Pesto Green Beans

 

This is my kids' favorite way to eat green beans.  Enjoy.

Image from Here

INGREDIENTS:
Green Beans
salt
Costco Pesto

-Lightly steam green beans (DO NOT overcook).  You want them al dente.

-Season with salt and pesto (you can add as much as you would like, but I do about 2 TBS pesto per 1 cup steamed green beans).
-Garnish with toasted pine nuts, toasted almonds if desired.

Maren's Lemon Roasted Brussel Sprouts and Potatoes

 

This is a great side dish!

Image from Here.

 

Ingredients:

 

2 LBS golden Yukon or red new potatoes (skins on) in slices/wedges

2 LBS Brussels sprouts, trimmed and halved

6 TBS extra virgin olive oil

1 tsp. salt 

Fresh, cracked pepper

1/3 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

 

 

Sauce Ingredients:  

 1/3 cup fresh lemon juice

2 garlic cloves, minced

2 tsp. Dijon mustard

2 tsp. honey

½ tsp. salt

 

 

Instructions:

 

1.  Preheat oven to 450 degrees.  

     Place Brussels sprouts & potatoes in large, pan greased with olive oil. 

     Drizzle with ¼ cup oil.

     Sprinkle with 1 Tsp. salt and fresh, ground pepper

     Toss to coat.

 

2.  Roast uncovered for 30-40 minutes until veggies are lightly browned.

 

3.  In a bowl, whisk lemon juice, garlic, mustard, and honey.  

 

4. Remove veggies from oven and drizzle with sauce. and toss to coat.    

    Sprinkle with parsley and serve.

Massaman Curry using Trader Joe Thai Sauce

This recipe is AMAZINGLY close to the dish I love getting at Thai restaurants.  Using the bottled Trader Joe sauce makes this a super fast and easy dinner!  You can easily make this vegetarian by omitting the chicken or add extra vegetables by adding cauliflower.  I've noted the optional add-ins below.  This also makes great take-to-school lunch leftovers for the next day!

Picture from here.

Carmelize with 3 TBS olive oil for 5 minutes:
1 medium sweet vidalia onion, diced

Add and simmer 15 minutes:
1/2 head Cauliflower, cut into small florets (optional)
1-2 c. cooked chicken (optional)
2 large Russett Potatoes, peeled, cut in cubes
4 large carrots, sliced

2 stalks celery, sliced

1 red bell pepper, sliced
2 cans coconut milk

Add and stir in:
1 11 oz bottle Trader Joes Red Thai Curry sauce
3 TBS peanut butter
2 TBS honey
1 can water chestnuts (optional)
1/2 c. chopped peanuts (optional)

-Serve in a bowl over jasmine or short grain brown rice.  Garnish with fresh cilantro/limes/chopped peanuts/cashews if desired.


Instant Pot Version:  Carmelize onions on saute setting 5 minutes.  Add all other ingredients and pressure cook for 3-4 minutes.
Ketogenic Version (serve without rice and no honey)

Thai Green Curry Vegetables

Simple, Healthy, Delicious!  

I think this is my closest Thai restaurant copycat invention.  I've never had exactly this, but the sauce tastes very similar.  You could certainly alter the vegetables or add chicken if desired.

In large pan heat over medium for 15 minutes or until vegetables just tender:
2 TBS olive oil
1 yellow onion, sliced
1 head cauliflower, diced
4 medium carrots, cut on the diagonal

Add and heat until warm:
1 cup frozen peas
1/4 tsp salt
1 TBS sugar
1 can coconut milk
1/4 c. chicken broth
2 TBS green curry paste (I used Thai Kitchen brand)
1 TBS fresh ginger, minced
1/2 c. chopped FRESH basil
-Serve warm (with rice if desired)

Steamed Vegetables with Secret Sauce

This is a repost with a more appetizing picture. This is the most common thing we eat at our house.  It basically is a side dish (or main dish) for every meal we have.  I crave this!

My mother-in-law introduced me to the idea of eating a big bowl of steamed vegetables (broccoli is always the main base vegetable in any combination) for breakfast.  I LOVE IT! I know it sounds weird, but it just starts the day right.  Do I always have this for breakfast?  Nope!  I am not always on top of things and I find cereal is often just easier, but it is still my preferred breakfast meal.  My children also enjoy eating their "veggies" for breakfast after which they often also eat either a whole grain cereal or whole grain toast with whipped butter.

My two most common preparations are:
1. Steamed with Forrest Lime Dressing (the secret sauce!!!) poured on AFTER you steam veggies
2. Steamed veggies then seasoned with salt, lemon pepper, and a little whipped butter

Combination ideas--really anything goes!:
-Carrots, broccoli, and yellow onion (the onion is a secret ingredient that makes it extra tasty.  You just need a little bit)
-Carrots, brussel sprouts, broccoli, and onions
-Green Beans, red bell peppers, carrots, onions, and asparagus
-Broccoli, asparagus, kale, swiss chard, onion, and carrots

Roasted Brussel Sprouts with Maple and Balsamic Glaze

Adding bacon, maple syrup and balsamic glaze to your roasted vegetables to switch things up makes a very tasty side (or main!) dish!!!

On a 11x 17 cookie sheet combine:
-Vegetables:  Chopped carrots, red onion, and brussel sprouts (cut brussel sprouts into fourths or sixths depending on size)
-Season with salt and pepper
-1-2 TBS Maple Syrup

-Roast vegetables for 20 minutes at 425 until vegetables tender and beginning to brown.  Remove from oven and toss with crumbled bacon.  Top with additional balsamic glaze if desired.  I like Trader Joes Balsamic Glaze.

Roasted Vegetables

This is a DELICIOUS vegetarian main dish, or you can use it as a side dish.  We eat a big bowl of this with a spinach smoothie.  My neighbor brought this meal over to me, and I'm going to make it ALL the time now!  The purple potatoes really make the dish look colorful and gourmet.  Note, the smaller you cut the vegetables the faster they will roast.  This recipe is flexible when it comes to proportions and feel free to experiment with your spices!

Cut a medley of the following:
Carrots
Purple potatoes
Mini-creamer fingerling potatoes
Zucchini
Bell peppers
onion
Cauliflower
Cherry Tomatoes
Kale
Parsnips

-Pre-heat oven to 425
-Chop the veggies you are using into bite size pieces and place on 11x 17 cookie sheet.
-Drizzle on some olive oil, season with salt/pepper, and other desired spices & mix thoroughly
-Spice ideas: Season with Tones Spicy Spaghetti Seasoning (from Sam's Club) or Italian Seasoning or whatever seasoning you want!  You can add a bit of cayenne or red pepper flakes, fresh garlic, garlic powder, etc.
- Roast for 15-25 minutes until veggies begin to brown around edges.
-Sprinkle with some grated parmesan and toasted pine nuts and serve.

Peas and Carrots

This is a repost...Apparently this is by far my most viewed page.  Apparently people eat a lot of peas and carrots!  I'm also reposting since my wonderul little sister has helped create a new logo for me (did you notice?) and also a monogram for my food pics!

We probably eat steamed broccoli with our meals 70% of the time. Steamed peas and carrots are probably the next most common steamed vegetable side dish.

Two Ways I season after steaming:
1. Simple but tasty: salt, pepper, and a little whipped butter these sweet veggies can stand on their own feet!  For a meal or great lunch take along...add a little rice sprinkled with lemon pepper.  YUM! 
2. or with Forrest's Lime Dressing (drizzle on after you steam veggies).

Brussel Sprouts with Carrots

If you don't like brussel sprouts...you probably don't prepare them right! Two hints: make sure the sprouts are fresh and cut them into fourths. These tasted like candy the other day! I really like the combo of carrots and brussel sprouts.

Steam until tender:
Diced Carrots
Brussel Sprouts (cut into fourths)
-Season with Forrest Lime Dressing

Dijon Vegetables

This recipe comes from my mom. I love it! She probably hasn't made it in awhile, but it is one of my favorite vegetable dishes. With the potatoes, it easily works as a main dish. The secret is to make sure you don't overcook your vegetables. You want them nice and tender crisp (like a stir-fry)! For presentation appearance...cut your vegetables at a strong angle as in the picture above.

Serves 4 as a main dish or 6 for side dish:
3 medium red potatoes
1/2 bunch thin asparagus
3 carrots
1 medium zucchini (or yellow squash)
1 chicken-flavor bouillon cube
1 TBS butter
1/2 c. water
2 tsp Dijon mustard
1/2 tsp thyme leaves
salt to taste

-In 12" non-stick skillet, heat diced potatoes and 2 TBS olive oil and 1/4 tsp salt. Cover and bake at med-high for 15 minutes (or until tender) lifting lid to flip potatoes 1-2 times for even browning. Set cooked potatoes aside in bowl.
-In same 12" pan skillet add carrots, bouillon, water, butter, and thyme. Cook 3 minutes.
-Add sliced asparagus to carrots and cook and additional 2 minutes.
-Add sliced zucchini and cook 1 more minute (adding a bit more water if necessary).
-Transfer cooked vegetables to serving platter. Arrange browned potatoes and serve.

Forrest's Lime Dressing

My father-in-law created this healthy dressing that makes any combination of steamed vegetables taste fabulous! I also use the spice mix in a bunch of other recipes...

Dressing:
1 cup extra virgin olive oil
½ cup fresh lime juice (or lemon)
1 heaping TBS Forrest Herb Mix
2 TBS Braggs Aminos (or soy sauce)

Forrest Herb Mix
1 cup Tone’s Herb and Garlic
1 cup Tone's Cajun Seasoning
½ cup Tone’s or McCormick’s Lemon Pepper
½ cup Tone’s or McCormick’s Canadian Chicken Seasoning
½ cup Tone’s Steak Seasoning
¼ cup Tone’s Ground Cumin
¼ cup ground Mexican Oregano (in bagged spice area of grocery store)

-Mix spices all together in large bowl. Store spice mix in a 1 quart canning jar.

-Note: Tone’s spices have less additives and are found at Sam’s Club. McCormick spices are found at Costco

Hummus

In our family we eat A LOT of hummus! You can make your own recipe, or just buy one of the many delicious tubs from Costco, Sam's Club, or your nearby grocery store. We probably snack more on this than any other thing. My favorite thing with hummus is pretzels, but fresh vegetables and your favorite corn chips work well too.

Vegetable Tian

This is one of the many recipes from Barefoot Contessa that I love. It is a beautiful side dish and very delicious. It is even better as leftovers! I made a few alterations to her original recipe, but the credit goes to her!

Carmelize 1 large yellow onion in 2 TBS olive oil (about 5-8 minutes). Add minced garlic and cook 1 more minute. Spread carmelized onions/garlic in bottom of 9x13 casserole dish. Then layer the following sliced ingredients on top of the onions:

Potatoes, sliced

Tomatoes, sliced

2 medium zucchini

-Sprinkle with salt and freshly ground black pepper and 1 tsp thyme (or 1 TBS fresh thyme leaves). Cover with aluminum foil and bake at 375 for 35 minutes.

-Uncover, sprinkle with 2 oz. grated gruyere cheese and bake another 30 minutes uncovered until brown.