Best dinner side dishes please

jenna8984

I have to work on my cholesterol in the new year. We currently eat pasta as a side to every meal and that needs to stop. We practically never have vegetables but this must be our new side so if you can please share recipes for vegetables and no pasta. Thanks!!

theartistformerlyknownas

Asparagus cooked with a little olive oil, brown sugar and garlic
Roasted anything - root vegetables with rosemary, squash with maple syrup, broccoli with lemon juice and parmesan
Zucchini cut into noodles with a spiralizer

FutureMrsN3312

Not sure if this counts but I make baked sweet potatoes a few times a week. I'm also a huge fan of steamed broccoli. If I have time I'll make a fancier broccoli side. Involving a lot of garlic and chipotle breadcrumbs.

climbingsingle

I like to do roasted asparagus. Just a little olive oil and salt and stick in the oven. Same with Brussel sprouts. Zucchini too.
Sautéed broccoli rabe with garlic
Artichokes - I boil them with garlic and bay leaves
I steam broccoli in the microwave.
I also cook sweet potatoes in the microwave.

Cookie Pusher

I do a lot of roasted vegetables. Potatoes, asparagus, brussel sprouts, sweet potatoes, yellow squash/zucchini, cauliflower... if it's tasty, I'll try to roast it. I also like to stir-fry vegetables. Tonight, we had green beans with ginger and scallions. DH also likes when I stir-fry broccoli florets with ginger and sesame oil.

theartistformerlyknownas

Oh yeah H eats a microwave baked sweet potato every day.

princessbuttercup09

What about spaghetti squash? There are so many ways to make it! It would be a great pasta substitute. 

jenna8984

I can never find sweet potatoes where I live. It sucks because I love them but they seriously are not sold in my grocery store

So I meant it when I said we never eat vegetables. I don't know how long/ what temp to cook any of these items that you mentioned...

thanks!

theartistformerlyknownas

Hold on, I have a chart for that when I get to my computer...

cupcait927

princessbuttercup09 said:

What about spaghetti squash? There are so many ways to make it! It would be a great pasta substitute. 

I second the spaghetti squash. Cut it in half, put each half in the microwave for 10 to 15 minutes (quicker than the oven), shred and use for pretty much anything. I made this bake the other night with spaghetti squash (seasoned with salt, pepper, onion salt and garlic), ground beef, tomato sauce and a little parmesan cheese. Layered everything in a dish and baked for 30 minutes. H could not stop eating it. Tasty and a lot healthier than something like baked ziti or lasagna.

novella1186

jenna8984 said:

I can never find sweet potatoes where I live. It sucks because I love them but they seriously are not sold in my grocery store

So I meant it when I said we never eat vegetables. I don't know how long/ what temp to cook any of these items that you mentioned...

thanks!

If you're steaming something in the microwave, just cook for a few minutes and then jab it with a fork. If it's tender then it's done. If it still feels hard/crunchy, then do a few more minutes. Boil artichokes for about 10 minutes or until the outer leaves come off very easily. Roast vegetables in the oven till they just start to brown (or if you're like me and love extra crispy stuff, till they're a little more brown) 

theartistformerlyknownas

To print the second one and hang it on the fridge:

http://domesticsuperhero.com/2012/08/17/veggie-cooking-cheat-sheet/

jenna8984

@lolo883 Thank you!!

ElcaB

Try kale with garlic & peppers [LINK]. I make it often for my veggie-loving family dinners & everyone raves. Plus, it's SUPER easy. 

novella1186

I don't know if you like raw tomatoes (I love them!) but something we always make in the summer: 

Slice a big tomato, top each tomato slice with a slice of avocado, shaved Parmesan cheese, some salt and pepper, and then drizzle with balsamic. 

or 

top each tomato slice with a fresh basil leaf, mozzarella cheese, and then drizzle with balsamic. Both are delicious (IMO)

I also love to make couscous (which could be a good replacement for pasta?) and mix in sliced cherry tomatoes, sauteed red onions, wilted spinach (spinach is super delicate so pretty much all you have to do is put it over a little heat for a minute or two and it wilts right down, or just mix it in with the couscous right when that's done cooking and the spinach will wilt into it), sliced green onions (uncooked) and a whole bunch of feta cheese 

theartistformerlyknownas

You can also cook most things in a foil packet on the grill at medium-high heat for about 15 minutes - same time as it takes to cook a good sized chicken breast. I like to put an ice cube into the packet so the water steams the veggies, then once that cooks off they get lightly browned. 

Also as you do this more, you'll find the sweet spot between how large/small you cut your veggies and how long to cook them so you can time them right alongside whatever else you're cooking. Meat takes 30 minutes and veggies only 20? Cut them larger or cover them with foil in the oven. 

Here are some more tried and true recipes now that I'm on my computer:

http://www.errenskitchen.com/seriously-best-broccoli-life/

http://www.peta.org/living/food/spicy-buffalo-cauliflower-wings/

http://cookieandkate.com/2012/roasted-brussels-sprouts-with-cranberries-and-barley/

http://pinchmysalt.com/how-to-roast-whole-artichokes/

http://sarahfit.com/my-pasta-alternative-eggplant-noodles/

And don't forget things like soup and chili - something like minestrone would be a great way to get a lot of vegetables into one meal without going super far outside of your comfort zone all at once. You can make a standard chili with ground turkey and throw in ANYTHING diced for a veggie boost - zucchini, butternut squash, mushrooms, even canned pumpkin puree.

http://www.chelseasmessyapron.com/slow-cooker-sweet-potato-chicken-and-quinoa-soup/

http://www.anediblemosaic.com/?p=10631

http://thescienceofeating.com/2012/01/23/detox-vegetable-soup/

http://www.saveur.com/article/Recipes/Tuscan-Bean-Soup

mrscomposer

Baked anything, as per Lolo's cheat sheet.  That and rice are my go-to sides.

Last week I fried a little bacon, tossed in some halved Brussels sprouts to get them nice and browned, then added cooked rice for pretend fried rice.  We had no leftovers, and J doesn't even like Brussels sprouts.

daria24

Couscous IS pasta. It's also really high in calories (especially Israeli couscous).

One of the best  things in my kitchen is my Oster steamer http://www1.macys.com/shop/product/oster-5711-food-steamer-61-qt?ID=138083&pla_country=US&CAGPSPN=pla&CAWELAID=120156340000354120&catargetid=120156340001372268&cadevice=c&cm_mmc=Google_PLA_Home_Electrics_PLA-_-Electrics_Catch+All+-+GS_Electrics+Catch+All-_-47928480436_-_-_mkwid_qY0l4jXl|dc_47928480436%7C-%7CqY0l4jXl

You just throw anything in there and steam it, I make oatmeal every morning. Veggies, rice, quinoa, corn on the cob...so easy. Rice turns out so much better than on a stovetop. 

I roast carrots and butternut squash all the time. Just toss with a little olive oil, salt and pepper. 

If you don't have a lot of fresh vegetables available at your store, there's nothing wrong with frozen. In some cases frozen veggies might even be better-they are picked, cooked, and flash frozen within the span of a few hours, vs some limp broccoli flown in from Peru a week ago. 

novella1186

daria24 said:

Couscous IS pasta. It's also really high in calories (especially Israeli couscous).

One of the best  things in my kitchen is my Oster steamer http://www1.macys.com/shop/product/oster-5711-food-steamer-61-qt?ID=138083&pla_country=US&CAGPSPN=pla&CAWELAID=120156340000354120&catargetid=120156340001372268&cadevice=c&cm_mmc=Google_PLA_Home_Electrics_PLA-_-Electrics_Catch+All+-+GS_Electrics+Catch+All-_-47928480436_-_-_mkwid_qY0l4jXl|dc_47928480436%7C-%7CqY0l4jXl

You just throw anything in there and steam it, I make oatmeal every morning. Veggies, rice, quinoa, corn on the cob...so easy. Rice turns out so much better than on a stovetop. 

I roast carrots and butternut squash all the time. Just toss with a little olive oil, salt and pepper. 

If you don't have a lot of fresh vegetables available at your store, there's nothing wrong with frozen. In some cases frozen veggies might even be better-they are picked, cooked, and flash frozen within the span of a few hours, vs some limp broccoli flown in from Peru a week ago. 

Hm... I always thought it was more of a grain. No wonder it's so delicious :P 

peachy13

Invest in one of these guys: http://www.bedbathandbeyond.com/store/product/veggetti-spiral-vegetable-cutter/1042545910

My FI and I also quit starchy sides. It sucks. But, I bought this thing and use it quite a bit. I use a zucchini and the veggetti shreds it up like pasta. Then I sautee it in a frying pan with olive oil, salt and pepper, garlic, and parm cheese. Sometimes pesto, sometimes alfredo.

I'm not even sure my FI had ever had a zucchini before in his life before I got the veggetti and now he'll ask me to make the "zucchini pasta" every few nights. Healthy and tasty. Good luck!