What's your 1 favorite main or side dish to make?

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I really want to start making dinner for my family a few times a week but I made a list of things to make and it's a pretty sad list!

I'm looking for main and side dishes to make. More than 1 is okay hahaha.

**NOTE** Needs to be budget friendly. And we don't like chicken.

Thanks in advance!!!
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  • Genericwit
    Genericwit Posts: 70 Member
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    I love, love, LOVE broccoli/cauliflower mac and cheese. It tastes like mac and cheese, but you need a lot less of the actual mac and cheese portion of it, because the veggies fill you up so fast. So you still get the stuffed sensation with a whole lot less calories. Plus, it's delicious.

    Take a high fiber/low calorie pasta you like (I usually like elbows, farfalle, or the little shells) and frozen veggies of your choosing (broccoli and cauliflower for me, since they come packaged together, and I like the combo), and cook them for two-three minutes less than the pasta says to cook it. Drain it and put it in a baking dish. Make sure it's drained well, since you probably don't want your mac and cheese soggy.

    Then take 1.5 cups of skim milk (and I usually use soy milk for everything, but I wouldn't recommend it here, because it makes it a bit sweet), 1 tbsp cornstarch, and 1 tbsp flour. in a small pan/sauce pan. Cook it on low, basically until it gets a bit thick. Then add whatever spices you like. I absolutely loveeeeeeeeee curry powder, so I add curry powder to it, along with some paprika. I've also actually added some bbq sauce before, and it turned out well. Then add some cheese (again, it's up to you to add what you want; I usually add the Kraft low fat cheddar and a bit of bleu cheese). Once it's mixed up, add it to the baking dish, and mix up the mac and cheese and veggies up.

    Then, put something crunchy on top! lol. I've tried the french onion things on top, and it's delicious, but a little higher on the calories. Or bread crumbs work, too. Especially if they're homemade. And then put a bit of cheese on top. And stick it in the oven (which is on 375-400) for 15 minutes or however long it takes to get some crunch without being burned.

    ---

    You could also try making some chili out of lentils and lima beans, if you're a better sort of cook. It tastes very similar to beef chili if spiced properly, but it's low on calories, too.
  • butterflylover527
    butterflylover527 Posts: 940 Member
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    I will be trying this this week (hopefully!!!) thank you!!!!
  • drmerc
    drmerc Posts: 2,603 Member
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    Quarter pounder with cheese

    ETA: Also pizza, I fit this in once a week... Guess I'm not a very good cook
  • Tonnina
    Tonnina Posts: 979 Member
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    I love making Smashed Tatoes. It's just Mashed taters but with the skins on. You wash the outsides real good, then cut and boil taters for 20 minutes, or until soft, then drain them. Put them back into the pot or into a serving dish, add milk or cream, butter or margarine, salt and pepper to taste, and smash them with a tater masher. Best to do this with thinner skinned taters like golden, purple, red, or yellow taters, but not russets, they aren't good for this.

    I also like to add a little cheese or garlic to the taters before smashing them sometimes. But it's up to you and what other foods will be on the plate. I love taters.
  • MMKE4ever
    MMKE4ever Posts: 115 Member
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    This is a yummy side dish. I use squash.

    1 lb. zucchini or squash (about 2 medium-sized)
    1/4 cup shredded parmesan (heaping)
    1/4 cup Panko breadcrumbs (heaping)
    1 tablespoon olive oil
    1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
    freshly ground pepper, to taste
    Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Line two baking sheets with foil and spray lightly with vegetable spray.

    Slice zucchini or squash into 1/4 inch-thick rounds. Toss rounds with oil, coating well.

    In a wide bowl or plate, combine breadcrumbs, parmesan, salt and pepper.

    Place rounds in parmesan-breadcrumb mixture, coating both sides of each round, pressing to adhere. The mixture will not completely cover each round, but provides a light coating on each side.

    Place rounds in a single layer on baking sheets. Sprinkle any remaining breadcrumb mixture over the rounds.

    Bake for about 22 to 27 minutes, until golden brown. (There is no need to flip them during baking -- they crisp up on both sides as is.)


    AND.....
    These are so good and very easy to make.

    7up Biscuits

    2 c Bisquick mix
    1/2 c sour cream
    1/2 c 7up
    1/4 c melted butter
    Preheat oven to 450º

    Cut sour cream into your Bisquick mix, then add 7up - it will make a soft dough. Now sprinkle your counter with a little Bisquick mix then add dough and pat it out.
    Melt butter and pour it into a 9" square baking pan. Cut your biscuits up and arrange them in pan on top of melted butter.
    Bake 12-15 minutes or until golden brown.

    **IF YOU DON'T HAVE A PINTEREST ACCOUNT, YOU NEED TO TRY IT. IT'S FREE AND YOU CAN GET A BUNCH OF RECIPES OFF THERE. THAT IS WHERE I GOT THESE RECIPES.**
  • butterflylover527
    butterflylover527 Posts: 940 Member
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    Mmmmm these are looking GOOD!!!
  • butterflylover527
    butterflylover527 Posts: 940 Member
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    Any more?
  • MMKE4ever
    MMKE4ever Posts: 115 Member
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    Okay. Here are some of my other favorites. I just felt I had to post them.

    BRAIDED SPAGHETTI BREAD

    This is a really simple recipe; it just takes a little planning for thawing the dough. It will take 2-3 hours for the bread loaf to thaw to room temperature or 1-2 hours for the rolls to thaw to room temperature.

    You will need:

    1 Loaf Rhodes Bread Dough or 12 Rhodes Dinner Rolls, thawed to room temperature
    6 oz spaghetti, cooked
    1 cup thick spaghetti sauce
    8 oz mozzarella cheese, cut into 1/2 –inch cubes
    1 egg white
    Parmesan cheese
    Parsley flakes

    Spray counter lightly with non-stick cooking spray (or use parchment paper).
    Roll loaf or combined dinner rolls into a 12x16-inch rectangle. Cover with plastic wrap and let rest for 10-15 minutes.

    Cook spaghetti according to package instructions. Drain and let cool slightly.

    Remove wrap from dough. Place spaghetti lengthwise in a 4-inch strip down the center of dough. Tip with sauce and cheese cubes.

    Make cuts 1 ½-inches apart on long sides of dough to within ½-inch of filling.

    Begin braid by folding top and bottom strips toward filling. Then braid strips left over right, right over left. Finish by pulling last strip over and tucking under braid.

    Lift braid with both hands and place on large sprayed baking sheet. (or transfer parchment paper to baking sheet). Brush with egg white and sprinkle with Parmesan cheese and parsley (I added garlic powder).

    Bake at 350 for 30-35 minutes or until golden brown. Cool slightly and slice to serve.



    ROASTED PARMESAN GREEN BEANS

    Tender crisp green beans roasted to perfection, topped with shredded parmesan cheese. This is the easiest way to prepare the best tasting green beans, picky kid approved!


    Roasted Parmesan Green Beans
    Skinnytaste.com
    Servings: 4 • Serving Size: 1 cup • Old Points: 1 pts • Points+: 2 pts
    Calories: 62.4 • Fat: 2.9 g • Carbs: 8.0 • Fiber: 3.8 • Protein: 2.7 g • Sugar: 0
    Sodium: 38.4 mg (without salt)

    Ingredients:

    12 oz green beans, trimmed (make sure they are dry)
    2 tsp olive oil
    kosher salt + fresh cracked pepper to taste
    1/4 tsp garlic powder
    1 1/2 tbsp shredded parmesan

    Directions:

    Preheat the oven to 425°F. Line a baking sheet with aluminum for easy clean-up.
    Lay green beans out on the baking sheet and drizzle oil over them. Season with salt, pepper and garlic powder and toss to evenly coat.

    Spread them out on the sheet so that they all lay flat and place on the lower third section of your oven. Bake 10 minutes, shake the pan to turn; bake 5 additional minutes. Remove from the oven and sprinkle with grated cheese.



    STUFFED PIZZA ROLLS

    1 roll refrigerated pizza dough* (or make your own)
    marinara/pizza sauce (click here to make your own)
    2 T grated Parmesan cheese (sorry, I don’t know how to make that)
    1 T olive oil or melted butter
    1/2 t garlic powder
    1 t dried Italian seasoning
    mozzerella cheese
    Pizza toppings of your choice: ie, ham and pineapple, pepperoni slices, sausage, etc.

    *You can use regular pizza dough, or thin crust.

    Preheat oven to heat specified on pizza dough package. Usually it’s 400 degrees. If you make your own dough, 400 is usually a good heat as well.

    Unroll your pizza dough onto a lightly floured surface. Pat or roll the dough so it’s about 12″ by 8″. You’re going to want to cut it into 24 squares, so just eyeball it if you need to. Use a pizza cutter to slice the dough into 24 squares

    Place cheese and desired toppings on each square. (Note that you’re not putting the marinara sauce on the dough- it’s for dipping after) You just need to be able to enclose the toppings in the dough so keep that in mind.

    When all of your dough squares have cheese and toppings on them, carefully lift up each square and wrap the dough around the toppings. Pinch to make sure each ball is sealed shut and then place them seam side down in a lightly sprayed pie pan (or similar sized dish).

    Brush the tops of the dough balls with olive oil or melted butter (I’ve used both and there’s not much difference in result) and then sprinkle with the garlic and Italian seasoning and top with Parmesan cheese. (In lieu of the Parmesan, garlic, and Italian seasoning you could substitute this garlic bread seasoning.)


    Cook them in the oven for about 15-20 minutes or until golden brown on top. Keep an eye on them! Doughs vary, so I’d check them after even 10 minutes.

    Serve warm with warmed marinara sauce on the side for dipping.

    **I hope you enjoy these recipes** :bigsmile:
  • DrG3n3
    DrG3n3 Posts: 467 Member
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    Oh, those pizza ones sound good!
  • cuffs_r
    cuffs_r Posts: 41
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    Grilled kobobs made with either lean sirloin or pork loin marinated with soy sauce, garlic, honey. Marinate for atleast 4hrs and add ur veggies onions, mushrooms, peppers. I like to grill peaches and pinapple also depending if it pork or steak.
  • butterflylover527
    butterflylover527 Posts: 940 Member
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    I'm getting hungry now hahah
  • butterflylover527
    butterflylover527 Posts: 940 Member
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    anymore?
  • butterflylover527
    butterflylover527 Posts: 940 Member
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    :smile:
  • tobielauren
    tobielauren Posts: 184 Member
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    sauteed spinach...all you need is some garlic a tiny bit of EVOO and lots of spinach :) then some garlic salt and pepper of course

    I always liked Popeye and Olive Oyl :)
  • butterflylover527
    butterflylover527 Posts: 940 Member
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    I'll take a look at those links, thanks!!

    Hey, I even have spinach!! thanks!
  • Terryism
    Terryism Posts: 314 Member
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    I have a few recipes that I've been making recently that are pretty low calorie, I don't have them right in front of me though, so I'll have to get back with you, lol! One is stuffed bell peppers that's under 400 cal per serving, Chicken salad that's about 200 cal plus whatever you put it on, and a yummy pasta dish under 375.

    One thing I do make a lot as a side dish is a green bean salad, so easy to make.

    Can of french style green beans drained
    Maybe a couple tablespoons of diced or sliced onion (yellow, white, red, they're all good!)
    About 2 tabletspoons distilled white vinegar
    pinch of celery seeds
    salt and pepper to taste

    You can add some oil if you want, I just don't want the calories and can't tell much difference in taste. You can eat half of this for around 50 cal....
  • butterflylover527
    butterflylover527 Posts: 940 Member
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    Sounds yummy! If you could message me those (or post later lol) that would be great!!!
  • butterflylover527
    butterflylover527 Posts: 940 Member
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    :smile:
  • butterflylover527
    butterflylover527 Posts: 940 Member
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    any more?