Many of us grew up eating certain comfort foods that we cook today. Comfort foods lift us up when we are tired or feeling down and they remind us of easier times. The trouble with most comfort foods is that they are never truly healthy and usually laden with fat, sugar, and salt. However, your favorite dish from grandma doesn’t need to raise your blood pressure or give you diabetes. It can be delicious, healthy, and even vegan, if you’d like, and still satisfy the taste buds.
Here are four comfort food dishes that can be made in a much healthier way while still bringing that comfort that you’re seeking:
1, Collard Greens
Collard greens is a traditional Southern American dish usually made with some form of pork product, such as ham hocks. The Northerners originally from the South of the U.S., have made it a bit healthier by substituting the pork for smoked turkey, which also gives this Sunday dish a new and healthier twist. But, you can skip the animal product all-together and make it totally vegan by simply adding crushed garlic and sauteed onions to the dish. You can even add some chopped up roasted pumpkin or your favorite squash for an extra dash of flavor.
2. Tuna Casserole
Tuna casserole is another Sunday dinner favorite for many people. It’s the quintessential meal when one is desiring a bit of comfort. This dish is usually extremely cheesy, despite the green peas that normally accompany the other ingredients. For a vegan version, substitute the cream and cheese sauce for a silken tofu sauce with some nutritional yeast added for salty flavor. Blend together with a bit of plain soy milk until creamy and pour over vegan noodles. Some fresh rosemary sprinkled on top will add some earthiness to the dish and Portabello mushrooms will take the place of the tuna as a good filling source of plant-based foods. Add the tuna to the same creamy tofu mix if you are not vegan or vegetarian.
3. Chocolate Chip Cookies
Oh yes, comfort foods are often sweet treats as well as decadent cheesy, creamy casseroles, and chocolate chip cookies are at the top of the list. There are quite a few healthy chocolate chip cookie recipes on the internet, but here is one that is simple to make and quite delicious.
The recipe includes; unbleached flour, baking powder, cinnamon if you wish, and vegan chocolate chips or carob. It also includes some raw sugar and vegan margarine or canola oil. You can get all the proper measurements and instructions here. Enjoy with some warm almond milk and your comfort level will soar to great heights.
4. Banana Ice Cream
Ice cream, just about everyone’s favorite comfort sweet treat. Ice cream soothes us through sad times, bored times, and event-less weekends. But we all know just how full of sugar and calories most ice cream brands are filled with, and that’s why we want to bring you this easy and healthy banana ice cream recipe that you can alter to your liking.
Simply freeze a few bananas, and once they are frozen, pull them out of the freezer, cut them into chunks, and place in a blender. You can add frozen blueberries for some depth of flavor. Pulse the blender until ice cream is thick and creamy, place in a bowl, and say hello to the weekend with a healthy and decadent tasting treat!