

Dear HG,

The other day, I saw a Hungry Girl CD set at my local bookstore. It's an audio book, right? So, does it contain the same content as the new cookbook?

Confused in Colorado
Dear Confused,

I'm not surprised you are confused. The audio book -- called Hungry Girl The Official Survival Guides -- came out the same day as our new cookbook, Hungry Girl 200 Under 200. The content, however, is COMPLETELY different! The audio book is filled with tips and tricks for making smart food choices anywhere and everywhere. The content is completely new and original, and it's EXTREMELY helpful. There are four sections -- Dining Out, Travel, Holidays/Events/Parties, and Out and About. Every section includes individual tracks on general tips, survival strategies for specific situations, and a wrap up that summarizes everything. Tracks include Fast Food, Road Trips, Holiday Meals, and At the Office. It's all read by me (which means it is currently my parents' favorite CD!). This audio book is pretty convenient and useful because you can listen to a specific part right before you go somewhere -- like if you're going to a ballgame, just cue up that track! You can download a FREE excerpt of the audio book on iTunes (see below), and the entire thing is available for download on both iTunes and Audible. (Plus it can be found at bookstores and ordered online.) Click here for all the info, and let me know how you like it!

If you have iTunes and want to download the free excerpt, copy & paste this web address into your browser!

Dear HG,

So, with the tour and all, you must be traveling a lot lately. What is a typical day of food on the road like for you?

Foodie Face
Dear Foodie Face,

I have been hearing this question a lot lately. Someone in pretty much every city I visit asks me this! Here's what I eat while on my book tour. (It's really the same as what I eat whenever I travel.) And this should go without saying, but I'll say it anyway: I'm not a nutritionist, and I'm not suggesting that everyone should eat like I do -- this is just what works for me when I'm on the road. Okay, here goes!

In the morning, I will have coffee (with Splenda, no milk), an egg-white omelette (no cheese), and some fruit.

For lunch, I'll have a salad with grilled chicken or seared ahi tuna (usually dressing-free... I'm not a huge fan of dressing).

At some point, either before or after lunch (sometimes both!), I will have a snack. My travel snacks are things like apples, jerky, bars (I have been loving Kind Bars lately!), and VitaTops.

Dinner is usually some sort of lean protein (lots of it!) with veggies, or sushi. I tend to avoid the bread basket, pasta, potatoes, sauces, and oily stuff. I've been known to shove a fork into a dessert occasionally. (Last time, it was some fruit crisp item at Redstone Grill in Minnesota!) But obviously I try not to overdo it with restaurant desserts. One or two medium-sized bites is my limit!

And in case you're wondering, I usually aim for 1,200 - 1,400 calories a day -- but that's just me. The amount of calories a person should be getting depends on a lot of things -- gender, height, weight, age, activity level, etc. For more on calorie counting, click & scroll here if you're interested!

Today, May 13th, is National Fruit Cocktail Day. Fruit cocktail is one of the secret ingredients in our Tutti Frutti Biscuits. Those things ROCK!

