Favorite Comfort Foods

[ninaTx]

Since this is The Girlfriend and not Healthy Living, what are some of your favorite comfort foods when eating healthy isn't the most important thing on your mind?

How about some "always have it around the house" and some "spend the afternoon making a whole comfort meal" comfort foods?

Also - does comfort food feel more comfortable if it is particularly healthy or do you feel part of the comfort is not thinking about nutritional value? 

[MedusaE76171]

Believe it or not, one of mine is Vegan Mac & "Cheese."  My kids used to say it was like, "crack."  LOL  

I still make it sometimes, though I'm not vegan anymore, it's no less delicious.

[ninaTx]

I made my first ever loaf of banana bread this past weekend. Normally I end up tossing the occasional banana we don't eat until it's past it's prime. But over the weekend I had 3 over ripe bananas.  I also never ventured to do this before because to me the best part of banana bread are the walnuts. But my husband is allergic to nuts. But i found some sugar free chocolate chips in the cupboard which the recipe said I could add (I wouldn't have thought of that) and I had all of the other ingredients and banana bread felt like it would be comfort food. 

It was heavier than I would have liked, but not bad for a first effort. My grandmother baked so my mother never did - so I didn't learn as a child. And with my sweet tooth (actually carb tooth) i've stayed away from baking.  But I don't think it was really comfort food good. It was just OK. Eating the 1/2 cup of chocolate chips without needing the butter and flour and eggs would have been more comforting. 

Ah well. I tried. 

[ninaTx]

I'll start with my comfort meal. 

My grandmother's chicken, which is sort of a chicken paprikash without sour cream; kasha with mushrooms and onions; glazed carrots; and cucumber salad (that's where the sour cream ends up). And ice cream for dessert.

My quick comfort food with foods I normally have at home would be 1 slices of  Dave's killer 21 grain bread, with chunky peanut butter and apricot preserves. I always have those things in the house. 

[Rhymesometimes]

@ninaTx Grandmother Hungarian?  Lived there ages ago. Shops had rotisserie chickens with Hungarian Paprika.  Heavenly.  Left alone in a room with a box of Wheat thins ( olive oil and pepper ) and assortment of cheeses, none of it would make it out alive.  Moral of the story, . . . don't buy Wheat Thins. Christine

[ninaTx]

Hi Christine

Yes my grandmother was Hungarian.  Is your family Hungarian? How did you end up there?

And you and my husband are similar with your craving. He can't be left alone in the house with crackers or good cheese. Packaged cheese he can resist. 

[DeahWA]

Oooh ooooh, great topic @ninaTx .

I'm never without pasta in the pantry. In fact it will be dinner tonight.

Can't think of comfort food that is perfectly healthy. Seems by definition it needs carbs and sugar and fat. That said, I have been in search of the perfect comfort food lately, and I may have to break down soon and make my own toll house cookies. 

[ninaTx]

I couldn't agree with you more. Comfort food should be carbs sugar and fat. My grandmother's chicken doesn't work if you take the skin off the chicken. 

I not only love carbs but my body requires them. I went on high protein, low carb diets twice - and both times I passed out. I mean literally my blood will not carry O2 to my brain without enough carbs. Not giving them up - never.

I adore pasta.. but all carbs are good.  Actually, a nice comfort treat for me is a bowl of spaghetti with just butter and fresh grated parmesan cheese. 

My quickie comfort food isn't really a comfort food - it's what I have for breakfast every day, and I love it - and my house is comfort food bereft because i'd eat it all. 

[DeahWA]

@ninaTx  Buttered noodles, yum! I like the parmesan on them too. This morning I would love avocado toast with some spicy seasoning on top, but alas, no avocados. Also no bread. Good grief, I need groceries!! 

[tndenim]

A good meatloaf and mashed potatoes!

[ninaTx]

OK, that made me really laugh out loud, and I'm still chuckling. Something about .. "no avocados <pause> and no bread" just the timing as I read it was funny. Sorry to laugh at your predicament. But Been There, Did That, Got the T-shirt, Threw it Out, Got it Again. 

[DeahWA]

LOL, @ninaTx  I haven't heard that version of been there, done that. Excellent!