 cup but not quite)
3½ sheets (14 crackers) low-fat honey graham crackers, crushed
¾ cup to 1 cup Splenda No Calorie Sweetener (granulated)
1 tablespoon lemon juice
2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
DirectionsCombine cream cheese, Cool Whip, sour cream, lemon juice, and Splenda (adjust Splenda amount based on how sweet you like your cheesecake). Stir until thoroughly blended.
Add pumpkin and pumpkin pie spice. Mix well.
Spoon mixture evenly into a wide serving bowl. Top with crushed graham crackers.
Chill in the fridge for a few hours, then enjoy. Mmmmmmmm . . . pumpkinlicious!
MAKES 10 SERVINGS
PER SERVING (1 piece): 65 calories, 0.5g fat, 81mg sodium, 12g carbs, 1g fiber, 7g sugars, 5g protein |
Wayne is an HG subscriber and our pal. He's also a writer for The Tonight Show. Now that we know Wayne, we not only get to eat AWESOME Pumpkin Smash but we get VIP seats to see Jay Leno!
IngredientsOne 15-ounce can pure pumpkin
One 12-ounce can evaporated fat-free milk
½ cup fat-free liquid egg substitute
¾ cup Splenda No Calorie Sweetener (granulated)
2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
DirectionsPreheat oven to 350 degrees.
Combine all ingredients. Mix well.
Place mixture in a baking dish and bake in the oven for 45 minutes.
Once ready to serve (it's delicious eaten hot or cold), cut into 9 pieces.
MAKES 9 SERVINGS
For Weight Watchers POINTS® values and photos of all the recipes in this book, check out hungry-girl.com/book. |
PER SERVING (entire recipe): 79 calories, 1.5g fat, 127mg sodium, 10g carbs, 1.5g fiber, 6g sugars, 6g protein |
Ingredients7 ounces light vanilla soymilk
2 tablespoons canned pure pumpkin
¼ teaspoon cornstarch
¼ teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
¼ teaspoon vanilla extract
No-calorie sweetener, to taste
DirectionsCombine all ingredients, except the sweetener, in a small pot. Stir well. Bring to a boil, stirring constantly.
Once mixture begins to froth, continue to boil for 1 minute. Remove from heat and pour into a mug.
Allow to cool slightly. Sweeten, to taste, with your no-calorie sweetener of choice and enjoy.
MAKES 1 SERVING
There are competitions every year to see who can grow the largest pumpkin. Prize-winning pumpkins have weighed in at more than 1,000 pounds. Whoa! |
fun with butternut squash |
Butternut squash is the most underrated food EVER. Not only is it amazingly delicious but it's also healthy, soooo low in calories, extremely versatile, and fun to cook. Granted, it is a little annoying to peel, cut, and deseed the things, but it's definitely worth the trouble. These recipes are so good, you may forget that sweet potatoes exist (b-nut squash tastes so similar, but has about half the calories!). And speaking of potatoes, don't miss HG's famous Bake-tastic Butternut Squash Fries on page 100. Happy squashing! |
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PER SERVING (½ of recipe): 109 calories, 1g fat, 341mg sodium, 27g carbs, 4g fiber, 5g sugars, 2g protein |
Ingredients3 cups peeled and cubed butternut squash
2 tablespoons sugar-free maple syrup
1 teaspoon whipped light butter or light buttery spread
¼ teaspoon salt
DirectionsPlace squash and ¼ cup of water in a microwave-safe bowl and cover. Microwave for 5 to 7 minutes, until soft.
Drain water from the bowl. Add syrup, butter, and salt. Mash and stir. Enjoy!
MAKES 2 SERVINGS
PER SERVING (¼th of pie): 232 calories, 2.5g fat, 552mg sodium, 25g carbs, 4g fiber, 5g sugars, 28g protein |
This shepherd's pie swap is AMAZING. My obsession with butternut squash really paid off here—in spades!
Ingredients1 pound raw extra-lean ground turkey
3½ cups peeled and cubed butternut squash
1½ cups frozen mixed vegetables
½ cup chopped onions
¾ cup fat-free gravy
1 tablespoon light whipped butter or light buttery spread
½ teaspoon minced garlic
¼ teaspoon salt
Dash of black pepper
Dash of garlic powder
Dash of onion powder
DirectionsPreheat oven to 400 degrees.
Place the squash in a large microwave-safe dish with ½ cup of water. Cover bowl and cook squash in the microwave for 12 to 14 minutes, until squash is soft.
Meanwhile, in a medium pan over medium heat, cook onions until slightly browned (2 to 3 minutes).
Add the turkey, minced garlic, garlic powder, onion powder, and black pepper to the pan. Stir well. Cook until meat is browned.
Drain any excess liquid from the pan. Place meat/onion mixture in a casserole dish. Pour gravy evenly over the mixture. Spread the mixed veggies on top and then set dish aside.
Once squash is cooked, drain excess water and mash well. Add butter and salt to the squash and then mix thoroughly. Layer the mashed squash on top of the veggie layer. Bake in the oven for 20 to 25 minutes (until crust looks slightly crispy).
MAKES 4 SERVINGS
For a pic of this recipe, see the photo insert. Yay!
Butternut Squash Basics—Peeling & Cubing 101
Simple secrets for perfectly peeled 'n squared squash . . . |
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PER SERVING (¼th of recipe): 58 calories, 2g fat, 63mg sodium, 11g carbs, 2g fiber, 3g sugars, 1g protein |
Ingredients2 cups peeled and cubed butternut squash (1-inch cubes)
½ medium red bell pepper, chopped
½ medium onion, chopped
½ cup fat-free broth (chicken or vegetable)
½ tablespoon olive oil
¼ teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
Dash of cayenne pepper
Salt and black pepper, to taste
DirectionsSauté onion with olive oil in a pan over low heat, until translucent (1 to 2 minutes).
Add bell pepper and continue to cook for 1 minute.
Add squash and stir. Turn heat up to medium and add salt, black pepper, pumpkin pie spice, and cayenne pepper. Mix well.
Cook for about 7 minutes, until squash starts to soften.
Raise heat to high and add broth. Bring to a boil. After 30 seconds of boiling, reduce heat to low.
Simmer until broth evaporates, stirring often.
Cover pan and continue to cook for 3 minutes or until squash is tender.
MAKES 4 SERVINGS
For a pic of this recipe, see the photo insert. Yay!
Health Benefits of Butternut Squash! Three great reasons why we love our squashy orange friend . . .
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PER SERVING (½ of recipe): 102 calories, 0.5g fat, 321mg sodium, 26g carbs, 3.5g fiber, 10g sugars, 2g protein |
Oh my! This recipe is soooooo delicious I can hardly stand it. Not sure if it qualifies as a hot cereal or not—but it is an AWESOME low-calorie breakfast!
Ingredients2 cups peeled and cubed butternut squash
½ cup chopped apples
1 ounce light vanilla soymilk
1 tablespoon sugar-free maple syrup
2 teaspoons brown sugar (not packed)
½ teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
¼ teaspoon salt
1 no-calorie sweetener packet
Optional: additional light vanilla soymilk
DirectionsSpray a small pot with nonstick spray and bring to medium-low heat.
Add squash and cook for 10 to 12 minutes, until squash is tender.
With a potato masher, mash squash in the pot. Add salt, pumpkin pie spice, and apple pieces. Mix well.
Turn heat to high and add 1 cup of water. Bring to a boil. After 30 seconds of boiling, reduce heat to low.
Let mixture simmer for about 3 minutes, until squash is tender and most of the water has evaporated, but apple still has some crunch to it.
Add maple syrup, brown sugar, sweetener, and soymilk. Mix thoroughly.
Continue to cook and stir until mixture reaches desired consistency (the longer you cook it, the thicker it will become).
If you like, top with an extra splash of soymilk before serving.
MAKES 2 SERVINGS
Gettin' Picky With It How to snap up the best butternut . . .
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PER SERVING (1 generous cup): 129 calories, 0.5g fat, 426mg sodium, 30g carbs, 3g fiber, 7g sugars, 4g protein |
Ingredients1 large butternut squash (big enough to yield 5 cups cubed)
4 cups fat-free chicken broth
2 cups chopped onions
2 whole chipotle peppers in adobo sauce (canned)
3 tablespoons fat-free liquid non-dairy creamer
¼ teaspoon ground cumin
Salt, to taste
DirectionsPreheat oven to 350 degrees.
Cut ends off of the squash. Slice squash in half lengthwise. Remove seeds and any additional fibers.
Place squash halves, flesh-side down, on a baking pan sprayed with nonstick spray. Cook in the oven for 25 minutes.
When the squash halves are cool enough to handle, peel them and cut into cubes. Measure out 5 cups and set aside.
In a large pot sprayed with nonstick spray, cook onions over medium heat for 5 minutes or until soft.
Add squash cubes, peppers, broth, and cumin. Reduce heat to low.
Allow mixture to simmer for 30 minutes or until squash is tender, stirring occasionally.
Remove from heat and allow to cool for several minutes.
Working in batches, place squash mixture in a blender and puree until smooth. Transfer pureed mixture to a large container.
Add creamer and mix thoroughly. Add salt to taste.
MAKES 5 SERVINGS
For Weight Watchers POINTS® values and photos of all the recipes in this book, check out hungry-girl.com/book. |
Seek out a long squash with a short round section. The round part is tough to cube—it's mostly hollow, with seeds and fibers that need to be scraped and removed from the flesh. But the long part is all flesh, perfect for cubing.
Butternut squash is an excellent source of vitamin A and a very good source of vitamin C, potassium, and fiber.