Need side dish help

nmacchi

My husband and I recently committed to not eating out for 1 month. Does anyone have any suggestions for non-potatoe side dishes?

agggie550

This is one of my favorites... super taste

http://www.skinnytaste.com/2009/06/southwestern-black-bean-salad.html

Mokey41

Pasta, rice, quinoa. Actually I quit eating all of those plus potatoes on a regular basis because they're mostly starch and I can get a lot more filling foods for the same calories. My hubby thinks he'll die if he doesn't have potatoes but 2 years in I'm still alive!

AprilOneFourFour

Creamed spinach - for steak or chicken
Fried greens with garlic and chilli (and soy sauce) for asian dishes
Little gem lettuces, quartered lengthways and tossed in a dressing
Small white beans cooked with diced veg / bacon / a little chorizo - good with white fish or chicken
I serve hummus with kebabs and a salad of diced tomato, cucumber and radish
Cauliflower roasted with a shake of cumin
Ratatouille (oven baked, try cooks illustrated version) with grilled meats, or with grated cheese
Chick peas cooked with strips of sun dried tomato and roasted peppers
Red cabbage, onion and apple casserole

TraciStivers

Rice
Salads (there are hundreds of varieties to try, waldork, carrot & raisin, etc)

KristieJC

A friend of mine gave me a really delicious, simple veggie dish - roasted veggies. Cut up any veggies you like (I do zucchini, yellow squash, broccoli, bell peppers and red onion), put them in a casserole dish you've oiled with olive oil or cooking spray. Mix in more oil or spray (to moisten the veggies). Add whatever seasonings you like (I use Tony Chachere's creole seasoning) and you could also put in some cheese if you like. Cover with foil and bake at 400 deg for about 40 minutes, or til veggies are as soft as you like.

I make these up and eat them with whatever meat we're having, and I also use them in chili - half a package of ground turkey, a can of beans, a can of tomatoes, and the roasted veggies. Even my hubby loves it!

roseolson1

This is one of my favorites.
http://www.tasteofhome.com/recipes/black-bean-asparagus-salad

TavistockToad

rice
noodles
pasta
sweet potato
roast veg
salad
stirfry veg
stuffed mushrooms
stuffed peppers

whatjesseats

Another vote here for roasted veggies! My favorite is broccoli -- roasted with olive oil, salt, and crushed red pepper, and sprinkled with fresh parmesan when it comes out of the oven.

tenintwenty

Roasted veggies with herbs.

KristieJC

The best thing I've found to make cooking and eating at home more appealing than eating out is cooking everything on a grill - and my hubby does the cooking. Whoo! Buy a really good grill cook book (I highly recommend anything by Steve Raichlen - such as How to Grill, or the BBQ Bible). He has all kinds of really wonderful recipes and cooking tips including fruits and veggies. My hubby will cook a whole meal out there. Oiled and grilled bell peppers (any but green) and red onions are so good. And a peach, apple, or pear cut in half and cooked on the grill is DELICIOUS - especially the peaches. I prefer just about anything my hubby cooks on the grill to what I can get in a restaurant.

conniemaxwell5

Roasted root vegetables - cut up a variety of root vegetables (carrots, parsnips, sweet potatoes, beets, onions, etc), toss with a tablespoon of olive oil, sprinkle with salt and pepper and roast at 375 until tender; about 45 minutes.

Roasted asparagus - trim and wash the asparagus, toss with 1 t olive oil, sprinkle with salt and pepper, roast at 350 for 15 minutes.

Roasted Broccoli and / or cauliflower - same directions as asparagus

Marinated vegetable salad - Cut tomatoes, cucumbers, onions, carrots, celery, broccoli, cauliflower into bite sized pieces (any combination of these or feel free to add what you like), toss with fat free Italian dressing. Let stand at least an hour before serving.

Baked sweet potato - scrub skin, pierce with a knife or fork, microwave on high 5-10 minutes depending on size until fork tender. Salt and pepper to taste. You can add a little maple syrup or honey if you like.

Any whole grain or whole grain pasta, tossed with steamed or roasted vegetables and topped with a little low fat cheese.

As we come into growing season visit your local farmers markets and try new vegetables - buy it, Google it and find recipes on line.

hhayes06

We do corn, green beans, carrots, rice/gravy, and pasta sides. We don't really mix it up much due to having two small children who are still picky eaters, that and due to our schedules we only eat together 3 meals per week.

beets_yum

Yup! Roasted veggies. I used to have to force myself (overcoming a gag reflex) to eat broccoli unless it was doused in some kind of sauce, stir-fried to a crisp or chopped to tiny pieces in a soup.

But roasted broccoli? Yum! Roasted anything is amazing. The first time I made roasted brussels sprouts I ate an entire pound just standing at the counter. The outer leaves turn into these little potato chip like crispy things that are delicious. And I was never a veggie eater--I'm all about salty snacks and rich ice cream. As a kid I ate exactly one cooked vegetable: canned French beans. (Not counting corn.)

I use my silpat (silicon baking sheet), spread out the veggies, pour over a tablespoon (depending on amount) of decent olive oil, sea salt and fresh pepper and roast on 425 for about 12-15 mins. Keep an eye on it, it'll burn quick. I like mine well done-ish.

Another yummy way to get some nutrition in is to do the same with potatoes, but also include some beets and carrots.

And of course there is always salad. I make my own vinaigrette and use the pre-washed greens. I hate the packaging but I am much more likely to use the greens than if I have to wash them. We eat a big green salad (like as in 3/4 of my plate is piled high with salad) most nights of the week with our protein. I include a pile of cabbage to help fill me up. I buy nice olive oil because I love the flavor and it makes my veggies so much more enjoyable.

You really don't have to force feed yourself veggies! Find a way to cook them that you enjoy.

Ajellyfish77

Skip the extra carbs completely and go nuts for veggies! You can have a huge amount for really low calories if you chose right

holothuroidea

I always have a side of greens.

Kale, mustard, collards, swiss chard, spinach. They're all good!

I just steam or boil them for a few minutes, then drain and squeeze out excess water. I top them with gomasio (roasted sesame seeds and salt). I do this every day. Sometimes twice a day.

That probably sounds boring to most people but it's a staple food for me and a day just seems incomplete without them.

sheepiegail

green lentils with leeks or parsnips grilled! love them both now obsessed with them

queenbea77

Roasted broccoli?? Gotta try that - I love broccoli and I love roasted veggies but never thought to roast broccoli. I love roasted brussel sprouts too.

sweetnlow30

Saving for ideas. We are in a bit of a potato rut too lol. Tonight I am making mashed cauliflower. The recipe has Parmesan and cream cheese. Sounds delicious!

http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/george-stella/mock-garlic-mashed-potatoes-recipe/index.html

thunder_buns

Rice or quinoa cooked in veggie or chicken broth is very man friendly. I just replace the water with sodium free organic broth and cut up red bell peppers tiny. Salt to taste it's amazing!

Also corn pasta or quinoa pasta cook as desired and top with garlic herb spice by shilling some powder Parmesan cheese and olive oil or I use earth balance spread..salt if desired
It Tastes like the Parmesan boxed dinners but way healthier!

RhiannonLeighh

Mashed pumpkin with minced garlic is a delicious replacement for potato mash.
Maybe make salads with 'dense'; one of my faves is like corn, avocado, capsicum, onion, shallots all diced about the same size with chickpeas. It's quite a filling side dish.
Bean mash Mexican style is nice too.
Couscous, quinoa, wholemeal pasta and brown rice are all good options.