Category Archives: Sides

Parmesan Veggies

May 1, 2012 admin Leave a comment

The cheese just melts into the marinade and really coats all the veggies – every bite is so full of flavor 🙂

8 servings
60 calories per serving

2 zucchini cut into ½ inch thick slices
2 yellow squash cut into ½ inch thick slices
1 red pepper cut into strips
1 green pepper cut into strips
1 yellow pepper cut into strips
1/3 c light Italian dressing
¼ c grated parmesan cheese
Pam

Spray a skillet with Pam and heat to medium high. Add veggies and sauté 5 minutes. Add dressing and cheese and continue cooking 5 minutes or until veggies are desired tenderness (I like mine pretty crisp).

Dinner, Sides, Vegetables

Roasted Pesto Tomatoes

April 27, 2012 admin Leave a comment

Warmed tomatoes are so flavorful – the heat just sweetens them and intensifies the already great taste. Add a little pesto and you get a divine side dish that can be served next to anything.

4 servings
142 calories per serving

12 plum tomatoes, quartered lengthwise
1 T oil
1/4 t salt
1/8 t red pepper flakes
1/4 c pesto

Preheat oven to 400 degrees and spray a baking sheet with Pam. Mix the tomatoes with oil, salt, pesto and the pepper flakes and place on baking sheet. Bake 30 minutes and serve immediately.

Asian, Dinner, Sides, Vegetables

Bean Sprout Stir Fry

April 26, 2012 admin Leave a comment

This is a great low cal side and is perfect alongside an Asian inspired dish. If you can’t find fresh bean sprouts, the canned ones work just fine here !

4 servings
81 calories per serving

4 cups mung bean sprouts
½ c scallions, sliced
6 t ginger root, minced
2 T garlic, sliced
½ t salt
1 t pepper
1 T oil

Heat oil and stir fry ginger and garlic for 1 minute then add sprouts, scallions, salt and pepper. Continue to cook 2-3 minutes then serve.

Asian, Dinner, Sides, Vegetables

Tomatoes with Ginger Dressing

April 21, 2012 admin Leave a comment

This ginger dressing rivals those served at Japanese steakhouse. Make a batch up and use it on salads and even atop fresh tomatoes as a great side dish to any meal.

3 servings
167calories per serving

2 T minced onion
3 T peanut oil
2 T distilled white vinegar
1 1/2 T finely grated fresh ginger
1T ketchup
1 T soy sauce
1/4 t minced garlic
Salt and pepper to taste
2 medium tomatoes, sliced thinly

Combine onion, oil, vinegar, ginger, ketchup, soy sauce, garlic, salt and pepper in a blender. Process until combined. Lay tomato slices on a platter and drizzle with dressing.

Dinner, Sides, Summer

Quick Potato Salad

April 17, 2012 admin Leave a comment

No peeling, quick boil time, easy dressing – this one is GREAT ! You could not even guess that low fat yogurt makes up half the dressing 🙂

8 servings
112 calories per serving

1 ½ lb. small new potatoes quartered (16 or so)
1 c celery, sliced thin
1 c sliced baby carrots
1/3 c light mayonnaise
1/3 c plain low fat yogurt
¼ c thinly sliced green onions
2 T white vinegar
¼ t pepper
½ t salt

Cook potatoes 8-10 minutes in salted water. Add carrots and celery and cook another 4 minutes. Drain and place in a bowl and chill 2 – 24 hours. Mix mayo, yogurt, onions, vinegar, salt and pepper. Cover and chill until ready to serve. When ready to serve mix dressing with potatoes.

Dinner, Italian, Pasta, Sides

Parmesan Orzo

April 12, 2012 admin Leave a comment

There is so much cheesy goodness in this side dish – don’t think of it as pasta with a sprinkling of cheese. It is much more pasta with a gooey, yummy cheese sauce.

4 servings
263 calories per serving

2 T butter
1 c uncooked orzo
1 14.5 oz. can chicken or vegetable broth
1/2 c grated Parmesan cheese
1/4 c chopped fresh basil
Salt and pepper to taste

Melt butter in a sauce pan and sauté orzo until lightly browned. Add the broth and bring to a boil then cover and reduce heat to low and cook 15 minutes or until liquid is absorbed. Mix in cheese, basil, salt and pepper.

Sides, Vegetables

Roasted Grape Tomatoes

April 10, 2012 admin 6 Comments

Roasting tomatoes gives them a whole new taste – they become earthy and really savory. They make a meal feel special and there’s no easier recipe !

4 servings
45 calories per serving

2 pints grape tomatoes
Pam (olive oil flavor)
Coarse salt to taste
Fresh ground pepper to taste
1/2 t parsley flakes

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray a baking pan with Pam. Slice the tomatoes in half and lay on the pan. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Roast uncovered for 1 hour. If you like them kicked up a bit, add some onion powder, garlic powder, cayenne pepper, etc. before roasting. But I prefer the pure taste of tomatoes in this recipe.

I can’t resist – here is another picture of the tomatoes – I just LOVE the color !

Roasted Tomatoes - again :) — Roasted Tomatoes - again 🙂

Sides, Vegetables

Roasted Brussel Sprouts

April 9, 2012 admin 1 Comment

Sometimes ‘simple’ is the best way. And these are certainly simple to prep, yet they taste anything but simple !

4 servings
52 calories per serving

4 c Brussel sprouts with the tops and outer leaves trimmed
Pam
2 t oil
1/4 c kosher salt
1/4 t black pepper
2 T grated parmesan cheese

Heat oven to 425 degrees. Place Brussel sprouts in a baking dish sprayed with Pam. Drizzle the oil over the sprouts and toss. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and roast 30 minutes or until browned. Remove from oven, sprinkle with cheese and serve immediately.

Pasta, Sides

Tomatoes and Orzo

April 7, 2012 admin 4 Comments

The lemon and lemon zest are what make this dish so special – it is unexpected paired with pasta but once you taste it, you definitely want more. And in my opinion, orzo is one of the best pastas out there – I love it in side dishes, in soups, in casseroles, any way it is served 🙂

5 servings
202 calories per serving

1 c uncooked orzo
1 can diced tomatoes, drained
1 T oil
1 T lemon zest
1 T lemon juice
1/4 t salt
1/4 t pepper

Cook orzo 9-11 minutes in boiling water. Drain and combine with the rest of the ingredients.

Dessert, Sides, Snacks

Grape Salad

March 30, 2012 admin 1 Comment

This is one of those dishes that has everyone at the table making yummy noises 🙂 The cinnamon and cardamom are a FANTASTIC addition to the grapes. And the yogurt is really just a way to get the spices to stick to the fruit. The gingery goodness of the cardamom really makes this dish so be sure to add it in. Serve it as a dessert, a snack or a side dish.

4 servings
70 calories per serving

¼ c low fat vanilla yogurt
1/8 t cinnamon
1/8 t cardamom
1 c seedless green grapes halved lengthwise
1 c seedless red grapes halved lengthwise

Combine yogurt, cinnamon and cardamom – then mix in grapes and toss to coat. Cover and chill.