Spring might be just around the corner, but the days are still short, chilly, and perfect for cuddling up in your favorite sweater and enjoying some classic comfort food. Unfortunately, most of our favorite dishes come with an extra side of calories, and finding the ideal dish that will satisfy your cravings and still be kind to your waistline is a challenge. With these ten cozy Weight Watchers dishes, you can indulge guilt-free and ride out the last little bit of winter with stick-to-your-ribs meals that are better than takeout.
1. Weight Watchers Vegetarian Black Bean Chili
This veggie-heavy Weight Watchers chili is a winner on all fronts. It’s loaded with flavor, zero points per serving, and guaranteed to warm you to your core. Packed with smoky chipotle peppers in adobo, filling black beans, and nutrient-rich tomatoes, every bite is intensely-layered and great for your body. Since it’s so low in points, you can treat yourself to a bit of avocado or some reduced-fat cheddar cheese on top, or swirl in some Greek yogurt, which is a great stand-in for sour cream. I like to squeeze a little bit of lime juice at the end for a bright boost that ties all of the other flavors together.
2. Hot Chocolate Mug Cake
Make this four-point mug cake when you want a sweet fix but don’t want to spend much time in the kitchen. It takes just six minutes to make and is full of decadent hot chocolate flavor, making it perfect for those lazy weekend Netflix binges. All you need is the hot cocoa mix of your choice, a few tablespoons of all-purpose flour, a bit of zero-calorie sugar replacement, a pinch of baking powder, some light butter substitute and a few tablespoons of the milk of your choice. I like almond milk, but you can use what you have on-hand. If you want to make it extra special, stir in some mini marshmallows for that authentic hot chocolate taste.
3. Weight Watchers Cream of Mushroom Soup
Skip the subpar canned soups and try this two-point cream of mushroom soup instead. It’s full of rich, umami flavor, woody herbs like rosemary, sage, and thyme, and mellow leeks and celery. Low-sodium vegetable broth adds plenty of flavor with very few calories, and fat-free half and half and nonfat Greek yogurt gives each bite a velvety texture and great taste. Plus, it comes together quickly, with just fifteen minutes of prep time, and about half an hour of cook time, so you can get it from pantry to bowl in less time than it takes to order in take out.
4. Shepherd’s Pie Soup
I love a good mashup, so this shepherd’s pie soup speaks directly to my heart. It combines the classic flavors of a shepherd’s pie with a steaming bowl of velvety soup, and you can make it in an hour. The presentation is also on point, with delicate swirls of mashed potato floating on the hearty soup base, and it’s only one Weight Watcher point per serving. I use ground turkey to get that rich, meaty flavor without the fat, plenty of garlic for a big boost of antioxidants, and Greek yogurt for ultra silky and flavorful mashed potatoes.
5. Weight Watchers Baked Mac and Cheese
Baked mac and cheese is one of my all-time favorite comfort foods, which is why I was so excited to find this five-point slimmed down version packed with flavor. I like to use whole-grain pasta which gives me that boost of complex carbohydrates and keeps me full for longer. The recipe relies on a bunch of smart substitutions to keep the decadence of the original dish without the unwanted calories. Unsweetened almond milk or fat-free milk lends silkiness, and reduced-fat Velvetta cheese and fat-free mozzarella and cheddar cheeses give you that authentic flavor you crave. I add in a pinch of nutmeg to wrap everything together, and sprinkle the top with panko breadcrumbs for a craveable crunch.
6. Weight Watchers Chicken Broccoli Rice Casserole
Whenever I’m feeling the end-of-winter blahs, I make a big dish of this chicken, broccoli, and rice casserole to tide me over. It’s four points per serving and brimming with fork-tender, juicy bites of chicken breast and broccoli florets in a creamy, cheesy sauce. I swap in cauliflower rice for regular rice, which gives me a nutrient boost and keeps the calorie count low, and use low-fat Greek yogurt to amp up the velvetiness of the sauce. Topped with shredded mozzarella cheese and grated Parmesan cheese, it’s a deep dish of comfort.
7. Creamy Chicken Noodle Soup
Chicken noodle soup is the ultimate comfort food on its own, but I like to take it to the next level with a silky potato base that provides a bit of heft and extra flavor in every spoonful. This four-point soup is full of veggies, easy to make, and perfect for chilling out on the weekend. I like to use leeks, which are a good source of Vitamins A and B, and give the soup a mellow and nuanced flavor, thick-cut carrots, corn, sweet peas, and chicken breast. You can also stir in some small pasta shapes, grated potato, and a slurry of skim milk and cornstarch that adds bulk without any extra fat.
8. Weight Watchers Slow Cooker Cranberry Pear Cobbler
At four Weight Watchers points per serving, this guilt-free slow cooker dessert is one of my favorite treats during winter. It also makes your entire house smell amazing, and features pears, an excellent seasonal fruit. I keep the calorie count low by using zero-calorie sweetener, and add a tart kick with fresh cranberries. The cobbler topping is a tasty mixture of flour, baking powder, salt, and sweetner that perfectly offsets the rich, fruity filling.
9. Weight Watchers Spaghetti Carbonara
Spaghetti carbonara is one of those inspired Italian dishes that hits all the right flavor notes, but can leave you with an unwanted excess of calories. Fortunately, this slimmed-down take clocks in at five Weight Watcher points and tastes just as good, or even better than the original. The key is choosing whole-wheat spaghetti and zucchini noodles for good-for-you carbs and nutrients, smoked turkey ham, and skim milk and cornstarch to stand in for the traditional creamy sauce.
10. Slow Cooker Tuscan Chicken
This slow cooker dish can brighten up even the chilliest and darkest evenings. It’s fancy enough to serve company, and easy enough to make on a busy weeknight, making it a versatile pick that’s bound to become one of your winter go-to meals. Plus, it’s just six Weight Watcher points per serving. Homemade chicken meatballs with Parmesan cheese keep things light, and pair amazingly with zesty sun-dried tomatoes, fluffy potato gnocchi, and fresh spinach. Greek yogurt and chicken broth combine to make a satiny smooth, creamy base, and some sprinkled Parmesan cheese on top ties it all together.
Don’t let winter get you down. These ten dishes are low in points and will keep you satisfied until spring. Many are slimmed down versions of the comfort food we all crave and love, with small healthy twists and tweaks that make them waistline-friendly and deeply rewarding at the same time.
