Comfort food is more than sustenance. It is food that soothes and consoles us, and is as individual as the person enjoying it. It might be sweet abuela’s savory bean and cheese tamales or amma’s spicy, aromatic tomato rasam. My ultimate comfort food is mama’s meaty Southern-style “sketti.” I make certain to have a quart, often stored in a repurposed Cool Whip bowl, on standby in the freezer.
I am not alone putting pasta at the top of my list. “Comfort food” has become synonymous with indulgent dishes made with noodles, potatoes and grains doused in dairy, blanketed with butter and crowned with cheese. Buttery mashed potatoes, gooey lasagna, macaroni and cheese and creamy cheese grits are delicious and iconic examples.
I’ve come to consider comfort foods in a different light than more traditional examples. Comfort food can be food that both tastes good and is good for you, dishes that are healthy and nourishing. Enter the recipe makeover. The result of any recipe makeover must taste good, because there’s nothing comforting about a dish that tastes just “OK for healthy.” I love taking recipe makeovers to the edge, the magical sweet spot where the recipe still tastes like it’s supposed to but is a little bit better for you.
As a chef and professional recipe developer, I know the importance of sugar, salt and fat in terms of flavor. The first thing to consider in a recipe makeover is that, when you remove or reduce one of them, you need to add flavor somewhere else. The second component in a makeover is to make a dish more nutritionally dense by adding ingredients, not solely subtracting and taking away.
It’s important to point out that carbs aren’t inherently bad. Carbohydrates are an essential part of our diet and the body’s main source of energy, not just a comfort food craving. Ask any carb-loading athlete! Whether you’re looking to fuel your next workout or simply want to enjoy a heaping bowl of classic mashed potatoes and butter, it’s good to remember no food should be off-limits in a well-balanced diet.
RECIPES
These recipe makeovers nourish and sustain while simultaneously satisfying your comfort food cravings. You’ll love these updated versions of mashed potatoes, lasagna, macaroni and cheese and grits. It’s better-tasting food that’s better for you.
Credit: Photo courtesy of Virginia Willis, food styling by Lori Horne
Credit: Photo courtesy of Virginia Willis, food styling by Lori Horne
Mixed Mash Colcannon
Colcannon is an old-fashioned Irish mashed potato recipe typically made with cabbage, green onions and copious amounts of butter and cream. This healthier version replaces some of the starchy potatoes with cauliflower, a member of the immune system-boosting brassica family. We leave the skins on the remaining potatoes, saving prep time and increasing the overall nutrition with the B vitamins, vitamin C, iron, calcium, potassium and fiber that are in potato skins. You could also add whole cloves of garlic to the pot when cooking the vegetables if you want to amp up the flavor and anti-inflammatory properties.
1 pound Yukon Gold potatoes, cut into 1-inch cubes
Credit: Photo courtesy of Virginia Willis, food styling by Lori Horne
Credit: Photo courtesy of Virginia Willis, food styling by Lori Horne
Butternut Squash Lasagna
High-fiber, low-calorie butternut squash contains beta- and alpha-carotene. Our bodies convert these nutrients to vitamin A, which is good for our immune system. In this recipe revamp, butternut squash “planks” are a more nutrient-rich replacement for lasagna noodles. Layered with creamy herbed ricotta, an excellent marinara and gooey mozzarella, this lasagna doesn’t skimp on comfort.
Credit: Courtesy of Virginia Willis, Food styling credit Lori Horne Captions
Credit: Courtesy of Virginia Willis, Food styling credit Lori Horne Captions
Pumpkin Mac and Cheese
This comfort food update takes inspiration from Italy, where winter squash and pasta is a classic combination. Most stovetop macaroni and cheese dishes are not much more than pasta and cheese sauce. Here, I’m bumping up the flavor with warm spices. One of the reasons this macaroni makeover works so well is that the color of the squash mimics the color of a cheese sauce. More veg, less cheese and a heaping helping of down-home comfort.
8 ounces reduced-fat sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
Credit: Photo courtesy of Virginia Willis, food styling by Lori Horne
Credit: Photo courtesy of Virginia Willis, food styling by Lori Horne
Stovetop Grits and Greens
Southerners may be alone in considering grits a comfort food. Grits are ground from dent corn, a type of field corn with a low sugar content and a relatively soft, starchy center that is the premier Southern milling corn. Instead of smothering these grits with cream, butter and excessive amounts of cheese, I slowly cook the grits, allowing the inherent starch to produce the creamy texture.
Save time by purchasing pre-chopped bagged kale in the refrigerated section of your produce department.
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