Winter Comfort Food Swaps
By Coach Kate Stone
There is no denying it, we are well into the cold months of winter. I don’t know about you, but these frosty days tend to make me want warm comfort foods. While I do support the idea of “everything in moderation,” you can’t exactly eat mac and cheese all day, every day and expect to perform well in the gym. In an effort to not completely fall off the wagon with healthy eating habits and support my gym goals, I like to try to find made-over versions of the classic high-fat, high-carb recipes. I’ve rounded up some of these recipes for you to try at home, let me know which ones you try!
Sweet Potato Turkey Shepherd’s Pie from “Skinny Taste”
https://www.skinnytaste.com/sweet-potato-turkey-shepards-pie/
Protein: 16.5g Carbs: 34g Fat: 6g
This recipe combines ground turkey (less fat that ground beef) with mixed vegetables and fresh herbs. It is topped with a garlic sweet potato mash that will provide you with a healthy dose of Vitamins A and C. One serving of this dish has 6 grams of fat compared to 25 grams of fat in traditional Shepherd’s Pie recipes.
Healthy Mac and Cheese from “Chocolate Covered Katie”
https://chocolatecoveredkatie.com/2014/12/28/healthy-mac-cheese/
Protein: 9.9g Carbs: 43.1g F: 4.5g
This recipe can be modified to fit your food preferences as it can be made gluten free and/or dairy free. Try this out when you’re craving mac and cheese but don’t want all the saturated fats that typically come with pre-packaged versions.
Lightened Chicken Bacon Broccoli Alfredo from “Chelsea’s Messy Apron”
https://www.chelseasmessyapron.com/lightened-chicken-bacon-broccoli-alfredo/
Protein: 28.3g Carbs: 41.9g Fat: 12.4g
If you went to a popular Italian chain restaurant and ordered the chicken alfredo, you would be consuming 94 grams of fat and 95 grams carbohydrates… In one dish! You can make your own yummy alfredo dish at home that has chicken, broccoli, and bacon, packing a whole bunch of flavor with less of a carb coma.
Vegetarian Black Bean Chili Stuff Sweet Potatoes from “Ambitious Kitchen”
https://www.ambitiouskitchen.com/2015/01/vegetarian-black-bean-chili-stuffed-sweet-potatoes/
Protein: 12.6g Carbs: 57.8g Fat: 3.5g
This recipe is a healthier substitute for when you have a hankering for a bread bowl stuffed with chili. You could add ground turkey to this recipe to up the protein macros. You get a good dose of fiber from the black beans and sweet potatoes to help keep you full. If you don’t like sweet potatoes, acorn squash also makes a great “bowl.”
Loaded Sweet Potato Nacho Fries from “Eating Well”
http://www.eatingwell.com/recipe/255216/loaded-sweet-potato-nacho-fries/
Protein: 4g Carbs: 22g Fat: 8g
Who doesn’t love a good plate of nachos? Unfortunately, traditional nachos aren’t the most macro-friendly meal. This recipe uses sweet potatoes instead of chips and then adds on some of the traditional nacho toppings. Feel free to swap ingredients out based on your likes, and I also suggest adding some chicken or shrimp to increase the protein in each serving.