RECIPES: Finding comfort in good food and good health
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.
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
- 1 pound Yukon Gold potatoes, cut into 1-inch cubes
- 1/2 cauliflower, leaves and stem end trimmed, chopped into 1-inch pieces
- 1/2 cabbage, cored and chopped into 1-inch pieces
- 1 1/2 teaspoons coarse kosher salt, divided, plus more to taste
- 1/2 cup 2% milk, warmed
- 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
- 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, plus more to taste
- Place the potatoes, cauliflower and cabbage in a large saucepan. Add cold water to cover. Season with 1 teaspoon salt. Bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat to maintain a simmer and cook until tender, about 25 minutes.
- Drain the mixture well in a colander. Return vegetables to the saucepan and cook over medium-high heat to remove the excess moisture, about 3 minutes. Add the milk and butter and season with remaining salt and pepper. Using an old-fashioned potato masher, mash until combined. Taste and adjust for seasoning with additional salt and pepper if needed. Serve immediately.
Nutritional information
Per serving: Per serving: 166 calories (percent of calories from fat, 20), 6 grams protein, 30 grams carbohydrates, 8 grams total sugars, 7 grams fiber, 4 grams total fat (2 grams saturated), 10 milligrams cholesterol, 110 milligrams sodium.
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.
- 1 (1 1/2-pound) butternut squash, peeled, seeded and cut lengthwise into 1/4-inch-thick strips
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, divided
- 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, divided
- 1 cup part-skim ricotta cheese
- 1/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, divided
- 2 garlic cloves, very finely chopped
- 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh herbs, such as basil, oregano and parsley
- 1 cup marinara sauce, divided
- 10 ounces part-skim mozzarella cheese, grated
- Heat the oven to 425 degrees. Line 2 rimmed baking sheets with silicone mats or parchment paper. Place the squash on the prepared baking sheets in a single layer. Season with half of the salt and pepper. Roast, rotating the baking sheets once, until the squash is tender, about 15 minutes. Leave the oven on. Remove the squash to a rack to cool slightly.
- Meanwhile, spray a medium baking dish with nonstick cooking spray. In a medium bowl, combine the ricotta, 1/4 cup Parmigiano-Reggiano, garlic, red pepper flakes and herbs. Season with remaining salt and pepper and stir to combine.
- Place 1/2 cup of marinara sauce in the bottom of the prepared baking dish. Layer with half of the vegetables. Top with the ricotta mixture, spreading with a spoon to cover the vegetables completely. Top with 1/4 cup of the marinara and spread to cover. Layer with the remaining vegetables and top with the remaining 1/4 cup of marinara. Top with grated mozzarella and sprinkle over the remaining tablespoon of Parmigiano-Reggiano. Transfer to the oven and cook until bubbly and golden brown, 25 to 30 minutes. Remove to a rack to cool slightly, then serve.
Nutritional information
Per serving: Per serving: 229 calories (percent of calories from fat, 42), 14 grams protein, 20 grams carbohydrates, 5 grams total sugars, 3 grams fiber, 11 grams total fat (6 grams saturated), 36 milligrams cholesterol, 507 milligrams sodium.
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
- 8 ounces penne pasta
- 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt, plus more to taste
- 2 tablespoons pure olive oil
- 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 2 cups 2% milk
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
- 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, plus more to taste
- 1 (15-ounce) can pumpkin puree
- 8 ounces reduced-fat sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
- Bring a large pot of water and 1 teaspoon salt to a boil over high heat. Add the pasta and cook until tender, 8 to 10 minutes or according to package instructions. Drain well, return to the pot and keep warm.
- Meanwhile, heat the oil in a small saucepan over medium-high heat. Whisk in the flour and cook for 1-2 minutes until foaming. Pour in the milk and bring to a boil, whisking constantly until the sauce thickens. Add the garlic powder, cayenne pepper, nutmeg, remaining salt and black pepper. Simmer for 2 minutes. The sauce should coat the back of a spoon. Add the pumpkin and stir to combine. Remove the sauce from the heat. Add the cheese and stir with a wooden spoon until it melts from the residual heat.
- Add the cheese sauce to the drained pasta and stir to combine. Taste and adjust for seasoning with salt and pepper. Serve warm.
Nutritional information
Per serving: Per serving: 514 calories (percent of calories from fat, 27), 29 grams protein, 65 grams carbohydrates, 15 grams total sugars, 5 grams fiber, 16 grams total fat (6 grams saturated), 27 milligrams cholesterol, 648 milligrams sodium.
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.
- 1 teaspoon pure olive oil
- 1 onion, grated on a box grater
- 2 cups 2% milk
- 2 cups water
- 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt, divided
- 1 cup stone-ground or coarse-ground grits
- 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 4 ounces smoked Gouda, grated
- 3 cups coarsely chopped kale
- Red pepper flakes, for serving, optional
- In a heavy-bottomed saucepan, heat the oil over medium heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring, until transparent, about 2 minutes.
- Add the milk, water and 1 teaspoon salt. Bring the mixture to a boil over high heat. Whisk in the grits, decrease the heat to low, and simmer, whisking occasionally, until the grits are creamy and thick, 45 to 60 minutes. Season with remaining salt and pepper. Add the Gouda and kale; stir to combine and wilt the kale. Sprinkle on red pepper flakes (if using) and serve immediately.
Nutritional information
Per serving: Per serving, based on 4: 333 calories (percent of calories from fat, 33), 15 grams protein, 41 grams carbohydrates, 8 grams total sugars, 2 grams fiber, 12 grams total fat (7 grams saturated), 42 milligrams cholesterol, 335 milligrams sodium.Sign up for the AJC Food and Dining Newsletter
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