Modifying Comfort Food for Weight Loss

sfcrocker

I don't want to give up my comfort foods so I've modified them a bit to help me lose weight. Here's a couple of my favorites and how I've changed them. All of these were 900+ calories before and now they're about 600 with minimal modification. Anyone else have something similar?

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TURKEY, MASHED POTATOES, PEAS AND GRAVY
Use only white meat turkey now and don't eat the skin (though do cook with it for flavor). Doubled the portions of turkey and peas, cut the portion of mashed potatoes in half. Use half the butter suggested, and 1% milk. Before: 900+ calories, now about 600.
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MACARONI AND CHEESE
Use half whole wheat macaroni and half regular (for fiber). Use Extra Sharp cheddar so it tastes about the same cutting half the cheese. Use yogurt instead of butter and milk. Bake with half the breadcrumbs as before.
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LENTIL AND SAUSAGE STEW
Use more lentils and less sausage, but choose a spicier sausage to make the flavor go farther. Throw in lots more vegetables. Serve over brown rice instead of white.

bethannien

With the Mac and cheese, does the yogurt curdle when you mix it in? I've had issues using Greek yogurt in hot dishes

cross2bear

If you add a bit of the hot food to the greek yogurt first, and warm up the yogurt then add it back into the container of hot food, you can largely avoid the curdling.

bebeisfit

Have you ever tried mashed cauliflower? It is awesome. I brought it to thanksgiving a few years ago..everyone loves them. I do use some butter, cream cheese or parmeseam if I have it. Roasted garlic is also a great addition. Or you can do 1/2 potato half cauliflower.

Butternut squash added to mac and cheese is pretty good too. Not sure of the ratio but you can use a whole lot less cheese.

I love lentils n sausage! Yes get the spicy or add in red pepper flakes.

Doubling my vegetables or serving 2 kinds is also helpful to cut down on the heavier dishes.

Fiber is my friend!

WindSparrow

Spaghetti is one of my favorite comfort meals. But I realized something - it's the flavor of the red sauce that really makes me happiest. So I like using spaghetti squash or making zucchini ribbons in place of pasta, and serving the red sauce with meat, mushrooms, onions, bell peppers diced up in it. Depending on what a person's eating plan was, they could use some pasta and some zucchini ribbons together.

sfcrocker

With the Mac and cheese, does the yogurt curdle when you mix it in? I've had issues using Greek yogurt in hot dishes

I don't like it super hot so I usually just stir it in at the end. I use plain yogurt, not greek, though this is getting harder to find.