Healthy Weekend Comfort Food Dinner Recipes

Penne Pasta-Yenhoon

If you're anything like me,  the weekend's often bring about a craving for comfort foods.  I believe the weekends are for pigging out, but I don't want to sabotage my diets or my workouts.  So, I'm always looking for healthy, hearty alternatives to my favorite foods.

I've comprised a list of my favorite alternatives to Panera Bread's panini and soup combo, Chipolte's Mexican Grill's burrito bowl, and I've included one of my own hearty, healthy recipes straight from my own kitchen.  Enjoy!

Alternative Panera Bread's tomato, basil and mozzarella pannini and soup. 

Ingredients: 

• 1 package Arnold Select multigrain sandwich thins
• 1 package reduced fat provolone cheese
• 1-2 Roma tomatoes (sliced)
• 1 7oz  package Buitoni All Natural Pesto with Basil
• 1 box of your favorite Campbell's V8 flavored soup *

Instructions: 

1. Heat panini press or skillet.*
2. Heat soup in pot on medium low.
3. Spread both sides of sandwich thin with pesto basil.
4. Add slice of provolone cheese to one side of sandwich.
5.  Add slices or Roma tomatoes on top of provolone cheese.  Top with other bun.
6. Place sandwich in panini press or skillet, press til golden brown or grill marks appear.
7. Remove, serve with bowl of soup or chips.

*fat free, or reduced fat chips or salad can be substituted for soup  
* if using skillet, use another large skillet or pot to press panini on both sides. 


Alternative Chipotle Mexican Grill's Burrito Bowl

Ingredients: 

• 1 10 count package Tumaro's Multi Grain Low Carb Gourmet Tortillas
• 1-2 packages brown rice boil in the bag (cooked according to package)
• 1-2 chicken breasts (cooked and sliced)
• 1 15 oz can black beans (heated)
• 1 15 oz can pinto beans (heated)
• 1 15 oz can of corn (heated)
• 1 TBsp cilantro 
• 1 med. green pepper (Julianne sliced and sauteed)
• 1 med.  red pepper (Julianne sliced and sauteed)
• 1 med. sweet onion ( Julianned sliced and sauteed)
• 1 11. 5 oz Mission Guacamole flavored dip
• 1 24 oz Chipoltle flavored salsa
• 1 package fat free, or reduced fat sour cream
• 1/2 lime
• 1 head of iceberg lettuce (chopped)
• 1 -2 large tomatoes (chopped)
• 1 package reduced fat cheddar cheese

Instructions: 

1. Squeeze lime juice into rice.  Add cilantro to rice.  Mix in bowl and set aside.
2. Add chipotle salsa to corn, mix in bowl and set aside. 
3. Set remainder of ingredients in bowls or serving dishes.
4. In medium bowl, layer ingredients for burrito. 
Serve with tortilla.


Venus's Vegetable Medley

Ingredients:

• 1/2 lb low carb pasta
• 1 can great northern beans (strained)
• 1 bag fresh spinach
• 2 medium sized zuchinni (cut in half circles)
• 2 medium sized squash  (cut in half circles)
• 1 container cherry tomatoes
• 1/2 sweet onion (peeled and cut in half circles)
• 1 Tbsp minced garlic
• 1  container basil pesto
• 1 lb mozzarella cheese
• extra virgin olive oil
• 1-2 Tbs butter
• salt and pepper to taste

Instructions:

1. In large pot, bring water to a boil.  Add low carb pasta, cook according to box directions. Drain, add pesto and set aside.
2. In a large skillet, drizzle olive oil, coating bottom of pan.  Add 1Tb butter, garlic and onions. 
3. Add zucchini.  Saute until soft.
4. Add squash.  Saute until soft.
5. Add beans and cherry tomatoes. Stir. Add vegetable mixture to pasta.
6. In large skillet, drizzle with olive oil, add 1Tbs butter and garlic.  Saute until soft. Add to vegetable mixture.
7. Salt and pepper to taste.
8. Top with cheese and serve.

This concludes my list of my favorite weekend comfort dinner recipes.  I hope you enjoy them!  Please feel free to drop me a comment on what you think about them.

Be sure to check back for a list of my favorite healthy weekend comfort food desert recipes and my favorite healthy weekend comfort food breakfast recipes!