Forget Comfort foods – try Comfit instead – Three Healthy Recipes To Try

So we’re heading in to March and hopefully your healthy eating plans are still on track.
Sainsbury have been in touch to tell me about their new campaign called ‘ComFit Foods’ – classic comfort food dishes, but with healthier twists.

ComFit foods include one little twist to transform mid-week meals at a time where customers are striving to be more health conscious. The dishes all have elements of excitement and experimentation, but still utilise every day store cupboard ingredients in a healthy way. There’s a feeling among consumers that warming winter foods are automatically unhealthy, but these recipes show we can all still make feel-good-food without the guilt. Sainsbury’s hopes to inspire little changes which help make a big difference to overall nutritional value.

And they’ve invited me to share some of my recipes too!!

Here are my top three favourite comfit foods…

Butternut Spaghetti Bolognese

There is nothing better than a good old spaghetti bolonese, it’s a classic dish that’s quick to make and even better to eat. But if you’re looking to cut your carb intake and you’re so over courgette noodles don’t be in too much of a rush to put your spiralizer away. Instead, try butternut squash instead. BNS spaghetti are healthy, filling and tasty.

Ingredients – Serves 2

160g meat free mince
tin of tomatoes
1 small onion
rosemary
basil
1/2tsb sugar
splash of Worcestershire Sauce
1 veggie stock cube
1tbsp tomato puree
1 clove of garlic
1 small butternut squash

Method

Using a spiralizer shred the butternut squash into spaghetti. Toss the noodles with the olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Lay the noodles evenly onto a baking sheet (they will overlap) and roast for 10-15 minutes, or until “al dente”.

Whilst they are cooking heat olive oil in a non-stick pan over medium heat, saute onions and garlic for around 5 minutes or until softened.

Next add your meat free mince with a shot of water and a splash of Worcestershire sauce, stirring until it’s defrosted. Then stir in your tomato puree.

Next add your tomatoes, basil, rosemary, stock cube and sugar.

Cook on medium to low heat for the next 15-20 minutes or until the sauce is a consistency you like.

—
Creamy Cauliflower Sauce with wholewheat pasta

I love this sauce, it’s just like alfredo but it’s healthy. You can really add anything you want to this, I use turkey because I prefer it over chicken. But I also throw in any left overs, in this dish I added peas (my fave). Below is the recipe for the sauce.

Ingredients
1 large cauliflower (cut in to small florets)
2 cups of stock
4 cups of water
1/2 onion finely chopped
1/2 cup milk
6 cloves of garlic (mince or chop finely)
1 tablespoon of olive oil
2 tablespoons of butter
1/4 cup grated parmesan
Salt
Pepper

Method

Pour the stock and water in to a large pot before adding the cauliflower and bring to the boil. You need to boil the cauli until it becomes tender so around 10/15 minutes.

Whilst you’re waiting for the cauliflower to cook, melt the butter in a small frying pan and add the onion and garlic. Cook until soft.

Once the cauliflower is extremely tender, remove from the stock using a slotted spoon (Don’t drain the water as you’re going to need it) and add to a food processor. You’ll need to add your onion and garlic mix along with salt, pepper, olive oil, milk and 1 cup of the stock water.

Puree and add back to a pan to stir in the cheese. I like my sauces thick but if you like them wetter then you can keep adding stock water until you reach your perfect consistency.

The best thing with this sauce is that it’s totally adaptable too. You can add various flavours such as nutmeg, lemon, thyme etc to give it a twist. The sauce also freezes extremely well.

—

Avocado, banana and cacao mousse with coconut

Serves 4

2 ripe avocados, de-stoned
1 ripe banana
2 tbsp raw cacao
4 tsp agave syrup
2 tsp desiccated coconut to serve

Place the avocados, banana, cacao and agave in a blender and blitz until smooth and creamy. Spoon into 4 small tumblers and sprinkle over a little coconut before serving.

What small changes do you make?