Our favorite comfort foods bring us back to that happy place. They’re warm, hearty and flavorful, leaving us full and satisfied long after we’ve eaten. If only there were comfort food recipes that don’t hurt your weight loss progress or sacrifice flavor …
Good news: You CAN enjoy the deep pleasures of comfort foods and stay on track to your weight loss goal.
To help you get started, we’ve chosen our favorite Nutrisystem-approved comfort food recipes—each easy to make and perfect for your flex meals. Best of all, they’re so delicious, the whole family will clamor for more (and don’t worry, more is what we have! Just check out these 6 Hearty Slow Cooker Recipes >)
Here are 10 easy comfort food recipes that won’t hurt your weight loss progress:
1. Cauliflower Sweet Potato Soup >
Count As: 1 SmartCarb, 1 Vegetable, 1 Extra
Cauliflower and sweet potato make the thick creamy base for this rib-sticking soup. Garlic and onions bring out the savory flavor, with a spark of ginger that complements the natural sweetness of the main ingredients. Click here to get the recipe! >
2. Corned Beef and Cabbage Soup >
Count As: 1 PowerFuel, 1 SmartCarb, 1 Vegetable
For lunch or as a dinner starter, the pub classic satisfies big appetites and pleases meat lovers. This version is brimming with real corned beef brisket, potato chunks and chopped cabbage in a rich broth. Click here to get the recipe! >
3. Butternut Squash Turkey Chili >
Count As: 1 PowerFuel, 1 SmartCarb, 1 Vegetable, 1 Extra
You’ll want to make a big batch of this tasty crowd-pleaser. Lean turkey, black beans and lots of vegetables keep the calorie count down and nutrient-levels high. Click here to get the recipe! >
4. Slow Cooker Artichoke Chicken with Potatoes and Sun-Dried Tomatoes >
Count As: 1 PowerFuel, 1 SmartCarb, 1 Vegetable
Fill your crockpot with chicken, potatoes, a few vegetables and herbs, come back a few hours later and you’ll sit down to a dinner that will feel like a banquet. And you get more than 20 grams of protein with just 182 calories per serving. Click here to get the recipe! >
5. Lean Beef Cacciatore >
Count As: 2 PowerFuels, 1 SmartCarb, 2 Vegetables, 2 Extras
In about 45 minutes, you can sit down to eat a dish so hearty you’ll be full for hours after. It fuels you up with big bites of lean beef, plus orzo pasta and meaty mushrooms. Click here to get the recipe! >
6. Vegetable Lasagna Bake >
Count As: 1 PowerFuel, 1 SmartCarb
With its layers of creamy cheese and thick noodles, lasagna is a favorite of many families. This version is so loaded with tasty vegetables that no one will notice it’s meat-free. Click here to get the recipe! >
7. Easy Chicken Tetrazzini >
Count As: 1 PowerFuel, 1/2 SmartCarb, 2 Vegetables, 1 Extra
White wine and Parmesan cheese give this casserole a truly indulgent flavor. To keep the calories down and the satisfaction high, we used low-carb zucchini noodles, giving you another serving of vegetables while you simply enjoy the blend of tastes in the dish. Click here to get the recipe! >
8. 5-Ingredient Simple Eggplant Parmesan >
Count As: 1 PowerFuel, 1 Vegetable, 1 Extra
The meatiest of vegetables, eggplant, makes a filling foundation for a satisfying meal. Add zesty sauce and lots of cheese, put it all on a whole-wheat roll and you have a flex lunch that can power up a busy afternoon. Click here to get the recipe! >
9. Super Cheesy Broccoli Fritters >
Count As: 1 Vegetable, 2 Extras
These crispy pancakes are fun “finger food” that give you a serving of vegetables—carrots and onions along with the broccoli—plus lots of fiber to fill you up. Of course, there’s plenty of cheese to make your taste buds happy. Click here to get the recipe! >
10. Berry Easy Bread Pudding Mug Cake >
Count As: 1 SmartCarb, 1 Extra
Bread pudding might just be the favorite of these comfort food recipes —it’s warm, sweet, moist and so satisfying. Made with whole wheat bread, almond milk and juicy berries, our bread pudding cake also is a healthy treat, with just 127 calories in a serving. Click here to get the recipe! >
