National Comfort Food Day

National Comfort Food Day, a day to celebrate food that is associated with feelings of reassurance and support, is December 5^th. The term comfort food has been traced back at least to 1966, when the Palm Beach Post used it in a story: “Adults, when under severe emotional stress, turn to what could be called ‘comfort food’—food associated with the security of childhood, like mother’s poached egg or famous chicken soup.”  

Comfort food has the reputation of being high in fat and carbohydrates;  filling and satisfying; known as “calorie bombs.” With the holidays coming up, the dining room table will be covered in all kinds of favorites. Before you start cooking, take a glance at 5 simple ways to make comfort food better for you.

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 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 a delicious 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

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 lb. boneless, skinless chicken breasts, about 2 larger breasts
• 1 cup celery, diced
• 1 cup carrot cut in 1/4-inch thick small circles
• 1 cup onion finely chopped
• 1/2 tablespoon garlic finely minced
• 2 cups Yukon Gold potatoes peeled + cut into 1-inch pieces
• 1 cup Yukon peeled + cut into quarters so that you can remove them at the end
• 1/4 teaspoon pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 3/4 teaspoon dried parsley
• 4 cups chicken broth or bone broth- low sodium
• 3/4 teaspoon dried basil
• 3/4 teaspoon dried rosemary
• 1 tablespoon fresh parsley for garnish
• 1/2 cup milk

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.