Ontario's beloved groundhog Wiarton Willie saw his shadow on Sunday, meaning there will be six more weeks of winter. I don't generally pay much attention to Groundhog Day (unless we're talking about the fab Bill Murray movie ... don't argue with me, it definitely is fabulous). But I am Canadian, and therefore love to bemoan our long winters. But you know what I love about winter? Comfort food. Warm, heavy foods always taste better in cold weather. Here are my favourite winter comfort foods: Hamburgers (loaded with things like melty cheese, bacon, caramlized onions and other goods) French fries (what's a burger without fries?) Chicken fingers Pasta ... lots and lots of pasta Nachos Caesar salad Unfortunately the above favourites aren't very friendly to my waist line. It's a good thing that over the years my pals in The Test Kitchen have come up with lots of ways to make traditional comfort foods healthier. Here are a few recipes you can enjoy at home: Sweet, Sour and Sultry Turkey Burgers These are made with turkey - a much leaner alternative to ground beef. Baked Herb Sweet Potato Fries These are the perfect accompaniment to almost any main. Made with sweet potatoes (a nutritional powerhouse), these babies are baked rather than fried. Their natural sweetness is incredibly satisfying! Parmesan Chicken Fingers (pictured above) This version of a pub favourite is a snap to pull together, so leave the boxed chicken fingers on the shelf at the store. Guess what? Kids love 'em, too! Spinach, Tomato and Portobello Pasta Though this pasta dish calls for kamut noodles, I'd be lying if I told you I use anything other that tradition white Italian pasta (I can't help it, I'm Italian!). That said, whenever I do make a weeknight pasta, I make sure to load it up with lots of veggies. Vegetables like spinach, tomato and portobello make this dish hearty and satisfying, while keeping it relatively healthy. Turkey Chili Nachos This lightened-up version of nachos and cheese is a true crowd pleaser. Using lean ground turkey makes it a healthier version of traditional nachos. Photography by Yvonne Duivenvoorden