[?] Subscribe To This Site

Comfort Food to Relieve the Wintertime Blahs

Comfort food is on my mind these days. It’s the middle of winter, the recession news is gloomy and scary, and I find myself yearning for something warm and soothing and delicious at mealtime.

It’s important to me that it’s at least somewhat healthy, though. I KNOW what the ultimate in healthy food is—something like a luscious and nutritious green smoothie made of spinach and mango and banana. I do eat that type of food frequently, but I haven’t committed myself 100% to the raw-food lifestyle. Yet.

How about you? Would you like something creamy, savory, and delicious to relieve the winter doldrums and perhaps chase away the blues, if even for a short time?

“Cheese” Sauce Review

Here’s a recipe I tried yesterday. It’s adapted from a recipe in The Power of Your Plate by Neal Barnard, M.D. I tweaked it just a little bit to fit the ingredients I had on hand. It was quite yummy and just a little decadent spooned over a baked potato topped with steamed broccoli.

Ingredients:

1/4 cup nutritional yeast
1/4 cup whole wheat flour (the original recipe called for unbleached flour which would make it even creamier
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 garlic clove (the original recipe called for garlic powder – 1/4 teaspoon)
1 cup water
1/8 cup oil (I used olive oil)
1/2 teaspoon prepared mustard

Directions:

Mix the nutritional yeast, flour, salt and garlic in a saucepan. Whisk in the water. Cook the sauce over medium heat, whisking until the mixture bubbles and thickens. Cook 30 seconds more, then remove the pan from the heat and whisk in the oil and mustard. If you let the sauce cool it will thicken but will thin again when reheated.

Nutritional Breakdown:

This is per serving, which was listed as 1/6 of the recipe. I, however, ate more than that, but you may show more restraint. I do have leftovers, though!

”Cheese” Sauce / per serving / 88 calories
Nutrient	Amount
Fat	4.6 g
Saturated Fat	0.7 g
Calories from Fat	47.2%
Cholesterol	0 mg
Protein	5.9 g
Carbohydrates	7.8 g
Sugar	0 g
Fiber	2.2 g
Sodium	223 mg
Calcium	2 mg
Iron	0.9 mg
Vitamin C	0 mg
Beta Carotene	0 mcg
Vitamin E	0.5 mg

This would be good mixed with whole wheat pasta for a healthy macaroni and cheese dish (fold in some spinach or kale to make it more nutritious) or drizzled over some bean-and-vegetable burritos.

I know, I know, it’s not exactly a nutritional powerhouse, nor is it exactly a low-fat food. But it’s better than succumbing to a rich dairy sauce made from dairy cheese and milk. Once in a while, a little healthy comfort food can cheer a gloomy mood and brighten your spirit.

Return from this Comfort Food review to Comfort Foods.

footer for comfort food page