HEALTH
Ponder in comfort food this winter
Pearl Mavunda
Feel good while staying healthy
When we’re not feeling our best,
whether we’re stressed out or
we’re coming down with a
cold, we often turn to “comfort food” to soothe ourselves.
There’s nothing wrong with using food to feel better as long as
you don’t eat something that will
just end up making you feel worse
later. But, don’t worry, there are plenty of healthy comfort foods that you
can enjoy with guilt or regret. Here
are 5 delicious ideas that you can try
at home and even at res:
Bowl of Oatmeal
There’s no better way to start the day
(especially a cold one) than with a
warm bowl of oatmeal. Not only will
the fiber in oatmeal help you feel full
longer, it will also help your heart by
reducing the amount of cholesterol
you absorb. As if that isn’t enough,
you can make your breakfast even
more special by adding a variety of
healthy toppings. Try a 1/4 cup of
blueberries, 1 tablespoon chopped
walnuts and a dash of cinnamon or
1/2 a sliced banana and 1 tablespoon
of peanut butter. You’ll feel
good from the inside out.
Mac & Cheese
Skip the box to turn this kid-friendly
comfort food into a dinner-time staple. The simple recipe with sophisticated flavor features turkey bacon
and three kinds
of cheese. Add
chicken and veggies to
make a one-dish meal like this
Buffalo Chicken Mac & Cheese.
Low-carb pizza crust
A slice of pizza every once in a while
won’t hurt you, but this cauliflower
crust pizza is healthy enough to eat
whenever you have a craving. Once
you’ve baked the crust the toppings
are up to your imagination. Try fresh
tomatoes, basil and buffalo mozzarella for a traditional taste or
go for grilled
chicken
breast,
reduced-fat cheddar and
a drizzle of barbeque sauce for
something more fun.
Nut-butter & Honey
NB&H. Just like the PB&J of your
childhood, a nut butter and honey
sandwich will hit the spot when you’re
out of sorts. This grown-up version of
the brown-bag staple can be made
from any kind of nut or seed. It’s
easy to make your own nut butters
in a food processor. Try almonds,
hazelnuts or cashews. Although
nuts are high in calories, they pack
a huge nutrition
punch,
providing
heart-healthy mono- and
polyunsaturated fats, filling protein
and essential vitamin and minerals.
Chicken Noodle soup
Even the Mayo Clinic agrees that
chicken soup can reduce inflammation and speed the loosening of mucus in the sinuses, so listen to
your Mom
on this one. If
you’re feeling bad, go
f o r soup. If traditional chicken
noodle is too bland for your grownup tastes, there are lots of options
to spice it up including ginger and
pesto.
Call and remind a friend that, they
don’t need to eat the greasy drumstick or the whole ice-cream that
would make them feel “better”. Let’s
all follow these easy to make 5 delicious snack/meals that will would
keep us warm in the inside/out.
Pearl Mavunda_Million miles away
from normal*
Student 24/7 - 27