Photographed by Erin Phraner.
Maybe it's the cold weather, maybe it's all that time at home with mom, or maybe it's because the holidays are just a big bummer for some people. Whatever the reason, let's face it — the holiday season is about one thing: eating. A lot. And, it's not salads and kale smoothies. We're talking comfort foods, a.k.a. heavy-duty gut bombs, morning, noon, and night, all the way through the New Year. Sound familiar?
Lucky for us, the friendly folks at Everyday Health have compiled a handy list of tips that crank up the healthy on your favorite comfort foods. These sneaky, kinda brilliant ideas focus on maximizing nutrition and filling you up while substituting healthier alternatives to traditional sources of fat and calories. For example, puréed cauliflower adds body, fiber, and protein to your favorite mac and cheese recipe. Pancakes call for whole wheat flour and oatmeal, while using applesauce in place of oil makes for a moist (and fat-free!) chocolate cake. Of course, as we all know, the key to indulging in a healthful way is portion control, which is why many of these recipes maximize both protein and fiber, giving you that "full" feeling without weighing you down.
What do you think? Will you try any of these? Sound off below, and click through to Everyday Health to see the full list. (Everyday Health)