Healthy Comfort Food Recipes That Are Low-Calorie and Nutritious
What’s better than coming home from a long day’s work to a comforting plate of food? In our humble opinion, nothing! That’s why we’ve got a whole bunch of delicious, comforting meal ideas in our recipe book for you.
Contrary to what you may think, comfort food doesn’t have to be bad for you. In fact, it can actually be super healthy with just a few tweaks here and there. So go ahead and turn that guilt into pride and enjoy that big bowlful of pasta or that entire crispy pizza with a big smile on your face.
That’s right, we’ve got a great little selection of healthy comfort food recipes — from pizza to quesadillas to spaghetti bolognese — for you to try out at home. Finally, you can indulge in those foods you crave and reach your goal at the same time.
Comfort food made healthy
We can’t lie, we do love all the classic sauces, the dips, and the rich mains, but we know how to make these comfort food classics a touch healthier — plus, odds are you’ll be more satisfied with your homemade version than you would be eating out. It’s all about making some very easy and appetizing swaps.
Here are tips for making comfort food healthy:
Ditch the heavy mayo for a great combo of Greek yogurt (for the creaminess), mustard and some lemon juice. It’s the sophisticated version of mayo that we love so much. Once you master this, play around and create other kinds of healthy dips
A store-bought dressing is easy, but simple homemade dressings are even easier (and cheaper in the long run). All you need are some staple ingredients — oils, vinegar, spices — that you can keep in your kitchen and mix together.
OK, pasta is the best, but who said you can’t make pasta out of something other than wheat, e.g. zucchini. It’s just as satisfying and probably looks even more appealing. Bi-colored ribbons covered in tasty homemade sauces are what it’s all about.
4 Healthy comfort foods ideas from the 8fit app
Now let’s explore some healthy recipes for you to experiment with at home. Are you ready to push yourself out of your comfort zone? Let’s go.
Bean quesadilla with spicy salsa and yogurt
Hearty Mexican food is just the thing you need when you’re after something naughty. Yet, this bean quesadilla won’t just curb that comfort food craving, it’ll give you all the nutrients your body requires to reach your health and fitness goals, too. Make your own refried beans and spread it across a tortilla with some sweetcorn and tasty cheese. Pan fry until crispy and enjoy with a refreshing side of salsa and some creamy Greek yogurt (it tastes even better than sour cream — seriously!).
Baked eggs in bolognese
Two of our favorite things combined into one amazing dish. It’s a simple but delicious chili con carne topped with eggs then baked until the eggs set. The best part? You can make it all in one pan! Of course, we recommend serving it with a fresh green salad, but we promise you’ll enjoy that bit of freshness and crunch.
Kale pesto pizza
Healthy, kale pizza? Yes, you read correctly. This pizza has a thin, crunchy tortilla base topped with some classic mozzarella and pesto. Don’t forget the pièce de resistance, the kale, which crisps up ever so slightly in the oven and gives you great texture to go with the gooeyness of the cheese and creaminess of the pesto. We know that mindful eating is usually the way to go, but this pizza is the perfect low-calorie comfort food to enjoy on the couch while watching a good film. 😏
Pasta Primavera
Few things are more comforting than a hearty bowl of pasta. Pasta is also that go-to dish when you’re running low on fresh ingredients. Even with a minimalistic pantry, you’ll be set for dinner. This simple pasta dish requires only six main ingredients and takes less than 25 minutes to put together. Bonus: It has two types of cheese (yes!), ripe tomatoes and wholesome broccoli, all stirred into a yummy dish you won’t want to put down.
