HUNGRY GIRL

LISA LILLIEN THANK YOU FOR KEEPING IT REAL!

She is a HUNGRY GIRL. Plain and simple NO PRETENSES HERE and that is exactly MY FAVORITE KIND OF GUEST to interview on WUSA 9 NEWS NOW. About 3 years ago, Lisa started emailing a group of 200 people her favorite diet tips and tricks. That list? IT HAS NOW GROWN TO OVER A HALF MILLION PEOPLE! You can visit her website at http://www.hungry-girl.com/. Basically, after loosing 30 lbs, Lisa allowed her food obsession to guide her into fooling around with alternative recipes that mimic the high calorie snacks she loved to eat! It didn't matter how BIZZARO the idea was that popped into her head ... if she thought there was a possibility that some kind of healthy alternative could work, she gave it a whirl (think Fiber One -- yes the cereal that most likely keeps you regular! -- coated on onion rings!)

Lisa dropped by the studio last week to talk about her latest book:

HUNGRY GIRL
Recipes & Survival Strategies
for Guilt-Free Eating in the Real World

I had such a fun time picking her brain that I decided to take out my very own, high end Kodak Easy Share M753 camera and keep it rolling after the show... HAVE A LQQK BELOW!

The best part about Lisa, her tips & tricks, book, etc? It is REAL. She claims to be no expert, just a regular HUNGRY GIRL. And who isn't? (Especially one bride-to-be.) Lisa has found her niche and HOW NICE OF HER to share the fruits of her creative passion with us! Keep rockin' the taste buds, Lisa, and keep knockin' the calories, too! You make being a HUNGRY GIRL FUN!

Your friend in weather AND FOOD,

Kim Martucci

PS -- THOSE ONION RINGS? They're called "Lord of the Onion Rings" and here is the recipe below:

Lord of the Onion Rings
PER SERVING (entire recipe): 153 calories, 1g fat, 379mg sodium, 41g carbs, 16g fiber, 7g sugars, 9g protein

Ingredients:
1 large onion
1/2 cup Fiber One bran cereal (original)
1/4 cup fat-free liquid egg substitute
Dash of salt
Optional: additional salt, black pepper, oregano, garlic powder, onion powder, etc.

Directions:

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Cut the ends off of the onion, and remove the outer layer. Cut onion into 1/2-inch-wide slices, and separate into rings.

Using a blender or food processor, grind Fiber One to a breadcrumb-like consistency. Pour Fiber One "breadcrumbs" onto a small dish, and mix in salt and any optional spices you like.

Next, fill a small bowl (just large enough for onion rings to fit in) with egg substitute. One by one, coat each ring first in egg, and then in the "breadcrumbs" (give each ring a shake after the egg bath).

Evenly place rings on a baking dish sprayed with nonstick spray. Cook for 20–25 minutes, flipping rings over about halfway through.

MAKES 1 HUMONGOUS SERVING

LQQK WHAT BEN DID! MY BELTWAY BANDIT'S SURPRISE...

Early Tuesday morning, I mean EARLY Tuesday morning, my phone rang. My heart always sinks when the phone rings at the "witching hour" because it is generally not good news. Most of the time the reason behind an early morning phone call is either: "KIM WHERE ARE YOU? DID YOU OVERSLEEP???" or some kind of emergency from a loved one. So, I always get a little nervous when it rings at, say 3:30am.

But today was different. My 3:30am phone call was from my OVER - THE - TOP - THOUGHTFUL - LOVE - OF - MY - LIFE - I'D - EAT - AN - EARTHWORM (poetic license) - FOR - YOU - FIANCE.

The conversation went something like this:

Ben "What time do you think you'll be exiting off the Beltway?"

Kim "I'm about 4 minutes away. I am running very late and I am really hungry because I was too tired to get dinner last night and I noticed you took all the leftovers from the baby shower with YOU and didn't leave me much." (I HATE ME!)

Ben "Well, I have some bad news. You are going to be later."

Kim "How come?"

Ben "Because I am pulled over on the side of the road waiting for you to pick up your breakfast. There is some home made strawberry short cake, too."

Kim (Heart breaking and still HATING herself) "I love you. I am sorry I was such a crank. I can't wait to see you."

And with that I was moments away from a surprise breakfast rendez vous just inside the Capital Beltway from Ben. SIGH. Here is a quickie video of Ben at 3:30am. I had him sit in the back of the Pryus so I could get some kind of light on him. I was a HUNGRY GIRL (see future blog), but I most certainly always am a VERY LUCKY GIRL.

Sorry ladies, he's taken.

PS! Check out the "What kind of American accent do you have" quiz to the right. I took it and it nailed me...almost. It said I was from the northeast, most likely NY City. Close (about 15 miles west and across the Hudson in North Jersey...)