Dear Rachel,
I eat healthy foods and have an active lifestyle. However, I have to admit that there are times when I do crave for comfort foods. How do I address this?
Sheila
All of us, at one point or the other, crave for comfort food. However, with careful planning and substitution, we can satisfy our cravings with healthier foods. Here are some of the more common comfort foods and their healthier alternatives -
1. Ice Cream
If you are craving for ice cream, a healthier option would be sorbet. A half cup of most sorbets checks out at 110 calories, 27 grams of sugar, and 0 grams of fat while a half cup of Ben & Jerry’s ice cream averages out at about 300 calories and 17 grams of fat, depending on the flavor you eat.
2. Spaghetti
Two cups of cooked pasta has an average of 400 calories and 80 grams of carbohydrates. In addition to that, you have to factor in the calories you would consume from the pasta sauce, the meat and the Parmesan cheese. A typical tomato sauce has about 90 calories per cup, the meat has about 200 calories per 3 ounces and 2 tablespoons of Parmesan cheese has about 50 calories.
A healthier option for this would be Soba Noodles which are made from buckwheat. Compared to spaghetti, two cups of soba noodles only has about 220 calories, 48 grams of carbohydrates, and 12 grams of protein.
3. Mashed Potatoes
Everyone loves mashed potatoes but since mashed potatoes contain up to about 300 calories, a healthier option would be mashed cauliflower. Contrary to what you could be thinking at this point, mashed cauliflower actually tastes like mashed potatoes. You won’t be able to tell the difference once you have cooked this delicious alternative. Here’s the recipe to make this yummy treat -
Serves 4
70 calories per serving
Ingredients:
1 Head of Cauliflower
1 cup chicken broth
1/4 cup olive oil
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
Instructions:
Chop the head of the cauliflower into florets and put it on a 2-quart stock pot. Add 1 cup of chicken broth and cover the pot. Steam the cauliflower on medium heat for 20 minutes or until fork-tender. You may add more broth as you deem necessary. Pour the cooked cauliflower and broth into a blender. Add 1/4 cup olive oil and 1/2 teaspoon sea salt and blend to desired consistency.
4. Salt and Vinegar Potato Chips
If you are craving for some salt-and-vinegar potato chips, a healthier option would be salted air-popped popcorn. Compared to the 210 calories that a 1.5-ounce bag of potato chips have, salted air-popped popcorn only has 31 calories, 1 gram of fiber and no fat. This makes a truly delicious and healthy snack which you can eat to your heart’s content.
