Devonshire Woman

Comfort food is just the best. It makes you feel good, it tastes good, but the problem is that it’s usually a bit naughty too, high in fat, calories, carbs, etc. because that combination is just irresistible. Some of our most-loved family dinners are calorific which is very annoying. But what if you could have comfort food and still lose weight or just not put it on depending on what your goals are?

There are a few helpful tips you can use so you can still enjoy your favorites.

Don’t Use Too Much Oil

When you’re cooking or frying try to measure the amount of oil you use, keeping it to roughly one teaspoon a person as this can significantly reduce the calorie content of your final dish.

Include At Least One Portion Of Vegetables

Whatever you’re eating, try to have at least one, if not two portions of vegetables with it so that you boost the fiber and nutrient content of your meal, which will keep you full and satisfied, without adding too much to the calorie content.

Swap Meat For Plant Alternatives

You could try a “Meat-Free Monday,” which will help to you boost the fiber content of your meals or include more beans, nuts, and pulses in your meals – bean burgers, for example, are delicious but low in calories.

Grate Your Cheese

Grating your cheese helps it to go a little further, and you can sprinkle it all over your dish and reduce the calorie content of your meal.

Swap creamy sauces for tomato-based sauces

This isn’t always possible, but when it comes to curries and pasta dishes, you can certainly do it.

Use more herbs and spices

Herbs and spices will flavor your dish enabling you to leave out the butter and salt in recipes. Experimenting with new flavors can be interesting too, giving your taste buds something different to enjoy.

Use Vegetable Replacements

Have you tried courgetti instead of spaghetti? Cauliflower rice instead of regular rice? Butternut Squash chips or lasagne sheets? There are so many ways of doing this, and it means you include more vegetables by replacing something else, but you don’t feel like you’re missing out. Give it a try and see what you think.

A few quick and easy meal ideas for comforting yet healthy meals are, soup – always makes you feel warm and satisfied, Homemade pizza can be created with a cauliflower base, a pitta bread or a wholemeal wrap. Top it with tonnes of veg, and some grated cheese and voila! You have a healthy pizza. Then you can’t go wrong with a healthy but yummy stir-fry, it is one of the simplest healthy meals you can make. Add a tonne of vegetables like baby corn, onion, peppers or green beans, then add toss some chicken, fish, prawns or tofu and nuts to make sure you’re getting some protein and iron in there too. To flavor, you could also add peanut butter or a few splashes of soya sauce.

While your weight shouldn’t be the be all and end all of your happiness, shifting the few extra pounds that you ended up putting on at Christmas can do wonders for your self confidence and will leave you feeling healthier. Going on fad diets never works for anyone so don’t be tempted by the cabbage soup, vinegar or half an apple a day diet. These aren’t healthy and can end up doing you more harm than good. Yes, you might lose weight fast, but you’ll feel awful and you’ll put it straight back on again when you start eating normally. Instead, you need to change your whole approach to eating. This can be tough if you have specific dietary requirements or if you suffer from allergies. However, by following a few simple rules, this needn’t prevent you from losing weight.

Go To Specialists

While it might cost a tad more, heading to a specialist retailer for your food can save you the worry of ingesting something that you really don’t want to. If you are coeliac and cannot eat gluten, don’t spend your time scouring the labels checking ingredients. Many well known brands might appeal to the gluten free market, but still make items such as gluten free bread and pasta in a factory that uses wheat. To be safe, go for the producer that ONLY makes gluten free products. That way, you can be sure of not having a poorly tummy or pain.

Gluten free isn’t necessarily healthier than wheat based products. However, if you are coeliac, these are the items that you need to purchase. Look at your portion size and ensure that you don’t have more than 75 grams of pasta for a meal. This may seem tiny compared to what you are used to, but it’s all about changing what’s on your plate and the proportions. Ditch the carbs in favor of vegetables and lean meats and fish.

Meat

Most people can eat pretty much any meat. However, some choose not to eat pork due to a religious observance and others need their meat to be slaughtered in a certain way. By sourcing meat like halal sausages, you can still enjoy those summer barbecues without feeling like a nuisance enquiring about the origins of the host’s meat. Take your own meat, offer some to others and share your dietary requirements. Often people are interested and want to hear about why you eat a certain way. Some sausages can be incredibly healthy, using leaner meats or supplementing meat entirely for vegetables. This makes the fat content much lower than pork based varieties.

Vegetarianism is very in at the moment, so check out the beetroot craze and the jackfruit frenzy. These are healthier alternatives to meat yet still leave you feeling satisfied.

If you do suffer from allergies, ensure that you check ingredients lists carefully. If in doubt, consider homemade versions of shop bought food. This way, you can make the dish that you are cooking healthier and safer for you to eat.

Having different dietary needs shouldn’t prevent you from getting fitter, healthier and losing weight.