Side Dishes & Veggies

I’ll be honest, I tend to give short-shrift to side dishes, and often just saute up some kale, grill some zucchini and peppers, or roast whatever’s on hand. But there are so many amazing ways to prepare vegetables that sometimes it’s worth actually putting a recipe down on paper.

That doesn’t mean that these are difficult or time-consuming…it might just be a light dressing or some interesting seasoning. Either way, these are some of my favorite side dish recipes and the best ways to prepare veggies.

Not sure where to start?? Here are a few of my faves:

You can browse my full recipe index or a more visual index here, or explore the archives below…

Super Easy Onion Pakoras (Without a Deep Fryer)…with Tamarind Chutney

January 12, 2023

Veggie or onion pakoras are SERIOUS comfort food for me. As I mentioned with my deep kheer recipe explorations, I’m not really sure when or how this came to be since I didn’t grow up with Indian food, but now they’re one of my go-to’s when I want to indulge.

Are onion pakoras and pakodas the same thing?

Yes, pakora and pakoda are different names for the same thing (you might also see pakodi or even just “fritters”. Regardless of what they’re called, I LOVE them.

I think there are a few main differences between this onion pakora recipe and restaurant ones. 1) I refuse to use a deep fryer, and so I can’t make more of the ball-like doughy ones, 2) I’m not using a mixed veg, and 3) I’m not using fresh curry leaves because finding them in southern Indiana is…not a thing.

But from a flavor and overall experience standpoint relative to effort, these tick my boxes. And I can whip them up when a craving strikes in like 10 minutes, which is a major win for me.

I have made these at least a dozen times at this point, trying to get them perfect, and here are a few hacks I read about and tried.

Add a little oil to the batter to help make it crispier, so it won’t absorb as much oil while frying
Add a pinch of baking soda to the batter for extra fluffiness

I tried both of those at times, but didn’t see a meaningful difference so don’t know if it’s worth it, but mentioning in case those work well for you.

One of the main things you need to know is that, because we’re shallow pan-frying (vs. deep-frying), you want to keep them fairly small and flat rather than balls, to get them to cook through and not be raw inside. Think latke rather than hush puppy.

Fluffy, Fragrant Turmeric Rice

December 22, 2022

Everyone needs a go-to rice recipe that’s a but “zshuzhed” (I have no idea how you spell that, but you get the picture). When a meal calls for a bolder, more flavorful rice, then you bring out the big guns. And by “big guns”, I mean this amazingly delicious and easy turmeric rice.

This is my sister’s go-to recipe when she needs a Mediterranean rice that pairs well with regionally-related foods, such as shawarma, ground lamb, gyro meat, and more.

And boy, does it! The first time I made it, I piled it high with this delicious Middle Eastern spiced ground beef with toasted pine nuts) and the result was pure comfort food.

But what’s impressive is that this rice is dang delicious on its own—and that’s not something I often say about rice.

On top of that, it is super easy and results in the softest, moistest rice I’ve ever made! Typically I’ve struggled with making rice on the stove in a way I enjoy, so just default to my rice cooker. But this technique was simple and very effective.

You definitely can make this with brown rice as well (my sister always does), but you’ll need to add an extra 1/2 cup of water and it will take a little longer to cook.

Easy Air Fryer Green Beans (Blistered Green Bean Fries)

July 7, 2022

I am…not a fan of green beans. They’re definitely in the bottom tier of vegetables for me. Not “I won’t touch this disgusting thing” (AHEM cucumbers), but definitely picked last for my dodgeball team. However, THESE delicious salty blistered air fryer green beans are a major exception.

As I mentioned in my chickpea scramble post, I’m navigating a few months of a quite restrictive diet protocol to try and heal all sorts of frustrating full-body symptoms stemming from gut health issues.

It’s going well, but is honestly quite challenging…both in not being able to enjoy some of my favorite foods, but also the sheer amount of time and planning it takes to have food I can eat each day (including an insane amount of vegetables).

And so I’ve come to really rely on my air fryer this summer, to help me quickly cook a variety of delicious veggies without heating my my house when it’s already hotter than Satan’s front porch outside. And no one is more shocked than I am that these green bean fries have become a daily staple!

You can read more about the detox (& gut health protocol) & my tips for staying sane/enjoying!

10-Minute Spiced Chickpea Scramble

June 15, 2022

Yeahhhh…I know that “chickpea scramble” is off-brand for me. Let’s just go with it.

As a person who absolutely loves food, I’m in a tricky place right now, and kind of salty about it…after years of not feeling well, with lots of different and seemingly-unrelated symptoms, plus more than a year of trying other things, I’m now on a complete gut health overhaul program.

In addition to some supplements and lifestyle changes, I have to follow a strict restrictive diet for a few months to clean out and rebuild the gut flora, so I’ve been riding the struggle bus trying to figure out what I *can* eat, what would actually taste good, making sure it’s the right combo of fat, protein, carbs, etc.

You can read more about the detox & gut health protocol, best recipes, & my tips for staying sane/enjoying!

You might also like: Tips for Surviving a Super Low-Carb Diet

It’s a lot, and it’s frustrating because I really miss delicious things (including cheese, gin, and garlic and onion which is CRUSHING not to be able to eat). But I really, REALLY hope this helps me feel better, and if so, it’s worth it.

Now, don’t worry, I prepped ahead of time and have plenty of delicious and indulgent recipes stockpiled to share with you over the next few months. So many. So if the super healthy anti-inflammatory gut health thing isn’t your cup of tea, I’ve still got your back.

But if you’re looking to add in some extra healthy recipes here and there, or are in a similar boat as me and trying to follow a candida, gut health, anti-inflammatory, or similar type of diet, then hopefully this sprinkling of recipes (and the deeper post I’ll share later on tips for surviving this kind of diet) will be helpful.

And let’s talk about this spiced chickpea scramble for a minute, because it really does have a lot going for it. First, it only takes like 10 minutes to make (winner!). It’s easy, cheap protein, and the spices really make it quite the party in your mouth. As an easy vegan recipe and plant-based meal option, it won’t steer you wrong.

Super Easy & Healthy “Loaded” Thai Chicken Salad

May 1, 2022

I have to be honest up front…this loaded Thai chicken salad is not a *pretty* dish. But it IS easy, healthy, and (most critically) delicious. No lie, the first time I made it, I threw it together while on a conference call, just putting myself off-camera every few minutes to do another step.

You might also like: The Kitchen Tools & Gadgets I Swear By

It’s hard to even know what to call the dish…is it a Thai cabbage salad? A slaw? I think Thai chicken salad works nicely, though somehow under-represents the sheer volume of veggies in it. This will look like it makes a ton, but it’s really only about 4-6 servings (depending on if it’s your main dish or a side).

I’ve made a number of small tweaks to the original recipe to better suit my tastes and simplify as well. I prefer using a fresh head of cabbage (I use a half-head here), but bagged can work too. I used much less pepper, carrot, and herbs, and more chicken (to keep me full longer).

And wow, the heat from the gochujang really comes through! It creeps up on you a bit (though I’m a total baby about spice, so your mileage may vary). The recipe calls for Sambal Oelek, with gochujang as a good substitute (and what I had on-hand).

Now what I can’t tell you is that this makes perfect leftovers. It makes *fine* leftovers, but it has a tendency to get watery (which isn’t the end of the world, and you can drain off the liquid). So here are a couple tips if you’ll be mostly eating it as leftovers:

Definitely don’t use too much lettuce, or any at all
The red onion really takes over once it’s been siting for a while, so go really light if you’ll be eating as leftovers, or keep separate
I found I liked to warm it up slightly…like zap it in the microwave for like 20-30 seconds. I liked it cool or room temp, but not fridge-cold (deadens the flavors)
You also *could* reserve the dressing and dress it as you go…that feels overly complex but it would keep it from getting soggy or watery

Roasted Sicilian Cauliflower

March 5, 2022

I’m struggling to even figure out how to best explain this Sicilian cauliflower dish to help you truly understand how delicious it is…

What makes it Sicilian?? The roasted cauliflower is paired with a classic Southern Italian combination of savory, spicy, acidic, and sweet elements for a “party in your mouth” end result.

And these are all great ingredients to keep on-hand anyway (plus fresh parsley is cheap), because pine nuts are great for pesto and tossing in salads for crunch, fresh garlic is a must-have for curries and more, and golden raisins are amazing in salads, kheer, and korma. (I buy my golden raisins in bulk on Amazon)

The original recipe calls for white wine vinegar, which works well, but I’ve been using this absolutely delish champagne vinegar from Brightland. I’m obsessed with their oils, vinegars, and honeys, and using them in all sorts of recipes.

And not only that, but it’s wicked easy as well. While the cauliflower roasts, you prep a couple ingredients to toss together with it (soak some golden raisins, quickly fry up some garlic and pine nuts), and then once it comes out of the oven…VOILA!

This has become a staple side dish a few times a week, on rotation with my brussels sprouts rubble and some charred broccoli bits with Trader Joe’s 21 Spice seasoning.

Roasted Brussels Sprouts “Rubble”: The Easiest, Fastest, Most Delicious Way to Eat Them

February 20, 2022

I’ve shared many brussels sprouts recipes over the years, from simple (caramelized shredded) to a little more involved (maple-dijon roasted). But I realized I hadn’t shared a super straightforward recipe for how I eat them on an almost-nightly basis…BEHOLD, the best roasted brussels sprouts EVER a.k.a. “rubble”.

These balsamic-honey ones are probably the closest to these, and you can absolutely add a bit of sweet and vinegar to give it an extra layer of flavor. But these are still amazing all on their own, with only salt and garlic powder for flavor.

I discovered that this was the best roasted brussels sprout technique by accident…I used to quarter or halve my sprouts before roasting, which was often great but frequently also gave me some tough, chewy pieces. Then my grocery store started having MASSIVE brussels sprouts, and quarters just didn’t make sense.

So I halved them and then diced like I would other veggies (small slices, then turn and slice the other way). What I realized after months of doing it this way is that it is 1) wicked easy, 2) they cook way faster and more evenly, and 3) they pick up more flavor this way.

This is now my default way of preparing them when I just want easy roasted brussels sprouts on a random Tuesday. I can have them prepped and in the oven in 5 minutes (in fact I have to remember to pre-heat my oven ahead) and then they’re ready in 10-12 minutes.

Cruciferous veggies like brussels sprouts are a great source of fiber, many critical vitamins and minerals, cancer-fighting compounds, and a great way to promote gut health and biodiversity. My two main cruciferous foods are brussels sprouts and cauliflower, but I’m trying to add more into my diet.

Roasted Butternut Squash Risotto with Fresh Basil

October 10, 2021

Risotto always feels pure FALL to me, and that’s particularly true of this roasted butternut squash risotto with fragrant fresh basil. These flavors and ingredients really straddle summer and fall, making it a great transitional recipe.

Risotto has been one of my signature dishes pretty much my whole adult life, and I love how endlessly adaptable it is.

You take a basic recipe and fairly simple ingredients, a few techniques, and then can add just about any ingredients to make it whatever you want (roasted vegetables are a fave of mine).

There are three types of rice you can use for risotto, but two main ones Americans can generally get their hands on. The most common is arborio, which many mass grocery stores have. The other is carnaroli, which you can order on Amazon easily as well. You can learn more about why each works here.

The process of making risotto has always been kind of therapeutic for me. I learned to make risotto while studying abroad in Italy, and loved sitting with my host mom, Giovanna, while she patiently heated stock and added it bit by bit to her risotto con funghi.

For many years risotto was my dinner party staple, because while it takes quite a long time to make *right*, it is a simple dish. It’s the perfect thing to sit and stir (or have a guest stir) with a glass of wine while chatting and getting the rest of the food ready. It takes patience but not much else.

The #1 rule of risotto is NOT TO RUSH IT.

The Best, Simple Burrata Caprese Salad (…& How You’ve Been Doing Caprese Wrong)

June 15, 2021

It’s caprese season!!! One of my quintessential summer food pleasures is a really good caprese salad, particularly when the tomatoes and basil are at their peak. But once you’ve have a burrata caprese salad, you realize you’ve been doing it all wrong with boring mozzarella!

What is burrata?? For the uninitiated, burrata is a soft cow’s milk cheese and from the outside it looks kind of like buffalo mozzarella. It’s made of mozzarella and cream, and has a smooth outer skin but then a creamy, slightly tangy middle. It is REVELATORY.

That tight ball of bland mozzarella will be gone forever once you’ve had burrata. It pairs wonderfully with things like tomatoes, peaches, and melon, and many people also put prosciutto crudo with it.

It’s bomb on a good Italian-style pizza or stirred into a pasta dish. You can learn more about it here.

One thing that’s critical—the simplicity of this dish means that you need to use the highest-quality ingredients you can find to make it amazing. In particular, using really good olive oil, flavorful tomatoes, and a good sea salt will make this great.

I’m obsessed with Brightland’s olive oils, and have used the Alive, Awake, and Arise (basil-infused) on this caprese salad…I highly recommend them!READ THE POST

Grilling Tips For First-Timers & How To Use A Gas Grill

March 30, 2021

I am a massive fan of grilling, and actually run my grill almost every night, year-round. Why, you ask? Well, 1) it’s the best way I’ve found to consistently eat healthy, 2) it’s super fast and easy, and 3) it requires very little clean-up.

Did you need more reasons than that??

Since I moved into my house a few years ago and finally got a real gas grill, I’ve been working to become a grillmaster of sorts, testing all kinds of different recipes.

So I wanted to share some of my favorite grilling tips and recipes here, particularly for grilling newbies…and I’m always looking to up my game so feel free to send me YOUR best ones too!

(I feel like I need to caveat here, that I’m not one of those amazing obsessed grilling nerds…but that’s why this guide is perfect for newbies)

What this post covers

Grilling tools for success
General grilling tips
Tips for grilling various meats
Marinades
Vegetables
Pizza

Tools you need

It goes without saying that a good grill is a good starting point. I use a gas grill, so all the tips here will be geared toward that, I can’t speak to charcoal. I upgraded to a Weber recently but had a Charbroil for a few years, they’re only a few hundred bucks, and it did great.READ THE POST

Crispy Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Balsamic-Honey Drizzle

December 12, 2020

I needed to mix up my veggie side dish game recently, because I’ve overdone it a bit on the cauliflower front, as well as being very carb-heavy (lots of sweet potatoes and butternut squash).

Enter these crispy roasted brussels sprouts with balsamic and honey…

I’m absolutely in love with this honey balsamic brussels sprouts flavor combo…the sweet-bitter taste that soaks into the sprouts and softens them a bit. That, combined with the sea salt added before roasting and the deeply charred nature of the brussels sprouts, makes this dish truly magical.

The main change I’ve made from the original recipe is backing waaaay off the amount of dressing/drizzle. I’ve found that a 1-tablespoon-to-1-teaspoon ratio works best, and even sometimes a bit less than that (I eyeball when making for myself). You don’t want it sopping wet.

Here’s my other everyday recipe: Roasted Brussels Sprouts “Rubble”READ THE POST

The Best Thanksgiving Recipes: 20+ Of My Family’s Favorites

November 8, 2020

Thanksgiving is a BIG deal in my family. And that includes the food…which is why I feel like I have some of the best Thanksgiving recipes around. You know, the tried-and-true ones that the family requests over and over.

See, I have a big extended family, and we spend the day before baking, cooking, and prepping. The morning of Thanksgiving is always insane—my mom’s up super early with the turkey, then leaves around 10:30 to get down to my grandma’s. I get up a little later, go for a run, finish up all the remaining dishes, and head down around noon.

We eat a huge lunch, then graze all afternoon and have leftovers for dinner. We play football, watch football, play cards, and talk. Chase the kids around.

When you’re cooking for a big crowd (anywhere from 25 to 50 in past years; usually around 25-30 these days), there are some realities in the kinds of dishes that make sense. Anything super time-intensive that doesn’t yield a lot of servings is automatically out.

So these are some of my favorite relatively easy Thanksgiving recipes that I’ve contributed over the years, and it’s all about the sides, breads, desserts, and cocktails. Turkey just…exists. Hope you enjoy and everyone has a safe, happy (American) Thanksgiving with family and friends!

Delicious & Easy Kale Salad

October 25, 2020

I don’t know why it’s taken me so long to give this a try. I’ve been wanting to find an easy kale salad recipe for forever, something I could put in my regular dinner rotation. And don’t roll your eyes…when done properly, kale can be totally delish.

When not done properly it’s a tough, chewy mess. Fear not, this is not that kale.

As I said above, I’ve been wanting to lock down a great basic kale salad for forever. But then I stalled and stalled…partly waiting to actually find lacinato kale in my grocery store (it’s like a unicorn!).

Finally I gave up and tried this with curly kale, and totally loved it. It’s such a simple combination of flavors, but can be super flexible depending on the ingredients you have and is equally great with either curly or dino/lacinato kale.

I have made a few tweaks to the original recipe, mostly to the dressing. I felt it had WAY too much lemon juice so I halved it, and also added a bit of dijon mustard for some creaminess and tanginess.

I love the fall feel this salad brings, but it’s honestly great any time of year. I also love that it takes less than 10 minutes to throw together.

Hearty Fall Lentil, Butternut Squash, & Kale Salad

November 30, 2019

I had some hesitation as I decided to try out this recipe, to be honest. On the one hand, I love a hearty salad (I’m on the record as not generally loving lettuce salads…). But on the other hand, I’m not a massive fan of lentils. I don’t hate them, just tend to find the texture weird and flavor a bit underwhelming. So I wasn’t sure how this lentil, butternut squash, and kale salad would land with me.

But I was pleasantly surprised both by the flavor and texture, and how satiated it kept me for hours! I didn’t feel cheated or dread having to heat up my lunch, and for me that is a win…the cafeteria chicken tenders are always calling, and I have to avoid that call!

Besides the lentils, the base of this salad is a delicious blend of roasted vegetables. Butternut squash for heft, red onion for flavor, and kale for texture (and greenery). Personally I could have left out the pecans and wouldn’t have missed them, since I’m not hugely into nuts and they add calories. And I loved the subtle dressing that blended everything together—sometimes dressings can overpower a salad, especially on leftovers, and that’s not the case at all here.

If you’re looking for other delicious hearty salads, I’m particularly in love with this roasted vegetable and barley salad with a yummy creamy shallot dressing, and this sweet potato and chickpea buddha bowl with maple tahini dressing. Along with this dish, they all three make DELISH leftovers and are perfect for taking to work for lunch as well.

Grilled Gorgonzola Potatoes

September 7, 2019

The grilling extravaganza continues! And this time we go a little fancier—gorgonzola grilled potatoes. My love of grilling recipes is well-documented, partly because grilled food is delicious, but also because it’s often healthier, easier, and requires less cleanup.

I’ve been in love with my grilled cheddar rosemary sweet potatoes for like a year now, and this is a similar idea, just taking it up a notch.

Now, obviously strong blue cheese is a polarizing thing. I truly adore it, but realize not everyone does. If you hate it, then I’d say move on, this isn’t for you. But if you’re kind of on the fence, then I’d recommend giving this a try…melting the gorgonzola crumbles and the thin coating it makes over the crispy potatoes and herbs really mellows out the flavor and makes it less in-your-face.

This is a perfect weeknight side dish for one person (hello!), but also could be a great fancy-feeling (and low-effort) side for a dinner party.

Farro Salad with Butternut Squash, Goat Cheese, & Pepitas

April 14, 2019

It’s been a while since I’ve shared a simple healthy dinner recipe…probably because it’s been a while since I’ve *made* one that doesn’t require just throwing chicken and veggies on the grill. But this yummy and super easy farro salad is such a perfect way to transition from winter’s cozy comfort food to lighter summer fare that I had to share.

This is another Smitten Kitchen gem that I’ve adapted in several different iterations depending on what I have in the fridge (like that delish goat cheese with thyme and apricots you can kind of see in the pic below). This is the simplest version, but feel free to add to or switch up ingredients. The best part of this dish is the combination of different textures and flavors—creamy, chewy, salty, crunchy, sweet. So as you swap things in and out, try and maintain those elements for maximum awesomeness. You can also try it with different grains (barley is a particular favorite of mine).

Za’atar Roasted Cauliflower with Pine Nuts, Dates, and Thyme

November 3, 2018

I am a well-known lover of cauliflower, but even I was surprised by how fervently I fell in love with this recipe. I tried it kind of on a whim, just to mix things up from my normal grill foil packet cauliflower (which is bomb, and I’ve made literally every night for like four months).

But I took one bite and said out loud (in a room by myself), “OH MY WORD THIS IS AMAZING!” My cats looked at me weird. Whatever, they’re totally missing out.

The flavor combo of this roasted cauliflower is crazy and intense. It’s such a perfect blend of sweet, savory, crunchy, and earthy. I would never have thought to pair really ANY of these together, but the result is absolutely sublime.

And you know what’s bonus?? It’s super easy too. There’s very little hands-on time, and it can all come together in under half an hour—basically the time it takes for the cauliflower to roast. It makes a perfect side dish alongside simple things like grilled or baked chicken, and I’ve even had it as a lighter vegetarian dinner as well.

Easy Side Dish: Fried Baby Potatoes

August 12, 2018

I moved away from home when I left for college, and only get back to Kansas once or twice a year. Usually that’s around Thanksgiving, but on the rare occasions it happens to be during the summer, my mom invariably asks if there’s anything in particular I want to eat, and I invariably answer “grilled chicken and steak with fried baby potatoes”.

It’s our thing.

It’s nice that some things in life are consistent 🙂 This is barely a “recipe”, but I’ve never really had these quite the same anywhere else so I wanted to share how we do this. The reason that summer is key is because we want to get fresh new potatoes if possible (red is best), and the key is SMALL. Yes, you can make regular potatoes this way, but it’s only with smaller potatoes that you get the right ratio of buttery crispy goodness and soft fluffy innards.

Innards. Mmm.

Korean BBQ Cauliflower & Chickpeas (vegan, gluten-free)

January 3, 2018

I’ve been completely obsessed with this this recipe for a couple months now. I’ve seriously made it three or four times in six weeks. And I cook like…maybe once a week?

This dish is super healthy done right—it’s so delicious that you don’t feel like you’re giving something up, and so easy that you don’t have to work hard to convince yourself to make it. Another bonus is that the main ingredients are really affordable, which isn’t always the case when using fresh, healthy ingredients.

Given how hectic things have been lately, I’ve tried out a couple of meal prep delivery services to see if they would help me be better about cooking and eating healthier—rather than relying on UberEats. I recently tried Terra’s Kitchen and focused on largely paleo and vegan recipes for my first box, to try and counteract the rest of my life.

This is a slightly adapted recipe of the first meal I made from them, and it was a WINNER! If you are wanting to try out a meal delivery service that has a lot of really healthy, fresh options, you might give them a try. This code will get you $40 off your first box (just a referral link, not a partnership of any sort).

The star of this dish is the sweet, tangy, spicy sauce that coats everything. But don’t underestimate how awesome the different textures are in combination—solid yet tender cauliflower, chewy chickpeas, crunchy peanut pieces. Nom nom nommity nom!READ THE POST

Herbed Goat Cheese Tart with Spring Peas

June 14, 2014

English peas in the spring are one of those magical things. There’s this super narrow window when they’re in season (usually a few weeks in April), and if you can catch them fresh-off-the-vine they’re this crunchy, sweet treat bursting with flavor.

My CSA box back in April came with three whole bags of English peas, still in their pods. Shelling them can take quite a bit of work—though if I’d been smart, I would have soaked them in a water or blanched them for a minute to make them softer.

I just sat in front of the TV and shelled the peas while vegging out. As soon as I got the peas, I knew exactly what recipe I wanted to make.

I pinned this herbed goat cheese tart recipe probably a few years ago, but haven’t had the chance to make it. It just sounded awesome across the board. My family teases me about how much I love goat cheese, but it’s seriously awesome!

The combination of tangy goat cheese, creamy greek yogurt, fresh herbs, a little salt, and then those sweet peas is truly unique. I wasn’t able to find micro greens, but I can see how they’d make this recipe even better.

It’s also important to note that this is NOT great as leftovers…the tart solidifies in the fridge and becomes quite hard and a little flavorless, losing the awesome texture and tang it had when it was fresh.

This recipe is perfect for something like a Mother’s Day brunch or Sunday morning bridal shower—something a little fancy, but where it will get consumed right away.READ THE POST

Roasted Carrots with Smoked Salt and Thyme

May 18, 2014

My CSA box from a couple weeks ago keeps on giving. I knew exactly what I wanted to do with these beauties the minute I saw them. But the last couple weeks have been so nuts that I haven’t had the chance to carry out my nefarious plans.

And by “nefarious”, I mean “delicious”. Behold, roasted carrots with smoked sea salt and thyme.

Roasted carrots are always amazing, because the natural sugars in the carrot really come to life.

Thyme is a natural friend of the carrot, and the smoked sea salt (which you should be able to get at any grocery store) adds another layer of depth to the flavors. This side dish feels so fancy, and it literally takes five minutes, max.READ THE POST

Creamy Garlic Mashed Potatoes

November 24, 2013

I have a confession to make. I love all potatoes. Except mashed potatoes.

I know, I know—blasphemy. It’s not that I don’t like mashed potatoes, it’s just that they don’t excite me at all. These creamy garlic mashed potatoes have changed all that.

This may also come as a shock to you, but I’d NEVER made mashed potatoes before this. It seemed like so much work, to get something that I’m only kind of lukewarm on.

But when my mom and I decided to make Julia Child’s boeuf bourguignon a couple weeks ago, I knew it needed an equally-impressive base carb. I’d found this recipe with another kind of French stew, and they sounded like a perfect match.

What I discovered was that these garlic mashed potatoes really deserved their own showcase, not to play sidekick to a much more flavorful star.

I love garlic, could eat it in everything, and my diet has been a little light on it lately. These potatoes had the most delightful, mellow garlic flavor too, the result of simmering the whole garlic cloves in the heavy cream before adding both to the boiled potatoes.

Where just adding garlic cloves to potatoes and blending them would give a much more intense, almost spicy taste that would overpower everything else, this allowed everything to be at just the perfect level.

What also surprised me is how good these were as leftovers. Potatoes in general (but particularly mashed potatoes and fries) are typically terrible as leftovers, but these warmed up quite nicely and creamily.

I’m lobbying for us to make these for Thanksgiving, on account of how amazing they are. I recommend you do too. Let’s show boring old mashed potatoes who’s boss.READ THE POST

Parmesan Garlic Roasted Potatoes

November 3, 2013

You may have noticed that I have far fewer vegetable side dish recipes on this site than any other type of recipe. I don’t know why, honestly. I like veggies. Really, I do.

But it seems like when I’m browsing through Pinterest, most of the veggie sides I see are either a) complicated and time consuming, b) really unhealthy, or c) terrible sounding. A lot of the time when I’m making a meal, I focus on either the main dish or the dessert, and sauté up some kale or brussels sprouts and call it a day. Or I’ll make a main dish where the veggies are already included.

What you may especially notice if you browse through my Veggies and Sides section is that there are almost no potato dishes. Two in the past year and a half, to be exact. It’s not my go-to vegetable on account of all the starchiness and carb-iness with fewer of the health benefits that my green veggie friends have. I grew up eating a lot of potatoes, but it’s just not where I gravitate.

But I do love them when they’re done well. And these parmesan garlic roasted potatoes are. They’re also super easy.

One of the things I often dislike about a lot of potato dishes is the multiple steps they require—chopping, boiling, then frying or mashing. As we’ve already established, I’m lazy. But the steps were pretty quick for this recipe, and I was able to throw together a fast, delicious side to go with some awesome grilled salmon.

The original recipe actually calls for fresh parsley, which I didn’t have on-hand. I swapped in fresh rosemary instead, which was perfect with the potatoes. The parmesan made such a tasty, golden crust on them that I can see making these over and over. They were even good as leftovers a few days later!READ THE POST

One-Pot Farro with Tomatoes

September 23, 2013

Like 98% of the Pinterest-verse, I’d seen and pinned the ubiquitous “one-pot pasta” recipe where you put dry spaghetti, tomatoes, onions, and garlic into a cold pot of water and cook it all together.

I thought it sounded like a great idea and planned to try it at some point, until the ever-reliable Smitten Kitchen posted about how she’d tried it but the pasta had turned out all soft and gummy.

That’s when reason prevailed and I realized that what she said made total sense from a chemistry standpoint. And given my hatred of over-cooked pasta (one of our nation’s great failings), this wasn’t going to work. Instead, she submitted this one-pot farro recipe as an alternative, and she never steers me wrong.

It uses the exact same technique but substitutes a hardier grain for the soft processed pasta. Farro is better able to stand up to this kind of cooking process.

This dish was like a harbinger of fall—while the grape tomatoes were still bursting with summer flavor, the rich, silky sauce that formed around the nutty, chewy grains was like a warm hug. I’m not ready for fall just yet, but this is working on forcing me to get there.READ THE POST

Grilled Zucchini with Lemon Salt

September 15, 2013

Last weekend my friend decided to come over for dinner kind of last-minute, to help me put my new bed together later that night. I typically just order Thai food on Saturday nights, but wanted to cook dinner as a thank you.

Sometimes my dinners get a little overambitious and exhausting, so we decided to keep it simple. So I got a few salmon fillets and marinated them, and then decided to stick to a grilled theme with this beautiful grilled zucchini.

I’ve experimented with a number of grilled veggies, including zucchini a few times. However, this recipe has a unique element—lemon salt.

The bright, salty citrus combined with the smoky char marks on the zucchini really elevated this from average grilled zucchini to something that just felt special, while also being super easy. Easy + fancy? I’m on board.

How To Prepare Kohlrabi: Baked Kohlrabi Fries & Sauteed Kohlrabi Greens

August 11, 2013

Today we’ve got a weird one. Several weeks ago my CSA box had all sorts of randomness, including radishes (which I roasted but didn’t love—will have to try again) and kohlrabi. I’d never even heard of kohlrabi, so that was a new one…

So I had to figure out how to prepare kohlrabi.

All the pictures I’ve Googled of kohlrabi (which literally means “cabbage turnip” in German) show pale green roots (that really do look like a cabbage turnip), but mine were intensely fuchsia and kind of spiky. The inside was still beige, though, and had a consistency somewhat like a parsnip or turnip.

It’s a member of the cabbage family, along the lines of kale, brussels sprouts, broccoli, and cauliflower. Like all of those things, it’s highly nutritious and full of awesome phytochemicals.

Also like many of its brethren, the entire thing is edible. The root makes fries, mash, pie, etc., while the kohlrabi greens and stems can be sautéed, added to soups, or used the same way you’d use turnip greens or kale.READ THE POST

Grilled Eggplant with Goat Cheese, Balsamic, & Pine Nuts

August 5, 2013

I have a confession. I’ve never really loved eggplant. I don’t hate it, but I never choose it. I find it kind of squishy and a little bitter and mostly underwhelming. I will never order eggplant parmesan, and I find baba ganoush just plain weird.

I feel like they’re going to take away my Italo-phile card…

The great thing about this dish is that it’s super simple, but seems fancy, like you took a lot of time with it. And anything that has goat cheese, balsamic, and pine nuts is okay by me!

(Even eggplant.)

I won’t say that this dish totally changed my mind on eggplant or anything, but I really enjoyed it and it was cool to try preparing a new vegetable (which has been a theme lately, stay tuned for my kohlrabi efforts).READ THE POST

Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Cranberries & Gorgonzola

May 19, 2013

To continue the semi-healthy kick I’ve been on, we have this really interesting main dish/side dish/salad option, chock-full of different flavors and textures just begging to be devoured. I went the side dish route and made it simply roasted brussels sprouts with cranberries and gorgonzola.

I’d found this recipe on Pinterest a long time ago and always meant to get to it, but then months passed and it just lingered there. I decided to finally give it a try and was pleasantly surprised how much I liked it, though honestly the cranberries were a little too tart for me—I’d consider swapping them out for something else next time.

You’ve got dense brussels sprouts, tart fresh cranberries, salty Gorgonzola, crunchy pecans, and a sweet maple balsamic dressing with a bite. The recipe calls for cooked barley as well, since it’s meant to be a main dish. I didn’t have the time or inclination to do that this time, but will definitely try it some other time.

I also loved this tip from Cookie + Kate…brussels sprouts are best cooked flat-side down because the heat gets trapped inside the sprout and, in effect, steams it. It’s the best way to get crispy flat sides and cooked insides. It’s one of those things you kind of do intuitively, but knowing WHY helps.READ THE POST

Pioneer Woman’s Crash Hot Potatoes

March 18, 2013

You always need a couple of good potato side dish recipes around for when you’re not feeling super inspired.

For some reason, I don’t default to potatoes, and I always have trouble coming up with starchy sides. I’ll gravitate to a kale, a brussels sprout dish, something along those lines, but lots of people probably hate me for that since the instinctive reaction is “blech!”. So I’m trying to build up an arsenal of “regular” sides.

I found this “crash” hot potatoes recipe on Pioneer Woman’s site, and like the idea because it seemed simple and easy. Things like mashed potatoes scare me, because there are too many steps, too much mess, and it takes quite a while.

This dish was a great easy side with the balsamic beef we made Saturday night, easy to put together, and didn’t require us to find lots of work space in my tiny kitchen.READ THE POST

Baby Spinach, Goat Cheese & Sweet Potato Frittata

December 30, 2012

Sometimes I forget how awesome and easy frittatas are. Sure, they take slightly longer than scrambled eggs or an omelette, but the end result is also so much better. Plus there are leftovers. Do you have leftovers from scrambled eggs? (If so, ew.)

This frittata was even better than I’d imagined—the salty tanginess of the goat cheese, the sweet firmness of the sweet potatoes, the flash of green onion and the fragrant pop of the rosemary just all combined for an amazing flavor.

Most frittatas only take about 20 minutes. This one took slightly longer because the sweet potatoes need a little longer to cook than other things I’ve used (shallots, zucchini, etc.), but it also made an even more delightful crust.

[Note: Images updated 2019; I’d forgotten how delicious this recipe is!! Going back in the rotation…]
READ THE POST

Roasted Sweet Potato, Apple, & Sage Soup

December 9, 2012

My last night at home for Thanksgiving, it was just me and my mom since my dad had to head out of town for work. It had been cold and windy all day, typical Kansas November, and we’d been out running errands most of the day. When we got home, all we wanted was something warm and hearty, a glass of wine, and maybe some White Collar on Netflix.

My mom had picked up some truffle cheese, knowing how much I love truffles. So I decided to make another loaf of the amazing rosemary and olive oil bread I’d tried a couple days earlier and make grilled cheese sandwiches. Of course, we needed some kind of soup to go with it. So I did some searching and found this delicious, slightly-sweet and hearty soup as the perfect flavor pairing.

One thing I loved about this soup recipe was that it didn’t call for heavy cream, so it was a little healthier than many similar recipes. I also loved that you could make this in a normal amount of time instead of cooking it in a crockpot for several hours—I can’t always think ahead that much!

This looks like a perfect winter evening.READ THE POST

Guilt-Free Carb-y Cheesiness: Brussels Sprout & Cauliflower Gratin

November 25, 2012

This Thanksgiving has reminded me how much we always default to the same veggie and side dishes. And quite frankly, they’re delicious but not all that healthy. As always, we had an embarrassment of food riches this Thanksgiving, everything from green bean casserole to scalloped potatoes to sweet potato casserole. So I was ready for something different, and healthier. When I discovered this brussels sprouts and cauliflower gratin on A Cozy Kitchen, I decided it had to happen.

This dish has a great, creamy cheese sauce that’s not really fatty or heavy, and the Gruyere has a nice nutty flavor to it. The brussels sprouts and the cauliflower play nicely off each other texture-wise, and are full of vitamins and antioxidants and fiber. Overall, this is a great healthy side dish alternative.

One thing to note: the recipe says to bake this in an 8×11 pan and use 3/4 head of cauliflower. First, I don’t have an 8×11 pan (didn’t even know that was a thing), and second, what would I do with the extra 1/4 head of cauliflower??

So I used all the cauliflower and made it in a 9×13, but I didn’t think to make extra sauce. If you’re using a 9×13, I’d just increase the milk and cheese amounts by a little bit to account for the extra food and pan size.

Quinoa Mac & Cheese With Greens

October 31, 2012

“I need to try cooking quinoa.”

I’ve probably been saying this for two years. A couple weeks ago I finally got up the courage to try it.

Why quinoa? Well, for one, it’s a bit of a superfood—high in awesome protein, rich in nutrients (such as calcium, iron, vitamin B), full of fiber and complex carbohydrates, easy to cook, hearty, versatile, and quite tasty.

For my first foray, I went with a delightful-sounding quinoa mac & cheese recipe. Spoiler alert: it was awesome, easy, and delicious!

Easy Baked Beer Mac & Cheese

October 29, 2012

I was kind of “meh” all last week. Nothing bad happened. It wasn’t a particularly hellacious week at work. Nothing was wrong. I just wasn’t feeling it.

So to banish the “oncoming winter” blues, I decided beer was the answer. Specifically, beer with carbs and cheese. This baked beer mac & cheese had been staring at me from my Pinterest page for quite some time, and I decided it was time to make it reality. Add beer bread into the equation, and you’ve got the recipe for an awesome Sunday night (with a lovely Malbec, a good friend, and The Artist on Netflix, of course).

The thing I love about this recipe (besides the beer, cheese, and pasta), is that it’s really not that bad for you relative to how awful mac & cheese can be. Sure, there’s quite a bit of cheese, but you use whole grain pasta, I used skim milk (most recipes call for heavy cream), and the whole recipe only takes 2 tablespoons of butter.READ THE POST

Breaded Baked Okra: a.k.a Staying Healthy & Keeping My “Southerner” Card

September 19, 2012

Fried okra is one of those great Southern pleasures—salty, crunchy, greasy, with that very peculiar, specific okra taste underlying it all. But obviously, for health reasons, it has to be a “once in a while” treat. The thing about okra, though, is that it’s actually (like many vegetables) a nutritional powerhouse. It’s low-calorie, high-fiber, full of folates and vitamins A, C, K, and all the B’s, not to mention iron, magnesium, calcium, and manganese. You’d think, for all THAT, that people would have made a concerted effort to find all sorts of great ways to prepare okra that makes it tasty and still healthy.

Well, search no more. I already roasted okra, which was easy and delicious (and is one of my most popular posts EVER on the blog because it’s super delish). This takes (very) slightly more effort, but gives you that breading that is absent when just roasting. Behold—breaded baked okra!!

Southern staple with a twist (Kale Mac & Cheese)

August 12, 2012

If my blog has established anything, it’s that I have a longstanding love of kale. I have no idea where it came from, since I never tried kale until about a year ago. But I was in love at first bite. I’m always pinning various kale salad recipes on Pinterest, knowing I probably won’t get around to trying them since making dressing and eating salads isn’t so much my thing. But the second I saw this recipe, I knew I had to try it right away. First, because it had kale. Second, because I have been working up the courage to try that most comfort-y of Southern comfort foods—baked mac & cheese.

Real, baked mac & cheese isn’t something I grew up with. Mac & cheese in my family was made on a stove with Velveeta, and usually some hamburger or tuna thrown in. Delicious, but not the real Southern dish. I’ve been a little scared of making it myself, because I’ve never made a roux and worried about how it would turn out. After pinning like 30 different mac & cheese recipes, this one finally convinced me to take the plunge.

Oven-Roasted Sweet Potato Fries

August 11, 2012

One of the surprises in my CSA box this week was a couple of giant sweet potatoes. I thought the seasonality was a little weird (those are a fall/winter veggie, no?), but was excited to get a chance to make my awesome sweet potato fries.

Now the thing to note about these sweet potato fries is that they’re softer, not crispy/crunchy. I’m going to try a new recipe soon that claims to make them crispy. But these are still delicious, healthy, and super easy to make.

Cauliflower Leek Risotto

July 22, 2012

Risotto is one of my favorite authentic Italian dishes, and my absolute favorite to make myself when I have the time. You can’t rush risotto. It’s my “stress-relief” dish—pour a glass (or two) of wine, and stir and stir. The process of it is soothing.

One of the first recipes I pinned on Pinterest was for this cauliflower risotto with leeks. It’s a healthier version, since you get the additional vitamins, fiber, etc. from the cauliflower plus you use less rice, which is a simpler carb.

I’ll admit I was skeptical about the cauliflower. I’ve never made anything with cauliflower (I didn’t even know how to chop it!), and I was worried you’d lose the smooth awesomeness of risotto by adding the cauliflower in. I remained skeptical throughout the entire cooking process, but I was more than pleasantly surprised by the result. It was so delicious!

Look at all this healthiness you’re about to put inside you.

Oven-Roasted Okra (possibly better than fried…sacrilege in the South)

July 10, 2012

Okra was a totally foreign concept when I moved to Georgia. I’m actually not sure I knew what it was, or that it even existed. But this is Georgia. And there are few things we do better than take healthy vegetables, soak them in batter, and fry them up. Since moving here several years ago, I’ve fallen in love with fried okra, but just can’t have it all that often. Sometimes I’ll buy a big container of fresh okra and pseudo-fry it (a little olive oil, some cornmeal mixture, and saute). Then Pinterest offered up this gem: roasted okra. I would never have thought of it, and let me tell you—it’s genius.

A co-worker brought some okra from her garden into work, and so on a whim I snatched it all and tried roasting it.

Roasted Multi-Colored Carrots (With Bonus Fingerling Potatoes & Summer Squash)

June 25, 2012

When I got my big CSA box o’veggies this week, I got a bit of a shock. You see, they’d told me I was getting carrots. What they didn’t tell me is that I was getting PURPLE carrots!

That’s right, purple carrots. And this farm girl’s going to admit that she’s never seen a purple carrot.

Normally I roast carrots (of the orange variety), but I wanted to see if there was anything earth-shattering I was missing out on. Lots of great ideas on different types of glazes/marinades to roast with, but the consensus was not to get too fancy.

Variation of a staple (Sauteed Kale & Scallions)

June 1, 2012

I’ve made no secret about my love for kale in its many forms—particularly sauteed. I make it basically every night. But tonight after work I stopped by a farmer’s market on Peachtree and (because I was dumb and didn’t bring my reusable grocery bag) grabbed all my arms can carry. Including scallions.

And then when I got home I had to do research on what exactly a scallion is, and how to prepare it. But since I was so tired after a long week, I decided to start by sauteing some with my nightly kale side dish.

Didn’t take any more time, and added a little something different to my nightly routine.

Twist on a classic carb (Fontina Scalloped Potatoes)

May 17, 2012

A couple weekends ago I visited my best friend in Dallas. I got in super early on Friday morning and, after some pool vegging, we decided we wanted to try a bunch of new recipes and cook a big fancy dinner for ourselves, her boyfriend, and her roommate.

While pasta is my default carb, she insisted that we needed some kind of cheesy potatoes. So after intensive Pinterest perusal, we found this recipe—and it was delicious! The fontina (or in our case, muenster because we couldn’t find fontina) and the fresh thyme really give this a cool flavor, a little different from your average scallopped potatoes.

We paired these with chicken fried chicken, roasted asparagus, and sauteed kale.

Brie & Jam Pastry Appetizers

May 12, 2012

A friend of mine posted this recipe on Pinterest a while back, and I was immediately taken. Brie + jam + pastry?? Sign me up!

Problem was, I didn’t have a really good reason to make something like this, and if I just made them for myself I would eat them ALL, which is a bad idea.

So when I was in Dallas last weekend my friend Kristine and I decided to prepare a big Sabbath dinner for us, her boyfriend and her roommate. I suggested these little pastry brie & jam bites as an appetizer, and she immediately agreed.

[Editor’s note: photos updated in July 2021]

Even in her tiny apartment kitchen with limited cooking supplies, we were pretty impressed with our output. They were easy, affordable, and–best of all–delicious!

Go-To Daily Vegetable—Literally (Sauteed Kale)

April 30, 2012

Most days, I don’t come close enough to my 5-7 servings of fruits & veggies. But I know for a fact that I get 2-3. And that’s through sauteed kale. I have a sickness, I love kale so much. I have literally had it 6 days a week for…months?

And the great thing is it’s literally a 5-10 minute dish. So buy yourself a big bag of chopped/torn kale (like $2.99 at the grocery store) or big leafy stems of kale (usually about $1.99 a bunch), and get started!

Caramelized Brussels Sprouts: Rethinking A Much-Reviled Veggie

April 22, 2012

Lots of people hate brussels sprouts. And I just don’t get it.

To be fair, I didn’t grow up eating them, so I don’t have any of the horror stories or ingrained hatred most people have—my mom still detests them from HER childhood and I still can’t get her to try them prepared well. I first had brussels sprouts at a swanky Atlanta restaurant, all roasted and fried up to perfection, and fell instantly in love.

Since then I’ve mostly roasted them (I’ll post that recipe another time), but I recently found this recipe using shredded brussels sprouts on Pinterest and just had to try it. It takes even less time than my regular roasted brussels sprouts recipe, and has quickly gone into my regular veggie side rotation. Scale it up or down to suit your needs.

You really CAN roast any vegetable (Roasted Cabbage)

April 20, 2012

I love certain veggies. Capital-L LOVE. The two probably at the top of my list are brussel sprouts and kale, I go through a pound or two of kale every week. But cabbage? Not so much.

Don’t get me wrong, cabbage is great in certain things—cole slaw, fish tacos, German food, Irish hand pies. But as a standalone vegetable it leaves much to be desired, to my way of thinking.

BUT…a couple weeks ago I signed up with this great CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) in the Southeast called Moores Farm & Friends. I love them because you choose whether to order each week and just pay when you order, not a multi-month commitment. They’ve been awesome so far, and I got my first box of farm-fresh fruits & veggies last week.

Aren’t they gorgeous?!

So beautiful. I got kale, butter lettuce, English peas in the pod, grape tomatoes, oranges…and a head of cabbage. I’m one person, a head of cabbage is A LOT for me to eat before it goes bad. But then I thought about my love of roasted brussel sprouts, and how brussel sprouts are really just tiny cabbages anyway (at least in my head). So I thought, I wonder how roasted cabbage slices would taste?