Lower calorie sides

wcasie
wcasie Posts: 299 Member
in Recipes
Hey! Help! I have a bad habit of fixing a healthy meat or main course but I always get stuck on what to serve for a side. Got any healthier side items for me to try! Thanks!

Replies

  • guamSUPERgirl90
    guamSUPERgirl90 Posts: 255
    a salad! w/ dressing on the side. some alternatives to salad:

    skin on small sweet potato with ICBINB light.
    whole grain toast bread (not just for breakfast!)
    seasoned veggies (best try asian spices on artichokes/ red lettuce/ and asparagus!)
    grilled fruit w/ a sprinkle of sea salt.
    seasoned beans. (try dark red kidney beans with a pinch or chili powder!)
    boiled broccoli w/ shredded crab w/ a vinigarette marinade

    the list goes on! its best to keep things simple and easy but creative!
  • coliema
    coliema Posts: 7,646 Member
    One of my favorite sides is steamed veggies, sooo good :smile:
  • mfoulkebrown
    mfoulkebrown Posts: 94 Member
    You could replace mashed potatoes with a cauliflower mash. Very simple and good.

    I'm a fan of grilled veggies. Slice your veggie, sprikle a little olive oil, salt and pepper on it, then grill it until soft. I like to add a splash of balsamic when they're done for a little tang and sweetness. This works with most anything. You can even do this with romaine hearts for a variation on a salad.

    I recently made green beans with a spicy orange sauce. Boil the green beans for a few minutes. While that is cooking, put some minced garlic in a pan with a bit of olive oil and let it cook for about a minute. Add some low cal orange juice, a bit of rice vinegar, and a splash of sriracha (Asian hot sauce). Add the beans and toss to coat.

    Another favorite of mine is a simple caprese salad. Layer a sliced tomato with some fresh basil, sprinkle some herbs like oregano and salt and pepper lightly over it, put some mozzerella (preferably fresh) on top, then drizzle olive oil and balsamic vinegar.

    Quinoa has become a recent favorite of mine. I cook it in a low sodium chicken broth, add fresh veggies like some tomatoes, onions, bell pepper, then sprinkle a bit of lemon juice over it.
  • erinlea75
    erinlea75 Posts: 47 Member
    We love roasted and grilled vegetables. Just rub a little bit of olive oil and then some sea salt and pepper.

    Carrots
    parsnips
    cauliflower (great recipe: http://www.skinnytaste.com/2009/09/oven-roasted-cauliflower.html)
    sweet potato
    asparagus (when done, just squeeze a bit of lemon and dab of low-fat butter over it)
    Endives - great for grilling, sometimes we do just olive oil, and sometimes we use balsamic vinegar

    Tonight we are doing the cauliflower recipe and maybe some sweet potato to go with our grilled lamb

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