I’ve never actually thought of pizza as comfort food. I have thought of it as something easy, fairly healthy, and not too caloric.
I realized that’s not how most people look at it.
Years ago I started making my own dough – it’s so easy. Then I switched from using tomato / pizza sauce to using thinly sliced fresh tomatoes. Paper thin… 10 – 12 slices per tomato. You need a sharp knife.
I topped the slices with a few torn bits of Prosciutto (a little goes a long way), some chunks of fresh mozzarella, and fresh basil leaves.
It’s still our favorite.
Read on for more ideas to make your food healthier:
Craving comfort food?
The idea of healthier versions of your favourite meals is appealing.
But sometimes they just don’t taste as good. Or they require fancy ingredients you never have.
But what if you could…
Eat comforting food while sticking to your health goals? Makeovers that actually taste great? Well friends, it’s absolutely possible. And it all starts with homemade pizza dough.
Table of Contents
- Why Comfort Food Makeovers Work
- How to Make Homemade Pizza Dough
- Healthy Ingredient Swaps That Still Taste Good
- Tips For Healthy Comfort Food
Why Comfort Food Makeovers Work
Comfort food makeovers are really just about balance. They aren’t about sacrificing all of the things you love about your favourite meals. Instead they focus on using better ingredients to help you enjoy those meals.
Here’s the catch:
Comfort food is almost always high in a few things: calories, fat and sugar. Combine that with carbs and you’ve got a winner.
But those aren’t the only things that make food tasty. By using upgraded ingredients that focus on these elements comfort food can be just as satisfying and better for you.
A poll by the American Heart Association reported 68% of Americans believe healthy eating habits are important to living a long, healthy life. But that also means people want to know how to eat healthier without feeling deprived.
Start with healthy pizza at home. There’s no easier place to start than with homemade pizza dough.
How to Make Homemade Pizza Dough
Pizza is just unhealthy junk food.
Or is it?
When you make pizza dough from scratch you eliminate a lot of the unnecessary ingredients that come with store bought crusts.
Making your own dough allows you to:
- Control the type of flour. Use whole wheat flour, sprouted flour, or cauliflower crust.
- Avoid preservatives and additives.
- Improve the texture and taste of your pizza.
- Make it as thin or thick as you like.
Ingredients for pizza dough are simple. All you need is flour, water, yeast, salt, and olive oil. Seriously, it’s that easy.
Let’s break it down:
You will need water, yeast, flour, salt, and olive oil. Mix together warm water and active yeast. Let sit for about 5 minutes. Add flour, salt, and olive oil to the water and yeast. Mix until well combined. Knead dough for five minutes. Place in a bowl and cover with a towel to rise.
From here you can roll it out with a rolling pin or use your hands to stretch it. Once you have the dough how you like toss on your favorite pizza toppings and bake until golden brown.
You now have homemade pizza dough to use as a base for whatever healthy pizzas you can dream up.
Healthy Ingredient Swaps That Still Taste Good
Comfort food makeovers are all about swapping out ingredients.
Not only do swaps allow you to boost the nutrition factor of your favorite meals. They can also help you cut out unnecessary calories.
Some swaps you should know:
- Use Greek yogurt in place of sour cream.
- Replace white flour with whole grain alternatives.
- Substitute zucchini noodles for pasta.
- Switch out mashed potatoes for cauliflower.
- Replace mayonnaise with avocado.
Simple swaps like these allow you to keep the flavours your crave but eat a little healthier.
Look at this mac and cheese recipe as an example:
Instead of using butter and shredded Kraft cheese use butternut squash and a sharp cheddar. The butternut squash adds a creamy texture as well as sweet notes that allow you to use less cheese.
You end up with a comfort food classic that actually provides vitamins and nutrients instead of empty calories and loads of fat.
Tips For Healthy Comfort Food
Healthy comfort food doesn’t need to be complicated. Simple changes to the way you approach your favorite meals can help you improve your diet one bite at a time.
Make your own pizza dough, pasta, or soup broth. By making the base for your meals you control the nutrition. Store bought often comes with excess sodium and preservatives.
Don’t abolish fat from your diet. Healthy fats like olive oil, avocados, and nuts help you feel full and satisfied. Restricting fat can lead to bland meals and snack cravings.
Load up on vegetables. No matter if you’re making pizza, pasta, a casserole, or stir fry. You can almost always add more vegetables. They fill you up without packing on calories.
Season well. Fresh herbs, garlic, onion, citrus zest, and quality spices can make bland food taste amazing. Don’t be afraid to pick up new seasonings at the store.
Cheese is fine, but don’t go overboard. A smaller amount of a quality aged cheese will go a longer way than a large amount of mild cheese. A little goes a long way with the good stuff.
About 49% of Americans eat more fresh food now than they did last year. Eating fresh means better tasting food overall. And that makes your comfort food makeover easy.
Maintaining Your New Lifestyle
You don’t have to overhaul your diet overnight. If you pick one or two of your favorite comfort meals and learn how to make them healthily you will be more likely to repeat those meals.
Make pizza dough from scratch and you can make homemade pizza whenever you want. Not only that but once you master your dough you can get creative and make healthy:
- Flatbread sandwiches
- Cauliflower crust pizza
- Bread sticks
The key is to take things one meal at a time.
By starting with meals you already love you learn how to make healthier choices with foods you enjoy. Once you get comfortable making those meals give another comfort food recipe a nutritious makeover.
Keep your pantry stocked with ingredients for healthy meals. Whole grain flours, olive oil, Greek yogurt, fresh veggies, and quality cheeses should always be available. You’re more likely to eat healthily when it’s convenient.
Let’s Wrap This Up
Comfort food makeovers can be simple and delicious!
You’ve already learned that homemade pizza dough can lead to many healthy meals. Making your own pizza dough from scratch means you know what’s in your food. Plus, no more unhealthy store bought crust!
There are simple ingredient swaps you can do to improve your nutrition. Like yogurt instead of sour cream and zucchini noodles in place of pasta.
You can makeover your favourite comfort foods to be healthy and satisfying.
Just take things one meal at a time and don’t forget to keep your kitchen stocked.