BestHealthTactics

No one cooks like Mom, and if you’ve had a rough day you may wish you had some of Mom’s great tasting comfort foods to make you feel better. Unfortunately, Mom may not have made the healthiest dishes. Here are two healthy comfort food recipes you may want to try.

Healthy Meat Loaf

* 2 teaspoons canola oil
* 1 chopped medium sweet onion
* 12-ounce bottle beer
* 1 teaspoon dried thyme
* 1 teaspoon dry mustard
* 3/4 teaspoon salt
* 1/8 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
* 1 1/4 pounds 95%-lean ground beef
* 1 1/4 pounds 93%-lean ground turkey
* 1 cup fresh whole-wheat breadcrumbs
* 1/4 cup chopped parsley
* 1 large egg, lightly beaten
* 1 egg white, lightly beaten

Preheat your oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit. Coat a loaf pan with cooking spray and set it aside. Place the onion in oil to sauté until it’s translucent and beginning to brown, approximately five minutes. Add the beer and increase the heat to high to bring it to a boil. Cook it until the liquid resembles syrup and reduces to about 3/4 cup (takes approximately 10 minutes). Transfer the liquid to a large bowl and stir in the seasonings; let this cool for at least 10 minutes.

Add the remaining ingredients and thoroughly combine the ingredients using clean hands. Transfer the mixture to the prepared pan and form it to resemble a loaf. Bake this in the oven until the internal temperature reaches 160 degree Fahrenheit which will take about 1 1/2 hours. Allow the meat loaf to rest for five minutes, drain off any liquid from the pan, slice, and enjoy.

Baked Mac and Cheese

* 3 tablespoons plain dry breadcrumbs
* 1 teaspoon extra-virgin olive oil
* 1/4 teaspoon paprika
* 1 16-ounce or 10-ounce package frozen spinach, thawed
* 1 3/4 cups low-fat milk, divided
* 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
* 2 cups shredded extra-sharp Cheddar cheese
* 1 cup low-fat cottage cheese
* 1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
* 1/4 teaspoon salt
* Freshly ground pepper, to taste
* 8 ounces whole-wheat elbow macaroni

Put a large pot of water on to boil. Preheat your oven to 450 degrees Fahrenheit. Then coat an 8-inch square dish with cooking spray. Empty thawed spinach into a colander and remove excess water.

In a small bowl, mix breadcrumbs, oil, and paprika. Set aside and begin heating 1 1/2 cups of milk over medium heat in a large heavy pan. Heat this until steaming, but don’t let it boil or scorch. Whisk the remaining 1/4 cup milk in a small bowl with the flour until smooth. Add this to the hot milk, whisking all the while until the mixture thickens – about two to three minutes. Remove the sauce from the heat and add the cheddar, stirring until it is melted. Stir in the cottage cheese, salt, pepper, and nutmeg.

When the water comes to a boil, add the pasta and cook it until it’s not quite tender. Drain the noodles and then add them to the cheese mixture, ensuring the cheese covers all the noodles. Layer half the pasta in the bottom of the baking dish followed by spinach. Add the remaining pasta and then sprinkle breadcrumbs over the top. Bake until it is golden brown or about 25 to 30 minutes.

These healthy comfort food recipes may not taste exactly like Mom’s, but they still provide a sense of comfort while helping you live a healthier life. It sounds like the best of both worlds.

• Italian Chicken Recipe - Simple Chicken Breast Recipe for The Crockpot This italian chicken breast recipe is super easy and is made in your crockpot. It is this week's featured "cook at home day" recipe. Enjoy! Ingredients: 6 chicken breasts, boneless, skinless, cut in cubes 3 T olive oil 1 package dry Italian dressing mix 1 can cream of celery soup......
• Blond Brownie Recipe Blond Brownie Ingredients 1 cup flour, sifted 1/8 tsp. baking soda 1/2 cup chopped nuts 1 cup brown sugar 1/2 tsp. vanilla 1/2 tsp. baking powder 1/2 tsp. salt 1/2 cup shortening 1 egg, slightly beaten 1/2 package chocolate chips Directions for Blond Brownies Sift flour, baking soda, salt and......
• Pasta Fagioli - Cook At Home Day This is my own version of pasta fagioli. It is not a soup but more like a casserole. My kids love it and I like how easy it is to make. The ditalini pasta makes the dish "different" and fun. If you use all fresh ingredients (i.e. not previously......
• Foodie Friday: Apple Pancakes With Cinnamon Nonfat Yogurt Ingredients: 1 cup all-purpose flour 3 tablespoons nonfat egg substitute 1 1/2 cups nonfat plain yogurt 1/2 tes baking powder 3 tablespoons orange juice 3 tablespoons maple syrup 4 granny smith apples or other tart apples peeled/cored/sliced 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon mint leaves Cooking Directions: Combine the flour, egg substitute,......
• Stuffed Peppers Now on to the recipe (it doesn't involve cupcakes)... I concocted this version of the stuffed pepper while playing in the kitchen one day and was pleased with the results. I used brown rice for a healthier twist and chose lean, ground sirloin. Tofu would work as a replacement for the meat,......