side dishes – Page 17

Romanesco, Radicchio & Yellow Pepper Salad with Tarragon Vinaigrette & Avocado

November 25, 2012October 11, 2013Life, Recipes1 Comment

This hearty warm salad makes a great weeknight meal. It’s light but filling and the warm roasted veg really hits the spot. Vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free & paleo-friendly.

Romanesco, Radicchio & Yellow Pepper Salad with Tarragon Vinaigrette & Avocado

1 head romanesco
1/2 head radicchio
1 yellow pepper
5 scallions
1/4 c. blanched, slivered almonds
Big hand parsley
1 avocado
Olive oil
Coconut oil
Salt & pepper to taste

For the vinaigrette

1 Tbsp. white wine vinaigrette
2 Tbsp. fresh tarragon, chopped
1 tsp. honey
3 Tbsp. grapeseed oil
Salt & pepper to taste

Turn your broiler onto high while you separate the romanesco into pretty little florets. Alternately, you can chop the romanesco. Sprinkle with a little olive oil and salt & pepper. Broil 10 minutes, flip and broil an additional 10 minutes until softened and browned.

While your romanesco is going, halve and slice the radicchio; chop the yellow pepper; and slice the scallions. Heat a large pan over medium heat with a Tablespoon of coconut oil and add the veggies, reserving the dark green scallion tops for another use. Sautee until the veggies are browned and softened. If you want a little char on your radicchio, kick the heat up a notch – charred radicchio is fabulous. Salt & pepper to taste.

While that is kicking, toast your almonds in a dry pan. Remove from the heat and chop.

Chop the parsley and scallion tops and set aside.

Make your vinaigrette. Whisk all vinaigrette ingredients together – salt & pepper to taste.

When the romanesco is done, add to the veggies in the pan. Turn off the heat. Chop the avocado and add to the mix, along with the almonds and parsley scallion mixture. Toss to combine and drizzle the vinaigrette over top. Toss again and taste for seasoning.

Serves 2 for dinner + 1 for lunch.

_DS32847w — Vibrant color on a cold day? Yes, please.

Creamy Squash Ribbon Red Pepper Pasta (Paleo)

November 3, 2012October 11, 2013Life, RecipesLeave a Comment

This paleo-friendly, gluten-free & vegan pasta is a diabolical way to sneak zucchini and other soft squashes past the squash texture-averse. By cutting the squash in ribbons, the squishy texture disappears and they become more palatable (even for Southerners who grew up hating the gloppiness and squeek of squash casserole). The ribbons also look like pasta; more important than looks alone, your belly is also tricked into thinking it has just consumed a mound of pasta. Yum all around. The creamy sauce helps with this as well and doesn’t taste like coconut – with the nut butter, peppers and other spices, it ends up tasting savory and rich.

I loved this pasta; my squash-averse DH ate it warily, but didn’t have any real complaint about it other than he knew it was squash. I’m sure the presence of a big ol’ slab of London broil on the side did wonders for the pasta’s begrudging acceptance.

Creamy Squash Ribbon Red Pepper Pasta

Adapted from Paleo Creamy Roasted Red Pepper Steak and Pasta from PaleOMG

2 zucchini
2 yellow summer squash
1 roasted red pepper
1 bunch spinach
1/4 c. almond butter (to be paleo, use almond butter – I happened to only have peanut on hand, so I used peanut. The original recipe called for a full half cup almond and would be thicker with the full amount. I halved because I was using the wrong nut butter)
1/2 can coconut milk
1 Tbsp. garlic powder
1 Tbsp. onion powder
1 tsp. golden mustard (or your favorite mustard – I use Golden’s spicy)
1 Tbsp. coconut aminos
2 cloves garlic, sliced
1 Tbsp. chipotle powder
Salt & pepper to taste

First, prep your noodles. I used a wide speed peeler to make long, wide noodles. If you can use a mandoline without slicing off a digit, the julienne setting makes nice matchstick noodles. I prefer less blood in my dinner, so I went the slow route. It didn’t take that long. If you’re not into wide noodles, stack those babies up and slice lengthwise.

Make your creamy sauce. Add the coconut milk, almond butter, spices, garlic, aminos, red pepper and mustard to the bowl of a food processor. Whiz until thoroughly combined. Taste. Add salt and pepper (and any additional amounts of spice) until you’re satisfied.

In your largest skillet over medium – medium-high heat, add the squash noodles. A dry pan is fine here; you’re going to be adding the sauce momentarily. Toss the noodles a time or two so each is kissed by heat. Add the spinach and sauce and toss (carefully with tongs or you’ll break all your noodles up and throw the spinach around the room) frequently until it all looks cooked. You’re not cooking the noodles to death and you’re not serving them raw – think al dente with wilted spinach. This process should take 5-8 minutes, depending upon how hot and crowded your pan is.

Serves 2 for dinner + 1 for lunch.

Restrictive But Delicious – ‘Paleo’ Tortillas

October 27, 2012October 11, 2013Life, Recipes1 Comment

I struggled in naming this recipe. This is a straight-up paleo recipe – restrictive, delicious – but so much more. I’m trying to steer clear of the ‘paleo’ label, but I find much of what I’ve been making lately falling firmly in that category. The hubbs and I are trying something different this fall – gone are the whole grain and lentil-heavy dishes of previous seasons; in are the veg and meat-laden dishes prescribed by the followers of paleo-style diets. We’ve decided to limit our intake of dairy to good-quality butter, to forego glutinous starches, to limit our intake of non-gluten substantive substances like lentils, beans and legumes (except for the occasional quinoa and near-weekly sushi nights). We shall see how this goes long-term, but so far we’re kind of liking it. Finding the right fat-to-everythingelse ratio has been challenging (for the hubbs at least, who was making some kind of crazy-ass bulletproof coffee drink with butter and coconut oil and who seems to need more than a salad & exercise goo as fuel for a long run). I seem to be faring better in the switch – other than not being able to cuddle with chickpeas and lentils lashed with greek yogurt, not a huge change (except for upping my meat intake, which isn’t the easiest thing when meal planning – I love me some vegetarian dishes).

For those of you that enjoy my mostly vegetarian dishes, never fear – I’m not abandoning those at all. I will most likely be posting more side dishes that can easily be bumped up to become vegetarian mains. Like this one. These ‘tortillas’ are really, really good. Tortillas isn’t quite the right term, here – they’re more like a crepe – but whatever the taxonomy, they work just fine as a taco wrapper. They taste a little coconutty, a little spicy, and a lot good. I could easily see this basic blueprint morphing into a sandwich wrapper or a pancake with very little trouble. Come to think of it, these would kick ass in place of a crepe in one of those huge cone-shaped sandwiches. Some grilled veggies, something in place of the hummus I’d naturally gravitate toward, a little balsamic, a little garlic… that sounds like sandwich heaven. Ham and cheese also comes to mind, for the non lactose-averse.

Enough with the daydreaming; I’m making myself hungry. I was first introduced to these tasty babies through PaleOMG’s recipe for Pork Avocado Cream Enchiladas. I’m a sucker for avocado crema. Love, love, love it. I could eat it on anything – and have, actually (as a pasta sauce, burger topper, by the spoonful, in ice cream, etc.). I’m also a huge lover of all things tacos, so this was a no-brainer. The entire dish was fabulous – so fabulous, I made the tortillas again for lunch the next day with the tweaks I’d envisioned the night before and polished off every last bit of the leftovers taco-style in a single sitting. Yum. So without further ado: tortilla-y crepes.

Restrictive But Delicious Paleo Tortillas

6 egg whites
3 Tbsp. coconut flour
6-8 Tbsp. coconut milk
1/4 tsp. baking soda
Big pinch salt
1 tsp. cumin
1 tsp. dried, ground chipotle
1-2 Tbsp. coconut oil

Whisk all ingredients together until smooth. If your batter is too stiff, add a little more coconut milk or some water until it thins out to the consistency you want – somewhere between what you woud use for a thick pancake and a crepe – not too watery, and you’ll have a huge mess; not too pasty, or you’ll have a hard time spreading into a thin layer and you will end up with a pancake.

In your largest skillet, heat 1-2 Tbsp. coconut oil over medium heat. When the pan is hot, add a ladelfull of your batter and circle with your spoon to spread into a thin layer (newspaper thin is ideal).

When you can see the edges are browning and just beginning to turn up on the sides (everything will be smelling really nutty at this point), very carefully reach your thinnest most flexible spatula under and flip. Be gentle; these babies want to tear if they’re not quite ready to go. Brown on side 2; transfer to a plate to await filling. This week was all about shredded pork; next week I’m playing with an eggless version for ground beef tacos.

Serves 2-3, depending upon how hungry you are and how carried away you get with the batter on the first few. I ended up making 3 large tortillas and 1 baby tortilla because I’ve only made pancakes like twice in my life and had zero idea of portion size. If you’re a pancake maker, think silver dollar pancake size servings and you will be fine.

Full Flavor Root Veg Mash

October 20, 2012October 11, 2013Life, RecipesLeave a Comment

This time of year, my mind wanders to thick hearty bowls of mashed potatoes; warm and cozy, wrapped in nostalgia. White potatoes, semi-unfortunately, aren’t a part of the high nutrient payload way we are trying to eat these days.

On the plus side, Idaho’s best aren’t the only tubers that purée into loveliness. This mash won’t win any beauty contests, but it is good. Thinner than starchy potatoes, and (at least this version) not as silky, these mashed turnips are still something to be reckoned with. Stout in their own way, with ribbons of decadent butter, homey garlic and a little something extra from stock.

Full Of Flavor Root Veg Mash

1 lb. turnips, chopped into 1/4 to 1/2 inch cubes
1 Tbsp. butter
1/4 c. or less vegetable stock
1 tsp. granulated garlic
Salt & pepper to taste

Boil the turnips in a large pot of salted water 6-10 minutes or until tender. Drain and add to the bowl of a food processor with the butter and garlic. Let run, drizzling in vegetable stock until your desired consistency is reached. Salt & pepper to taste.

Serves 3 as a vegetarian, gluten-free, paleo-friendly fall side dish.

Yeah, Yeah, Yeah, I Know: Another Cabbagy Slaw Salady Thing

September 15, 2012October 11, 2013Life, RecipesLeave a Comment

Yeah, yeah, yeah, I know: I’ve posted a bunch of these cabbagey slaw salad-ish dishes, but I love them so. Red cabbage is such a good foil for tanginess that I can hardly resist creating something magnificent or terrible for lunch with leftovers.

This version lends a tangy, sweet, crunchy and spicy backbone to simple black bean burger with avocado crema and a fried egg leftovers (or any other leftovers that aren’t a balanced meal in and of themselves, really).

Red Cabbage Slaw with Blackberry Honey and Spice

1/4 head red cabbage, sliced very thin

1 tsp. Whidbey Island Blackberry Honey (I realize you most likely don’t have this on hand – substitute regular honey, preferably with a kiss of fresh blackberry or blackberry jam alongside)

2 tsp. rice vinegar

1 tsp. sambal olek (I use chicken brand chili sauce with garlic)

A dusting of chopped cilantro

Citrus salt to dress

Combine all ingredients but salt in a bowl, finger toss until everything is playing nicely together. Sprinkle with citrus salt and toss again.

Makes a great kicky accompaniment to any kind of leftovers – if you want to turn it into a full lunch alone, add some salad greens or tuna and/or chickpeas.

Serves 1 for lunch

Sesame Ginger Edamame Mash

September 8, 2012October 11, 2013Life, RecipesLeave a Comment

This is a fabulous side dish made all the more rich and satisfying by the addition of toasted sesame oil. What you get is a sumptuous, velvety mash with the consistency of potatoes, the smoothness of a root vegetable puree, and the nutty richness of peanut butter. Bonus points for those wanting a hearty potato alternative that is low on the glycemic index.

Sesame Ginger Edamame Mash
Adapted from Gluten Free Girl and the Chef’s recipe for edamame mash

15 ounces frozen edamame, shelled and unsalted
3 Tbsp. toasted sesame oil
2 Tbsp. grated ginger
2 Tbsp. ponzu (you could also use soy or tamari)
2 Tbsp. red wine vinegar
1 Tbsp. fish sauce (you may need a splash more)
2 tsp. lemon juice (or lime, whatever you have on hand)

Bring a large pot of water up to a boil. Add the edamame and cook until tender, about 8 minutes. Drain and add to the bowl of your food processor. Add the sesame oil, ginger, soy sauce, vinegar, fish sauce and lemon juice. Whiz until a puree forms, scraping down the sides if needed. If your mixture is looking a little dry, drizzle in some water until you reach the desired consistency. Taste and season with extras if needed. I needed a bit more fish sauce to hit the right balance.

Serves 2 for dinner + 1 for lunch as a hearty side; could be stretched to 4 sides with ease.

Risottoed Fresh Sweet Corn

August 11, 2012October 11, 2013Life, RecipesLeave a Comment

If your household is anything like mine, fresh ears of corn dominates the shopping list every week this time of year. And while I absolutely love my corn on the cob and various corn salad permutations, sometimes you just need something a little different. That’s where this creamy, risotto-like side comes into play. This dish takes the best summer has to offer and transports it to near fall amounts of decadence. It’s creamy, it’s hearty, and it makes the perfect accompaniment to a protein main (like the too-dry pheasant in the picture).

Risottoed Fresh Sweet Corn

4 ears corn
1/2 c. liquid – water, stock or milk
1/2 red onion
1 Tbsp. olive oil
1/2 c. Parmesan cheese
2 Tbsp. half & half
Salt & pepper to taste

Dice onion and set to sautée in the oil over medium-low heat.

Over a large bowl, de-kernel the corn and then run the back of your knife down the empty cobs to extract the milk.

Add the corn & 1/2 c. liquid to a food processor; whiz until the mixture looks like risotto.

When the onion is softened, add the corn. Raise the temperature to a simmer and cook, stirring frequently to prevent sticking, 20 minutes or until the desired consistency is reached. You want a loose risotto texture.

Add the cheese and half & half. Stir and cook another couple minutes to fully incorporate. Salt & pepper to taste.

Serves 2 for dinner + 1 for lunch.

Spicy Potato Salad

July 15, 2012October 11, 2013Life, RecipesLeave a Comment

This potato salad makes the perfect foil for grilled meats on a hot summer’s night and only improves in the fridge. It has enough heat to make things interesting, but not so much that the fire department needs to be called.

Spicy Potato Salad

1 lb. baby red potatoes
2 Tbsp. mayo (we use olive oil-based)
3 Tbsp. olive oil
1 Tbsp. lemon juice
1 Tbsp. capers
1 tsp. red wine vinegar
1/4 onion
2 eggs
2 ribs celery
1 Tbsp. canned chipotle

Wash your potatoes, halve (you want potato chunks that are roughly uniform in size and around the 1/2 inch) and place into a large pot. Add enough water to cover by a few inches and a palm full of salt. Bring to a boil and let boil 8 minutes or until soft but not disintegrating.

While the potatoes are cooking, place your eggs into a small sauce pot and cover with water. Bring up to a boil and let boil 4 minutes. Set aside until cool enough to handle. Peel and slice thin.

Dice the chipotle and add to a large bowl. Add the mayo, vinegar and lemon juice and whisk, streaming in the olive oil as you go, until a dressing is formed. Salt & pepper to taste.

Dice the celery and add to the bowl.

Slice the onion wafer thin and add to the bowl.

Add the capers.

When the potatoes are done, drain and add to the bowl. Stir to combine.

Add the egg and gently fold in.

Taste for seasoning and adjust as necessary.

Serves 2 for dinner and 1 for lunch.

Roasted Corn Salad with Avocado Mousse

June 30, 2012October 11, 2013Life, Recipes2 Comments

This dish makes the perfect accompaniment to any summer grilled entree, from veggie burgers to sausage or steaks. Yum.

Roasted Corn Salad with Avocado Mousse

4 ears corn, shucked
1 red bell pepper
1 avocado, halved and separated from its skin
2 limes, halved
1/4 red onions, diced
1 Tbsp. basil, diced
1 Tbsp. cilantro, diced
2 cloves garlic, diced
1 tsp. cumin
1 tsp. chili powder
1/4 c. creme fraiche
1 squirt sriracha
Salt & pepper to taste

On a medium-high flame, grill the corn until blistered all over and burned in spots. Don’t worry – slightly burned corn tastes great.

Grill the pepper until the skin has blackened on all sides and is starting to split.

Grill the avocado until well marked.

Grill the limes until well marked and juicy. This is the perfect preparation for limes that have gotten a little hard, as the heat brings the juices right back out.

Remove everything from the grill as it is done and set aside to cool.

In the bowl of a food processor, combine the avocado, creme fraiche, juice of 1 lime, 1 squirt sriracha and half the garlic. Process until smooth. Season with salt and pepper. If this mixture is thicker than you would like, thin with a little water. I wanted a mousse-like consistency.

When the veggies have cooled enough to handle, peel the pepper and chop. Stand the corn up on its cut-from-the-stalk end and run your knife slowly down the cob to separate the kernels, making sure to get down to the hard cob core. You may want to do this in a big bowl or on a big chopping board – things can get a little messy.

Combine the corn kernels, pepper, the juice of the second lime, basil, cilantro, second half of the garlic, cumin and chili powder in a bowl. Taste. Season accordingly and serve topped with avocado mousse.

Serves 2-4

Lemony Chickpea Mash

June 9, 2012October 11, 2013Life, RecipesLeave a Comment

I made this side to go with Cider-Braised Pork Shoulder with Caramelized Onion and Apple Confit and haven’t been able to stop thinking about it since. The pork was great, don’t get me wrong – soft, sweet, tangy, porky. But the chickpeas, the chickpeas were a revelation. My DH and I are trying to make a conscious effort to decrease the amount of “white” starch we are eating – no more bread, pasta, potatoes or rice noodles at home. Basically, no more of our very favorites and my go-tos for meal planning. Well, I wouldn’t say quite no more, but a limit has been placed on that type of food around these parts. And it’s at turns hard (when all I want to do is make a quick noodle dish) and not very hard at all (I really don’t miss bread).

As such, we are eating more lentils and legumes, more nut butters, a little more “real” meat (apparently bacon and/or eggs doesn’t really count as actual meat), and more straight-up vegetable based meals without the use of starch as a crutch. That’s the hard one. That one has been frickin killing me – I’m the queen of one-bowl dinner salads. Dinner salads and noodle dishes. Luckily, I’ve discovered the joys of cauliflower rice and stumbled upon an offhand mention of chickpea mash.

Think of chickpea mash like a mashed potato. It should be a luscious, decadent feeling puddle – a balm, even. Like mashed potatoes, or even grits. Comfort for the health-conscious (yeah, I know, my recipe uses canned chickpeas – I’m lazy).

Chickpea mash pictured above with the lovely pork dish mentioned in the head notes and crisped greens with garlic.

Lemony Chickpea Mash

1 can low sodium chickpeas, washed and drained
1 Tbsp. tahini
Juice of 1 lemon
Olive oil
Water to lubricate
Salt & pepper to taste

Add the chickpeas, tahini and lemon juice to the bowl of your food processor. Let spin, using water and a few good glugs of olive oil to get everything moving until you get the texture you want. You’re looking for a thick-ish, velvety spread. Something that isn’t watery, but isn’t a big pile of glop. Kind of like hummus (this would also make a killer hummus-style dip, btw). Taste. Add salt & pepper ’till your heart’s content.

Serves 2 for dinner with a small portion left over for lunch.

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this: