comfort foods that will keep you looking and feeling good

Holiday season is upon us, which means it’s time to cozy up to our nostalgic comfort foods. More often than not, these feel-good foods are heavy in ingredients that don’t make us feel good for long. We know the holidays are for indulging with our loved ones, which is why we rounded up a few comforting recipes that nourish your soul AND body. Made with only clean ingredients and love, these recipes are sure to redefine the way we eat and feel. ​

Squash Soup
High in vitamins  A and C, this dairy-free, gluten-free butternut squash soup recipe is an easy seasonal dish made with nourishing bone broth and savory curry.

INGREDIENTS
2 tablespoons organic extra-virgin olive oil
1 medium yellow onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon organic red pepper flakes
1/2 teaspoon organic ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon organic ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon organic ground curry powder
1 teaspoon organic ground turmeric
7 organic carrots, peeled and diced
2 (16-ounce) bags frozen butternut squash
2 large sweet potatoes, peeled and diced
1 (13.5-ounce) can organic, unsweetened coconut milk
1 1/2 cups bone broth
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black peppers

INSTRUCTIONS

• In a large dutch oven, saute onion in olive oil until soft, about 4 minutes. Add garlic and cook until aromatic, about 1 minute. Add red pepper flakes, ginger, cinnamon and curry powder, toss to combine and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute.
• Add carrots, squash and sweet potatoes, tossing to combine. Cook until softened, about 5 minutes.
• Pour coconut milk and chicken broth over veggies and stir to combine. Season with salt and pepper. Cover pot and reduce heat to medium-low; cook for 25 minutes.
• Uncover and blend soup using an immersion blender. If you don't have one, you can blend the soup in batches in a traditional blender.​​

Sweet Potato Casserole with Pecans 
This clean sweet potato casserole recipe is made with pecans and sweet potato for an easy Thanksgiving side dish or dessert. Dairy-free, gluten-free and guilt-free, this sweet potato casserole has a creamy consistency that tastes as good as it looks. 

INGREDIENTS
For the topping:
1 cup organic raw pecans
1/2 cup gluten-free oats
1/4 cup organic cornmeal (can substitute organic, gluten-free corn flakes)
1/4 teaspoon sea salt
1/3 cup organic dark brown sugar
3 tablespoons organic grass-fed ghee, separated into chunks

For the filling:
4 15-ounce cans organic sweet potato puree
2 teaspoons organic vanilla extract
4 tablespoons organic grass-fed ghee , melted
3/4 cup organic coconut milk
3 organic, pastured eggs
2 tablespoons organic pumpkin pie spice
1/4 cup organic maple syrup

​INSTRUCTIONS

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. In a food processor, combine all topping ingredients. Lightly pulse until just crumbled. You don't want the mixture to be too fine, just roughly chopped and combined. (A quick 3-5 pulses will do the trick) Set mixture aside, and wipe the food processor clean.
• In the same food processor, combine all the ingredients for the filling. Pulse until smooth and thoroughly combined.
• In a large baking dish, pour sweet potato filling and spread into an even layer. Top with pecan crumble. Bake for 30 minutes, or until crumble topping is lightly browned. If you like it extra crispy, you can broil for 1 minute- just be sure not to burn the nuts. ​​

Crispy Garlic Brussels Sprouts with Sriracha Aioli
Crispy, faux-fried garlic Brussels sprouts with a creamy, vegan Sriracha aioli. Less than 30 minutes required and entirely vegan and gluten-free! The perfect healthier appetizer or side dish.

​INGREDIENTS
1 pound Brussels sprouts (rinsed and thoroughly dried)
3-4 Tbsp avocado, refined coconut or olive oil (any oil with high smoke point – check bottle)
1 tsp sea salt
5 cloves garlic (minced)

Sriracha Aoili:
3/4 cup your favorite hummus*
1 Tbsp sriracha (or sub hot sauce)
1/2 medium lemon (juiced)
1 pinch each sea salt + garlic powder
1 tsp smoked paprika (or regular)
1-2 tsp maple syrup (or sweetener of choice)
1 tsp apple cider vinegar

Topping:
Vegan Parmesan Cheese
Fresh herbs (cilantro, parsley, scallions)

INSTRUCTIONS

• Preheat a large skillet to medium high heat and cut any larger Brussels sprouts in half.
• Add to a mixing bowl and toss with a generous amount of oil and season generously with salt.
• Once the pan is hot, add a bit more oil to the pan and only as many sprouts as will fit without crowding the pan.
• Cover and cook for 1 minute, then use tongs to toss and turn over halved sprouts to cook both sides evenly. Cover once more and cook for another 1-2 minutes.
• Shake the pan once more to toss the sprouts and then cover for another 30 seconds.
• Remove from heat and immediately add back to the (empty) mixing bowl. Top with minced garlic and season again with salt. Continue cooking other batches until all of the sprouts are sautéed.
• To serve, sprinkle with vegan parmesan cheese, herbs of choice, and serve with Sriracha aioli or preferred dipping sauce.​

Dairy-Free Baked Pumpkin Cheesecake
Cozy, comforting baked vegan pumpkin cheesecake makes the perfect holiday treat! Layer with delicious coconut cream. 

INGREDIENTS
Crust:
1 ½ cups raw cashews
8 soft medjool dates, pitted
2 tbsp cashew butter

Filling:
1 cup pumpkin puree
½ cup unsweetened non-dairy yogurt
½ cup cashew butter
½ cup coconut nectar (or maple, agave, etc.)
2 tbsp whole psyllium husk
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp pumpkin spice
¼ tsp salt

Optional topping:
Coconut whipped cream

INSTRUCTIONS

• Preheat the oven to 350F. Oil a 6″ springform pan and set aside.
• Process all crust ingredients in a food processor into a fine sticky crumble. Transfer into the oiled pan press down to shape into a crust with your hands along the base and sides of the pan. (Tip: make sure you “seal” the gap in the base when shaping the crust — i.e. don’t leave cracks in the crust, so that the filling doesn’t leak out anywhere while baking)
• Set aside.
• Blend all filling ingredients into a smooth mixture in a power blender. Pour into the prepared crust and smooth out the top.
• Bake in a preheated oven for 1 hour and 10 mins until the top is nice and golden. Remove and cool on a wire rack completely. (A few hours or overnight is best. Note the top will sink a touch as it cools, which is normal)
• Remove from the pan, slice and enjoy with a bit of coconut whip on the side. Store leftovers in the fridge.​

No matter what holiday is celebrated, most people can think of a traditional meal that defines the holiday season for them. With these simple swaps, you’ll be able to satisfy your comfort food cravings while sticking to your healthy, balanced lifestyle. 

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​Longevity Living, an aspirational lifestyle blog by Longevity Fitness Charleston, is your source for all things fitness, nutrition and wellness. Be sure to subscribe to our weekly newsletter for scroll-worthy articles, must-watch videos from our expert trainers, studio updates & more.