Healthify your favorite comfort foods

Comfort foods are cozy and warm – they’re those foods we turn to when we crave some familiarity, nostalgia, or an instant pick-me-up. Think of foods like crispy fried chicken, hot, golden fries and ketchup, or a big bowl of ice cream.

Although these meals often evoke powerful memories of family mealtimes or cozy weekends, they often carry very little nutritional value.

The indulgent and satisfying flavors that make comfort foods so appealing to our taste buds are usually because of the presence of added fats, sugars, and appetite-inducing refined carbohydrates.

Most of the time, our cravings for these foods come from emotional cues, stress, or a craving for energy-dense foods. Research even shows that eating high-fat or high-sugar foods can release dopamine, the happy chemical, creating feelings of pleasure and satisfaction.^{1, 2}

What are some simple swaps you can already make?

Before diving into some of our favorite recipes, here are some of the quick and easy ways you can raise the health stakes for some of your favorite comfort foods and meals:

• Veggie swaps – use cauliflower as an alternative to rice or feel free to swap egg noodles for zucchini, carrot, and beet noodles
• Swap full-fat dairy products for low-fat or high-protein alternatives like quark or Skyr
• Replace added or refined sugar with natural alternatives such as honey, maple syrup, or agave syrup
• Use vegetables, lentils, or whole grains to bulk up meals – substitute 50% minced meat in a spaghetti bolognese for lentils and beans for a wholesome alternative

Here are 4 healthfied comfort food recipes to try with your Creami and Ninja air fryer. No Ninja? No problem – we’ve got some alternative cooking tips so you don’t miss out on all the fun.

The key here is experimentation. Healthy food doesn’t have to be boring. It can be colorful, satisfying, and delicious with a few tweaks.

1. Air fryer crispy chicken and fries

This take on a fried chicken recipe swaps the unhealthy deep-fat frying technique for air frying, cutting the fat content of your meal. Pairing chicken strips with sweet potato fries packs in more nutrition than regular French fries.

Crispy chicken

Ingredients

• 2 chicken breasts, cut into strips
• 2 eggs
• 20 g of plain flour
• oil (in a spray bottle)

For the crispy coating

• 70 g wholegrain breadcrumbs
• 1 tsp dried chilli flakes
• 1 tsp smoked paprika powder
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tsp black pepper
• 1 tsp garlic powder

Method

1. Preheat your air fryer to 200°C (390°F).
2. You’ll need 3 medium-sized bowls. In one bowl, crack the eggs and beat until they are mixed well. In the second bowl, pour in the flour. In the third bowl, add the breadcrumbs and spices and give them a good stir to combine.
3. Place the chicken in the plain flour bowl, making sure the chicken is completely covered in flour.
4. Then place the floured chicken strips into the beaten egg bowl and completely cover.
5. Finally, transfer the chicken into the breadcrumbs and spice coating bowl and completely cover. Make sure each strip is even covered.
6. Add the coated chicken to the air fryer neatly, making sure the strips are touching as little as possible.
7. Spray with a little oil so the coating looks a little glossy.
8. Cook for 10 to 15 minutes or until crispy and golden and thoroughly cooked through, turning halfway through and spraying sparingly with a little oil.

Sweet potato fries

Ingredients

• 2 sweet potatoes
• 1 tsp olive oil
• 1 tsp smoked paprika powder
• ½ tsp of salt
• ½ tsp pepper

Method

1. Peel the sweet potatoes and slice them into ½ cm sticks, similar to French fries.
2. In a bowl, drizzle oil over the sweet potatoes and give them a good toss to ensure they are coated.
3. Sprinkle over the paprika powder, salt, and pepper and mix with your hands to ensure they are well coated.
4. Cook the sweet potato fries in batches in your air fryer at 180°C (350°F) for 10 to 15 minutes, until they are cooked to your liking.
5. When all the batches are cooked, return them to the air fryer, and cook for a further 1 to 2 minutes to ensure they are hot.

Alternative cooking methods

If you don’t have an air fryer, you can bake the chicken tenders and sweet potato fries in the oven. Depending on the size of your chicken tenders, you'll need to bake them at 220°C (425°F) for 25 to 30 minutes or until crisp, golden, and cooked through. Spread the sweet potato fries on a separate baking sheet and cook for 15 to 20 minutes until crispy.

2. Air fryer veggie chips

Chips can be the ultimate way just to veg out and relax. Ditch those traditional greasy chips for these root veggie chips – they’re packed with nutrients, fiber, and none of that excess fat and no good-for-you oil.

Ingredients

• 1 parsnip
• 1 small sweet potato
• 1 beetroot
• 1 carrot
• 120 g torn kale leaves
• Olive oil spray
• Your preferred seasoning, e.g. garlic powder, sea salt, truffle salt, nutritional yeast

Method

1. Preheat the Ninja Air Fryer to 180°C (350°F).
2. Wash the veggies under cold water.
3. Thinly slice the vegetables using a sharp knife or a mandolin, cutting them so they resemble a chip form and are approximately 3 mm thick. Cut the kale leaves from their spines and tear them into small pieces. Cut the beetroot last to avoid the color running. The kale chips are likely to cook quicker, so you may want to air fry these separately in batches.
4. Place the veggie slices into a bowl and spray with a couple of sprays of oil. Toss until evenly coated and add your preferred seasoning and toss again.
5. Add the vegetables to the air fryer tray and cook for 15 to 16 minutes until crisp and golden, checking and shaking every 5 minutes.
6. Remove from the air fryer and place on a baking tray and allow to cool.

Alternative cooking methods

If you don’t have a Ninja Air Fryer, preheat your oven to 160°C or gas mark 3 and bake the vegetable slices on a large baking tray for 20 to 25 minutes, turning every 5 minutes until crisp and golden.

3. Ninja Creami healthy strawberry milkshake

There’s something to be said for the nostalgia of a strawberry milkshake. But the overload of calories, fats, and sugars in this creamy treat might make you think twice or leave you feeling guilty after indulging. That’s where the Ninja Creami comes in. This recipe uses fresh strawberries, plant-based ice cream, and almond milk to give your milkshake a healthier edge.

Ingredients

• 150 g fresh or frozen strawberries
• 400 g plant-based vanilla ice cream
• 60 ml unsweetened almond milk

Method

1. Dice the strawberries into bite-sized chunks.
2. Add the plant-based ice cream to the Ninja Creami pint container.
3. Pour in the milk and add the strawberries.
4. Place the pint container into the Creami’s outer bowl, and secure the lid.
5. Lock the bowl into place in the Ninja Creami machine.
6. Select the “Milkshake” function and wait for the cycle to finish. If it’s too thick, add a few tablespoons of milk and run it again until it’s the desired consistency.
7. Remove the pint container from the machine and pour the milkshake into individual hi-ball glasses.
8. Garnish with a sliced strawberry and serve.

Alternative preparation method

If you don’t have a Ninja Creami, you can still capture strawberry shake goodness by making this recipe in a smoothie maker or a blender. Simply add all the ingredients and blend until smooth and combined. Pour into glasses and serve!

4. Ninja Creami healthy banana ice cream

Ice cream has a way of making everything better – truly a comfort in a bowl. If you're an ice cream lover, this delicious banana version contains natural sugars and fiber, making it the ultimate healthy, comforting snack. Want to add an extra layer of decadence? Add in a handful of cacao nibs – it’s the chef’s kiss.

Ingredients

• 3 small ripe bananas, peeled
• 250 ml oat milk
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 tbsp maple syrup or runny honey

Method

1. Add all of the ingredients to a mixing bowl and blend using an immersion blender, whisk, or a handheld masher to mash the banana thoroughly. Once mashed, give the mix a good stir.
2. Transfer the mixture to the Ninja Creami pint container.
3. Put the lid on the container and freeze for 24 hours. The mixture should be solid before mixing.
4. Remove from the freezer and place the container in the Ninja Creami machine. Select “Lite Ice Cream” and wait for the cycle to finish.
5. Press the re-spin button once. The ice cream should have a creamy consistency. If it’s still crumbly, re-spin it one more time. If the mixture is too thick, add 1-2 tablespoons of oat milk until desired consistency.
6. Serve in ice cream bowls and enjoy with your favorite toppings – or add to your strawberry milkshake recipe.

Alternative preparation method

If you don’t have a Ninja Creami, no problem! Slice and freeze the bananas overnight, then add them to a blender with 1 to 3 tablespoons of almond milk, adding the milk one tablespoon at a time. Blend until smooth, toss in your favorite toppings, serve, and enjoy!

Healthy swaps don’t mean you don’t need to give up your favorite comfort foods. With tools like the Ninja Air Fryer and Ninja Creami, you can indulge without the extra calories and added guilt. Balance is key, though – aim for 80% real, nourishing foods to help keep your healthy lifestyle both fun and satisfying.