Winter comfort food

In the first edition of Green Sprouts' G-Fit series, Erin Carson highlights some comfort food favorites with modifications to make them easy on your figure without losing the taste.

In 20-degree weather, the last thing anyone wants to eat is a cold, tasteless celery stick, no matter how healthy a snack it may be. It’s winter. Time to bulk up, right? It’s not like anyone will notice under your ankle-length, down-stuffed, fur-lined, abominable snowman-resistant jacket.

But, before you resign yourself to a season of warming your hands over pizza boxes and endless orders of Wings, here are a few easy ideas to keep you healthy and warm.

Oatmeal: The Quaker has your back and a large canister of plain oatmeal will get you through the winter. Add in cinnamon, nuts or fruit depending on your preferences, and it makes a hearty and filling breakfast or mid-afternoon snack.

Soup: You can do better than Campbells. Check out these easy soup recipes from Fitness Magazine. They’re low in calories and you don’t have to be Wolfgang Puck to tackle them in the kitchen. Plus, a study from Penn State University showed that participants who ate soup before lunch reduced their caloric intake for the meal by 20 percent, soup included.

Hot Chocolate: With a few modifications, a decidedly not so healthy drink can be improved. Swap out whole milk for 1% or soy, and ditch the marshmallows and whip cream. If you’re feeling more ambitious, make your own mix like the one Self magazine recommends, which steers clear of hydrogenated oils and artificial sweeteners.

 

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