There’s nothing more comforting than those dishes that take us back to our childhood. But sweet and savory indulgences often come at a cost to our health. There may be “healthy” alternatives, but they’re just not the same, are they?

It’s a no-no to play around too much with the classics, says be.group Executive Chef Bruce Oravetz. “You don’t paint a mustache on the Mona Lisa,” he says. That said, Oravetz and his team have come up with a series of be.group signature dishes that whisk healthy ingredients into some erstwhile favorites without compromising the flavors we grew up with. They including everything from herb-roasted chicken to the new be.group cookie (pictured), a big chewy flavorful treat that seems to have a little bit of everything in it—and we mean that in a good way.

Oravetz and chefs Dave Powers (Regents Point), Ben Root (White Sands La Jolla) and Darin Wachs (Windsor) offer their advice on how to transform some family favorites into dishes a little less threatening to your diet with a stealthy injection of healthful ingredients.

Halving the Loaf 
Meatloaf is delicious, but can be quite greasy. To reduce the fat, Powers suggests dividing the meat used between ground turkey and lean ground beef. “It’s just a matter of looking at the recipe and trying to find a way to lighten it up,” he explains. “It’s still comfort food, but a healthier version of it.” To add fiber to your loaf, Wachs suggests folding in oats as a binding agent instead of bread. “You’ll get a lot of nice fiber in your diet from that one change,” he says.

Monster Mash
Creamy mashed potatoes are a favorite on just about any dinner table. But what makes mashed potatoes so delicious—the mix of butter and heavy cream—also can be unhealthy. Consider reducing the amount of cream and substitute margarine for butter, says Root. He also likes to boil the potatoes in chicken stock along with water. “You still add a lot of flavor” to the potatoes, he says.

Sweet and Crunchy 
What’s more comforting than an old-fashioned cookie? Oravetz has created a cookie for be.group’s communities that gets its sweet flair from white chocolate chips while delivering some whole-grain fiber with oatmeal and nutritional value from dried cranberries and toasted macadamia nuts. “The purpose was not only to create a great cookie but also to create a cookie that was going to give you a health and wellness component” says Oravetz.

A few recipes from the be.group culinary crew

be.group Signature Roasted Shallot and Tomato Dressing
be.group Signature Honey Mustard Dressing 
be.group Signature Creamy Dill Dressing
be.group Signature Cookie Recipe
be.group Signature Bistro Herb Roasted Chicken