Category Archives: Sides

Cheryl’s Crock Pot Sweet Potatoes

January 21, 2011 admin Leave a comment

Wherever the recipe came from, this is now “Cheryl’s Sweet Potatoes” to me since my friend Cheryl gave me this recipe 🙂 These are a bit on the high side for calories, so serve them with a nice light serving of fish or chicken. They are so satisfyingly good – just sweet enough without being too sweet ! You could skinny these up using less butter, Splenda brown sugar blend – – but why mess with perfection !?!?!

4 servings
289 calories per serving

2 lb sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into small cubes
1/4 c packed dark brown sugar
1 t cinnamon
1/2 t nutmeg
1/8 t salt
2 T butter, cut into pieces
1 t vanilla

Combine potatoes, sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt and place in the crock pot. Cook on low for 7 hours or high for 4 hours. Add butter and vanilla at the end, stir gently to blend.

Dinner, Kid Friendly, Sides

Simply Roasted Potatoes with Garlic Sauce

January 5, 2011 admin Leave a comment

Simple and elegant – potatoes and garlic are just meant to go together !

Simply Roasted Potatoes with Garlic Sauce

4 servings
200 calories per serving

1.5 lb. new potatoes, quartered
2 T oil
10 cloves garlic
1 t oil
Salt and pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Put potatoes in a baking dish and drizzle with 2 T oil. Toss well and roast 10 minutes. Place whole garlic cloves in a small baking dish or ramekin and drizzle with 1 t oil then cover with foil and place in the oven after the potatoes have cooked for 10 minutes. Roast the potatoes and garlic for ½ hour them remove from oven. Mash garlic with salt and pepper and then toss with the potatoes. Add extra salt and pepper to taste.

Dinner, Kid Friendly, Sides

Baked Zucchini Risotto

December 31, 2010 admin Leave a comment

This is just one of those special recipes – this makes a beautiful risotto-like dish that bakes up with no effort. It is creamy and delicious.

12 servings
204 calories per serving

1 1/2 c brown rice
3 c chicken broth
4 c diced zucchini
1 red bell pepper, chopped
1 green bell pepper, chopped
1 large onion, diced finely
3/4 t salt
Pepper to taste
1 1/2 c skim milk
3 T flour
2 c shredded low fat cheddar cheese
1 c frozen corn, thawed

Preheat oven to 375 degrees Pour rice into a 9×13 baking dish. Simmer broth until hot and then stir into the rice. Add zucchini, peppers, onion, salt and pepper. Cover with foil and bake 45 minutes then remove foil and cook another 35 minutes or so, until liquid is all absorbed.

Whisk milk and flour in a saucepan and cook until bubbly and thick, about 4 minutes. Reduce heat to low and add 1 ½ c of the cheese and corn and cook until cheese is all melted. When rice is done, stir in cheese sauce and sprinkle with the last ½ c cheese and bake another 10 minutes to melt cheese. Let rest before serving.

Dinner, Sides, Vegetables

Broccoli Casserole with Cheese

December 20, 2010 admin Leave a comment

What a great way to serve broccoli ! Just a little bit of crunch from the topping, creaminess from the soup and cheese – – all over a great broccoli dish full of vitamins and fiber.

7 servings
81 calories per serving

2 10 oz. packages frozen chopped broccoli, thawed and drained
1 can low fat cream of mushroom soup
2 t lemon juice
½ c crushed seasoned stuffing
1 T low fat margarine, melted
¼ c shredded low fat cheddar cheese
Pam

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Put broccoli in an 8 inch square baking dish sprayed with Pam. Mix soup and juice and pour over the broccoli then mix stuffing crumbs and margarine and sprinkle over the casserole. Cover and bake 30 minutes then uncover, sprinkle with cheese, and bake 5 minutes or until cheese is melted.

Dinner, Pasta, Product Reviews, Sides

Three Cheese Risotto

December 13, 2010 admin Leave a comment

Does making risotto scare you? It scares me ! Especially after watching Hell’s Kitchen with Chef Gordon Ramsay screaming at everyone that they can’t get the risotto right 😉

Queue up “Rocky” music….Plentiful Pantry has come to the rescue – and now you can be a winner whenever you make risotto ! Their Three Cheese Risotto mix could not be any easier to prepare. Just add water, simmer, add cheese and you have PERFECT risotto.

It’s creamy, elegant, moist, cheesy, and so very flavorful. I think next time I am going to add some sauted mushrooms in for a beautiful Mushroom Risotto. The box makes 6 servings and it comes out to 140 calories per serving.

I don’t know how they do it, but all of their mixes turn out the most fabulous results. They must have some pretty good test kitchen chefs !! Thanks again, Plentiful Pantry – you made another meal a success.

Asian, Dinner, Kid Friendly, Sides

Jeweled Rice

December 7, 2010 admin Leave a comment

This is a great recipe to use up leftover rice from the Chinese food take out order. Just place it in a colander and place the colander over a pot of steaming water for 5-6 minutes. That brings it back to life nicely 🙂 The veggies look like little jewels in a sea of rice. It’s a very pretty side dish !

6 servings
183 calories

1 c basmati rice (stickier than regular long grain rice)
2 c water
1/4 c roasted peanuts
1 shallot, sliced
2 T water
1 t minced fresh ginger root
3/4 c grated carrots
½ c corn
Salt to taste
¼ t cayenne pepper (double this if you like it spicy !)
3 T chopped cilantro

Add rice to water and bring to a boil on high heat then lower to a simmer, cover and cook 20 minutes or until water is absorbed (or use steamed leftover rice as mentioned above). Mash peanuts finely or puree in a blender. Heat a skillet and sauté shallots in a couple of tablespoons of hot water. Saute 5 minutes. Add more water if needed to keep them moist. Then add ginger, carrots, corn and salt. Turn to low and cook 5 minutes then stir in rice, pepper, cilantro and peanuts.

Dinner, Mexican, Sides, Vegetables

Spicy Corn and Peppers

November 22, 2010 admin Leave a comment

This recipe packs so much flavor into one dish – the milky sauce mixes just perfectly with the cayenne and onion to create a rich vegetable dish that has you coming back for more.

6 servings
127 calories per serving

2 T butter
½ c onion, finely chopped
1 red bell pepper, chopped
¼ t cayenne pepper
Coarse salt
16 oz. frozen corn
½ c diced tomatoes, drained (canned)
½ c whole milk

Melt butter in a skillet and add onion, pepper, cayenne and 1 t salt. Cook 7-8 minutes or until onion is soft then add the corn and tomatoes and cook 10 minutes. Stir in the milk and then remove from heat and serve.

Fruit, Kid Friendly, Product Reviews, Sides

Pom Cranberry Relish

October 28, 2010 admin Leave a comment

Fresh fruit, tons of antioxidants, low cal – this is the perfect sweet side dish. Serve with fish, chicken, next to a sandwich, as a snack….just eat it up before your kid eats the whole bowl on you !!

8 servings
70 calories per 1/2 c serving

The addition of Pom juice to an already incredibly fresh cranberry relish … I’d call it a stroke of genius. You have to try it to believe how good it is !!

1 bag cranberries
3/4 c Splenda
1 granny smith apple, cored and in quarters
1 seedless oranges (peel and all !), in quarters
8 oz. Pom Wonderful pomegranate juice

Rinse the cranberries and pick out any bad ones. Place in a food processor and process until they are in small pieces. Remove to a bowl. Place apples in processor and blend until small pieces. Remove to bowl with cranberries. Place oranges in processor and process until all skin is in small pieces. Remove to bowl with cranberries and apples. Add Splenda and juice and mix well. Refrigerate at least 4 hours so flavors blend.

Dinner, Sides, Vegetables

Zucchini Boats

October 22, 2010 admin Leave a comment

This has a definite Middle Eastern flair to it with the coriander and cumin as the main seasoning. Serve next to Eastern Fried Rice for a great vegetarian meal.

4 servings
107 calories per serving

2 medium zucchini, halved lengthwise
½ T oil
1 small onion, chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
2 oz. button or Portobello mushrooms, chopped
1 t ground coriander
¾ t ground cumin
½ c chick peas, rinsed and drained
1 T lemon juice
2 T chopped parsley
Salt and pepper to taste
Pam

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray a baking dish with Pam. Scoop the flesh out of the middle of the zucchinis to create boats for the filling. Chop the removed flash and reserve. Heat oil in a skillet and cook onions 5 minutes then add garlic and cook another minute. Add chopped zucchini and mushrooms and cook 5 minutes then add coriander, cumin, chick peas, lemon, parsley, salt and pepper. Stuff the zucchini shells and bake 35-40 minutes.

Dinner, Sides

Quick Baked Beans

October 13, 2010 admin Leave a comment

Great to serve next to a no fat hot dog (which is only 145 calories on a bun!). This is a great side dish full of fiber and full of rich flavor.

4 servings
235 calories per serving

16 oz. can of pork and beans
15 oz. can of red kidney beans, drained and rinsed
¼ c ketchup
2 T brown sugar
1 T cooked bacon crumbles
Dash of Smoke Flavoring (optional)
2 t dried minced onion
2 t spicy brown mustard

Combine all and cook on low heat 15 minutes so flavors mingle.