10 Comfort Food Hacks

10 Comfort Food Hacks or How I Try to Trick My Husband Into Eating Healthy:

A few years ago I made the decision to start eating healthy.  I began throwing words around like, ‘Super-greens’, ‘fiber-rich’, ‘Chia seeds’, and ‘Veggie burgers’.  I started substituting the bad with the good.  I made a commitment to have spinach or kale at every meal.  The only problem was……my husband.  At any given time, any day, you can walk into my kitchen and find (amidst the kale) licorice, chips, cookies, and chocolate.

For the most part he is agreeable with my healthy foods, but sometimes when I’ve gone a little too ‘clean’, he heads for his stash!  Here are a few of my favorite comfort food hacks and my husbands’ thought on each.

1. Spaghetti Swap:   Instead of spaghetti noodles, I always use spaghetti squash, broccoli slaw or zucchini.  I got a “Veggetti” for Christmas and I can make noodles out of any vegetable!  Just the name Veggetti gives him material for making fun of me.  He thinks it sounds like a body part.

2.  Chip Switch:  In place of tortilla chips with salsa, I use Beanitos,  chips made out of beans.  He was all on board with these until the first major gas attack!

3.  Cauliflower is my new best friend!  Cauliflower rice.  Mashed cauliflower.  Cauliflower crust for pizza.  Stir-fry cauliflower. Raw cauliflower for dipping.   It’s so versatile and low in calorie….the possibilities are endless.   My husband wants me to put an end to cauliflower

4.  Applesauce vs oil:  Often I use applesauce in place of oil in brownies or muffins and then add in chopped kale or zucchini squash.  This makes me so happy, but alas...I am happy alone and left with a pan of greenish brown brownies. Brownie a la poo-poo!  

5.  You scream…I scream…we all scream for…:At night, when he wants ice cream, I reach for my frozen fruit, kale smoothie!  Fresh fruit, greek yogurt, kale and almond milk.  Yummmm! I said it tasted just like ice cream and he said ‘ice crap’!  Mostly he just holds up his hand and rolls his eyes.  

6.  I’ll have what Oprah’s having:  Years ago, Oprah came out with her then favorite snack, and I became a fan.  I usually have it for lunch!  Take a WASA cracker, spread a thin layer of mayo, add lean turkey and top with spinach…It’s sooooo good and super low carbs.  My husband calls it Oprah’s favorite cardboard sandwich.

7. No yolking…I love eggs:  Egg white omelets….loaded with veggies!  Easy-peasy and super healthy. You-know-who thinks it is unnatural for an egg to be all white with no yolk.  He thinks the yolk is God’s gift to the egg.

8.  Just say NO to Bread:  Instead of bread, I wrap my sandwich in lettuce leaves, or put it in a carb smart tortilla and call it a wrap!  And this is another chance to give a shout out to my WASA crackers!   Mr. White Bread will only occasionally switch to wheat.  He says it reminds him of sandwiches his Granny used to make!

9.  Holy Guacamole:  I once even tried to make Guacamole from green peas and kale instead of avocados.  I wanted to love it, but even I thought it was a little too much.  Again with the hand and eye rolling.

10.  Dessert substitutes:  For dessert, I often try to eat fruit;  Don’t the Europeans eat fruit and cheese for dessert, too?  Or try having a hot cup of green tea with honey.  Perfect! Mr. White Bread-eye roller believes dessert should be eaten at every meal.  My attempts of fruit and green tea fall on deaf ears and a more unsophisticated palate.(Twizzlers, chocolate pudding, or cookies)

I know…some of these ideas seem radical.  I haven’t gone completely ‘clean’….I still love a good meatloaf, or homemade chicken pot pie.  But, I’m trying to make these little changes and make better choices.  I’m trying to incorporate more vitamins and nutrients into OUR lives, even if I am met with a little resistance.   Three cheers for cauliflower!!! 

                                                                      All hail the Kale!!!