How To Make Comfort Food Healthier

Many people are surprised when they realize how easy it is to turn their favorite comfort food into a healthy and delicious alternative.  All you need to do is substitute a few key ingredients.  Use these smart ingredient swaps to make your classic hearty meals healthier.

Lasagne

You can make this traditional comfort food healthier by replacing the layers of pasta with slices of courgette.  Doing this will make the meal healthier while still being packed full of flavor.  If you want a hearty family meal, you can try a veg-packed healthy lasagne.

Ice Cream

Instead of having an indulgent bowl of rich ice cream when you need comfort, you should try a banana cream alternative.  This is easy to make with frozen bananas.  The result is a healthy, creamy, vegan and dairy-free alternative that offers the same levels of comfort.  There is also no need to churn the cream either as all you have to do is freeze the bananas, blitz them and enjoy.  You can also add some pineapple to the recipe to give it a fruitier twist.

Shepherd’s Pie

This family favorite can be turned into a dairy and meat-free version that everyone will enjoy.  Instead of meat, you can use earthy mushrooms and lentils that you top with crisp and crushed potatoes.  This offers you a healthy and hearty comfort meal in just 30 minutes.

Curry

Having a curry on the weekend does not have to be an unhealthy indulgence.  All you need to do is skip the takeaway and make your own curry at home.  A good place to start will be a tomato-based recipe and you can add children, but you should use the lean breast meat.  If you need to have a creamy curry, you should try a twist on the chicken korma that only has a small amount of cream.

Sloppy Joes

This family favorite is bursting with healthy ingredients that everyone will enjoy. It can be made with turkey or beef – find the recipe on Foodal. For a healthier alternative swap the bread roll for a wrap or even serve with sweet potato wedges.

A Healthy Spaghetti

The classic meatball pasta dish can get a lighter twist with a little polpette.  A turkey polpette recipe will become a new family favorite and uses lean turkey mince for healthy meatballs.  It is then served with a tomato and basil sauce using whole-wheat spaghetti.  Another healthy spin for this meal is to have a bacon and broccoli carbonara that is ready in 20 minutes.  You will need to add some crispy bacon, broccoli, and spinach to your spaghetti with a quick cream sauce with some pecorino cheese.

Fish And Chips

One of the favorites on the weekend is some fish and chips.  When you swap your potatoes for sweet potato and replace the fish batter with a herb lemon breadcrumb, you turn this high-calorie dish into a healthy option.  This fish feast is one that you will love and want to enjoy any day of the week.

Fish Pie

A comfort food classic is a creamy, buttery and cheese-topped fish pie.  Fortunately, a few changes can turn this pie into a healthy dish.  A good option is a rosti-topped fish pie that will make the fish shine whether it is salmon, haddock or cod.  You can combine this with a simple white sauce topped with grated potato.  If you want something different, you can try a pea-spiked mash recipe with a cheesy leek sauce.