Healthy Fall Comfort Foods that Fit Your Diet & Healthy Eating Plan

Faux Chicken Pot Pie

The key to a good chicken pot pie that won’t be too much on the belly is to find the right food swaps and pack with flavor. For example, for your base choose wile or brown rice or toasted whole rain bread. For the cream, find a can of 98 percent fat free cream of chicken soup. Bolster the cream with mixed vegetables and shredded chicken breast. The vegetables will help keep you full and, if you use fresh or frozen, they are packed with essential vitamins and vegetables. The chicken will serve as a lean protein to help meet your energy needs. For extra flavor, top with crushed black pepper.

Turkey Pasta Rustico

Lean, ground turkey is the key ingredient for a healthy pasta rustico. While beef or sausage can quickly add up in terms of grease and fat, the lean turkey will leave you feeling pleasantly full and keep you under your fat and calorie budget. For fiber, swap out normal penne pasta for a whole grain variety. This will keep you full and help keep you regular, both key components to a healthy weight loss. Fresh and chopped peppers and onions should be added to provide essential nutrients such as vitamins A and C. Onions contain vitamins B and C, as well as some minerals.

Mac and Cheese

Just because you are on a diet doesn’t mean you can’t enjoy mac and cheese once in awhile. Find a whole grain boxed variety such as Annie’s White Shells and Cheese. Instead of whole milk and butter, replace with skim milk and either I Can’t Believe It’s Not Butter Spray or a natural, olive oil-based butter spread.

Pumpkin Pie

Create a mixture similar to pumpkin filling by mixing sugar free JELL-O butterscotch pudding mix with 1 can of pumpkin. Adding Splenda, cinnamon and nutmeg to taste will enhance the flavor of this already tasty mixture, which has just the right volume and texture without the extra calories. Optionally, you can place this mixture in a low-fat graham cracker crust or top with crushed graham crackers. Top with sugar free whipped cream.

Considerations

While these food swaps will shave calories, bear in mind that they are processed foods made with chemicals and shouldn’t be mistaken for a “healthy” diet. Instead, aim for whole foods and vegetables, but when you get comfort food cravings, eat these foods in moderation. You can take almost any of your favorite recipes and replace them with lower calorie foods, but you should remember that eating in moderation and trying to eat as naturally as possible most of the time is your best road to weight loss.