Healthier recipes to comfort you through winter (2024)

Cold winter months have been notorious for generating apathy, loneliness and sadness since the beginning of time. Those feelings are multiplied when winter falls during a pandemic that further isolates people. Catharsis is at a premium, and since comforting each other is only allowed in altered ways, comfort foods are also at a premium.

It has always been true that maintaining a healthy diet is crucial for overall health, and eating healthily requires constant mindfulness and dedication, but living through a pandemic has a way of reminding you just how intentional you have to be at all times with your health. Here, we've compiled a list of healthier recipes of all-time favorite comfort foods to keep you company through the rest of this winter.

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Mac and cheese would arguably be drafted No. 1 overall when it comes to all-time best comfort foods, but the nutrition label, unfortunately, presents challenges. In full transparency, there is no macaroni in this recipe, but the cauliflower serves as an admirable substitute when it comes to satisfying texture. Plus, cheese is always a winner regardless of its counterpart. Delish.com has provided a full recipe.

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Turkey burgers are a popular alternative to hamburgers. Turkey is much leaner than beef, but that doesn't mean turkey burgers can't be tasty. Take cookbook author and New York Times' contributor Martha Rose Shulman's word for it.

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The same principle for cauliflower mac and cheese applies to vegetable lasagna—because pasta mostly has the comfort food market cornered. This Cookie and Kate recipe makes an argument for vegetables' place in the room.

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Spaghetti squash is the most natural substitute for pasta lovers because the shape and textures of each so closely resemble each other. Spaghetti squash is also an extremely versatile food. Its taste can be paired with other flavors across the spectrum, making it pleasing to even the pickiest palettes. Take your pick from over 90 spaghetti squash recipes from Country Living.

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Who doesn't love chocolate? (If you actually don't like chocolate, it's OK—we won't judge you too hard.) This Delish.com recipe utilizes dark chocolate, which contains a loaded dose of antioxidants, as well as dried cherries, unsweetened coconut flakes, and unsalted pistachios. As with everything, moderation is key.

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We can't scientifically prove that listening to Jack Johnson's "Banana Pancakes" while making this recipe from Tasty will make your breakfast taste better, but it certainly won't hurt.

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Most omelets cooked at home will be significantly healthier than those served at diners—or any restaurant, really—but that's not an automatic truth. You still have to be aware of the ingredients you're using. Eat This, Not That! provided a 280-calorie recipe with significantly fewer grams of fat, and the Skinnyish Dish has a separate recipe that turns the classic Denver omelet into an equally delicious casserole.

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Eat This, Not That!'s spinach and ham quiche recipe is jam-packed with nutrients and set off with a pinch of nutmeg. Inherently, spinach is high in fiber and vitamins while delightfully low in calories (h/t Verywell Fit).

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When somebody feels emotionally down or physically ill, the go-to gesture is to bring them chicken noodle soup. It's just as important to show up to make yourself feel better. This recipe features low-sodium chicken broth and egg noodles. Another tip for a healthier bowl is to use gluten-free noodles.

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When it comes to meat, chicken is considered healthier than red meats with lower saturated fat. Fried chicken is a ubiquitous indulgence, and oven-frying is a healthier alternative to deep-frying because the former fries with hot air while the latter soaks in hot oil. It goes without saying that using air to fry chicken is calorie-free. Ellie Krieger shared her oven-fried chicken recipe with Food Network, perfected by cereal flakes and whole-grain crackers as the coating.

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All your bases are covered with Karen Rankin's Easy Stuffed Mushrooms recipe on EatingWell.com—creamy cream cheese (with less fat) inside and crunch, tasty garnishes on top. Three mushrooms only contain around 75 calories.

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Eggplant is rich in antioxidants and several key minerals. Skinnytaste shared a lighter eggplant parmesan recipe that makes up for in cheese and tastes what it lacks in breading. If you want to double your nutrition, keep the skin on your eggplant.

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It's cold outside—maybe even snowing. What better way to warm up than with a homecooked chicken pot pie? A healthier chicken pot pie.

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A bag of potato chips is always a guilty pleasure. It'll make you feel better on the way down, followed by potential guilt and a stomach ache an hour later. Homemade sweet potato chips are a healthier alternative—and extremely easy to make. Don't limit sweet potatoes' health benefits to Thanksgiving.

Courtesy of Rachael Ray In Season

If Rachael Ray suggests it, it must be good. Those are the rules. This three-bean chili recipe—revolving around black beans, garbanzo beans, and pinto beans—stands out on a long Rachael Ray In Season list of what the renowned chef considers the best comfort food dishes made healthy.

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Food Networkfound a way to keep the punch squash casserole usually packs while lowering calories in this recipe. How? Swiss cheese and parmesan tag-teaming with kale, onion, zucchini, and—you guessed it—squash.

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According to WebMD, pumpkins' nutritional benefits outweigh their decorative value. Make the most of everything pumpkins have to offer with this Mayo Clinic pumpkin soup recipe.

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It feels counterintuitive to have bread on a list highlighting healthy options, but at the same time—let's be honest—bread always has a place on a list about comforts. The middle ground is Our Salty Kitchen's Healthy Honey Cornbread recipe, which substitutes honey for refined sugar and olive oil for butter.

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We know, we know. Pizza is perfect just the way it is. Why mess with a good thing? Well, simply, because cauliflower crust is a healthier alternative to a bread-based dough. Next time you're craving a pizza night, try this easy, gluten-free 45-minute recipe for cauliflower crust from Delish.com.

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Sausage doesn't necessarily scream health, but this recipe for sausage rolls from the Australian-based Tastewebsite makes it healthier by including lean beef mince, egg white, reduced-salt, and reduced-sugar tomato sauce as well as a range of vegetables.

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If you're in a rut for dinner ideas after having to eat in much more often for nearly a year-straight, switch things up with an all-in-one frittata traybake from the Australian-based Tastewebsite. The recipe—including eggs, mushrooms, tomatoes, and parmesan—takes just 35 minutes to cook.

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There are eggs for breakfast. There's the ever-popular avocado toast for breakfast. Each option is tried-and-true, but there's something next-level about avocado and eggs on top of homemade pizza dough for breakfast. The Kitchn came through in the clutch with this recipe.

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As a kid, the thought of being able to have a banana split for breakfast would have blown your mind. There is one catch, though: ice cream is replaced by Greek yogurt in this Kitchn recipe, but we dare you to take one look at this photo and tell us it doesn't still look like dessert for breakfast.

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Have leftovers from dinner last night? Repurpose vegetarian chili and sweet potato into this unconventional yet flavorful breakfast baked potato bowl recipe from the Kitchn.

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The gooey goodness of these peanut butter protein balls perfectly complements the crunch of sweet and salty chocolate bark from earlier—satisfying your sweet tooth from every angle. The combination of natural peanut butter, chai seeds, unsweetened coconut shreds, and dark chocolate chips make eating healthy fun. The full recipe comes from Delish.com.