Comfort Food: Food that Hugs you Back

Comfort food gets its name from the good feelings that emanate when you eat certain foods. There is something about enjoying a bowl of hot soup or sipping a hot chocolate as the weather gets colder. Warm foods provide a sense of comfort and coziness which is exactly what most of us need during the colder months. Comfort food offers both psychological and physiological nurturing beyond just nutrition. They are foods we reach for in periods of stress and in times of celebration. We enjoy comfort foods to tap into happy memories and to connect to others. Comfort foods play a role in healing the sick and quite frankly, just seem to appear when needed most.

Comfort food varies among countries, cultures, communities, and families. Comfort foods are individualized and can mean something different for everyone. Comfort food is not necessarily fancy. Foods may be humble dishes that our mothers and grandmothers prepared. It is a fact that we all  tend to be attracted to foods that are associated with a positive social memory. Keep generational preferences in mind. Baby boomer’s comfort foods are very different from those of millennials.

Scientific research has proven that there is a strong association between food and brain function. Simply speaking, high carb, high fat “comfort” foods activate neurotransmitters and hormones that allow the feeling of pleasure, satisfaction, and motivation. As a result, comfort foods play a role in elevating mood and relieving pain. The most popular comfort foods in America today include pizza, pasta, hamburgers, ice cream and chocolate. If you haven’t noticed, comfort foods can also cause us to favor relief rather than a healthier lifestyle.

The good news is, you can modify nearly any comfort food recipe to make it lower in calories and fat and higher in nutrients. And remember every food fits into a healthy lifestyle—even the unmodified classic recipes. The key, of course, is portion control.

5 Easy Ways to Make Comfort Food Better for You

1. Tuck in vegetables wherever you can. In the constant quest to eat more veggies, this is a way to make comfort food healthier and boost the fiber in your diet.
   • Skip the ground meat in lasagna and replace it with spinach, peppers, eggplant, zucchini, and mushrooms.
   • This Eggplant Lasagna is a perfect example when it comes to modifying a traditional comfort food.
   • Sneak in more veggies to family favorites – for example, try this Butternut Macaroni and Cheese that incorporates healthy squash into the creamy cheese sauce.
2. Treat plant protein like meat.
   • No one will miss the ground beef in this Vegetarian Stuffed Peppers recipe made with whole grain barley and protein packed black beans.
   • Try this easy low fat Vegetarian Sloppy Joe recipe that just bursts with flavor for a quick and easy weeknight dinner.
3. Make smart cheese choices.
   • Opt for cheeses that are more flavorful, so you do not need as much cheese to enjoy them. For example, tangy goat cheese carries a punch when sprinkled on tacos.
   • Swap out cheddar cheese for a more flavorful Gruyère. With a more pronounced flavor, you will end up using less cheese in the long run. Stop by to chat with the cheese mongers at McCaffrey’s Gourmet Cheese Departments for selections and suggestions.
   • Don’t miss these Blue Cheese and Bacon Brussels Sprouts appetizers. Turkey bacon and a small amount of cheese offer a decadent flavor without all the calories.
4. Embrace whole grains.
   • Whether you swap out white rice for brown rice, go for whole grain pasta or try a new recipe with quinoa, farro, bulgur or buckwheat grouts, you can’t go wrong by switching from whole to refined options.
   • Try this Chicken Thighs with Farro recipe. The mild taste and chewing texture of the farro adds plenty of body to this dish.
5. Re-think a recipe.
   • Chicken Pot pie is reinvented into Chicken Pot Pie Soup. This soup offers all the flavors of the original dish, without all the calories.

Comfort foods are here to stay. Create new food memories by including lighter recipes and lower calorie desserts. Friends and family will start to associate your healthy and delicious cooking with positive feelings!

Chicken Pot Pie Soup

Instant Pot Instructions

1. Set Instant Pot to regular sauté function. Add olive oil to the pot. Lightly sear the chicken breasts on each side about 2 minutes. Remove the breasts to a plate and set aside.
2. Add in the celery, carrot, onion, garlic, salt and pepper, parsley, basil and rosemary. Sauté for 2 minutes or until slightly translucent. Add in small cut potatoes + stir.
3. Lay the chicken breasts on top of the vegetable/small potato mixture. Add large potato quarters on top of chicken. Pour in chicken broth.
4. Turn the Instant Pot to High Pressure (manual on older models), sealing and cook for 9 minutes. Once the soup cooks, allow it to natural release for 5 minutes. Manually release the rest of the pressure after 5 minutes.
5. Remove the large potato pieces + chicken.
6. Place large potato quarters, milk + 1/2 cup of broth in a blender  and blend until smooth. Add back into the pot.
7. Place chicken on a cutting board and shred. Put the chicken back into the pot. Stir together until combined and smooth. Garnish with parsley and serve.

Crockpot Instructions

1. Heat olive oil in a pan on the stove. Add in the celery, carrot, onion, garlic, salt and pepper, parsley, basil, and parsley. Sauté for 2 minutes or until slightly translucent.
2. Layer raw chicken, cooked vegetables, and potatoes in the crockpot. Add chicken broth. Cover + set to low for 6 hours.
3. Once cooked, remove the large potato pieces + chicken breasts.
4. Place large potato quarters, milk + 1/2 cup of broth *from the pot into a blender until smooth. Add back into the pot.
5. Place chicken on a cutting board and shred. Put the chicken back into the pot.
6. Stir everything together until combined and smooth. Garnish with parsley and serve.

Stovetop Instructions

1. Heat olive oil in a large pot on the stove. Add in the celery, carrot, onion, garlic, salt and pepper, parsley, basil and rosemary. Sauté for 2 minutes or until slightly translucent.
2. Add raw chicken, potatoes and chicken broth in the pot. Bring to a boil. Once boiling, lower heat to a simmer and cook on medium heat for 30 minutes.
3. Once cooked, remove the large potato pieces + chicken breasts.
4. Place large potato quarters, milk + 1/2 cup of broth *from the pot* into a blender until smooth. Add back into the pot.
5. Place chicken on a cutting board and shred. Put the chicken back into the pot. 
6. Stir everything together until combined and smooth. Garnish with parsley and serve.

Approximate Nutrition Information: 4 servings – each serving 2 cups. 378 calories, 11 g fat, 2 g saturated fat, 73 mg cholesterol 400 mg sodium, 40 g carbohydrate, 6 grams fiber, 30 grams protein.

Values listed represent a statistical nutritional analysis. There are natural variations that occur in all recipes; these figures may not be exact and are provided for informational purposes only.