Comfort Food Alternatives Slideshow

Forget about opening that can of soup from the store, laden with sodium, mushy vegetables, and limp noodles. Instead, fire up that slow cooker that's been gathering dust since last year and enjoy a freshly made soup with ease. And it will taste like it's been cooking all day — because it has. With just 164 calories and 1.3 grams fat per 1 ½ cup serving, it's easy on the waist, too.

Click here to see the Slow Cooker Lemon Chicken and Orzo Soup Recipe.

These will definitely be a hit with the kids. This recipe comes from Recipe Rehab, a television show on ABC where two chef teams face off to create healthier versions of a family's favorite dish. The first step to cutting out the fat with fried chicken? Making sure it doesn't hit the fryer in the first place. A tangy barbecue sauce made with Dijon mustard and Tabasco is the perfect accompaniment to the chicken.

Click here to see the Baked Southern Fried Chicken with Barbecue Sauce Recipe.

Missy Chase Lapine, author of The Speedy Sneaky Chef, cuts down on calories in this comfort food favorite by using low-fat dairy and a vegetable purée instead of heavy cream or whole milk as a thickener. At just 255 calories and 3.2 grams of fat per serving, it's a dream come true.

Click here to see the BBQ Chicken Mac and Cheese Recipe.

Take a break from buttery, fattening mashed potatoes and gravy and try these baked sweet potato fries instead. Taking the fryer out of the equation means that these fries are as healthy as can be, and sweet potatoes are loaded with vitamins A and C, as well as fiber.

Click here to see the Baked Sweet Potato Fries with Parmesan and Cinnamon Recipe.

Take advantage of the season's bounty with this hearty, nutritious side dish that goes well with just about anything.

Click here to see the Braised Turnips and Carrots Recipe.

While some versions of butternut squash soup pile on the calories and fat with butter, milk, and heavy cream, this lighter version uses chicken stock to keep all the flavor while dropping the calorie count. At just 116 calories per 1-cup serving, it's a featherweight.

Click here to see the Roasted Butternut Squash and Leek Soup Recipe.

Try these on for size. At just 118 calories and 1.8 grams of fat per serving, these mini casseroles aren't the usual calorie bomb. With just five ingredients, they're also incredibly easy to make.

Click here to see the Skinny Broccoli and Cheese Casseroles Recipe.

Not a huge fan of sweet potato, but don't want to give up the health benefit of oven-baking fries? Then try this fantastic recipe from Viviane Bauquet Farre, author of the award-winning blog Food and Style.

Click here to see the Cumin-Crusted Oven Fries Recipe.

Jennifer Drummond, author of the blog Peanut Butter and Peppers and creator of this soup, says, "It's thick, creamy, and does taste like chicken pot pie without the crust!" The best part? Just 147 calories and 1.9 grams fat per serving.

Click here to see the Slow Cooker Chicken Pot Pie Soup Recipe.

No roundup of comfort foods would be complete without chili. Tosca Reno, author of the Eat-Clean Diet series of cookbooks, has come up with a vegetarian chili that's healthier than the traditional meat-based versions and sure to satisfy meat lovers at the same time with its smoky, toasted cumin flavor, four different types of beans, and a secret ingredient.

Click here to see the Vegetarian Chili Recipe.