“Healthified”Comfort Food {My Food ‘N’ Fitness Diaries}

Hi there Get Healthy With Heather readers! My name is Ashley, and I blog over at My Food ‘N’ Fitness Diaries. Just within the past couple months have I started my own healthy living blog, and it has been so rewarding thus far. Heather’s blog was one of the first healthy living blogs I discovered, so I am quite honored that she asked me to guest post for her!

My husband, Cody, and I live in the Salt Lake City, Utah area with our two kids labs, Ryan and Molly. Cody and I are approaching our one year wedding anniversary this October and are quite excited! (I am also relieved to know that he was able to put up with me for a whole year! J )

Here’s us, happy as can be, on our wedding day almost a year ago!

Since we’ve been married, I have had to learn how to cook for a man that likes his meat and taters. It has been quite a challenge considering I’m not as much a meat and taters kinda gal. I’m perfectly content with a salad or peanut butter and banana on toast for dinner. (In fact, those two meals frequented my college dinners.)

This has led me to experiment with various “comfort food” type meals in an effort to “healthify” them. My goal while experimenting is to reduce fat and calories and to incorporate more nutritious ingredients, while still making sure the meal tastes delicious. (The still-making-sure-they’re-delicious part is crucial!)

Comfort food is especially more appealing to me during the cooler months, which are on their way! The fall and winter months are approaching very quickly my friends, like it or not. Even if you are not thrilled about the colder temps, driving in the snow, and shorter days, these easy and wonderful “healthified” comfort food inspired meals will help make the colder months more bearable. (Trust me when I tell you this. I was born and raised in Phoenix, Arizona, thus making me NOT a cold weather, snow kinda gal!)

One of Cody’s and my top favorite “healthified” (except I don’t tell him they’re “healthified…shh!) comfort food meals is my Alfredo Turkey Meatballs Atop Healthy Mashed Potatoes dinner.

Alfredo Turkey Meatballs Atop Healthy Mashed Potatoes

Ingredients:

(For turkey meatballs):

1 lb. lean ground turkey

3/4 cup oatmeal

1 egg

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon pepper

1 teaspoon oregano

1 teaspoon basil

1 teaspoon garlic powder

(For alfredo sauce):

1 teaspoon garlic powder

2 cups 1% milk

1 cup fat free chicken broth

3 tablespoons all-purpose flour

½ teaspoon salt

½ teaspoon black pepper

½ cup parmesan cheese

(For mashed potatoes):

5-6 small/medium russett potatoes

1/3 cup nonfat plain Greek yogurt

1/3 cup nonfat or 1% milk

1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

Directions:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Cut up potatoes into bite size pieces and boil them on the stove until they are soft enough to easily be mashed. (I like to leave the skin on…extra fiber baby!) While the potatoes are boiling, mix together ground turkey, egg, oatmeal, and spices.

Roll ground turkey into little balls and place on a greased cookie sheet.

Place in the oven for about 15 minutes or until they are cooked through. While meatballs are cooking, drain potatoes and place in a mixing bowl. Add Greek yogurt, milk, and spices. Use a hand mixer to mash potatoes.

For the alfredo sauce, put all of the ingredients in a saucepan on the stove and heat on low. Stir frequently until mixture is thick and creamy. Add in parmesan cheese at the end and stir well.

When the meatballs and sauce are finished, plop a spoonful of the mashed potatoes on your plate, add a few meatballs, and top with alfredo sauce. Pair the meatballs with your favorite vegetable and dig in! (Makes about 8 servings.)

Here are a few other “healthified” comfort food favorites in our house:

Salmon Twice-Baked Potatoes

Red Chicken and Black Bean Enchiladas

“Healthified” Sloppy Joes

Lowfat Green Chile Enchiladas

Questions:

· What are some of your favorite comfort foods?

· Do you crave comfort food more throughout the cooler months?