Tag Archives: Sides

Zucchini Fritters

This one is a great side dish. It’s tasty and something a little different than usual. You might even get the kids to eat zucchini 🙂

Zucchini Fritters
Zucchini Fritters

4 servings
155 calories per serving (serving = 2 fritters)

2 c shredded zucchini (use a cheese grater – the same size you would use to shred cheddar cheese)
1/2 c panko breadcrumbs
1/2 c shredded parmesan cheese (not grated, shredded)
1/3 c shredded onion
1/4 c Egg Beaters
1 garlic clove, minced
1/4 t black pepper
2 t oil, divided

Combine the first 7 ingredients. Heat 1 t oil. Spoon 1/2 of mix by quarter cupfuls into pan. Press down a bit with the back of a spoon to make sure each fritter holds together well. Cook 2 minutes each side. Repeat with the second batch.

Stir Fried Bok Choy

This is a great, crisp side dish that can be paired with just about anything. I bet it can even get cabbage by your kids 🙂 Add a teaspoon of chili sauce with garlic (found in the Asian section of your market) to make this a super spicy dish.

Stir Fried Bok Choy
Stir Fried Bok Choy

4 servings
87 calories per serving

2 t peanut or olive oil
10 cloves garlic, minced
1 T chopped fresh ginger
¼ c chicken broth
¼ c water
1 red bell pepper in small ¼ inch squares
2 carrots halved lengthwise and thinly sliced
4 c 1 inch strips of bok choy or Napa cabbage
1 t sugar
½ t salt
2 t sesame oil

Heat oil in a skillet on medium low heat. Add the garlic and ginger and cook for one minute then add the broth and ¼ c water and cover and cook for 7 minutes. Add the bell pepper and carrots and cook 1 minute then add the cabbage and mix well. Sprinkle with sugar and salt and cook 5 minutes or until cabbage is tender. Drizzle with the sesame oil (and optional chili and garlic sauce) and serve immediately.

Mushroom and Zucchini Orzo

I love side dishes the combine a carb with veggies – it’s one less dish to have to prepare. And this one has orzo, which is one of my most favorite small pastas. It’s a perfect side dish !

Mushroom and Zucchini Orzo
Mushroom and Zucchini Orzo


4 servings
197 calories per serving

1 c uncooked orzo
Pam
1 c mushrooms, chopped
1 c zucchini, diced
T butter
½ t garlic powder
1/2 t oregano flakes
Salt and pepper to taste

Cook pasta according to package directions. Heat skillet and spray with Pam. Saute mushrooms and zucchini 6-8 minutes. Mix pasta, mushroom mix, butter and spices.

Three Cheese Risotto

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.

Three Cheese Risotto
Three Cheese 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.

Spicy Corn and Peppers

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.

Spicy Corn and Peppers
Spicy Corn and Peppers

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.

Veggie Platter

Veggies are good. Veggies are sweet. Veggies are full of fiber. Veggies are good for you.

Veggies are a pain in the butt to prep !

But if you do a whole big platter when you have time over the weekend, then you can eat off of it all week long 🙂

As a snack, dip veggies in low fat dressing. As a side to lunch or dinner, drizzle with balsamic vinegar. Chop up and use in soups, salads and stews. The possibilities are endless !

So take 1/2 hour over the weekend and get your veggie on !

Onion and Potato Pancakes

These are great served for breakfast, lunch or dinner – the cooked onions added in with the potatoes makes for a really great dish with lots of taste.

Onion and Potato Pancakes
Onion and Potato Pancakes

4 servings
225 calories per serving

1 bag Oreida Steam and Mash Potatoes (24 oz)
5 t oil
2 onions, finely chopped
3 T low fat sour cream
¾ t salt
¼ t pepper
1/8 t nutmeg
3 T flour

Heat the potatoes according to package instructions. Heat 1 t oil in skillet and add the onions and sauté 7-9 minutes until golden and tender. In a large bowl mash the potatoes with the sour cream, salt, pepper and nutmeg. Stir in the cooked onions and make 8 cakes. Heat 2 t oil on medium heat. Dredge the 8 cakes in the flour and sauté half the batch for 3 minutes or until crusty. Flip and cook another 3 minutes. Repeat with the second batch.

Mushroomy Brown Rice

Umami – the fifth taste (after salt, sweet, bitter, and sour) – Umami tastes earthy and savory – and a perfect example of the taste is mushrooms or tomatoes – and this recipe has both – it is umami-delicious !

Mushroomy Brown Rice
Mushroomy Brown Rice

4 servings
108 calories per serving

Just about any mushroom with work in this recipe, but I like portobellos for their intense mushroom flavor.

1 t oil
1 c sliced baby portobello mushrooms
1/2 c grape tomatoes, halved
1 garlic clove, minced
2 containers precooked brown rice (4.4 oz each)
1/4 t salt
1/8 t pepper

Heat oil in a large skillet on medium high and add mushrooms. Cook for 2 minutes and add tomatoes and garlic and cook another 2 minutes. Heat rice in microwave according to package instructions. Add to mushroom mix along with salt and pepper. Serve immediately.

Couscous with Sun Dried Tomatoes and Mushrooms

Take what is typically a dry dish when served plain (couscous), add some love, and you get a couscous dish to rave about ! The sun dried tomatoes and portobellos are just the perfect addition to couscous.

Couscous with Sun Dried Tomatoes and Mushrooms
Couscous with Sun Dried Tomatoes and Mushrooms


4 servings
178 calories per serving

1 c dehydrated sun dried tomatoes
½ c plus 2 T raw couscous
1 t oil
3 cloves garlic, minced fine
2 scallions, chopped
1/3 c chopped basil
¼ c chopped cilantro
Juice of ½ lemon
Salt and pepper to taste
4 oz. portobello mushroom caps, chopped

Soak tomatoes with 1 c hot water for ½ hour then drain, but reserve the water. Chop tomatoes. Combine reserved water with enough more water to make 1 ½ c and bring to a boil then stir in the couscous and oil, cover and remove from heat. Let stand 5 minutes then fluff with a fork. Spray the skillet with Pam then stir in the tomatoes, garlic and onions and cook 5-6 minutes. If it starts to get too dry, add a tablespoon or more of hot water during the cooking process, then add the fresh herbs, juice, salt and pepper and the mushrooms and cook another 5 minutes. Combine all in a bowl and mix well.

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