Asparagus is a classic spring vegetable, and roasting or grilling are by far the best ways to prepare it. These methods will give an enjoyably fibrous-yet-soft texture, a juicy stalk and crispy charred leaves at the head. Asparagus is full of many nutrients such as Vitamin A, E, C, K and folate, and the fiber strands make an excellent prebiotic to feed your gut bacteria.
Tag: side dish
Parmesan Roasted Green Beans
French beans, string beans, green beans. Whatever you call them, these beans are a staple American side dish. They’re not only a great addition to dinner, but also make a great snack raw, especially if you love a crispy, crunchy texture. Green beans are a great complex carb; its high in fiber, nutrient dense with a bit of protein. This recipe in particular is so good, it will be easy to fill half your plate with vegetables and meet your MyPlate goals.
Maple Glazed Carrots
Winter is time for cozy hibernation foods; we crave the hardy, the sweet and the savory. This recipe hits all three of those cravings: roasty savory carrots, smothered in sweet maple. Carrots are a wonderful vegetable, a good source of fiber and carotenoids.
We know carrots are a healthy choice, but what about maple? Is it healthier than regular sugar? This is a common question, and any people make the switch in their cooking, baking, even in their coffee, favoring maple syrup, agave nectar or honey over table sugar. Maple syrup, for example, contains 67 different healthful compounds, including calcium, zinc, manganese and amino acids. Other natural sweeteners are similar in that they do have added nutrients when compared to white sugar; however we need to keep in mind the big picture: its still sugar. Too much can add an excess of calories to your diet and will still have an influence on your blood sugar levels. That being said, eating something sugary with fiber (like in the carrots) protein and heart-healthy fats will help slow that sugar absorption, giving you long lasting energy and steadier blood glucose levels.
Wild Mushroom Stuffing
Stuffing is the bread and butter of the Thanksgiving season, and that’s basically all it is: bread and butter … two things we are constantly being told to cut back on. You can make a few easy changes that you can make to create a stuffing that is not only healthier, but also has a richer flavor. Changing from white bread to whole grain bread will not just provide more fiber and nutrients, but also a toasty nutty taste. Or switching half of the butter for olive oil adds some heart-healthy fats while cutting back on the not so healthy saturated fat. You can also add any vegetable, nuts, seeds or seasonal fruit to your stuffing too. This recipe calls for wild mushrooms, but you can also try it with some chopped apple, shredded carrot, dried cranberry, walnuts or a mix of all of them!
Sauteed Greens with Mushroom Skulls
Sautéing mushrooms so that they are soft and caramelized is an art and takes some practice to not make mushy-shrooms. In this recipe will show you how to make the perfect sauteed mushrooms and tender greens. It makes an excellent side dish, or topping for a creamy risotto, mac and cheese or other pasta dish. This recipe can be made with any kind of mushroom or a mix of mushrooms! If you’re looking for something fun to celebrate Halloween, use white button or crimini mushrooms to create mushroom skulls. With a paring knife, cut mushrooms in half, carve out eyes, a nose hole and slice the stem to look like teeth.
Roasted Acorn Squash
Acorn Squash is a fall favorite! And it should be, as it’s an edible aesthetic countertop adornment to mark the season. It’s a rich source of vitamin A, and the vitamin A building blocks called carotenoids, which have been shown to be beneficial not only for our eye health but also for the health of our skin, and lowering risk of heart disease and stroke.
Acorn squash is also high in fiber at 5g per ½ cup. Fiber acts like a magnet to LDL, our “bad” cholesterol, clinging to it and taking it away and out of our bodies. This helps improve our cholesterol levels, leaving us with a happier heart. All the winter squashes are a good sources of Vitamin A, carotenoids and fiber. The spice blend in this recipe is tasty on many different kinds squashes, try it on butternut squash, delecata squash, pumpkin or even sweet potatoes.
Tomato and Zucchini Gratin
Tomato season is a joy, and around this time the final stragglers are ripening. If you’re like me, you may have a small herd of tomatoes collecting on your kitchen counter, held in by a zucchini fence. If not, a trip to the grocery store or local market is certainly in order!
Elotes (Street Corn) with Avocado & Yogurt Sauce
Elotes are a classic Mexican street food. Roasty sweet corn with a limey cream sauce, topped with cheese—and some chili spice if you’re up for it. ¡Es como un sueño!
You can also make a salad version of this by cutting the corn off the cob and mixing it with the sauce in a bowl, it’s such a tasty way to dress a salad.
What is unique about this version of the recipe is the use of plain 2% Greek yogurt. Greek yogurt is high in protein, full of probiotics and tastes just like sour cream, making it a more nutritious alternative that you can use for anything from topping off tacos or chili to paprikash or ranch dip. Try making the swap in your favorite recipes.
Slow Cooker Baked Beans
There is nothing better than a warm side of baked beans, and now you have a recipe you can make in the slow cooker! Pair with a turkey burger on a whole wheat bun and a side salad for a well-balanced meal.
Bean Salad
This bean salad is beautiful, and beans are high in fiber and protein to help keep you full. Yum!