Please tell me all of your favorite side dishes!

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ready4change
ready4change Posts: 151 Member
in Recipes
I've fallen into a rut; a "frozen sweet corn" rut! Lately when I go to make any meal that's in need of a side dish I always make frozen sweet corn (from my grandpa's field.. it's delicious!) or grilled potatoes but I'm getting sick of it!

I don't have a lot of experience cooking/steaming veggies aside from potatoes and corn. Lame I know. If you do suggest a recipe with a more "unique" type of veggie, I'd appreciate a few pointers on how to prepare it. =)

Please share all of your favorites as well as ones you've been wanting to try out! I'm in serious need of variety!
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Replies

  • simona1972
    simona1972 Posts: 355 Member
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    My absolute favorite side dish is mashed cauliflower. All I do is cook the cauliflower until it's soft, drain it, mash it with light cream cheese. Simple but so delicious!

    I also love any veg. roasted in the oven. High heat, a bit of oil, salt, pepper, rosemary. My typical mix is sweet potatoes, carrots, parsnips, and potatoes.
  • blondie76
    blondie76 Posts: 552 Member
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    baked rice


    long grain brown rice

    sodium reduced chicken broth

    frozen veggies mixed

    put in casserole dish and bake!
  • kellycrow
    kellycrow Posts: 140
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    steamed broccoli is easy & yummy...

    roasted asparagus: wash, trim the woody stems, put in a ziplock and add olive oil, sea salt & black pepper & mix... then spread on a cookie sheet (with sides) and bake at 425 for about 12-15 minutes. sometimes i add sliced portabella mushrooms! YUMMY!!!

    a fancier side dish is this:
    Aaloo Gobhi (Potato Cauliflower)

    1 medium cauliflower
    2 small potatoes (I used 10 very small roasting potatoes)
    ¼ cup vegetable oil
    1 small onion, chopped
    2 inches of ginger root (peeled and minced)
    1 or 2 hot chili peppers (I used chili powder - to taste...my first was 1 tsp)
    ½ tsp salt (optional)
    ½ tsp ground turmeric
    ½ tsp ground cumin
    1 tsp coriander

    Wash cauliflower and cut into uniform sized pieces. (for even cooking, you steam them in the skillet) Peel potatoes and cube into small squares. I used the small roasting potatoes and did not peel then. Heat oil in heavy pan/skillet. Fry onions until golden brown. Add ginger and chili peppers. Stir well and add salt, turmeric, cumin, and coriander. Stir in potatoes, Stir in cauliflower, increase heat and cover.

    Keep a watch on the pot until steam forms inside the pan. Reduce heat to low and continue cooking for 15 minutes. The potatoes and cauliflower should be fork tender. All done!!

    Per serving:

    Cal: 235
    total fat: 14.3
    Cholesterol: 0 mg
    Sodium: 634.4 mg
    Potassium: 846.8 mg
    Total Carbs: 25.0 g
    Fiber: 6.4 g
    Sugars: 0.6 g
    Protein: 5.0 g

    Vit A: 2.6%
    Vit C: 140.9%
    Calcium: 5.7%
    Iron: 10.2%

    (This recipe IS in the MFP database)
  • aippolito1
    aippolito1 Posts: 4,894 Member
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    My absolute favorite and I haven't done this in awhile but have been CRAVING lately ... green beans with slivered almonds and pan-fried purple onions. Just throw the onions in a pan with some olive oil and maybe some salt and pepper and let them brown. Mix them in with the green beans & almonds and ta-da. DELICIOUS! The flavors are soo yummy together. I also love doing baked potato cubes with rosemary in the oven. Just chop 'em up like you would to mash them... throw it in a pan coated with olive oil, throw a ton of rosemary on top and bake at 350 for about 40 minutes. YUM! :)
  • ShawnaLynn
    ShawnaLynn Posts: 6 Member
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    I really focus on eating green veggies as sides. I love the frozen steamable bags of broccoli....sometimes I add a tiny sprinkle of cheese or sea salt on top. Some nights I also do the microwavable begs of rice...uncle bens maybe? I love the long grain and wild rice, but there are a lot of different flavors. I love greek salad also...chopped cucumbers, tomatos, a little red onion, italian spices and feta cheese in some olive oil and red wine vinegar...sooo good!

    Fruit is also a great option! :)
  • Iorns78
    Iorns78 Posts: 118 Member
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    Cottage Cheese, love it and so do my kids. I also like to eat baked squash, cut it in half add a little bit of butter and bake, yum yum! Another favorite is "mini" squash and "mini" zuchini (sp?), cut up thin, with a little oil pan fry until tender...yet...crisp, I like to add salt, pepper, garlic and a little italian seasoning for flavor.
  • kfsooner
    kfsooner Posts: 40
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    I love the potato cauliflower dish mentioned earlier, and mashed cauliflower!!! I also love roasted golden beets!!
  • mikerdoo
    mikerdoo Posts: 3 Member
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    I'll second the mashed cauliflower. I like it spiced up a bit with lots of pepper (and a dash of salt). Steam some garlic cloves along with the cauliflower and mash that in as well!

    I also use a little butter (real, not the fake stuff-but keep it to a tablespoon) instead of cream cheese. If you use a food processor and puree it well, it will have the same consistency of mashed potato!
  • TheMaidOfAstolat
    TheMaidOfAstolat Posts: 3,222 Member
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    Roasted asparagus
    Steamed green beans with garlic
    Baked potatos (without all the added stuff)
    Grain pilafs (quinoa, amaranth, millet)
    Spinich salad with strawberries and balsalmic vinager
    Sweet potato fries with a sprinkle of red pepper
    :bigsmile:
  • conniegb
    conniegb Posts: 8 Member
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    Kelly,
    The recipes sound great, and I LOVE your beautiful kitty!
    Connie:smile:
  • kellycrow
    kellycrow Posts: 140
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    Thanks! I actually got the recipe from my sister (kfsooner) and that kitty was my last one - he passed earlier this year after being my buddy for 15 years... cancer - poor guy... that photo was taken the night before we had to say goodbye.
    We have a very crazy, insane, adorable kitten now... need to update my photo i suppose but we can't get the new kitty to sit still long enough for a photo! haha!! :o)
  • cattiemac
    cattiemac Posts: 251 Member
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    Roasted Broccoli - Cut broccoli into pieces drizzle with EVOO and add whatever spices you like (I use garlic and basil). Bake in the oven for 30 minutes at 350 deg. turning halfway through

    Roasted Veggies - take any veggies you like (I use mushrooms, onion, pepper, zucchini) and cut them into pieces and mix with either (1) balsamic vinegar and EVOO or (2) spices and EVOO and roast in the oven at 350 def. for about 25 mins. turning halfway through.

    Sauteed Zucchini - cut zucchini into pieces and mix with spices and EVOO and saute for about 5 mins on about medium heat.

    In a pinch I also enjoy frozen peas or shelled Edamame :)
  • Vallandingham
    Vallandingham Posts: 2,177
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    You can roast almost any veggie.

    Some I like are Brocolli, Green Beans. Asparagus, Green onions. Take your pick, or any combination. Put in Bowl. Drizzle Olive oil. Season (I like to use the same rub I use on toe BBQ. Mix. Put in baking dish and bake for 15 minutes at 325.
  • leavinglasvegas
    leavinglasvegas Posts: 1,495
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    Steamed broccoli tossed in Zip sauce. (Just the Zip sauce, I do not ever add butter.
    Brown Basmati
    Salad with balsamic vinegrette
    Spinach cooked with onions and tossed with sea salt


    The spinach and stawberries sounds very yummy too. I think I might have that for dinner............
  • amesnc
    amesnc Posts: 32
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    Bump :)
  • ready4change
    ready4change Posts: 151 Member
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    These all sound fabulous!!! Keep 'em comin'! =)

    How do you prepare asparagus?
  • sissy56
    sissy56 Posts: 108 Member
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    Steamed delicata squash, a tsp or less of maple syrup, and a tablespoon of bacon bits
  • robbienjill
    robbienjill Posts: 456 Member
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    Steamed cabbage and also baked sweet potatos
  • sara_m83
    sara_m83 Posts: 545 Member
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    I like to mash a sweet potato as a side if I am looking for something a bit starchy and filling. Very easy - just like a potato, boil, drain and mash with a bit of butter.

    I also like to have a twice-baked potato as a side to a healthy lean protein and high-fibre dinner. I microwave a potato for about 5 minutes, cut it in half, scoop out the innards and mash with a bit of butter and cheddar cheese, then stuff back into the skin and bake for 15 minutes. SO satisfying and delicious. Keep the potato to a reasonable size and you'll feel very sated having this alongside some chicken and green veggies.
  • sara_m83
    sara_m83 Posts: 545 Member
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    You can roast almost any veggie.

    Some I like are Brocolli, Green Beans. Asparagus, Green onions. Take your pick, or any combination. Put in Bowl. Drizzle Olive oil. Season (I like to use the same rub I use on toe BBQ. Mix. Put in baking dish and bake for 15 minutes at 325.

    oh yes my favourite dinner at the moment is just roasted veggies. I like to use red and yellow pepper, mushrooms, red onion, tomatoes, and eggplant. Toss with olive oil to coat, put in a baking dish and and bake for an hour on a low heat. Yum yum!

    I also thought of one more I really like: balsamic green beans.

    Steam green beans and as you're doing that:

    Saute 1-2 gloves of garlic and 1/2c. of green onion in a frying pan with some olive oil until soft
    Add 1/4c. or so of balsamic vinegar to the frying pan and reduce heat
    Add 1tsp of sugar or splenda to balsamic vinegar
    Add your steamed green beans and saute until balsamic has formed into a nice reduction

    Very tasty!

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