needing low calorie sides??

natini

I roast butternut squash and use it as a side dish and eat it for breakfast with a soft boiled egg. I roast the entire squash and keep it in the fridge when i want it for the week. Just peel it, cube it, and bake on 375 for about 30-40 min. Oh, I spay a little olive oil on it with salt and pepper before roasting.

MadDogTannen22

Oh yeah, low calorie stuffed mushrooms...mmmmmm

tear up a piece of wheat toast into tiny pieces, chop up part of a green bell pepper, and some ground garlic, stuff mushrooms with it. Top with a little bit of Parmesan cheese. i used to add olive oil, but when you bake the mushrooms (about 6-7 minutes) it is plenty juice. Just enough to heat it up thoroughly. I use a toaster oven.

henkemonica

Here is my latest discovery. Slice a small potato into very thin slices. put slices on the bottom and up the sides of a plastic collander, do not overlap slices. sprinkle with spices(garlic, pepper, seasoned salt) then the fun part. Microwave 3 to 3 1/2 min. Remove from microwave before they brown. Very similar to potato chips. If not cooked to the crispy stage, taste like fried potatoes or french fries. Good dipped in catsup. Also I like to bake flour tortillas into chips. Cut tortilla into 2" squares, put on cookie sheet (spray with pam first) do not overlap chips. Again spray chips with pam and sprinkle on seasonings(garlic, pepper, seasoned salt) and put into preheated oven at 375 degreese for about 15 min. remove when they are crispy but not brown. I use these chips to scoop up tuna salad or taco fixings(lettuce, tomato, onion, ground hamburger, salsa, sour cream). Enjoy.

RunLiftEat

All sorts of roasted veggies come to mind, zucchini, squash's, portabello mushrooms, turnips, peppers, sweet potatoes, carrots, eggplant. You just need to add a little evoo, salt, and pepper. Couscous and risotto are also great healthy sides.

AnnaMaus

I'm a big fan of delish veg sides! I'm still learning and experimenting myself, but here's what I've learned from budgeting cash and calories:

- Steamed broccoli with a little olive oil or non-hydrogenated margarine.

- Sauteed shredded cabbage and onion with sweet mustard and vinegar (toss in some caraway seeds too, if you have them).

- Boiled or steamed greens--escarole, kale, turnip, collards, mustard, spinach, gai lan, bok choy--with a little olive oil or non-hydrogenated margarine and fresh garlic or garlic salt and a squeeze of lemon/lime or a splash of vinegar. You can often find these already washed and chopped in bags in the freezer section. These are also terrific to keep around for use in soups & casseroles for a big boost in nutrition, flavor and fiber.

- Chili hot beans (Joan of Arc brand is pretty tasty right out of the can, minimal fuss). They also come mild if you have little ones.

- Boiled and mashed cauliflower (instead of potato, when you're craving mashed taters). If you don't let it get waterlogged, you don't lose much in the way of flavor, save hundreds of cals over potatoes, and gain a few nutrients and lots of fiber. Room for a little gravy!

- Roasted or boiled beets with shaved onion and a light vinaigrette (make a big batch, they'll keep all week).

- Sauteed mushrooms and onions. Once the mushrooms cook down and start to stick, deglaze with a little white wine. Tasty.

Consider also making veg or bean/legume soups, and serving them up as a weekly side or lunch. Economical, healthy and versatile.