Hungry Girl 200 Calorie Cookbook

The title debuting on the May 3 New York Times best-seller list isn't a work of thought-provoking literature, it's a new cookbook called Hungry Girl 200 Under 200: 200 Recipes Under 200 Calories ($12). The collection, created by Lisa Lillien of Hungry-Girl.com, creatively combines mostly processed foods that yield low-calorie servings for snacking.

While Hungry Girl is wildly popular, she does have her critics. To those who knock her focus on packaged and boxed items, Lisa says, "People are hypocrites. They say 'shop the perimeter of the store, never eat anything that's not organic,' but it's B.S., because people can't live like that forever."

I'm torn on whether or not the Hungry Girl phenomenon is a good thing. I appreciate that her success suggests people are worried about their waistlines and attempting to take control by preparing food on their own. And while the emphasis on calorie intake is a proven way to control your weight, the heavy inclusion of processed foods isn't exactly a healthy approach to your diet. What do you think about the idea behind this new cookbook — is it cool or not?