Healthy Meal Makeovers : Food Network | Healthy Comfort Food Recipe Makeovers : Food Network
Lighter Chicken Pot Pie
Food Network Kitchen used just a little butter for a flaky yet lower-cal crust, then created a creamy sauce with low-fat milk and Greek yogurt.
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Light Chicken Potpie
Crispy Baked “Fried” Chicken
Bathing chicken pieces in buttermilk ensures that the meat stays moist, coating it in crushed corn flakes ensures that the skin is crispy, and baking the chicken instead of frying it keeps the fat and calories down.
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Crispy Baked ‘Fried’ Chicken
Turkey Meatloaf
Cut out the red meat for Ellie Krieger’s meatloaf and you won’t regret it.
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Mom’s Turkey Meatloaf
Hearty Chicken and Dumplings Lightened Up
Ground oats are the secret to the hearty-yet-light dumplings that float among flavorful chicken and vegetables in this warm-you-up soup.
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Hearty Chicken and Dumplings Lightened-Up
Individual Turkey Shepherd’s Pie
Portion control and lean ground turkey are key to enjoying this healthier version of shepherd’s pie; aromatics, herbs and sharp cheddar cheese ensure that it has all the flavor of the original comforting dish.
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Individual Turkey Shepherd’s Pie
Three-Cheese Macaroni
For this flavor-packed mac and cheese, Food Network Kitchen used Muenster, sharp cheddar and Parmesan, and pureed cauliflower was mixed in for extra creaminess.
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Three-Cheese Macaroni
Fettuccini Alfredo with Zucchini Ribbons
Ellie combines zucchini ribbons with pasta for a fresh and lightened-up version of this creamy pasta dish.
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Fettuccine Alfredo with Zucchini Ribbons
Portobello Lasagna Rollups
Whole-wheat noodles and part-skim ricotta and mozzarella are smart substitutions that won’t affect the taste of this favorite dish: cheesy, bubbling lasagna, rolled up into individual portions.
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Portobello Lasagna Rollups
Beef Chili
This chili has all the flavor of a classic, but the fat and calories are much lower. Serve it with brown rice for a filling main course.
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Beef Chili
Healthified Kale and Portobello Lasagna
Lasagna is the ultimate one-dish comfort food; Food Network Kitchen’s veggie-loaded version has all the cheesy goodness you crave, but for only 290 calories per serving.
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Healthified Kale and Portobello Lasagna
Baked Fish and Chips
Try a lighter take on this British classic: The fish and fries are both baked in the oven instead of deep-fried.
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Baked Fish and Chips
Beef Stroganoff
Make comfort food Ellie’s way: For her beef stroganoff, she uses whole-wheat noodles and adds yogurt to make the sauce extra creamy.
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Beef Stroganoff
Low-Fat Chocolate Pudding
Food Network Kitchen lightened up a childhood favorite but kept it quite chocolatey with cocoa powder, semisweet chips and white chocolate chips.
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Low-Fat Chocolate Pudding
Crab Cakes with Spicy Cream
Ellie’s oven-baked crab cakes are crisp on the outside and full of fresh crabmeat within. They’re delicious with her tangy, spicy sauce made with Greek yogurt and a touch of mayo.
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Crab Cakes with Spicy Cream
Oven-Fried Chicken
A coating of cereal and bagel chip crumbs keeps this chicken extra crispy when baked in the oven — no need for deep-frying.
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Oven Fried Chicken
Tuna Noodle Casserole
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Tuna Noodle Casserole
Cherry Ricotta Cheesecake
Guilt-free cheesecake that still tastes sweet, creamy and decadent? Ellie made it happen with a combination of fluffy ricotta and low-fat cream cheese.
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Cherry Ricotta Cheesecake
Lightened-Up Stuffed Peppers
Bell peppers are loaded with vitamin C, and they make the perfect all-in-one meal when stuffed with lean ground beef, lentils and rice.
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Lightened-Up Stuffed Peppers
Low-Fat Clam Chowder
Sure, clam chowder’s typically the richest of the rich. But this one uses fat-free dairy and a ton of spices to bring it to the same level without weighing you down.
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Low-Fat Clam Chowder
Chicken and Biscuit Pot Pie
Chicken and biscuits is usually a heavy, calorie-laden dish. Ellie’s healthy modifications like whole-wheat flour and low-fat buttermilk ensure that you can enjoy this comfort food without all the guilt.
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Chicken and Biscuit Pot Pie
New Classic Meatloaf
Ellie sneaks tons of veggies into this spin on a comfort food classic.
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New Classic Meatloaf
Vegetarian Chili
This chili is thick with beans and vegetables and rich and flavorful thanks to the addition of fiery spices; you won’t even miss the meat!
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Vegetarian Chili
Macaroni and Four Cheeses
Cheddar, Monterey Jack, ricotta, and Parmesan go into this deliciously cheesy mac and cheese, which gets an added boost of vegetables from the addition of butternut squash. A sprinkle of crunchy breadcrumbs goes on top.
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Macaroni and 4 Cheeses
Shepherd’s Pie
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Lightened-Up Shepherd’s Pie
Overnight French Toast Bake
Whole-wheat bread ups the fiber in this beloved breakfast dish, but the best part is how easy this French toast comes together. The slices soak in the mixture overnight and are ready to go straight to the oven in the morning.
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Healthy Overnight French Toast Bake
Quick Pork Goulash
In this lightened-up take on the warming favorite, lean pork tenderloin and a vegetable stew are tossed with hot whole-wheat noodles.
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Quick Pork Goulash
Beef Taco Salad with Chunky Tomato Dressing
Anyone who thinks salads are a little too dainty will want in on this taco rendition. With chili-spiced beef and sharp cheddar cheese over a bed of greens, all doused with a chunky tomato-lime dressing and topped by corn chips, it has high-impact flavor to satisfy even big appetites.
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Beef Taco Salad with Chunky Tomato Dressing
Tuna Casserole
This is a surprisingly healthy version of the classic tuna casserole many of us grew up eating. Ellie makes her own creamy mixture, which stands in for the typical condensed soup. Fresh whole-wheat breadcrumbs toast right on top of the casserole, which also features whole-wheat noodles.
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Tuna Casserole
Sloppy Joe Baked Potatoes
Two comfort foods, together at last! A sloppy joe mixture made with lean ground turkey is spooned over a fluffy baked potato and topped with low-fat cheddar cheese.
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Sloppy Joe Baked Potatoes
Baked Nachos with Roasted Sweet Potatoes
This lightened-up recipe has everything you could want in a platter of nachos: the crunchiness of homemade tortilla chips, spiciness from saucy adobo-tinged pinto beans and creaminess from roasted sweet potatoes and avocado, all topped with a fresh salsa.
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Baked Nachos with Roasted Sweet Potatoes
Butternut Squash and Turkey Chili
This recipe captures many of the traditional flavors of chili, but boosts its texture, color and vitamins. We’ve used protein-rich black beans, lean ground turkey and sweet butternut squash, as well adding some unexpected crunch and thickening power with chia seeds.
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Butternut Squash and Turkey Chili
Smashed Potatoes with Greek Yogurt and Scallions
Tangy Greek yogurt upgrades these otherwise simple mashed potatoes. Not only does it add protein and calcium, but it’s also a probiotic, which is important for gut health.
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Smashed Potatoes with Greek Yogurt and Scallions
Healthy Whole-Wheat Pizza with Arugula-Parsley Pesto
This nutrient-packed pesto is made with arugula for a snappy change of pace. Just a little perks up a hearty whole-wheat crust — but you’ll quickly find other uses for it, too. It’s a great topper for crostini, elegant with grilled chicken and (surprise!) a perfect partner to pasta. The dough is just as versatile. Make a batch to keep on hand in the freezer and defrost to room temperature as needed.
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Healthy Whole-Wheat Pizza with Arugula Parsley Pesto
Roasted Cauliflower Lasagna
Cauliflower is the star in this healthy lasagna, appearing in two roles — one when it’s blended into the ricotta cheese filling for texture, and a second when it’s roasted and used in place of the traditional meatballs or sausage. Sweet red bell pepper adds complexity to the tomato sauce and balances the richness of the cheeses.
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Roasted Cauliflower Lasagna
Spinach and Artichoke Macaroni and Cheese
This lightened-up but still creamy version of macaroni and cheese is full of protein — an impressive 29 grams per serving, quite an accomplishment for a vegetarian meal. The whole-wheat pasta, spinach and artichoke hearts add their vitamin, mineral and fiber superpowers.
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Lightened-Up Spinach and Artichoke Macaroni and Cheese
Turkey and Beef Meatloaf with Cranberry Glaze
Turkey and cranberries are a match made in heaven — why wait for Thanksgiving to enjoy it? This healthy take on meatloaf pairs the two in an inspired way: Turkey lightens up the traditional ground-beef base, and antioxidant-rich cranberries are the centerpiece of a tangy glaze.
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Turkey and Beef Meatloaf with Cranberry Glaze
Turkey, Kale and Oat Meatballs with Quick Tomato Sauce
A full bunch of vitamin-rich kale gives these turkey meatballs their vibrant green color. Rolled oats are used as a binder in place of breadcrumbs and add an extra bit of heart-healthy fiber.
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Turkey, Kale and Oat Meatballs with Quick Tomato Sauce
Whole-Grain Chocolate-Cherry Bread Twists
The nuttiness of the whole-grain dough in these twists syncs up perfectly with the bittersweet chocolate and the tart cherries. The twists come in at a modest 160 calories each but taste rich, thanks in part to just a little butter brushed over them right when they come out of the oven.
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Whole-Grain Chocolate-Cherry Bread Twists
Whole-Wheat Brussels Sprout, Squash and Ricotta Pizza
This colorful pizza is packed with vitamin C, calcium, iron and fiber. You can reduce the amount of cheese (and fat) by dolloping fresh ricotta and sprinkling Parmesan on the pizzas after they’re baked.
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Whole-Wheat Brussels Sprout, Squash and Ricotta Pizza
Healthy Sausage in a Pepper
Sausage and peppers are frequent partners, but they haven’t quite met like this before. Cooked bell peppers are filled and folded like a taco, for a gluten-free, super-satisfying (and low-calorie!) meal. Be sure to wrap in wax paper to help catch all the juices.
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Healthy Sausage in a Pepper
Double Chocolate Pudding Pie
Ellie’s classic creamy pie has double the chocolate but half the fat of the original.
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Double Chocolate Pudding Pie
Dark Chocolate Brownies
The secret to Ellie’s moist, fudgy brownies? Low-fat yogurt in the batter.
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Dark Chocolate Brownies
Vegan Mac ‘n’ Cheese
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Vegan Mac ‘n’ Cheese
Healthy Lentil Chili
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Healthy Lentil Chili
