nav-left cat-right
cat-right

Heart Healthy Comfort Food Recipe Modifications

February is National Heart Health month and what better time than now to modify favorite comfort food recipes to make them healthier. You can still enjoy delicious comforting foods with simple substitutions and add ons that don’t compromise on texture and flavor. Adding pumpkin or butternut squash puree to a Mac ‘n’ cheese recipe increases the amount of dietary fiber, vitamin A (beta-carotene) and potassium content, just to name a few benefits. And it gives the pasta a deep orange-yellow hue. You still use high-quality, all-natural real ingredients.

Mac ‘n’ cheese with a twist

16 oz macaroni or other small pasta
2 TB butter
1 TB arrowroot starch or cornstarch
1 cup evaporated skim milk
1/2 cup either butternut squash puree or pumpkin puree
1 and 1/4 cup sharp cheddar cheese (you can try out reduced fat cheese)
1/4 cup shredded Parmesan or Romano cheese
Pepper, salt and/or a salt free seasoning alternative
Fresh chopped herbs of your choice

Cook pasta according to package directions. Set aside. In a medium saucepan, melt butter and whisk in starch for about 2 minutes. Slowly add evaporated milk, continuing to whisk. Continue cooking and stirring until thickened and lump-free (about 5 minutes). Whisk in squash puree and cheeses. Fold in cooked pasta until well coated. Season and top with herbs.

Baked sweet potato fries

2 medium-large sweet potatoes, cut into 1/4 inch thick lengthwise (French fry style)
2 TB avocado oil
1 TB arrowroot powder or cornstarch
garlic powder, salt and pepper

Line baking sheet with parchment paper and preheat oven to 425 degrees. Toss potatoes with oil and powder/starch. Place the potatoes in rows on the parchment paper, spaced apart (don’t crowd them). Bake for 15 minutes, flip the potatoes, bake for another 15-20 minutes. Take out of oven and season.

Fruity rice pudding

4 cups low-fat milk
1 cup brown rice
2-3 cinnamon sticks
pinch of salt
1/4 cup sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
pinch of nutmeg
1/4 cup non-fat, vanilla Greek-style yogurt
2 apples, peeled and diced
1 pear, peeled and diced
Ground cinnamon (optional)

In a heavy medium-sized saucepan, bring milk, rice, cinnamon sticks and salt to a simmer. Reduce heat to low. Cover and gently simmer until rice is very tender and milk is almost absorbed (stirring occasionally), about 1 hour. Add sugar, vanilla, nutmeg and stir to blend over low heat until mixture is very thick (about 15 minutes). Remove cinnamon sticks. Stir in yogurt and 3/4 cup of the fruit into the pudding. Transfer to a large bowl. Tope with remaining fruit and sprinkle with cinnamon. Serve warm or cold.

Snacks: Best Low Calorie Dairy Snacks

Snacks are no longer considered to be ‘bad’ or a diet taboo. These days, as long as you watch your calorie intake and choose wisely, you can graze on small meals and low calorie snacks several times daily and still maintain or even lose weight. So, what is the criteria for ‘healthy’ snacks? Keep the following in mind when choosing your snacks:

  • Offer between 100 and 200 calories
  • Are fat-controlled, providing 0g trans fats and 3g saturated fat or less per serving
  • Are relatively low in sodium; strive to limit the sodium in your low calorie snacks to 400mg or less
  • Are nutrient-rich: a good food source of protein, dietary fiber and/or key vitamin and minerals (such as iron, vitamins A, C or calcium)
  • Offer a little something extra: are available in calorie-controlled portions, contain no high-fructose corn syrup and little added sugar; are gluten- or lactose-free, have added omega-3 fatty acids, etc…

There are low calorie snacks for every craving: sweet, smooth and creamy, crunchy and salty and everything in-between. For part 1, we will concentrate on those that fall under the ‘dairy’ category, such as cheese, milk, puddings, etc. Unless you are lactose intolerant, or have an allergy to milk, there is no reason to avoid dairy products. These snacks are all about convenience – they are widely available and take no preparation time/work.

Dairy: Top 5 low calorie snacks

Cheese snacks

  • Cabot 75% reduced-fat sharp cheddar (block) or Laughing Cow mini Babybel light cheese rounds (individually wrapped, comes in small bags). These cheeses offer less fat but lots of flavor without being rubbery. Cheese is rich in both protein and calcium. A 2-oz. serving of the 75% reduced-fat Cabot sharp cheddar (lactose-free) provides 120 calories, 5g fat, 3g saturated fat, 18g protein and 400mg sodium. Two Babybel cheese rounds provide 100 calories, 6g fat, 3g saturated fat, 12g protein and 320mg sodium.

Fermented dairy snacks (yogurt & kefir)

  • There aren’t many snacks that compare in texture and flavor to Greek yogurt. Though more expensive than other varieties, the difference is substantial. Choose plain or flavored, non-fat varieties and you’ll stay under 150 calories and take in more protein that you would choosing regular yogurt. If you like a little crunch try YoGreek vanilla + granola. It comes in a 4.6-oz. cup with a little ‘sidecar’ of granola. The snack provides 140 calories, .5g fat, 11g protein, 22g carbohydrates and is a good source of calcium.
  • Kefir is a thick dairy beverage (like ‘drinkable’ yogurt) made by fermenting milk with kefir grains (lactic acid bacteria, yeast and polysaccharides). It’s a tangy, slightly effervescent drink that promotes digestive health and supports a healthy immune system. Choose non-fat or low-fat plain or flavored for snacks that are high in protein and  calcium. This fermented dairy beverage also contains magnesium, riboflavin and vitamin B12. One cup of low-fat strawberry kefir provides about 140 calories, 2g fat, 11g protein and 20g carbohydrates.

Sweet snacks

  • All Kozy Shack puddings are made with only all natural ingredients. They come in a variety of sizes (including ‘snack’ packs) and many flavors though the original rice pudding was the first and is a favorite. A 1/2 cup serving provides 130 calories, 2.5g fat, 4g protein and 24g carbohydrates. It’s also a good source of calcium and is a treat. They also make ‘no added sugar’ puddings that are sweetened with Splenda and offer only 70 calories per serving.
  • Who doesn’t love chocolate milk? It was good for you when you were a child and is still a great choice, especially as a post-workout snack. Obviously regular chocolate milk does have lactose and sugar…to cut back on the sugar try Nesquik ready-to-drink no sugar added reduced-fat chocolate milk (comes in 8-oz. bottles). One serving provides 100 calories, 2g fat, 1.5g saturated fat, 8g protein, 13g carbohydrates and less than 200mg sodium.

Snacks are back in vogue – stay tuned for best low-calorie snacks part 2!