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Definitely popcorn. Cocoa made with skim milk but GOOD dark cocoa powder and not too much sugar. Chili for dinner. And roasted veggies. Homemade applesauce!

I was just going to write popcorn! It's been my go-to snack for weeks now! And it does feel healthy...

I eat an apple almost every afternoon. But if you just can't stand the cold, crunchiness, cut it up and stick it in the microwave for 45 seconds with a little nutmeg and cinnamon on top! Mmmm.... I can imagine this being even better with a few raisins and toasted pecans.

My other favorite thing right now (also cold, though...) is plain nonfat yogurt with a big blob of pumpkin mixed in and some splenda on top. Oh, joy!

tomatoes "confit". i like to use grape/cherry. toss with olive oil, salt, pepper, thyme and rosemary sprigs, spread on baking sheet in a single layer, cook at a low temp for at least an hour, till they pop or shrivel. this concentrates the tomato-y flavor and goes with lots of things. yum.

Artichoke-spinach dip (but made with low-fat cheese like Laughing cow, ricotta and/or greek yogurt) and high-fiber Finn Crisps. Veggies, fiber and calcium, plus it's warm, plus it satisfies my need for crunch without going for chips.

And it cooks in a flash in a ramekin in the microwave. Especially if you use frozen chopped spinach and canned artichoke hearts.

walnuts and candied ginger, at the moment

MMM. Just last night, I pureed fresh butternut squash with a splash of skim milk to make a thick soup, then added lentils, peas, corn, carrots, chickpeas and sprinkled with a bit of chipotle sauce, cayenne and curry. It was delish and sodium free!

Curry's one of my favorite comfort foods, as well as a a thick Filipino chicken congee called "arroz caldo." I'm sure I'll be making a lot more chilis, lentil stews, and other veggie stews. I found a new one comfort food last night while making dinner to clear out some leftovers from my pantry--roasted butternut, homemade tomato sauce, fresh basil, black olives, mushrooms, with some Israeli couscous and a sprinkle of asiago.

EDEMAME!!!

i also like the lil containers (yogurt size) of kozy rice pudding, emptied into a bowl, microwave for a couple of seconds and sprinkle some cinnamon.

Roasted green beans. Toss the beans with a splash of olive oil, sea salt, fresh pepper, and a clove or two of minced garlic and roast until slightly browned and crispy (usually about half an hour at 350 degrees, turning halfway).

A bowl of roasted green beans a toasty blanket a good movie = a cozy, comforting night.

black beans. some onions and garlic sauteed with some cumin, oregano, cayenne. dump the can of beans (everything no draining) and let it simmer until not soupy but beany. SO GOOD. by itself, in burritos, with rice.

yum.

Anything with roasted apples (apple sauce!), squash, potatoes, carrots, sweet potatoes, anything like that. Soups, stews, and roasted veggies!

Clearly there are differences in the definition of "healthy" and "comfort food". Most people don't see edamame as comfort food, for instance. Comfort food usually is heavy, starchy or sweet and often involves rice, cereal grains, or potatoes.

For me, rice pudding is a favorite, though I probably only have it about 3 times a year. I have a stove top recipe that is super easy and very satisfying, though not necessarily healthy.

My mom passed down a rice-pudding recipe to me that uses already-cooked rice. The basic recipe is cooked rice, milk, eggs, sugar, raisins, cinnamon and vanilla. Mix together in a 9x13 and bake at 325 F for about an hour. It's a great way to use up leftover rice from the night before and it's delicious. I like to customize it with a more exotic flavor by adding some or all of the following:

-barberries (golden raisins could be good too)
-rose water
-saffron
-almond extract
-nutmeg
-star anise
-cardamon
-candied ginger

This is a fairly healthful recipe if you don't put a lot of sugar in it and if you use brown rice. You could also substitute honey or another sweetener.

One more thing: this is delicious with fresh pomegranate seeds sprinkled on top.

I'm with Faith, I LOVE afternoon tea and some light lemon cookies in the fall and winter. Iced tea with cheese or nuts and fruit in the spring and summer. One of my all time favorite healthy and low fat meals is Thai Tofu Winter Squash Stew served over brown rice. It's always better the 2nd day.

http://find.myrecipes.com/recipes/recipefinder.dyn?action=displayRecipe&recipe_id=223721

My mom makes a wonderful pumpkin casarole with apples and sausage that is lowfat and keeps the chills away. Sounds a bit strange but for those who love the sweet and salt thing together you'll love it.

Glogg is another good one for when you won't be driving anywhere for awhile. (maybe not so healthy but ummm tasty)

1 ¼ C. Water
1t cardamom
5 cloves
2 cinnamon sticks
1 piece orange peel
1 ¼ C. Raisins
10 almonds
½ - ¾ C. Sugar
2 Bottles red wine
1 ¼ C. Cogniac
¾ C. port


Preparation
Boil all except for the alcohol. Strain and add sugar. Add booze and heat slowly. Enjoy.

Oh, one more favorite...And I'm going to give the rice pudn' a try next week for sure zhasmene.

Cranberry Beans
1 onion diced
2 carrots diced
3 stalks celery diced
3 dried smoked tomatoes
1 dried smoked pepper
2 bay leafs
Maple Syrup (1/2 - 1 cup to taste)
Salt & Pepper to taste

Soak beans overnight in a bowl with enough water to cover them by one inch. Sauté onion, carrot, and celery, salt and pepper to taste. Add soaked beans and soaking water. Add more water if necessary to just cover beans. Add smoked tomatoes and pepper, and bay leafs. Bring to a boil and then let simmer until beans are as soft as you like them. Add maple syrup and salt and pepper to taste. Enjoy!

Simple soup made of daikon, coriander and chicken broth

How about another sweet potato dish? (I do like the soup idea up above!) But, I made sweet potato gnocchi with brown butter and sage...might be my favorite comfort food for fall!

I made a fabulous butternut squash pasta dish last winter, and it's definitely going to make a reappearance this year. Essentially, I roasted and pureed a butternut squash, sauteed some garlic and red pepper flakes in a pan, and added about a cup of the squash puree, 1/2-1 cup of 2% milk, salt, and some parmesan cheese. Meanwhile, I cooked a pound of pasta (my favorite shape for this is cavatappi, although gemeli and medium shells work well also). I par-cooked the pasta, then drained it, combined it with the sauce, then poured it into a baking dish, topped it with another sprinkle of cheese, and baked it until the top was melted and crusty. This is absolutely delicious, and it's a great (secretly healthy! my friends all though I used about a cup of heavy cream to make it, because the squash is so luscious) alternative to macaroni and cheese, fettucine alfredo, and other creamy, heavy winter pasta dishes.

Wow ChristinaB, that sounds delish.

Well it's a bit of a wet rainy day here in BK, so for lunch I am making a pot of basmati rice, with sauteed green beans, bean sprouts, fresh garlic, and a dash of some fresh hot pepper (blended by a friend). Viola. Lunch. I got the bean sprouts from TJs for 99c, need to use soon.

(oh and prolly some home made iced tea, i really need to find a great natural sweetner!)

Popcorn, definitely! Only made on the stove, though.

Also, I love roasting brussels sprouts and cubes of sweet potato until they're crispy. Topped with an egg, over medium, is one of my favorite comfort food dinners.

And as soon as it starts to get chilly, I make lots of soups and stews, like chili (from the Joy of Cooking), curry (Nigella Lawson has a pretty good pumpkin curry recipe) and tortilla soup.

A delicious fruit crumble. I just made one with pears today.Yum!

Homemade baked beans with a little cheese on top. Warms me right up!

homemade applesauce. i just made it for the first time last week and it was so easy and delicious. you could replace the sugar with honey to make it healthier.
http://brand-eye.blogspot.com/2008/10/apples-and-more-apples.html

Oh, homemade soup! I make it in big batches and eat it all winter long. My favorite is chard, spicy sausage, and white bean soup with carrots, onions and tomatoes in a chicken broth/tomato base. The spicy sausage flavors the whole soup. It's my healthy comfort food.

-homemade dolma
-dried fruits (mainly I love apricots, dates and figs)
-homemade hummus and pita
-olives and cornichons
-low-fat pumpkin bread
-soups/stews
-air popped popcorn dressed lightly with olive oil, salt and freshly ground pepper

Japanese Golden Curry, made with carrots, potatoes, onions, and chicken, served over rice. Mmmmmm.... (recipe's on the box)

Actually, any curry (Indian, Thai, Singaporean) over rice makes me very happy!

Not light, but this is one of my favorite warm meals from childhood: Chinese red wine chicken (dark meat only) with lots of rice to soak up the sauce.

http://yewyen.vox.com/library/photo/6a0100a7f6f29c000e00fad6b27d070005.html

My mother's variation is to add carrots, and this is still the only way that I like to eat carrots. We usually throw in at least one large carrot per piece of chicken.

For hot weather, I love Hainese chicken rice.

@Orchid64 - I'm not sure I agree with your characterization of comfort food. Comfort food implies, by its very name, food that brings you comfort and is most likely "comfortable" or easy to make. Not everyone is comforted by sweet or starchy foods - one person's edamame is another's mac & cheese is another's tomato soup, and so on.

Cream of wheat! I top it with a dollop of mascarpone and drizzle it with a little maple syrup. If you don't use much of either, it's a healthy and filling breakfast -- very high in iron :).

Homemade sage pesto (fresh sage, olive oil, walnuts, salt and pepper, no cheese), tossed with cheese tortellini or spaghetti, steamed collard greens, and steamed new potatoes, and more toasted walnuts if you desire.

Carrots roasted with balsamic, olive oil, dried thyme, and a dash of sugar.

Carrot soup made with red lentils, lots of ginger and garlic, red Thai curry paste, and coconut milk!

I really love black bean soup. Dutch baby pancakes -- so eggy and omelety -- yum. I love apricot meatballs. They make them at the co-op in Boise, and I have made special hour and a half round trips to go get them. I also love their baklava. I would love to get a job there just long enough to steal that recipe. I have given it serious consideration. If I really love a recipe, I try not to sound to desperate when I ask for it. If someone senses how bad I want it, sometimes they will inch away real slow.