Raise your hand if you’ve ever eaten something unhealthy because you felt stressed. During my trips to the supermarket, I have been shocked to see so many grocery carts overloaded with junk food. I understand that people are tired and seeking comfort. But tater tots and ice cream won’t help. In the past, I’ve turned to food to bring me solace. But in hindsight, I learned that when you eat poorly, you feel worse so you eat poorly again. After two slices of pie, you might as well eat the whole thing, right? It’s a downward spiral!

Cleaning up your diet may help you feel better physically and emotionally. If that’s still not enough to motivate you, here are my 3 favorite food categories that I reach for whenever I’m stressed. Comfort foods don’t have to be junk. And healthy foods don’t have to be boring (see below for 2 of my favorite recipes that prove just that).

Foods I Reach for When I’m Stressed:

1. Food with Fins. Meat prices are skyrocketing and there’s talk about shortages. Meanwhile, there’s been a spike in seafood consumption. But I still hear from people who are afraid to serve fish at home because they don’t know how to prepare it. Really, it’s easy. Just saute it at high heat until it changes color and flakes easily. Total cooking time would be about 8-9 minutes for thick fillets, and 6-7 minutes for thinner fillets.

• Make sure to use the right oil. Some oils become carcinogenic at high heat. Malaysian palm oil is ideal for fish because it has a neutral, buttery flavor. Plus it’s heart-healthy, nutritious and certified sustainable.
• Choose sustainable fish. We’re all attuned to shortages right now. Get into the habit of making responsible choices that help protect our food supplies and our planet. The American seafood industry generally has better sustainability practices than those of other countries.

2. Food from the Soil. There’s no shortage of fruits and vegetables. Because they are rich in fiber, you’ll feel fuller so you’re less likely to want to snack. Consider serving plant-based proteins a few times each week instead of animal proteins. You may know that beans and legumes have a lot of protein. But I’ll bet you didn’t know that there’s also protein in whole grains, broccoli and sweet potatoes. So, challenge yourself to create the most colorful plate of food possible.

• Make sure you’re always eating a variety of foods. Consider what you ate yesterday, and try not to eat it again today.
• Opt for fresh or lightly processed. Many over-processed foods, even those sourced from plants, can contain too much sugar and salt. Even if it’s made from plants, you still need to read the labels.

3. Food That’s Fun.

Keep the kids from going stir crazy by getting them into the kitchen. Instead of swinging into another drive-through, teach your kids how to choose and prepare foods on their own that will keep them occupied and sharpen their minds.

• Plant a garden with kid-approved brain foods such as strawberries, tomatoes, sweet potatoes, carrots, spinach and broccoli.
• Encourage them to sample new things. Have your kids research traditional foods and meals in different parts of the world. Then ask them to share what they’ve learned around the dinner table. It’s a wonderful way to take your family on a culinary adventure while you’re all stuck at home. For instance, my kids know that I only cook with palm oil produced in Malaysia because it is certified sustainable; it’s made without harming wildlife or rain forests.
• Have enough measuring spoons and measuring cups so that each child can use their own. That speeds up meal prep time. Kitchen shears are safer for kids to use than knives.

If you feed your family junk food, your health will pay the price. But you don’t have to be a slave to your stove. Do what I’ve done and try eating just fresh foods for a couple weeks. Pay attention to how eating different foods makes you feel, not just in the moment but also the next day. Then slowly introduce processed or sugary foods back into your diet and see how you feel. Once I cleaned up my diet and realized how great I felt, and how much clearer my thinking was, it became easier to kick my favorite junk foods to the curb, permanently!

Here are 2 of my favorite comfort foods that are healthy to boot:

Chicken “Palm-atta”

Ingredients:

• 2 skinless and boneless chicken breasts, butterflied and then cut in half
• Sea salt & freshly ground pepper to taste
• all-purpose flour, for dredging
• 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 7 tablespoons Malaysian sustainable Red Palm Fruit Oil
• 1/3 cup lemon juice, fresh
• 1/2 cup chicken stock
• 1/4 cup brined capers, rinsed
• 1/3 cup Italian parsley, chopped

Directions:

1. Season chicken with salt and pepper. Dredge chicken in flour and shake off excess.
2. Place a large sauté pan over medium-high heat and melt 2 tablespoons of butter with 6 tablespoons Malaysian Red Palm Oil.
3. When butter and oil are hot, add 2 pieces of chicken and cook for 3 minutes. When chicken is golden, flip and cook for 3 more minutes.
4. Remove from the pan and hold in a warm spot.
5. Into the pan add the lemon juice, stock, and capers. Place on the burner and bring to boil, scraping up brown bits from the pan to deglaze for extra flavor.
6. Adjust seasoning with salt and pepper if necessary.
7. Return all the chicken to the pan and simmer for 3-5 minutes.
8. Move chicken to platter. Add remaining 2 tablespoons butter and 1 Tbsp of Palm oil to sauce and whisk to emulsify.
9.  Pour sauce over chicken and garnish with parsley.

Mashed Root Vegetables with Chevre and Chives

Ingredients:

• 2 pounds celery root (celeriac), peeled and cut into 1-inch pieces
• 1 pound parsnips, peeled and cut into 1-inch pieces
• 1 pound Yukon gold potatoes, peeled and cut into 1-inch pieces
• 5 cloves garlic, peeled
• 4 tablespoons Smart Balance Spread, divided
• 1/2 cup nonfat buttermilk
• 1/4 cup Chevre goat cheese
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon pepper, freshly ground
• 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
• 1/3 cup fresh chives, snipped

Directions:

1. Bring 1-inch of water to a simmer in a large saucepot.
2. Place celery root, parsnips, and potatoes in a large steamer basket over the water, cover and steam over medium heat for 20 minutes.
3. Add garlic and continue steaming until the vegetables are fall-apart tender, 20 minutes more. Add more water if necessary.
4. Drain the cooking liquid through a sieve and return the vegetables to the pan.
5. Place over low heat and continue to stir for 3-4 minutes to steam dry.
6. Add 2 tablespoons Smart Balance and mash until chunky-smooth.
7. Gradually stir in buttermilk, chevre, salt, pepper, and nutmeg.
8. Just before serving, stir in the remaining 2 tablespoons Smart Balance and chives.

Make-Ahead Tip: Prepare everything through Step 2 and refrigerate for up to 2 days. Reheat in a double boiler and stir in the remaining butter and chives (Step 3) just before serving.

Check out more of my healthy recipes at ChefGerard.com.

Chef Gerard Viverito

Tinybeans Voices Contributor

Chef Gerard Viverito is Director of Culinary Education for Passionfish, a NGO non-profit organization dedicated to educating people around the globe on the issue of sustainability in the seas. He is also the operator of Saveur Fine Catering, a company focusing on local, sustainable and organic foods.