Food Magnets

I don't put anything on my refrigerator, but if I did, it would be these food magnets.

Check them out!

8 Indicators of Emotional Eating

Many people overeat for emotional reasons. Without doing some serious reflection it is difficult to pinpoint whether our food choices come from an emotional need or a physical need.

Here are eight warning signs that your eating may be driven by hidden emotions.

1. Your hunger comes on suddenly.
   Physical hunger comes on slowly. Hunger from emotional eating often comes on quickly and suddenly.
2. You crave specific foods - generally not carrot sticks or steamed broccoli.
   Cravings for specific, usually unhealthy foods is a sign of emotional eating. Often people like the rush they get from satisfying their cravings. That rush is fulfilling emotional hunger.
3. Your hunger feels urgent.
   You need a particular food right away and you're willing to walk out of your way, or get in your car late at night, or raid your kid's Halloween candy to get it. Physical hunger, unless you haven't eaten for a very long time, is usually pretty patient. It will wait for food. Emotional hunger demands to be satisfied immediately.
4. Your hunger is often paired with an upsetting emotion.
   If you backtrack a few hours or a few days you'll usually find an upsetting event and feeling that triggered the urge. Hunger that's connected to an upsetting emotion or situation is definitely emotional hunger. Physical hunger is not typically triggered by emotions.
5. Your eating habits involve unconscious eating.
   All of a sudden you're eating ice-cream and you find the whole container is gone. When you're eating for physical reasons, you are usually mindful of what you're doing. If you catch yourself eating "just because," then it's likely you're eating for emotional reasons.
6. You don't stop eating in response to being full.
   You keep wanting more of the taste of the food. Physical hunger doesn't need to be stuffed in order to be satisfied. Emotional hunger on the other hand often demands more and more food to feel satisfied.
7. Your hunger isn't located in belly.
   You crave the taste of a certain food in you mouth or can't stop thinking of a certain food. Feeling hungry in this way is usually a sign of emotional hunger. Physical hunger is happy to get what it can, while emotional hunger usually focuses on specific tastes and textures.
8. After you satisfy my hunger, you are often filled with a sense of regret or guilt.
   Feeding your body what it needs is not something to feel guilty about. If you feel guilty after you eat, it's likely because part of you knows you're not eating just to satisfy physical hunger.

2 points, YUMMO!!!!!!!

Crème Puff!
	If you're in the market for a drinkable Creamsicle (or a "50/50 bar", as people in the South call 'em), then read closely, because we're about to make your day. The Starbucks folks have outdone themselves with their new, limited-edition Orange Crème Frappuccino Light Blended Crème. This blended frozen beverage is a delicious treat with a PERFECT amount of orange (not overpowering) and an even MORE perfect amount of "crème" (which we think tastes like vanilla). And this drink's stats are as exciting as its taste. Order the Tall (12 ounces), and it'll cost you just 110 calories (2 Points). A Grande clocks in at 140 and is HUUUUGE (we actually ordered this size by mistake and could barely finish it). And here are some helpful hints regarding this new chilled orange bev: 1. Remember to stress the word LIGHT. If you order the regular one (which is actually more popular), it will have WAY more calories and will be packing fat. 2. Don't ruin a good thing by ad ding whipped cream to it. Splurge on that stuff, and you'll add around 100 calories and 9 grams of fat to your Frap (um, ludicrous). 3. Consider ordering it a tad less sweet (by requesting less of the Light Frappuccino base, or simply less orange syrup). It may even taste better that way, and you'll save a few calories as well. There you have it. Now head on over to Starbucks and start sippin'!
	Serving Size: 1 Grande (16 oz.) Calories: 140 Fat: 0g Sodium: 160mg Carbs: 32g Fiber: 1g Sugars: 26g Protein: 7g *3 Points!

Starbucks...

I got this tip from hungrygirl.com, and it is TOTALLY worth the points! It is my new favorite summertime drink. Order a TALL orange creme frappuccino, with the LIGHT frappuccino base, and NO WHIP, and it's just 2 points! It tastes so unbelievably good...

Amazing Oatmeal Cookies - WW

Remember: You can add a couple of raisins and/or 1/2 cup Fiber 1 and not add any points.

Makes 4 Oatmeal Cookies at 2 Pts TOTAL

1 Container of WW Apple Cinnamon or Maple Brown Sugar Oatmeal
1/2 tsp. baking powder (optional)
1/4 to 1/3 cup water

Gradually stir in water until it is the consistency of oatmeal cookie dough,
Split the mixture into 4 cookies.
Drop on a baking sheet sprayed with nonstick cooking spray.
Bake at 350 until firm, 15 minutes or so.

A must read...

Interesting article about obesity - actually it's pretty depressing. :0(

Check it out here!

Peanut Butter Cookies

"Lightened up" Peanut Butter Cookies

I usually try to lighten up all the recipes that I try, but so far the "Best Light Recipes" cookbook has the Peanut Butter Cookie recipe nailed down.

Chewy, peanutty - crip on the outside and chewy on the inside!

The breakdown goes from 110 cal for a regular peanut butter cookie to 90, 6g down to 3.5g fat, saturated fat goes from 2.5 to 1.5 (carb 14, prot 2)

Crisp, chewy, peanutty, yummy!

"Lightened Up" Peanut Butter Cookies:

- 1 1/4 cups unbleached all purpose flour
- 1/4 teasp baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 large egg
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 cup packed brown sugar
- 2 tablesp. chunky peanut butter
- 1/4 cup lightly salted dry roasted peanuts, chopped coarse

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and line 2 baking sheets with parchment.

Whisk the flour, baking soda and salt together in a medium bowl.
In a large bowl, whisk the butter, egg and vanilla together. Stir in the brown sugar and peanut utter until smooth and smush any remaining brown sugar lumps against the side of the bowl. Stir in the flour mixture and peanuts until blended.

Using one level tablespoon of dough, roll each into a 1" ball. If the dough is too sticky to roll, put in fridge to make rolling easier. Put them on the prepared pan and be sure to give them 2 1/2 inches between balls so that they will spread properly... Approx. 12 to a sheet.

Bake one tray at a time till the edges are golden amd the centers are just set. Don't overbake them! Cool the cookies on the baking sheet for 5 minutes then cool completely on a wire rack.

* They freeze well as long as they are in an airtight container - then a few seconds in the microwave makes them as good as if they were just baked.

Interesting Blog

Check out this diet blog, interesting stuff about how much dieting actually costs.

David's Skinny Chocolate Chip Cookies

From Perfect Light Desserts: Fabulous Cakes, Cookies, Pies, and More Made With Real Butter, Sugar, Flour and Eggs All Under 300 Calories Per Generous Serving by Nick Malgieri and David Joachim

I made these last week, they are REALLY good, they taste close to the real thing, which is surprising since there is only 4 Tablespoons of butter, instead of the usual cup in most chocolate chip cookie recipes.

. I used the cookie scoop, that thing is "da bomb!" ~ Jan

1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour (leveled with a spoon)

1 teaspoon baking soda

4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, softened

1/2 cup light brown sugar

6 tablespoons granulated sugar

1 large egg

2 tablespoons whole milk

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 1/2 cups chocolate chips (about 3/4 of a 12-ounce bag)

2 cookies sheets lined with parchment paper or foil

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Mix flour, baking soda and salt together in a bowl and set aside.

Beat butter and sugars together with an electric mixer on medium speed until well-mixed, about 1 minute. Beat in egg and milk until they are absorbed, followed by the vanilla. Don't worry if mixture looks curdled; the flour mixture will smooth it out.

Scrape down the bowl and beater and beat in flour mixture on low speed. Use a rubber spatula to fold in the chocolate chips.

Chill dough in the bowl for 15 minutes to keep cookies from spreading too much while baking.

Form dough into 1 1/2-inch balls or use a small ice cream scoop to form the cookies. Arrange balls of dough 2 inches apart all around on the prepared pans.

Bake cookies for 8-12 minutes, or until they look dull on the surface, have spread and are still quite moist. Cool cookies on pans on racks for 5 minutes. Slide liners to racks to continue cooling cookies.

Keep stored between sheets of wax paper in a tin or plastic container. Makes about 30 cookies.

Per cookie: 114 calories, 5 grams total fat, 3 grams saturated fat, 2 grams protein, 17 grams carbohydrates, 1 gram fiber, 11 milligrams cholesterol, 85 milligrams sodium

Crazy-Creamy Crab Stuffed Mushrooms

(Entire recipe: 135 calories, 3g fat, 975mg sodium, 12g carbs, 2g fiber, 4g sugars, 16g protein = 3 Points)

These make both an awesome appetizer and a hot 'n cheesy snack!

Ingredients:
12 small-to-medium-sized (1 - 2" wide) brown mushroom caps (stems removed)

2 oz. drained white crabmeat - can substitute canned or use Louis Kemp fake crabmeat

2 tbsp. celery; minced

2 tbsp. red pepper; minced

1 wedge The Laughing Cow Light Cheese (any Light flavor)

1 tbsp. fat-free sour cream

1 tbsp. fat-free cream cheese

2 tsp. fat-free cheese flavor sprinkles (like the ones by Molly McButter)

Directions:

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Wipe mushrooms clean with a damp paper towel and then dry them. Place with the rounded sides down on a baking dish sprayed lightly with nonstick spray. Combine all other ingredients and stir until well mixed. Evenly distribute crab mixture among the mushroom caps. Place in the oven for 10 - 12 minutes, until hot. Enjoy the creamy, crab-tastic goodness! Makes 12.

Lots of fiber -

Fiber-licious Bean Dip
(*1/4th recipe without garnish or cheese: Approx. 110 - 120 calories, 0.5g fat, 935mg sodium, 31g carbs, 13g fiber, 2.5g sugars, 6g protein = 1 - 2 Points)

Although beans are naturally a good source of fiber, adding Fiber One cereal to this dip gives it an extra fiber boost. No one will ever guess that there is cereal in this creamy dip! This is delicious served with baked tortilla chips and cut-up veggies.

Ingredients:

1 15-oz. can of black beans

1 cup Fiber One cereal

1 cup salsa

2 garlic cloves; chopped

1⁄4 tsp. each salt, cumin, chili powder

1 tbsp. fresh cilantro

Garnish: fat-free sour cream, chopped scallions and tomato

Optional: 1⁄2 cup fat-free shredded cheese

Directions:

Place all ingredients in a blender and blend until well mixed; if you prefer the bean dip cheesy, add shredded cheese to the mixture once it’s blended. Place the mixture in a microwave-safe bowl and heat on high for 2 minutes, or until hot. Serves 4!

Blueberry Pancakes

Blue Ribbon Batter!
	It's no secret that HG LOVES breakfast (it IS the most important meal of the day -- that's NOT a rumor). But don't think for one second we're gonna be satisfied with some lame-o boring b-fast. Nuh-uh. We want pancakes. With blueberries! STAT! Check out our simple recipe... An oat-y take on p-cakes makes 'em hearty, filling, and delicious! Ingredients: 1/3 cup regular oats (not instant or steel cut) 1/4 cup blueberries 3 tbsp. egg whites 1 tbsp. nonfat milk 1 tbsp. fat-free cottage cheese 1 tbsp. flour 2 tbsp. water pinch salt Directions: Combine all ingredients except for the blueberries and stir until well mixed. Gently fold in blueberries. In a skillet sprayed with nonstick spray, drop batter into pan to form 3 pancakes (or 1 big pancake). Once pancakes begin to look solid (about 3 minutes), gently flip (if possible, re-spritz the pan with nonstick spray as you flip 'em to prevent sticking). Cook for approximately 3 additional minutes, or until both sides are lightly browned and insides are cooked through. Now plate those suckers and enjoy. Serves 1. (Pssst...we like 'em drizzled with sugar-free maple syrup!)
	Serving Size: Entire recipe Calories: 195 Fat: 2g Sodium: 295mg Carbs: 32g Fiber: 4g Sugars: 6g Protein: 13g *3 Points

Salad Blaster

I've had a Salad Blaster for a few years now. I bought mine from Avon, of all places for $10.00, they have them online at The Container Store for $3.99. The only difference is mine came with an insulated bag to keep the salad cold. I just went to Avon's site, searched and they have now replaced their salad shaker with a Curves Salad Chiller. Same idea except it's a bowl. Here's the link if you want to see what it's like.

Personally, I like the Blaster better. It's more compact, easier to travel with and it's cuter. Gotta love that eye candy!

But anyhoo this is the way the Shaker works - you put the salad dressing in the lid, put the salad in the cup. When you're ready to eat it, you push on the lid, the dressing dispenses over the salad, shake it up and you're good to go... I've used it in restaurants, on trips, great if you work...

Check it out here, ladies, it's a good thing, and a good price even if it doesn't have the insulated carrier...

Chewy Oatmeal Raisin Cookies

Chewy Oatmeal Raisin Cookies
About 36 cookies

Adapted from Nick Malgieri's book, Perfect Light Desserts: Fabulous Cakes, Cookies, Pies, and More Made with Real Butter, Sugar, Flour, and Eggs (HarperCollins).

1 cup flour (spoon flour into dry-measure cup and level off)
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup (packed) light brown sugar
1 large egg
1/4 cup unsweetened applesauce
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 1/3 cups rolled oats (not instant)
1/2 cup dark raisins (or dried cranberries)

2 baking sheets lined with parchment paper, foil, or silicone mats

1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees and set the rack on the lower and upper thirds of the oven.

2. In a small bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.

3. In a large mixing bowl, beat the butter and granulated sugar until smooth. Mix in the brown sugar, then the egg, applesauce, and vanilla.

4. Stir in the dry ingredients, then the oats and raisins.

5. Drop the batter by rounded teaspoons 2-inches apart on the baking sheets and use a fork to gently flatten the dough.

6. Bake the cookies for 10 to 12 minutes, or until they "look dull on the surface but are moist and soft", according the Nick. Rotate baking sheets during baking for even heating.

(I made mine bigger, so whatever size you make them, just bake them until they look as directed by Nick.)

Storage: Once cool, store the cookies in an airtight container at room temperature.

UPDATE FROM JAN:

These cookies were AWESOME. My family gave them a 10! Here's how I tweaked the recipe - I used Cinnamon Applesauce instead of plain, I added an additional 1/2 teaspoon of cinnamon, and I added more oatmeal because I thought batter was a little thin - I probably added an additional 1/2 cup of oatmeal -

Actually, I doubled the entire recipe when I made these, so I don't know exactly how much oatmeal I added, but 1/2 cup for the original recipe sounds about right...

You will love these - amazing cookies for only 2 tablespoons of butter....

Oh, I baked them on a Silpat liner on my cookie sheet - those liners are wonderful, cookies turn out perfectly baked every time!

Just in from HungryGirl this morning - healthy grocery list...

Dairy, Dairy Alternatives and Eggs Kraft Free Singles (fat-free cheese slices) The Laughing Cow Light Cheese Wedges Egg Beaters (Better'n Eggs, etc.) Veggie Slices (soy-based cheese), Swiss Shredded fat-free mozzarella cheese Reduced fat grated parmesan cheese Light string cheese Yoplait Light Yogurts Dannon Light & Fit Yogurts & Smoothies Fage Total 0% Greek Yogurt 8th Continent Light Vanilla Soymilk (or any other light vanilla soymilk) Blue Diamond Almond Breeze Unsweetened non-dairy beverage, Vanilla and Chocolate Fat Free Reddi-wip Cool Whip Free (in the freezer aisle) Coffee-Mate Original Fat Free (liquid creamer) Coffee-Mate Sugar Free French Vanilla (powdered creamer) Fat-free cream cheese Fat-free sour cream I Can't Believe It's Not Butter! Spray Fat-free cottage cheese

Cereal Fiber One bran cereal Puffed wheat Puffed rice Shredded wheat Kashi 7 Whole Grain Puffs Kashi Vive Barbara's Bakery Puffins Quaker Instant Oatmeal packets

Meat & Seafood Applegate Farms sliced turkey breast (or the freshest sliced turkey from the deli counter) Applegate Farms sliced ham (or the freshest sliced ham from the deli counter) Canned tuna in water Bumble Bee Prime Fillet Albacore Steak Entrées Hormel Turkey Pepperoni Skinless, boneless chicken breast Hebrew National 97% Fat Free Beef Franks Jennie-O Lean Turkey Burgers Jennie-O Extra Lean Turkey Bacon Imitation crabmeat Shrimp (frozen or fresh)

Veggies Giant romaine lettuce leaves (great for wraps!) Salad greens Frozen veggies Butternut squash (for HG's special fries) Onions (for our ROCKIN' onion rings) Fresh vegetables (your choice) Baby carrots Pickles Cabbage Canned pure pumpkin (technically a fruit, we know!)

Fruit Fresh fruit (we love red seedless grapes, fuji apples, navel oranges, melons, bananas, etc.) Canned fruit in its own juice (like pineapple, mandarin oranges, peaches, etc.) Frozen strawberries No sugar added applesauce

Soups Campbell's Soup at Hand Campbell's Select Gold Label Soups Progresso 99% Fat Free Soups Low sodium chicken or vegetable broth Amy's Light in Sodium Soups Amy's Chunky Tomato Bisque Tabatchnick Soups (located in the freezer) Miso soup packets

Packaged Snacks, Bars, Cookies, Crackers, Chips & Popcorn Quaker Rice Snacks (Quakes, Multigrain Minis, Mini Delights, etc.) Sugar Free Jell-O Gelatin Snacks Sugar Free Jell-O Pudding Snacks Nabisco 100 Calorie Packs (you choose the variety) Keebler Right Bites South Beach Diet Snack Bar Delights Nature Valley Fruit Crisps, Cinnamon Apple Guiltless Gourmet Potato Crisps and Tortilla Chips Soy crisps (Quaker, Genisoy, Glenny's) 94% fat-free mini microwave popcorn bags (Jolly Time Healthy Pop, Orville Redenbacher's Smart Pop!, Pop Secret) Fiber One Chewy Bars Gerber Fruit Puffs & Veggie Puffs

Breads Light English muffins La Tortilla Factory Low Carb Low Fat Tortillas Wonder Light Bread and Buns Western Bagel Alternative Bagels and Alternative Pita Bread

Ice Cream & Frozen Novelties Dreyer's/Edy's Slow Churned Light Ice Creams The Skinny Cow Ice Cream Sandwiches & Bars Smart Ones Giant Bars (Fudge and Cookies & Cream) Healthy Choice Premium Fudge Bars Sugar Free Popsicles

Sauces, Dressings & Spreads Hellmann's/Best Foods Dijonnaise Girard's Fat Free Dressings Wish-Bone Salad Spritzers Kraft Free Italian fat-free dressing Smucker's Sugar Free Preserves Land O Lakes Whipped Light Butter Sugar-free maple syrup Salsa Low-calorie, low-fat (or nonfat) tomato sauce

Frozen Foods & Meals Boca Meatless Burgers (Original) Boca Meatless Lasagna Boca Meatless Chili Boca Meatless Ground Burger Gardenburger Veggie Burgers Boca Meatless Chik'n Patties Morningstar Farms Corn Dogs (meatless) Lean Cuisine Brick Oven Style Pizzas Lean Cuisine Panini sandwiches Amy's Kitchen Mexican Tamale Pie Amy's Kitchen Burritos Cedarlane Low Fat Garden Vegetable Enchiladas Kashi All Natural Entrees South Beach Diet Breakfast Wraps

Beverages Coke Zero SoBe Adrenaline Rush, Sugar Free Diet Rite Pure Zero Fresca Swiss Miss Diet Hot Cocoa Mix Crystal Light (On The Go, tubs and ready-to-drink) Millstone Coffee

Source: HungryGirl