Healthy Comfort Foods: Pumpkin Pie & Minestrone Soup

Today, some major plans fell through, and I very unexpectedly have the whole day free to tackle my kitchen and food preparation. With the fall chill in the air and mums on the front step, I am in the mood to make some of my favorite “fall” foods. These include my crustless pumpkin pie and super effortless minestrone soup! These two recipes are my go-to healthy comfort foods.

For a healthier sweet tooth fix, consider making crustless pumpkin pie. In my family, we eat crustless pumpkin pie all year-not just during the holidays. This is a slimmed down version, with literally half the calories of traditional pie. The trick is to get rid of the crust calories, but still have the pie hold its shape. Using Bisquick mix (and you can use the reduced fat version or even gluten free), you will decrease the calories by 50%. This is one of my all time healthy comfort foods which is full of anti-oxidants. You might even want to consider eating this for breakfast! My family uses this as breakfast food all the time. For other thoughts on easy and nutritious breakfasts, check this out.

Healthy comfort foods include crustless pumpkin pie

15 oz. Can pumpkin pie

1 can evaporated skim milk

¾ cup Splenda or 1/2 cup sugar

2 large eggs or 1/2 cup egg substitute

1 tsp. ground cinnamon

½ tsp. ground ginger

½ tsp. ground cloves

½ tsp. salt

½ cup Bisquick mix

Mix all the ingredients in bowl. Use baking spray and coat a glass pie pan. Add the mixture and bake at 425 degrees for about 15 minutes, then turn down the oven temperature to 350 degrees, and continue baking approximately 45 additional minutes.

Nutrition info: Each 1/8 of the pie has only 100 calories!

Soups are another fall favorite recipe. Soups are wonderful in that most can be frozen very well and then pulled out of the freezer for a very quick dinner when time is tight. A favorite soup in our family is quick minestrone. It takes virtually no time to assemble my version of this recipe. This is a true family favorite, and all of my adult children and daughter-in-law really enjoy this recipe. I hope you do as well.

Healthy comfort foods include minestrone soup

1 cup carrots, thinly sliced

1/2 cup celery, diced

1/2 cup onion, chopped

1 small zucchini, sliced

one large can (28 ounces) of low sodium chicken broth

1 can light kidney beans (15 ounces), rinsed and drained

1-2 cans of stewed tomatoes

1 cup medium pasta shells, uncooked

1 cup frozen peas or Italian-style beans

1 teaspoon dried oregano

1 teaspoon dried basil leaves

Parmesan cheese to top soup (optional)

Directions

Toss all ingredients into a stockpot. Bring to a boil and simmer until all the vegetables are tender. Sprinkle each serving with Parmesan cheese if desired. Serve with whole grain bread and a light salad. This is a meal rich in anti-oxidants and fiber. And, serve some pie along with it.

Nutrition Info: 1.5 cup serving has about 200 calories

Enjoy these fall healthy comfort foods

Enjoy the autumn along with these favorite fall recipes. And, really, these foods are both comforting and healthy anytime there’s a need for increasing self-care. By having the soup as your entree and the pie as your dessert, you have eaten a nutrient dense high quality meal. I hope you enjoy my two favorite healthy comfort foods!