Here are some real-deal comfort foods and some healthier versions to try so you can make some informed choices. And although I don't typically advocate eating low-fat foods all the time, in some cases you can make healthy substitutions without sacrificing the taste you're looking for. With a little effort and planning, you can have your cake and eat it too.

Splurge: Ice cream
A half cup of Ben & Jerry's averages out at 300 calories and 17 grams of fat, depending on the flavour you use. This means that if you binge on the whole pint, you've just ingested 1,200 calories from ice cream at one sitting, and 68 grams of fat! To put this into perspective for you, that's more than a whopper with cheese, which clocks in at 680 calories and 39 grams of fat.

Solution: Sorbet
A half cup of most sorbets checks out at 110 calories, 27 grams of sugar, and 0 grams of fat. Cold comfort here I come!

Splurge: Spaghetti
Most people eat two cups of cooked pasta on average, which has 400 calories and a whopping 80 grams of carbohydrates; that's more than twice the amount of carbs found in an 8-ounce glass of regular soda. Yikes! We haven't even covered the sauces yet (tomato sauce has 90 calories per cup; vodka sauce has 380 calories per cup), or the meat (another 200 calories per 3 ounces) and Parmesan cheese that goes on top (50 calories for 2 tablespoons).

Solution: Soba noodles
Buck up your mood and the nutrient content by switching over to soba noodles which are make from buckwheat. Two cups of cooked soba noodles contain 220 calories, 48 grams of carbohydrates, and 12 grams of protein. They are delicious tossed with pesto sauce and stir-fried vegetables.

Splurge: Mashed potatoes
Considering that a serving of mashed potatoes can have up to 300 calories (gulp!), I had to come up with another option so I could keep my girlish figure – and still enjoy the best of the comfort foods.

Solution: Mashed cauliflower
Cruciferous cauliflower to the rescue! It's oh so healthful and delicious, no one (including you) will know the difference between these guys and whipped potatoes. Take 1 head of cauliflower and chop it up into florets. Throw it in a 2-quart stock pot; add in 1 cup of chicken broth and cover. Steam the cauliflower on medium heat for 20 minutes, or until fork-tender. Add more broth if necessary. Pour the cooked cauliflower and broth into a blender; add 1/4 cup olive oil and 1/2 teaspoon sea salt. Blend to desired consistency: less time for a chunkier texture, more for a creamier one. Mmmmmmmm! Serves 4; 70 calories per serving.

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Excerpted from Eat, Drink, and Be Gorgeous: A Nutritionist's Guide to Living Well While Living It Up by Esther Blum, MS, RD, CDN, CNS. Copyright 2007 by Esther Blum. Excerpted with permission from Chronicle Books. All rights reserved. No part of this excerpt may be reproduced without permission in writing from the publisher.