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7. Creamy Soups and Chowders
A big hot bowl of soup is a great way to warm up after you have gotten a chill, and soup can be a really healthy option, if you avoid cream-based soups and chowders. Eat soups that have a clear broth base, such as vegetable, chicken, or beef broth. Load up on the veggies while skimping on the meat, and you have a “souper” healthy meal. Avoid cream soups such as cream of chicken, cream of asparagus, or cream of potato. This also goes for clam chowder, which also has its base in a cream sauce.
8. Seriously Satisfying Stuffing
Nothing says Thanksgiving or Christmas like a traditional stuffing. However, if you add butter, sausage, or bacon to that stuffing, you are creating a tasty but very fattening addition to your meal. Make your stuffing minus the cancer-causing processed meats, use lots of vegetables, and go easy on the butter.
9. Dreamy Cheesecake
We all love cheesecake, and having a small slice on a rare occasion won’t kill you, but eating cheesecake, and other treats made from cheesecake, is a recipe for a waistline disaster. Cheesecakes are loaded with artery-clogging saturated fats. One slice of a typical Oreo cookie cheesecake can have as much as 1,000 calories and 34 grams of saturated fat! Don’t forget those other cheesecake treats, such as cheesecake pumpkin spice muffins or those miniature cherry cheesecake pies your co-worker made for everyone. They may not have as many calories or fat, but eating them regularly will still pile on the pounds. Opt for low-fat ice cream for a tiny 150 calories or suck on a peppermint stick for a mere 25 calories.
10. Spicy Pumpkin Flavored Desserts
This starts as early as September: all those pumpkin spice flavored lattes, eggnogs, cookies, pies, and you name it. Pumpkin, in and of itself, is a great choice! However, we often turn a healthy pumpkin into unhealthy goodies such as pies, cakes, and cookies. Pumpkin custard or muffins are usually a much better option.
11. Marvelous Macaroni and Cheese
This is a staple for many kids, not to mention a guilty pleasure for most adults. Unfortunately, one cup, just 8 tiny ounces (most of us eat much more) can have as much as 400 calories. Try eating just 4 ounces as a side rather than making this your entire meal.
READ ALSO: 4 Healthy Body And Soul Warming Recipes For Cold Winter Days (We Love #1!)
12. Perfect Mashed Potatoes
No winter meal seems complete without mashed potatoes, does it? However, if your favorite recipe calls for heavy cream, whole milk, or sour cream to bump up the flavor, you should find a new recipe. Mashed potatoes can be super tasty without all the fattening creams or dairy products. Try substituting mashed sweet potatoes instead!
With a bit of online research, you can find recipe substitutes so you can still enjoy your favorite comfort foods and not need a larger sized bathing suit this spring.
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