The following slimmed-down comfort foods utilize tricks and techniques that significantly lower calorie counts, fat content, and sugar content.
Comfort foods. Everybody has their favourites. Unfortunately, more often than not, comfort foods come with concerning adjectives, such as creamy, cheesy, chewy, crunchy, salty, sweet, and sometimes even greasy.
Now, we’re not suggesting you cut out these comfort foods. Eating our favourite foods can be an enjoyable experience; however, moderation is key. Further, if there’s a way we can make our favourite comfort foods slightly more healthy (such as by swapping refined white pasta out for a whole grain variety) we can indulge in our favourite comfort foods without experiencing the post-meal regret.
The following slimmed-down comfort foods utilize tricks and techniques that significantly lower calorie counts, fat content, and sugar content.
Fried chicken
Skip the deep frying and instead bake homemade, organic chicken strips in the oven. These healthy chicken strips use yogourt or buttermilk and panko breadcrumbs to form a delicious, crispy coating.
French onion soup
This version of the classic uses a slice of whole grain baguette rather than French. Instead of covering the whole bowl with cheese, a generous yet healthy serving of Asiago and Gruyere is sprinkled on top.
Pizza
Try a healthy pizza pocket on the go with this Spinach Calzone. Packed with spinach and filled with tofu and low-fat cheeses, this whole-wheat pocket is a much better pizza choice.
French fries
Cut the fat in French fries by baking them rather than frying. Heart-healthy extra-virgin olive oil helps to crisp these babies up, and organic ketchup makes for a GMO-free flavour boost.
Cream of broccoli soup
Whipping cream, commonly added to cream of broccoli soup, is loaded with saturated fat. This light version skips the cream altogether and relies on garlic, leeks, and a good quality vegetable stock to make the flavours pop. For a little creaminess, consider adding a bit of light coconut milk.
Macaroni and cheese
Rather than the typical white pasta, use a whole grain variety in this healthy twist on the traditional mac and cheese. Adding omega-3-rich canned or fresh salmon and tomatoes packed with lycopene up the nutritional profile drastically.
Ice cream
When you just need something to satisfy your sweet tooth after dinner, opt for this naturally sweetened, antioxidant-rich berry pudding instead of the sugar- and fat-laden ice cream.
