Hungry Girl 200 Under 200 Just Desserts

June 10, 2013
A case study in "just because you can doesn't mean you should," "Hungry Girl" Lillien continues her assault on common kitchen decency in this compilation of 200 desserts under 200 calories per serving. Favoring convenience over common sense, Lillien's unabashed endorsement of processed foods, boxed mixes, and bizarre combinations may well deliver on their promise, but at what cost? ("Candy Cane Brownies" for example, call for chocolate frosting, sugar-free pudding, devil's food cake mix, canned pumpkin, and candy canes also peppermint extract; "Fruity Caramel Crunchcakes" contain strawberries, strawberry preserves, rice cakes, caramel dip, chocolate chips, and Cool Whip.) As in her previous works, Lillien achieves low calorie counts by relying on fat-free and low-calorie ingredients (often pre-made), making her recipes more of an assembly operation than one that involves baking or other culinary skills. For those new to the kitchen, in a hurry, or simply interested in putting forth as little effort as possible, her Pineapple Bliss cake (literally yellow cake mix and canned pineapple ) or "S'mores Crunchettes"âbaked fillo shells with various fillingsâcould be just the thing for a last-minute get-together. Those who can tell the difference between whipped cream and Cool Whip, however, will want to leave this one alone.

May 15, 2013

Lillien's Hungry Girl brand (hungry-girl.com) encompasses a daily email service with more than a million subscribers, several best-selling cookbooks, and an eponymous television show airing on the Food Network and the Cooking Channel. In her newest collection of "guilt-free" recipes, she transforms supermarket staples like sugar-free pudding snacks and fat-free cream cheese into exotic-sounding creations like Tropical Dreamboat Parfaits and Coconut Cream Crunchettes. These easy desserts are low in fat and calories but not necessarily "healthy," as they're mostly made of processed ingredients. Additional recipe photos and Weight Watchers "PointsPlus" values are available on Lillien's website. VERDICT These recipes can help readers quickly satisfy cravings without subverting weight-loss goals. Expect demand.

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