Please tell me all of your favorite side dishes!

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.

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)

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!

I love the potato cauliflower dish mentioned earlier, and mashed cauliflower!!! I also love roasted golden beets!!

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:

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!! )

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.

Bump

Steamed delicata squash, a tsp or less of maple syrup, and a tablespoon of bacon bits

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.

Ok i hope every one that replied can read this one... it is soooooo good.

fresh veggies cut bite size , we use onion ,red pepper, and green peppers, green beans, broccolli, what ever you like put it all in a zip loc bag - heres the trick, one packet of dry good seasons italian dressing, just dry sprinkle it in. that is it let it sit in the bag for a couple of ours if not over night you will notice water in the bag as the veggies sweat put on pan and roast till done they are the best!!

I really love zucchini. I could eat it every day. I just cube it up, toss it in the pan with a spray of EVOO, and add spices. I like to add garlic, onion powder, chili flakes, and I have others that I add if I feel up to it (curry, Italian seasoning, cumin). I often add baby portobello mushrooms to this as well.

I have an acorn squash in the fridge I'm dying to cook. I looked up a good recipe. You'll have to google it, but I can give you the gist: cut in half and remove seeds, score the flesh, add a splash of EVOO and add salt and pepper. Then you can sprinkle on brown sugar or maple syrup (or both! :bigsmile: ) and roast in the oven until tender. You can do the same with butternut squash.

I am also a fan of the "Steamers" vegetables. Tonight I had one called Basil Vegetable Medley, which had cauliflower, snow peas, and carrots in a light basil sauce. I have also gotten plain and added my own seasoning, and I have gotten the broccoli and cheese.

Tonight I made sauteed rosemary balsamic cherry tomatoes: coat tomatoes in EVOO and add salt, pepper, garlic, rosemary, and chili flakes, toss to coat. Cook in a sautee pan on medium heat until they burst. Then put a splash of balsamic vinegar over the tomatoes, heat briefly, and serve. They were tastyyyyy

spinach casserole:
frozen spinach thawed and pat-dry
1/2 cup of cottage cheese
1 egg

mix together and bake for 20 minutes. YUM!

i make these "spanish veggies" alot and they are awesome.
you can use mostly any veggies you like but what i usually do is take some pre cooked potatoes and sautee them for a bit, add bell peppers, onions, asparagus, green beans..let that cook up, add lime juice, adobo seasoning, and this other seasoning called sazon (you can find it at regular supermarkets- its goya- and yes its bright orange -dont let the color scare you) stir it up and let it cook for a few mins...its SO SO good!!