Today's interview is with Lisa Lillien, pictured above, found of the daily email newsletter (and website) Hungry Girl and author of the new book
Hungry Girl: Recipes and Survival Strategies for Guilt-Free Eating in the Real World, which we told you about the other day. Find out more about the book here and Hungry Girl's cupcake coverage here.
Can you tell us briefly how Hungry Girl got started and how you chose which recipes would go in the book? Who would you say is your main audience?
I started Hungry Girl back in 2004. I had lost close to 30 lbs. a few years before that, and had become sort of a guru of guilt-free foods. I would stop people at the supermarket and tell them they were buying the wrong low-fat ice cream. I was a bit obsessive about finding foods that gave me the most bang for my calorie buck. The idea to launch a daily email service to share this info with the world just popped into my brain one day and I ran with it.
There are 165 recipes in the book. And about half of them are new and were developed specifically for the book. The others are HG classics.
I was pleasantly surprised to find three cupcake recipes in the book, and ones that are markedly lower in calories and fat than the average cupcake. How much trial and error went into making those cupcake recipes? Do they taste significantly different than regular cupcakes?
Not a ton of trial and error. Typically the cupcake recipes were perfected within 2 - 3 tries. They are GREAT! They don't taste any different that regular cupcakes at all.
Are cupcakes easier or harder to adapt to low-fat/low-calorie versions than other baked goods? Is the frosting the real culprit?
They're EASIER! Way easier than cookies -- that's for sure! And yes, FROSTING can be the real culprit.
Do you have general tips in terms of adapting cupcake recipes to make them healthier?
Sure -- typically we add things like diet soda, pumpkin, sugar free hot cocoa, etc., to HG cupcakes instead of eggs and oil. That keeps the calorie and fat counts down.
Have you heard of or seen any bakeries developing low-fat/healthier cupcake recipes? Do you think this would be a good business move for bakeries wanting to cater to health-conscious cupcake lovers?
That depends. If they taste good and REALLY are low in calories and fat it could be a good idea. But typically people aren't going into bakeries looking for diet-friendly cupcakes. Let's be honest...
Do you have any advice for people who love cupcakes but are watching their weight? What strategies can they use so as not to feel deprived?
Yes -- check out Hungry Girl's cupcakes. They are REALLY satisfying and delicious -- and very low in fat and calories.
And now for some personal questions…
How often do you eat cupcakes?
Not as often as I'd like to. About once every few months or so. And usually they are HG cupcakes. :)
What's the best thing about eating cupcakes?
The best thing about EATING them? The way they taste! The soft cake -- thick frosting. Mmmmmm! But again, I don't really eat regular cupcakes too often. Sad times.
What's your favorite type of cupcake?
Hmmmm probably yellow cake with chocolate frosting. But I also like chocolate ones. And coconut!!! OK, maybe coconut is my favorite -- as long as there's no lemon involved...
How do cupcakes compare/contrast to other baked goods for you?
I like them more than cookies. And sometimes even more than brownies. Definitely more than biscotti!
Is there any innovation you'd like to see made to the cupcake that would improve it for you?
I'd love more creme-filled cupcakes. And if they could have more fiber that would rock, too. And if they made a cupcake that burned lots of calories that might be handy as well.
Do you bake your own cupcakes? Or (even better) have someone who bakes them for you?
I bake HG cupcakes --yes. But I also have HG staffers that bake 'em as well!
What's your first cupcake-related memory?
As a child I remember being OBSESSED with the Hostess Orange Cupcakes with the little squiggle on 'em. Yum!
What's the most fun you've ever had with a cupcake?
I would say the most fun I ever had with a cupcake would be perfecting the HG Red Velvet cupcakes -- those are AWESOME!!!!!
Do you have anything else to add?
Cupcakes are delicious but can be habit forming, so be careful.
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