Had a rough day? Feeling under the weather? Longing for home? These feelings often trigger people to turn to comfort foods - especially this time of the year! While typically high in fat and calories, comfort foods don’t have to be unhealthy. Next time you’re craving a home-cooked helping that’ll make you feel warm inside, choose one of these healthy alternatives.

Pizza - The best way to enjoy a health pizza is to make it yourself. Start with whole-wheat crust (homemade or store-bought whole-wheat dough or ready-made whole-wheat crust); spread on a layer of marinara or pizza sauce; then, top with a sprinkling of reduced fat cheese and several handfuls of lean meat (chicken, ham) and vegetables (mushrooms, bell peppers, onions, broccoli, etc.). If you only have time for takeout, choose thin, wheat crust (if available) and ask the pizza parlor to go light on the cheese, but heavy on the vegetables.

Pot Pie - It's hard to believe that a mini pot pie (5-6 inches) can pack more than 1,000 calories! But, again, by baking one from scratch, you can cut out much of the fat and calories. Ellie Krieger, registered dietitian at The Food Network, has a great healthy chicken pot pie recipe that isn't too tough to make.

Pasta - When eating out (or cooking in) Italian, think red - not white. Creamy white cheese sauces are extremely high in fat and calories, whereas tomato-based sauces are loaded with lycopene, an antioxidant associated with reduced incidence of cancer and cardiovascular disease. If available, choose whole-wheat pasta and savor with just a sprinkling of Parmesan cheese.

Meatloaf - By swapping a few simple ingredients you can transform a meatloaf from hazardous to healthy. Instead of high-fat meat, choose at least 90% lean ground beef or turkey; instead of white bread or bread crumbs, use whole grains like oatmeal or whole-wheat bread or couscous; instead of cheese or other high-fat ingredients, add flavor through spices, herbs, and lots of shredded vegetables (onions, bell peppers, zucchini, carrots).    

Please share your healthy comfort food recipes or ideas here!