Get all of the satisfaction and none of the guilt with these hearty, satiating meals that are guaranteed to hit the spot while keeping your healthy-eating plan on track.
byElizabeth M. Ward, M.S., R.D. / Photographs by Moya McAllister / Food Styling by Dana Bonagura
Short days and cold nights cry out for foods that are warm, filling, and reminiscent of some of your favorite childhood meals. But such feel-good fare is typically loaded with simple carbs and calories. These slimmed-down dishes are just what you need this winter: They have all of the flavor and indulgence you desire without making you feel as if you’ve gone into cheat mode.
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Moya Mcallister
Baked Spaghetti Squash
This baked spaghetti squash dish mimics flavors found in classic spaghetti carbonara—eggs, cheese, bacon, and black pepper—with a fraction of the calories and carbohydrates. Plus, you get one-third of your daily calcium and a full serving of vegetables in one bowl.
Turn a traditional carb-heavy pasta classic into a gluten-free, Paleo-friendly dish that’s minutes in the making. The secret: Use a spiralizer (available in most home goods departments), which helps to turn vegetables into pasta-like spirals. Serve with a crusty whole-grain roll to get your carb fix.
Our version of this classic comfort dish swaps out red meat for ground turkey and cleverly uses cauliflower instead of mashed potatoes loaded with butter and cream, to pump up the protein without all the fat. Serve with roasted green beans for a delicious supper.
This crunchy, lightly pan-fried entrée satisfies your cravings for fried chicken, with a lot less fat. Shredded coconut and bread crumbs make them crispy, but you can slim it down even more by using unsweetened coconut (rather than sweetened) and baking the tenders at 400˚ for 15 minutes, or until done. Serve with roasted acorn squash and/or quinoa.
Taking a few extra minutes in the morning to prepare this flavor-packed stew in a slow cooker means you’ll be greeted with a hearty meal when you get home at night. Using an equal amount of meat and mushrooms reduces calories while it boosts your vegetable intake. For an even bigger veggie boost, serve with steamed broccoli.
