Cheeseburgers – Go bunless

Got burger cravings? You’re not alone. According to the USDA (United States Department of Agriculture), Americans consume nearly 50 billion burgers per year. Unfortunately, they’re not so great for our health or waistlines. To mitigate the high calorie count, lose the bun and save yourself about 160 calories. Even better, opt for a plant-based burger with beans, lentils or chickpeas. Not only will this eliminate the saturated fats but you’ll also be doing the planet a favor. It requires 1,800 gallons of water to make one pound of grain-fed beef and 6.5 pounds of greenhouse gases are emitted to produce one quarter-pounder burger.




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Chicken Parmigiana – Bake, don’t fry

The next time you’re in the mood for this classic Italian-American comfort food, opt for baking the breaded chicken breasts rather than deep frying them. This will spare you approximately 400 calories plus extra fat, while still guaranteeing you crispy results. You can also opt for whole-wheat breadcrumbs for a fiber boost.




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Brownies – Make them with Greek yogurt instead of oil or butter

Decadent, sweet and chocolaty, brownies are difficult to pass up. But anything that delicious is going to cost you dearly in the calorie department. The secret to making brownies that are under 100 calories each is to replace the oil or butter with non-fat Greek yogurt. Not only does this yield equally moist and yummy results but also makes them rich in protein. To up the healthy factor even more, use antioxidant-rich dark chocolate and whole-wheat flour.




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Pizza – Skip the dough and heavy toppings

While there’s no shame in the occasional cheesy pizza indulgence (with or without all of your favorite toppings), the operative word to keep in mind here is: occasional. For all those other times, you can satisfy your pizza cravings in other delicious ways. Here’s a recipe for tortilla pizza with fresh cherry tomatoes, cheddar, feta cheese and fresh basil. It’s fresh, quick and easy to prepare—and totals about the same amount of calories you’ll find in just one slice of regular cheese pizza.




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Mashed potatoes – Sub in cauliflower

Mashed potatoes will always be a favorite comfort food, but if you’re trying to eat healthier, the last thing you should be eating is a scoop of this buttery, creamy side dish that also happens to be high in carbs. Fortunately, they can be replicated by one of the most versatile, fiber-rich veggies in existence: cauliflower. Whether you bake, steam or boil it, cauliflower breaks down into a naturally creamy vegetable puree that can be combined with plant-based milk and garlic for a tasty low-carb alternative to its tuber-based predecessor. Doing this can slash the calorie count in half, without making you feel deprived.




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Lasagna – Replace the noodles with veggies and skip the meat sauce

Lasagna is known for being a hearty, meaty, saucy, cheesy dish, so it’s not surprising that some recipes can set you back almost 1,000 calories per serving. But that number can quickly be cut down to about 250 calories, if you make two simple changes: sub eggplant or zucchini slices for the noodles and omit the meat sauce. That’s it! That’s the hack.




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Pancakes – Avoid the boxed stuff, and try a combination of banana and oats

Pancake mixes are certainly a convenient option when you don’t have time to lose in the morning, but they’re often made with enriched flour and partially hydrogenated oil—in other words trans fat. On average, a dry pancake mix prepared as directed (with the addition of eggs, vegetable oil and milk) will yield 250 calories per serving, or about four pancakes.

But did you know you can prepare pancakes in the same amount of time with just four everyday ingredients? In a blender, mix together 1 ripe banana, 2 large eggs, 1/2 tsp baking powder and 1/2 cup rolled oats. Cook the pancakes as you normally would in a nonstick pan. One serving of five pancakes has just 200 calories, plus extra fiber and protein.




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Chili – Omit the meat

Few things are more comforting than a piping hot bowl of chili and crusty bread to sop up the flavors. But the classic beef-based version can be rich in calories, saturated fat and sodium, not to mention any extra toppings you add (cheese, sour cream, etc.). According to the USDA, one cup of homemade chili with ground beef and kidney beans contains about 264 calories. If you omit the meat and opt for low-sodium versions of the other ingredients (canned tomatoes, kidney beans), you can cut the calorie count down to about 142 calories. And if you absolutely want some meat in your chili, opt for lean ground turkey over beef.




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French fries – Bake in the oven or cook in the air fryer

Save your deep-fried French fry indulgences for meals out, and make a healthier version at home. Baking fries instead of frying them requires significantly less oil, which also means fewer calories and less fat. Alternatively, you can cook them in the air fryer with a few tablespoons of olive oil, which tends to yield slightly crispier results than in the oven. Approximate calorie differences per serving are as follows: 196 calories (deep-fried), 144 calories (baked) and 128 calories (air-fried). 




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Spaghetti Bolognese – Swap the ground beef for lentils

To get the same “meaty” texture of classic Bolognese sauce without the extra fat and calories from ground beef, try subbing in protein- and fiber-rich lentils. You’ll save about 300 calories and can still use all the other flavorful ingredients found in the classic sauce, including a mirepoix (onions, carrots and celery), diced tomatoes, garlic, herbs and red wine. To save even more calories, serve the sauce on low-carb roasted spaghetti squash.




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Fettuccine Alfredo – Ditch the cream, and use a vegetable puree for the sauce

Creamy pastas are delicious any time of year but especially in the colder seasons when you’re in the mood for something hearty and comforting. Then again, hearty and comforting usually rhyme with high-calorie, high-fat dishes. Fortunately, autumn and winter happen to be prime seasons for all types of squashes, which are easy to puree into deliciously creamy sauces. Instead of heavy cream and butter, blend together a combination of plant-based milk, pumpkin puree (or other squash) and nutritional yeast. While traditional fettuccine alfredo can contain nearly 1,000 calories, plant-based alternatives are closer to a reasonable 500-600 calories.




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Any Pasta Dish – Opt for low-carb veggie noodles

One of the easiest ways to cut calories in your pasta dishes is to swap in spiralized or sliced vegetable noodles. Zucchini noodles are a solid choice, due to the ease of preparation (sautee them in a bit of olive oil or quickly boil them for 2-3 minutes) and consistency, which is similar to regular pasta. Investing in an efficient spiralizer is worth it, to obtain perfect noodles every time. You could do the same with carrots, cucumbers, kohlrabi, sweet potatoes or even beets. While calorie counts will vary depending on which vegetable you choose, they’re still significantly lower than if you go for regular or even whole-wheat pasta (though the latter has beneficial fiber content and is the next best option).




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Chicken/Tuna Salad – Use Greek yogurt in place of mayonnaise

Creamy salads with chicken, tuna or even mashed chickpeas can be made much healthier by completely eliminating fat- and calorie-laden mayonnaise. You can get the same delicious results and creamy texture with an equal quantity of Greek yogurt and a few tablespoons of nonfat or plant-based milk. The addition of Greek yogurt also boosts the protein content of the dish so you’ll feel fuller for longer after your meal.




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Milkshakes – Nix the sugar, and sweeten them up with dates

For a healthier way to satisfy your sweet tooth, replace the sugar in your milkshakes with Medjool dates. Naturally sweet, rich in essential vitamins and minerals such as iron, calcium, potassium and magnesium, they’re an excellent substitute for refined sugar in a variety of desserts and baked goods as well. You can also use date sugar made from grinding dried dates or date syrup, which is made by boiling them. For an individual milkshake serving, simply add 2 or 3 dried dates for extra sweetness. As a comparison, 3.5 oz (100g) of dates contains roughly 282 calories versus 387 calories in 3.5 oz (100g) of sugar.




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Deli Sandwiches – Load up on veggies, spread with mashed avocado instead of mayo

Homemade deli sandwiches are a quick and easy option for everyday lunches, but depending on what you use for toppings, they can quickly become calorie bombs if you’re not careful. The best way to keep your midday meal below 500 calories is to load up on fresh veggies like tomatoes, lettuce and onion, and spread your sandwich with healthy fats like mashed avocado instead of mayonnaise. Opt for leaner cheese varieties where possible—soft goat’s cheese has about 76 calories versus 104 calories in one slice of American cheese. And of course, try to choose whole-wheat breads for the sandwich base for more belly-filling fiber and nutrients.




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Popcorn – Pop it plain or be selective about store-bought brands

Popcorn can be a healthy snack if you choose wisely. The best option is to buy plain popcorn kernels and pop them on the stovetop, but nowadays you can find a decent selection of store-bought popcorn that is healthy and relatively low in calories. If you go with store-bought, check the labels and avoid the kinds with palm oil, high quantities of sodium, fake butter or other artificial flavors. You can even pick one with no salt or oil added and sprinkle it with nutritional yeast for a naturally cheesy flavor.




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Blended Soups – Add potatoes for creaminess, instead of heavy cream

Creamy blended soups can be the ultimate warming comfort food, often served as appetizers at restaurants in cups or bowls. But beware of these sneaky calorie traps, as they’re often bulked up with heavy cream, milk, butter, flour, cornstarch or other thickening agents. Instead of using dairy or a roux, try incorporating starchy vegetables that take on a velvety texture when pureed. Potatoes are an excellent option, and you don’t have to add a ton to get the desired creamy results. As a comparison, 3.5 oz (100 g) of boiled potatoes has only about 78 calories versus 360 calories for 3.5 fl oz (100 ml) of heavy cream.

Hungry for more? Try these vegan-friendly remakes of your favorite comfort foods.




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17/17 SLIDES