Archive for Side Dishes
Wasabi and Pumpkin Seed Quinoa
Posted by: · Jul 18 2012 · Comments
My new diet has placed quinoa at the front of our side dish options. While I am nearly chewing my arm off every time I see a piece of bread or pasta, this dish is not exactly a poke in the eye. In fact, I would tend to say it is even better than the gluten filled dishes of my past.
Serves 4
Ingredients:
- 2 cups quinoa
- ¼ cup dried wasabi peas
- ¼ cup roasted pumpkin seeds
- 1 teaspoon olive oil
- ¼ teaspoon cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon ground ginger
- 1/8 teaspoon chili pepper
- ½ teaspoon sugar
- ¾ teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 tablespoon butter
Instructions:
Cook the quinoa according to the instructions on the package.
Heat the olive oil over medium-high heat in a small sauté pan. Add the wasabi peas and the pumpkin seeds. Cook for 2 minutes, stirring frequently. Add the cinnamon, ginger, chili pepper, sugar and salt and continue to sauté for 3 minutes. Pour contents of the pan into the quinoa. Add the butter, stir and serve.
Black Bean Quinoa
Posted by: · May 17 2012 · Comments
Quinoa made its way into our household after my husband started going to a trainer as a 30th birthday present to himself. After a one hour first visit, Jerry the trainer completely overhauled our meals and introduced Quinoa to our side dish options. Huge thanks to Jerry for steering us in the direction of this tasty grain and for putting me in my place when I accompanied my husband to training. Gloating that I was a Bikram ace, Jerry’s workout was humbling to say the least. I like to argue that it was the pregnancy we were not yet aware of, but truth be told, he kicked my butt and my husband has bragging rights that he could do way more squats than me. This dish is so simple and just fantastically flavorful.
Serves 6
Ingredients:
- 2 cups cooked black beans
- 3 cups cooked quinoa
- 1 tablespoon butter
- ¼ cup half and half
- 2 diced plum tomatoes
- 2 diced avocados
- 1 clove minced garlic
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon Cholula hot sauce
- ½ teaspoon sugar
Instructions:
In a large saucepan, melt the butter over medium-high heat. Add the tomatoes and garlic. Cook for 2 minutes, stirring frequently. Stir in the beans, quinoa and half and half. Continue to cook for 5 minutes before adding the salt, sugar, hot sauce and avocado. Remove from the heat and serve.
Cranberry and Brown Rice Stuffed Squash
Posted by: · Oct 13 2011 · Comments
This stuffing compliments squash wonderfully, but can also serve as a delightful poultry stuffer.
Serves 4
Ingredients:
- 4 small gold nugget squash
- 1 cup diced thick cut bacon
- 1.5 cups cranberries
- ¼ cup chopped walnuts
- ¼ cup brown sugar
- 2 cups cooked brown rice
- 1 cup shredded fontenella cheese
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
Instructions:
Pre-heat oven to 350°. Pierce the skin of each squash numerous times with a fork or knife. Place on a cookie sheet and transfer to the oven. Bake for 45 minutes or until the exterior of the squash has softened and is easily pierced with a knife.
While the squash is baking heat a large sauté pan over high heat. Add the bacon and stir frequently until nicely browned. Drain the fat from the pan and return to the stove. Fold in the cranberries, reduce the heat to medium and cook for an additional 5 minutes. The cranberries should be softened at this point. Fold in the rice, walnuts, sugar, salt and cheese and remove from the heat.
Remove the squash from the oven and cut off the top exposing the interior of the squash. Scoop out the seeds, but leave the meat of the squash intact. Stuff the squash with the rice mixture and serve.
Cheesy Lima Bean and Olive Casserole
Posted by: · Sep 26 2011 · Comments
This is a perfect fall side dish- warm, rich and cheesy. Lima beans require an overnight soak in water before cooking so plan ahead.
Serves 4
Ingredients:
- 4 cups lima beans
- ½ cup chopped and pitted kalamata olives
- 3 tablespoons capers
- 4 ounces buffalo mozzarella, roughly chopped
- ½ cup grated parmesan
- ¼ teaspoon salt
Instructions:
Pre-heat oven to 425°.
Cook lima beans according to instructions on package. Drain and while still hot transfer the beans to a food processor and pulse until chunky but not fully pureed. Remove the chopped beans from the food processor and spoon into a bowl. Stir in the olives, capers, mozzarella, parmesan and salt. Continue to stir until the cheeses have mostly melted. Transfer to a single baking dish or individual ramekins and place in the oven. Cook for 20 minutes or until bubbly and golden browned on the top. Let cool for a minute or two before serving.
Zucchini-Parm Phyllo Squares
Posted by: · Aug 31 2011 · Comments
These were a late night snack for college friends visiting us in Montana. The whole lot of food disappeared in less than a few minutes. Needless to say they were a huge hit.
Serves 6 -8
Ingredients:
- 2 sheets store bought puff pastry
- 1 egg
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 2 diced zucchinis
- ¼ cup finely chopped flat leaf parsley
- 2 cloves minced garlic
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ cup sour cream
- 2 cups grated parmesan cheese
Instructions:
Pre-heat oven to 425°.
Heat the olive oil over medium-high heat in a medium sized saucepan. Add the diced zucchini, parsley and salt. Sauté for 3 minutes before stirring in the garlic. Continue to sauté for 2 more minutes, remove from the heat and set aside.
Cut the pastry dough into 3”x3” squares and arrange on a buttered cookie sheet spaced two inches apart. Whisk the egg in a small bowl with 1 tablespoon water. Use a pastry brush to lightly brush the egg wash onto the dough squares. Transfer the cookie sheet to the oven and bake for 12-15 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from the oven and dabble a teaspoon of sour cream on each square. Top with a large spoonful of the zucchini mixture and then a spoonful of the shredded cheese. Return to the oven and cook for an additional 2 minutes or until the cheese is nicely melted. Remove from the oven and cool for 5 minutes before serving.
Grilled Corn with Spinach-Pine Nut Butter
Posted by: · May 18 2011 · Comments
Compound butters are so easy to make and spice up just about any meat or vegetable. I used this compound butter on fish the other night and failed to memorialize it on my blog. Here I used the leftover butter on grilled corn and it was simply wonderful.
Serves 6
Ingredients:
- 6 ears fresh corn, husks on
- 1/4 cup salted butter, at room temperature
- 1 cup spinach
- 1 clove garlic, thinly sliced
- ¼ cup pine nuts
- 2 tablespoons crème fraiche
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
Instructions:
Combine the butter, spinach, garlic, pine nuts, crème fraiche and salt in a food processor. Pulse until fully incorporated. Transfer the butter to a serving bowl, cover and refrigerate for 5 minutes.
Pre-heat grill to medium-high heat.
Fold the husks back from the corn but do not remove all together. Do, however, remove the silk strands. Generously rub the corn with the butter. Fold the husk back over the corn. Grill for 8-10 minutes, flipping occasionally. Serve immediately with the remaining butter.
Honey Barbeque Ribs with Whiskey Lima Beans
Posted by: · Mar 22 2011 · Comments
These ribs look just slightly charred in this picture and believe me when I say I intended them to be that way. I like a nice crunch on my ribs and these provided just that. My alcohol cabinet came in handy again with the beans for a nice kick of whiskey flavor along the ribs.
Serves 4
Ingredients:
Ribs
- 1 rack pork spareribs
- ½ cup brown sugar
- ½ cup Worchester sauce
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste
- 2 tablespoons honey
- 1 tablespoon finely chopped rosemary
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 teaspoons Coleman’s mustard
Beans
- 2 cups dried Lima beans
- 4 pieces thick cut bacon, roughly chopped
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- ½ cup cream cheese
- 1/2 cup whiskey
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 cup fresh bread crumbs
Instructions:
Start with the barbeque sauce. Combine the sugar, Worchester sauce, tomato paste, honey, rosemary, olive oil and mustard in a medium size bowl. Place the ribs on a large serving plate and generously brush with the barbecue sauce. Transfer the ribs to the refrigerator and let marinate for 30 minutes.
Meanwhile, start with the beans. Pre-heat the oven to 400°. Cook the beans according to package instructions. While the beans are cooking heat a large sauté pan over medium-high heat. Add the bacon and cook until slightly crunchy. Use a slotted spoon to remove the bacon pieces and place on a paper towel to drain. Discard the fat from the pan. Return the bacon to the pan as well as the cooked beans over medium-high heat. Stir in the lemon juice and salt. Fold in the cream cheese and stir constantly until fully melted. Pour in the whiskey and cook for an additional 3 minutes, stirring frequently. Remove from the heat and spoon the bean mixture into a small casserole dish. Top the beans with the bread crumbs and cover with tin foil. Cook for 15 minutes. Remove the tin foil and continue to cook for 15-20 minutes or until the bread crumbs are golden brown.
While the beans are cooking, heat your grill to medium-high heat. Cook the ribs for 30-40 minutes, turning and basting with barbeque sauce every 10 minutes. Cut into the ribs at 30 minutes to see if they are done. If the ribs are still pink, continue to cook. Once the ribs are tender and white on the interior remove from the grill and lay out on a large cutting board. Turn the ribs so that the meaty side is facing down. Cut along the contour of the ribs. Serve a few ribs alongside the lima beans.
Brown Sugar and Apple Black Rice
Posted by: · Feb 28 2011 · Comments
Last night when I was deciding what to make for dinner I was generally unimpressed and bored with my options. I was half out the door on my way to the store to get more ingredients when I decided to clear out my vegetable drawer and re-evaluate my options. I ended up combining all the contents of that drawer into this delightful and wonderfully flavorful side dish. Boring meal and grocery trip in the freezing rain avoided!
Serves 6
Ingredients:
- 1 cup black rice
- 2 ¼ cups water
- 2 tablespoon butter
- ¼ cup finely chopped leeks
- 2 medium carrots, cleaned,
- 1 cup diced apple, cored, skin on
- 2 tablespoons brown sugar
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- ¼ cup parsley
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ¼ cup gruyere cheese
Instructions:
Combine rice, 2 cups water and 1 tablespoon butter in a medium size saucepan. Bring to a boil over high heat, stir, reduce to a simmer over low heat and cover. Cook for 45-50 minutes, stirring every ten minutes. Remove from heat and uncover.
Meanwhile, heat the olive oil and 1 tablespoon butter in a large sauté pan over medium-high heat. Add the leeks and cook for 3 minutes. Stir in the carrots and continue to cook for 4 minutes. Add the sugar and the remaining ¼ cup of water. Bring to a boil and immediately reduce to a simmer over low heat. Cook for 3 minutes or until the liquid thickens. Add the apples, parsley and salt. Continue to cook for 3 minutes and remove from heat. Fold in the rice one cup at a time until you have a nice ratio of rice to apple mixture. You very well might have some rice left over for another meal. Finally, mix in the cheese and serve.
Squid, Bacon and Swiss Chard Salad
Posted by: · Feb 06 2011 · Comments
I love the color of squid, the slightly tough texture and the rich taste. Here I have combined it with bacon and Swiss chard for a little added flavor. I like to serve this dish as a first course and tend to use the whole squid including the body and tentacles. Feel free, however, to use just the body. The tentacles can be a tough match for a more visual eater.
Ingredients:
- 1 LB squid ( body and tentacles), cleaned and chopped into ¼-1/2 inch pieces, last ½ inch of the tentacles removed and discarded
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- 3 slices deli cut thick bacon, cut along the width into ½ inch pieces
- 2 TBS chopped scallions
- 2 TBS chopped shallots
- 2 teaspoons soy sauce
- I bundle Swiss chard, roughly chopped
- Fried Rice Cakes, http://thirtyyearoldhousewife.com/2011/02/ahi-poke-over-fried-rice-pancakes/
Instructions:
Combine squid and lemon juice in a Ziploc bag or a covered bowl. Refrigerate for 30 minutes.
Heat a large sauté pan over medium high heat. Add bacon. Stir frequently and cook until the bacon is slightly browned. Add shallots and continue to cook for 2 minutes. Stir in squid, soy sauce and scallions and cook for 2 minutes per side. Remove from heat and fold in scallions and Swiss chard. Serve immediately with fried rice cakes.
Roasted Brussels Sprouts and Radishes
Posted by: · Jan 20 2011 · Comments
This simple side dish looks beautiful on a plate and tastes just as good. I was pleasantly surprised to find how well these two vegetables go together. This recipe calls for pecans, but walnuts or pine nuts would be fine substitutes.
Ingredients:
- 1 teaspoon olive oil
- 1 teaspoon butter
- 2 cups roughly chopped Brussels sprouts
- 1 cup chopped radishes
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ cup freshly grated parmesan
- ¼ cup chopped pecans
Instructions:
Pre-heat oven to 325°.
Heat oil and butter in a large non-stick sauté pan over medium-high heat. Add Brussels sprouts and radishes and coat with butter and olive oil. Sauté for 4 minutes, stirring frequently. Remove from heat and cool for 5 minutes. Stir in cheese, salt and pecans. Transfer ingredients to a cooking dish and bake for 25 minutes or until Brussels sprouts are slightly crispy.
