Comfort food is something most people grow up eating. That food your mother of grandmother would make that smelled delicious, stuck to your ribs, and that if you ate it now it might take years off your life. Comfort food is part of what makes eating a meal with people a true joy. The problem that most of it is terribly unhealthy for you isn’t as much of an issue when you’re younger, but eventually you realize you need to stop and consider that as fact. Fall and Winter are about feeling comfortable and close to one another though and food helps with that. OROGOLD has collected a few recipes that keep the spirit and taste of comfort food alive for the fall, but that shouldn’t cost you years off of your life to enjoy. Try these healthy spins on fall favorites.

Chili
There’s something about a big pot of chili that calls anyone nearby to come smell the surrounding air. The often spicy, but not too spicy recipes help fill your stomach while providing a pleasant warmth in more ways than one. Chili with chipotle and chocolate is a dish that provides as much as it can without overdoing any one aspect of the recipe to the point it involves too much fat. Its creator uses the interesting addition of cocoa powder to help add an extra layer of flavor to the chili that helps highlight and complement the spiciness of the dish. Vegetarians can rejoice too as it only takes a few minor modifications to the recipe to make it vegetarian friendly as well. Overall, this may not be your go-to meal for fall, but it may be just what you’re looking for when the chill truly begins to set in.

Vegetable Soup
Soups enjoy a particular place of power when it comes to Fall. They start apparently out of refrigerators and old recipes start creeping into your mind that might be worth a try. You don’t have to wait until the chill in the air. A vegetable soup with pasta shells is perfect for fall. It focuses on using simple, readily available ingredients to create a healthy yet hearty meal. The best part is you can readily modify most recipes like this with vegetables to your liking or that you want in your particular diet. OROGOLD recommends trying some vegetable soup recipe as a result. Their flexibility means you can get a lot of necessary nutrients for your body and skin in one meal with good flavor.

Pumpkin Pie
What’s a meal without a dessert? Traditionally, pumpkin pie is loaded with sugars and oftentimes so is the crust. Choose a recipe that strips away anything that isn’t actually necessary for getting the desired flavor. Most of the fattening ingredients in more traditional recipes can be stripped away or substituted for lighter ingredients to keep the calories down. This doesn’t skip on the flavor though and there’s still enough in the way of sugar and spice throughout the recipe to give you an ample taste of pumpkin pie. The best part about such recipes is that you can enjoy the pie even in early fall without worrying about the oven heating up your home.

These are only a few healthy versions of classic falls recipes. If you have a particular favorite recipe, then be sure to look around as you’ll most likely find that some enterprising soul wanted a healthier version too. The main thing OROGOLD wishes for you to take away from this is that health doesn’t mean sacrificing enjoying the joys of food. Both seasonal and normal foods alike can be made healthy if you’re willing to put in a little effort to find a better recipe or modify a favorite one handed down over the years.