Comfort, Fauxed: Lighter Cures for Complex Cravings
Pizza, how do we love thee? We can count the ways — thy cheese, thy sauce, thy crust — but these elements hardly capture thy elemental charm. While a sad pinch of part-skim string cheese on a pita might scratch an itch (for now), it won’t deliver the hug-on-a-plate effect we crave in an honest slice.
If you find yourself in need of a slightly less-crushing hug on a plate, give these healthier options a try. Since there’s no faking pizza, swap pans instead of ingredients — a muffin-tin treat offers built-in portion control, preferred ratios intact.
Related: 35 Pantry Staples for Healthy Eating
Comfort and Balance
Mini Deep-Dish Pizzas
Olive oil, for muffin pan
All-purpose flour, for rolling
1/2 pound homemade or store-bought pizza dough, in 6 pieces
Coarse salt and ground pepper
1/2 cup shredded mozzarella (4 ounces)
1 large tomato, coarsely chopped
Desired toppings, such as cooked vegetables, pineapple and ham, or pepperoni
Cook’s Note
Standard muffin pans come in 6- or 12-cup size; if baking 6 items in a 12-cup pan, leave empty space in between. Nonstick pans are nice but not essential. Beware of very thin pans, which often lead to burning. Place pans on a baking sheet to make them easier to get in and out of the oven.
1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Lightly brush 6 standard muffin cups with oil. On a lightly floured work surface, roll out each dough piece to a 6-inch round. Fill each cup with 1 round, gently pressing dough into bottom and sides of cup. Season with salt and pepper.
2. Sprinkle each dough cup with 1 tablespoon each cheese and tomato. Add desired toppings and another tablespoon each cheese and tomato. Bake until dough is golden brown and crisp, 12 minutes. Let cool 2 minutes before removing from cups.
If You’re Facing a Mac Attack …
We’d never get rid of the cheese in your mac — after all, it’s right there in the name! But a combination of part-skim ricotta, roasted squash, and extra-sharp cheddar makes less taste like so much more.
Macaroni and Cheese with Butternut Squash
1 small butternut squash (about 1 pound), peeled, seeded, and cut into 1-inch cubes (about 3 cups)
1 cup homemade or low-sodium canned chicken stock, skimmed of fat
1 1/2 cups nonfat milk
Pinch of freshly grated nutmeg
Pinch of cayenne pepper
3/4 teaspoon coarse salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1 pound elbow macaroni
4 ounces extra-sharp cheddar cheese, finely grated (about 1 cup)
4 tablespoons Parmesan cheese, finely grated (1 ounce)
2 tablespoons fine breadcrumbs
1 teaspoon olive oil
Olive-oil, cooking spray
1/2 cup part-skim ricotta cheese
1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Combine squash, stock, and milk in a medium saucepan; bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce heat to medium; simmer until squash is tender when pierced with a fork, about 20 minutes. Remove from heat. Mash contents of saucepan; stir in nutmeg, cayenne, and salt, and season with black pepper. Stir to combine.
2. Meanwhile, bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add noodles; cook until al dente according to package instructions, about 8 minutes. Drain, and transfer to a large bowl; stir in squash mixture, cheddar, ricotta, and 2 tablespoons Parmesan.
3. Lightly coat a 9-inch square baking dish (4 inches deep) with cooking spray. Transfer noodle mixture to dish. In a small bowl, combine breadcrumbs, remaining 2 tablespoons Parmesan, and oil; sprinkle evenly over noodle mixture.
4. Cover with foil, and bake 20 minutes. Remove foil, and continue baking until lightly browned and crisp on top, 30 to 40 minutes more. Serve immediately.
Related: 25 New Ways to Eat Avocados
If You Die for Pot Pie …
Like pizza, pot pie is an exercise in contrasts — the distinct shatter of flaky crust on warm, hearty filling is made no less by white meat, extra veggies, and low-fat milk.
Lighter Chicken Potpie
2 bone-in, skin-on chicken breast halves (12 to 14 ounces each)
Coarse salt and ground pepper
3 tablespoons olive oil
4 carrots, sliced 1/4 inch thick
1 medium onion, finely chopped
1/4 teaspoon dried thyme leaves
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
2 1/2 cups low-fat (1%) milk
1 package (10 ounces) frozen peas, thawed
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
6 phyllo sheets (each 12 by 17 inches), thawed
1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Place chicken on a rimmed baking sheet; season with salt and pepper. Roast until an instant-read thermometer inserted into thickest part of breast (avoiding bone) registers 165 degrees, 25 to 30 minutes. Let cool slightly; discard skin and bones. Shred meat, and set aside.
2. While chicken is roasting, heat 2 tablespoons oil in a large saucepan over medium. Add carrots, onion, and thyme; season with salt and pepper, and cook until carrots are crisp-tender, 8 to 10 minutes. Add flour, and cook, stirring, 1 minute. Gradually add milk, stirring until smooth. Cook, stirring occasionally, until mixture comes to a simmer and thickens.
3. Remove from heat; stir in peas, lemon juice, and chicken, and season with salt and pepper. Pour filling into a 9-inch deep-dish pie plate.
4. Stack phyllo on a work surface. Using a paring knife, cut out an 11-inch circle from the stack; discard trimmings. Stack 2 circles on work surface, and brush gently with 1 teaspoon oil; repeat with remaining circles and oil. Place phyllo stack over filling, and press down about 1/2 inch from the edge so phyllo fits inside rim of pie plate. Bake until golden and bubbling, 20 to 25 minutes. Let potpie cool 15 minutes before serving.
If You Pine for a Patty …
A plant-based patty can satisfy in its own right, but a beef-burger craving is a whole different animal. This not-quite-veggie burger mixes rich, savory beef with smoky roasted eggplant, combining the best of both worlds.
Charred-Eggplant and Beef Burgers
1 medium eggplant
14 ounces ground chuck (95 percent lean)
4 whole-wheat hamburger buns, split
Vegetable oil, for brushing
Coarse salt
1/4 cup ketchup
1/4 cup chopped dill pickles
3 tablespoons nonfat Greek yogurt
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
4 ounces green-leaf lettuce
1 large tomato, sliced
2 ounces extra-sharp cheddar cheese
1. Heat grill to high. Char eggplant, turning often, until cooked through and soft, about 30 minutes. Let cool slightly.
2. Cut eggplant in half, and scrape flesh into a fine sieve set over a bowl; discard skin. Let stand for 2 hours to drain. Coarsely chop eggplant.
3. Stir 1/2 cup eggplant into beef; reserve remainder for another use. Divide mixture into 4 equal pieces. Shape each into a 3 1/2-inch patty (about 3/4 inch thick).
4. Reheat grill to high. Grill buns, cut sides down. Brush both sides of burgers with oil, and season with salt. Grill until charred, about 4 minutes per side for medium (3 minutes per side if using a grill pan).
5. Meanwhile, mix together ketchup, pickles, yogurt, and mustard. Spread some sauce onto each bun half. Top bottom buns with lettuce, tomato, then burgers. Shave cheese onto burgers using a Microplane zester. Sandwich with remaining bun halves.
If Your Blood Pumps for Spuds …
You say po-TAY-to, I say po-TAH-to — but we all adore taters, cooked any which way. These oven fries get their crisp exteriors from high heat and just four teaspoons of oil.
Oven Fries
3 pounds russet potatoes (about 6 large), cut lengthwise into 1/4-inch-wide strips
Nonstick cooking spray
4 teaspoons vegetable oil
Coarse salt and ground pepper
1. In a large bowl, cover potatoes with water by 2 inches. Refrigerate at least 3 hours (or up to overnight).
2. Preheat oven to 400 degrees, with racks in upper and lower thirds. Lightly coat two rimmed baking sheets with cooking spray. Drain potatoes and pat dry; wipe out bowl. Toss potatoes in bowl with oil and season with salt and pepper. Divide potatoes between sheets and arrange in a single layer. Bake until golden and crisp, 45 minutes. Toss potatoes and rotate sheets. Bake 15 minutes more.
More from Martha Stewart:
Quick, One-Pot Meal Ideas To Feed the Whole Family
20 Classic Comfort Food Recipes from Martha Stewart
36 Dinners You Can Make in Just 15 Minutes!
42 Slow-Cooker Recipes Worth the Wait
Let’s not forget about enchiladas. Here’s a healthier way to get your fix.
