Feel better with healthy comfort foods

Shorter days and cooler nights signal that it’s time to hunker down inside. Unfortunately, this is when cold and flu germs are also making the rounds. Whether we’re delighting in the coziness of our fluffy sweater or lying low because we’re under the weather, we often crave comfort foods.

Enjoy these delicious recipes that are not only nutritious, but might help you feel better too.

Chicken noodle soup

It’s delicious and offers it all—protein, vegetables, herbs and flavor.¹

Makes 6 servings | Prep: 10 min | Cook: 35 min

Ingredients

• 1 tsp olive oil
• ½ cup minced onion
• ½ cup diced carrots
• ½ cup sliced celery
• 2 garlic cloves, crushed
• 2 Tbsp cornstarch
• ¼ tsp dried oregano
• 1 bay leaf
• 3 cups reduced-sodium chicken broth
• 1 cup chopped cooked chicken breast
• 6 oz medium egg noodles, uncooked
• Black pepper, to taste

Preparation

• In a large saucepan over medium heat, heat the olive oil.
• Add onion, carrots, celery and garlic. Sauté until tender, about 5 to 6 minutes. Sprinkle the cornstarch and dried oregano over the vegetables and stir to combine. Cook for 1 minute.
• Stir in chicken broth and bay leaf. Bring to a boil and reduce heat.
• Simmer, covered, for 20 minutes.
• Add chicken and noodles. Cook, covered, for another 10 minutes or until the noodles are tender.
• Discard the bay leaf. Add black pepper to taste.

 Nutrition

(serving size: 1 cup)

Calories: 117 | total fat: 3 g | saturated fat: 1 g | sodium: 69 mg | cholesterol: 28 g | total carbs: 13 g | fiber: 1 g | sugars: 2 g | protein: 9 g | potassium 92 mg

Cauliflower pizza casserole

With flavors borrowed from your favorite pizzeria, this warm, bubbly treat delivers gluten-free goodness and fiber too.²

Makes 4 servings | Prep: 10 min | Cook: 40 min

Ingredients

• 2 heads cauliflower, sliced into 1-inch pieces
• 2 Tbsp + 2 tsp extra virgin olive oil
• 14.5 oz can crushed tomatoes
• 1 tsp dried oregano
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 1 cup low-fat ricotta cheese
• 1 cup shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese

Preparation

• Preheat oven to 425ºF.
• Lay out cauliflower onto two baking sheets and drizzle with 2 Tbsp olive oil. Place in oven and cook until browned on the bottom, around 15 minutes. Flip and cook until both sides are browned, another 10 minutes or so.
• While the cauliflower cooks, use a saucepan over a medium flame to heat 2 tsp olive oil. Add crushed tomatoes, oregano and garlic powder, and simmer for about 5 minutes. Mix in ricotta.
• Remove cauliflower from oven, and reduce heat to 350ºF. In a large baking dish, spread one layer of cauliflower. Spread tomato and ricotta mixture over the cauliflower. Top with another layer of cauliflower.
• Sprinkle mozzarella cheese over the second layer of cauliflower. Bake until cheese is melted and starting to brown, around 15 minutes.

Nutrition

(Serving size: ¼ of baking dish)   

Calories: 296 | total fat: 16 g | saturated fat: 5 g | sodium: 391 mg | cholesterol: 24 mg | total carbs: 27 g | fiber: 10 g | sugars: 16 g | protein: 17 g | potassium: 963 mg

Spicy pineapple turmeric smoothie

It’s fresh and fruity with a spice that’s nice.³

Makes: 2 servings | Prep: 10 min

Ingredients

• 2 cups pineapple chunks, about 1 inch
• ½ cup orange juice
• ¼ cup full-fat coconut milk well-shaken
• 1½-inch fresh turmeric peeled and thinly sliced against the grain (or 1½ tsp ground turmeric)
• ½ medium ripe banana
• 1 medjool date, pitted
• ¼ Thai chili pepper or a pinch of crushed red pepper flakes
• 1 cup ice cubes

Preparation

• Combine everything but the ice in the blender.
• Add the ice. Blend on high speed until smooth, about 1 to 2 minutes.
• Divide into two cups and serve right away.

Nutrition

(Serving size: ½ recipe)

Calories: 174 | total fat: 3 g | saturated fat: 2 g | sodium: 12 mg | cholesterol: 0 mg | total carbs: 38 g | fiber: 5 g | sugars: 25 g | protein: 2 g | potassium: 595 mg

Talk to your care team

You’ve got symptoms that could go either way, is it a cold or flu making you sick?

Published October 18, 2023