Side Dish Archives | Moms Who Think https://www.momswhothink.com/tag/side-dish/ Parenting Advice and So Much More Mon, 09 Dec 2024 20:31:23 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.7.2 https://www.momswhothink.com/wp-content/uploads/cropped-moms-who-think-final-01-e1535690519449-32x32.png Side Dish Archives | Moms Who Think https://www.momswhothink.com/tag/side-dish/ 32 32 Microwave Corn on the Cob Like a Pro https://www.momswhothink.com/microwave-corn-on-the-cob-like-a-pro/ https://www.momswhothink.com/microwave-corn-on-the-cob-like-a-pro/#respond Wed, 11 Dec 2024 17:00:00 +0000 https://www.momswhothink.com/?p=258316&preview=true&preview_id=258316 The post Microwave Corn on the Cob Like a Pro appeared first on Moms Who Think.

Microwaving is one of the quickest and simplest ways to prepare corn on the cob. In just minutes, you can enjoy sweet, juicy corn by following a few easy steps. All it takes is a microwave-safe plate, a splash of water, and your trusty microwave. With this hassle-free steaming method, you can cook up to four ears of corn at once, making it an ideal option for serving small groups with minimal effort.

Young African-American woman putting plate with food into microwave oven in kitchen
Using the microwave to cook corn on the cob not only saves time but also yields corn that is just as delicious as if it were boiled on the stove.

Mastering the Microwave Method

Here are step-by-step instructions for microwaving delicious corn on the cob. Also, do not forget to save our recipe below.

  • Start by placing the corn cobs on a microwave-safe plate.
  • Add a small amount of water to the plate to create steam. Loosely cover the cobs with a microwave-safe cover or plastic wrap. You can also cover the corn loosely with paper towels.
  • Microwave the corn on high for about four to five minutes per corn cob. You do not need to remove the husk. In fact, leaving it on helps the corn to steam better.
  • Let the corn sit for a minute or two after microwaving to allow for even cooking.

Be cautious when you remove the corn from the microwave, as it will be hot. Once it cools, enjoy your steamed corn on the cob.

Fresh corn on cobs on rustic wooden table, closeup
Leaving the husk on the corn on the cob allows it to steam more evenly and enhances the overall taste of the corn.

Is It Better to Boil or Microwave Corn on the Cob?

Every cooking method has its pros and cons. Microwaving corn on the cob allows you to focus on the main dish if the corn is a side dish. It is also convenient for preparing up to four ears of corn without needing to boil a whole pot of water. However, boiling is the best option for cooking large batches of corn on the cob.

barbecue and grilled corn with cheese and lime on plate
When preparing corn for a small group of people, the microwave method works best, but it may not be suitable for a large group.

How Long Do You Microwave Corn on the Cob?

A full-sized ear of corn is approximately eight inches long and should be microwaved for about four minutes. If the corn is frozen, microwave it for at least five minutes. You do not need to pre-soak or husk the corn before microwaving. In fact, microwaving corn with the husk on allows the corn to steam within the husk itself.

It is important to mention that every microwave is different. Higher-wattage microwaves may cook corn faster, so you may need to experiment to find the perfect timing and prevent overcooking or undercooking the corn.

Grilled corn with butter
Typically, microwaving an ear of corn takes four to five minutes, depending on the microwave's wattage and whether the corn is frozen.

Does Microwaved Corn on the Cob Taste Good?

The short answer is yes. When you cook corn using this method, the corn steams in its own natural juices, preserving its natural flavor and not absorbing any additional flavors from its husk.

As a result, many people prefer microwaving corn on the cob because it produces tender and delicious kernels with very little effort. However, some may miss the charred or grilled flavor from other cooking methods, such as grilling or boiling. Nevertheless, microwaving is a convenient and quick way to cook corn on the cob, especially when your time is limited or when you are cooking for a small number of people.

Nevertheless, we should mention that the freshness of the corn and the microwave's wattage can significantly affect the outcome. Experiment with your microwave and adjust cooking times for the best corn on the cob. Moreover, always use fresh corn, and do not be afraid to experiment with butter and seasonings.

Two cute kids in the woods eating corn
Microwaved corn on the cob is just as delicious as corn prepared on the stove.

Final Thoughts

When cooking for a small group or in a time crunch, microwaving corn on the cob is one of the best and fastest methods. Cooking the corn in its husk allows it to steam more evenly, resulting in a delicious, pure corn flavor.

Cooking corn this way also allows you to focus on the main dish if corn is a side dish. Once you have perfected making corn on the cob in the microwave, it may become your go-to method because it is so quick and easy. No one has to know unless you want to share your cooking secret. We promise not to tell anyone.

Print
Sweet boiled corn, food concept photo

How to Microwave Corn on the Cob


1 Star2 Stars3 Stars4 Stars5 Stars (No Ratings Yet)
Loading…

  • Author: Bobbie Morris
  • Total Time: 0 hours

Description

Cooking corn on the cob in the microwave is quick and easy.


Ingredients

  • 4 ears of corn on the cob
  • Water
  • Salt (optional)
  • Butter (optional)

Instructions

  1. Start by husking the corn, removing the outer leaves and silk strands. Rinse the corn under cold water to remove any remaining silk.

  2. Place the ears of corn in a microwave-safe dish or plate. You can either cook them individually or stack them, depending on the size of your microwave and dish. If stacking, make sure the corn is arranged in a single layer.

  3. Add about 1/4 cup of water to the dish. The water will create steam, which helps cook the corn evenly. If desired, you can also sprinkle a pinch of salt over the corn for flavor.

  4. Cover the dish loosely with microwave-safe plastic wrap or a microwave-safe lid. Leave a small vent to allow steam to escape.

  5. Microwave the corn on high power for 4-6 minutes per ear, depending on the wattage of your microwave and the desired level of doneness. Start with 4 minutes for crisp-tender corn and increase the cooking time if needed.

  6. Carefully remove the dish from the microwave using oven mitts or a towel to avoid burns. The dish and steam will be hot.

  7. Let the corn sit for a minute or two before removing the plastic wrap or lid. Be careful of any steam that may escape when you uncover the dish.

  8. Serve the corn on the cob hot, optionally with butter and additional salt to taste.

Notes

The total cooking time for four ears of corn is 16 to 24 minutes, with each ear requiring 4 to 6 minutes.

  • Prep Time: 5-7 minutes
  • Cook Time: Cooking time per ear: 4 to 6 minutes

The post Microwave Corn on the Cob Like a Pro appeared first on Moms Who Think.

]]>
https://www.momswhothink.com/microwave-corn-on-the-cob-like-a-pro/feed/ 0
How to Microwave Corn on the Cob https://www.momswhothink.com/how-to-microwave-corn-on-the-cob/ https://www.momswhothink.com/how-to-microwave-corn-on-the-cob/#respond Wed, 19 Jun 2024 04:40:36 +0000 https://www.momswhothink.com/?p=227873&preview=true&preview_id=227873 The post How to Microwave Corn on the Cob appeared first on Moms Who Think.

One of the easiest ways to cook corn on the cob is using the microwave. In just a few minutes, the whole family can savor delicious and juicy corn by following a few simple steps. All you need is a microwave-safe plate, a small amount of water, and, of course, a microwave. Once you perfect our method of steaming corn in the microwave, you can cook up to four ears of corn at a time, making it a quick and easy dish to prepare for small groups of people.

Young African-American woman putting plate with food into microwave oven in kitchen
Using the microwave to cook corn on the cob not only saves time but also yields corn that is just as delicious as if it were boiled on the stove.

Mastering the Microwave Method

Here are step-by-step instructions for microwaving delicious corn on the cob. Also, do not forget to save our recipe below.

  • Start by placing the corn cobs on a microwave-safe plate.
  • Add a small amount of water to the plate to create steam. Loosely cover the cobs with a microwave-safe cover or plastic wrap. You can also cover the corn loosely with paper towels.
  • Microwave the corn on high for about four to five minutes per corn cob. You do not need to remove the husk. In fact, leaving it on helps the corn to steam better.
  • Let the corn sit for a minute or two after microwaving to allow for even cooking.

Be cautious when you remove the corn from the microwave, as it will be hot. Once it cools, enjoy your steamed corn on the cob.

Fresh corn on cobs on rustic wooden table, closeup
Leaving the husk on the corn on the cob allows it to steam more evenly and enhances the overall taste of the corn.

Is It Better to Boil or Microwave Corn on the Cob?

Every cooking method has its pros and cons. Microwaving corn on the cob allows you to focus on the main dish if the corn is a side dish. It is also convenient for preparing up to four ears of corn without needing to boil a whole pot of water. However, boiling is the best option for cooking large batches of corn on the cob.

barbecue and grilled corn with cheese and lime on plate
When preparing corn for a small group of people, the microwave method works best, but it may not be suitable for a large group.

How Long Do You Microwave Corn on the Cob?

A full-sized ear of corn is approximately eight inches long and should be microwaved for about four minutes. If the corn is frozen, microwave it for at least five minutes. You do not need to pre-soak or husk the corn before microwaving. In fact, microwaving corn with the husk on allows the corn to steam within the husk itself.

It is important to mention that every microwave is different. Higher-wattage microwaves may cook corn faster, so you may need to experiment to find the perfect timing and prevent overcooking or undercooking the corn.

Grilled corn with butter
Typically, microwaving an ear of corn takes four to five minutes, depending on the microwave's wattage and whether the corn is frozen.

Does Microwaved Corn on the Cob Taste Good?

The short answer is yes. When you cook corn using this method, the corn steams in its own natural juices, preserving its natural flavor and not absorbing any additional flavors from its husk.

As a result, many people prefer microwaving corn on the cob because it produces tender and delicious kernels with very little effort. However, some may miss the charred or grilled flavor from other cooking methods, such as grilling or boiling. Nevertheless, microwaving is a convenient and quick way to cook corn on the cob, especially when your time is limited or when you are cooking for a small number of people.

Nevertheless, we should mention that the freshness of the corn and the microwave's wattage can significantly affect the outcome. Experiment with your microwave and adjust cooking times for the best corn on the cob. Moreover, always use fresh corn, and do not be afraid to experiment with butter and seasonings.

Two cute kids in the woods eating corn
Microwaved corn on the cob is just as delicious as corn prepared on the stove.

Final Thoughts

When cooking for a small group or in a time crunch, microwaving corn on the cob is one of the best and fastest methods. Cooking the corn in its husk allows it to steam more evenly, resulting in a delicious, pure corn flavor.

Cooking corn this way also allows you to focus on the main dish if corn is a side dish. Once you have perfected making corn on the cob in the microwave, it may become your go-to method because it is so quick and easy. No one has to know unless you want to share your cooking secret. We promise not to tell anyone.

Print
Sweet boiled corn, food concept photo

How to Microwave Corn on the Cob


1 Star2 Stars3 Stars4 Stars5 Stars (No Ratings Yet)
Loading…

  • Author: Bobbie Morris
  • Total Time: 0 hours

Description

Cooking corn on the cob in the microwave is quick and easy.


Ingredients

  • 4 ears of corn on the cob
  • Water
  • Salt (optional)
  • Butter (optional)

Instructions

  1. Start by husking the corn, removing the outer leaves and silk strands. Rinse the corn under cold water to remove any remaining silk.

  2. Place the ears of corn in a microwave-safe dish or plate. You can either cook them individually or stack them, depending on the size of your microwave and dish. If stacking, make sure the corn is arranged in a single layer.

  3. Add about 1/4 cup of water to the dish. The water will create steam, which helps cook the corn evenly. If desired, you can also sprinkle a pinch of salt over the corn for flavor.

  4. Cover the dish loosely with microwave-safe plastic wrap or a microwave-safe lid. Leave a small vent to allow steam to escape.

  5. Microwave the corn on high power for 4-6 minutes per ear, depending on the wattage of your microwave and the desired level of doneness. Start with 4 minutes for crisp-tender corn and increase the cooking time if needed.

  6. Carefully remove the dish from the microwave using oven mitts or a towel to avoid burns. The dish and steam will be hot.

  7. Let the corn sit for a minute or two before removing the plastic wrap or lid. Be careful of any steam that may escape when you uncover the dish.

  8. Serve the corn on the cob hot, optionally with butter and additional salt to taste.

Notes

The total cooking time for four ears of corn is 16 to 24 minutes, with each ear requiring 4 to 6 minutes.

  • Prep Time: 5-7 minutes
  • Cook Time: Cooking time per ear: 4 to 6 minutes

The post How to Microwave Corn on the Cob appeared first on Moms Who Think.

]]>
https://www.momswhothink.com/how-to-microwave-corn-on-the-cob/feed/ 0
The 12 Best Side Dishes to Serve with Chicken Cordon Bleu – Easy & Healthy Pairings https://www.momswhothink.com/the-best-side-dishes-to-serve-with-chicken-cordon-bleu-easy-to-healthy/ https://www.momswhothink.com/the-best-side-dishes-to-serve-with-chicken-cordon-bleu-easy-to-healthy/#respond Sun, 21 Jan 2024 04:24:11 +0000 https://www.momswhothink.com/?p=204353&preview=true&preview_id=204353 The post The 12 Best Side Dishes to Serve with Chicken Cordon Bleu – Easy & Healthy Pairings appeared first on Moms Who Think.

Chicken cordon bleu is believed to have originated in France or Switzerland, although its exact origin is not entirely clear. The traditional recipe includes chicken wrapped in a thin slice of ham and cheese, usually Swiss or Gruyère, breaded and then either baked or fried to a golden brown color. Additionally, a cream sauce flavored with Dijon mustard is often added to the dish.

Chicken cordon bleu is a classic dish that has evolved over time, resulting in many variations. It is often served at formal events and is associated with high-quality food. The term “cordon bleu” means “blue ribbon” in French and is linked to prestigious chefs. If you plan to serve chicken cordon bleu for dinner, we suggest pairing it with some of these healthy and easy-to-prepare side dishes.

cordon bleu cutlet chicken meat, cheese, bacon meal snack on the table copy space food background rustic top view
Cordon bleu means “blue ribbon” in French and reflects the dish's association with the best of French cuisine.

Asparagus with Lemon Butter Sauce

This incredibly easy recipe is full of flavor and remarkably nutritious. You can also add your own variations to this basic recipe, such as garlic. If you prefer a creamier asparagus sauce, gradually add more butter.

Easy Spinach Salad With Pears

This spinach salad combines baby spinach, pecans, gorgonzola cheese, and pomegranate for a sweet and savory flavor. Not only does it pair perfectly with chicken cordon bleu, but it can also be made quickly.

Green Beans and Bacon

This recipe for green beans and bacon is perfect as a side dish for chicken cordon bleu or for a holiday dinner. It is a simple recipe that packs both a nutritional and flavor punch. Moreover, if you are concerned about the fat content of this dish, you can substitute regular bacon with turkey bacon.

Green beans with bacon, side dish for Thanksgiving or Christmas dinner
Green beans and bacon do not take long to make and pair great with chicken cordon bleu.

Garlic Butter Parmesan Baked Butternut Squash

Thinly sliced butternut squash is roasted with garlic butter, sage, and Parmesan cheese in the oven. Finally, add a squeeze of lemon juice to give it a tangy flavor. If you do not eat all of it, store the leftovers in an airtight sealed container, and it will stay fresh for up to two days.

Healthy Garlic Mashed Potatoes

Our healthy garlic mashed potato recipe is super-easy and makes about four servings. Although mashed potatoes are higher in calories than some of the other sides mentioned here, they also offer a number of health benefits, including Vitamin C and potassium.

Bowl of tasty mashed potatoes with black pepper served on wooden table
Our healthy garlic mashed potatoes pair perfectly with chicken cordon bleu.

Honey Butter Roasted Carrots

This oven-roasted carrot recipe is a perfect side dish for chicken cordon bleu. To prepare it, roast the carrots at high heat until they turn brown and caramelize. Then, coat them with honey butter and sprinkle some thyme on top. The glaze will make the carrots sweet and tender. For best results, cut the carrots in half and place them flat-side down to ensure even browning.

https://www.pinterest.com/pin/298996862778167396

Oven Roasted Brussel Sprouts

Brussels sprouts are delicious when baked. Unlike boiling, baking them eliminates their unpleasant sulfur odor. To bake Brussels sprouts, preheat the oven to 425 degrees, arrange the sprouts on a baking sheet, and bake for about twenty minutes or until they reach your desired level of crispiness and golden brown color. The creamy and sweet taste of baked Brussels sprouts perfectly complements chicken cordon bleu.

Oven Roasted Sweet Potatoes

This side dish is both quick and easy to make, and requires simple seasonings. However, taking a little extra time to peel and cut the sweet potatoes will make it even better. For a consistent bake, we recommend cutting the potatoes about ¾-inches thick. Peeling the potatoes will also help them caramelize, giving them a golden outside crust and creamy insides.

Parmesan Risotto

Parmesan risotto is an incredibly versatile dish, so it is no surprise that it pairs well with chicken cordon bleu. Our recipe takes the stress out of making risotto, allowing you to whip up this delicious dish quickly and easily to please your family and guests.

Italian creamy  cheese risotto with parmesan cheese and fresh basil on rustic background
Chicken dishes pair especially well with parmesan risotto.

Roasted Sugar Snap Peas

Sugar snap peas make for a wonderfully healthy and easy side dish to accompany chicken cordon bleu. This recipe provides the perfect combination of crunchiness and tanginess. If you are short on time but still want to impress, this dish is a simple yet elegant way to elevate your meal without much effort.

Scalloped Potatoes

Martha Stewart's recipe for scalloped potatoes is a great side dish that goes well with chicken cordon bleu. The freshly grated Gruyère cheese adds a delicious flavor to the potatoes. For the best results, weigh your potatoes and use a shallow baking dish.

Tomato Avocado Salad

Prepare this salad with fresh ingredients, including tomato, avocado, red onion, cilantro, olive oil, garlic, lime, salt, and pepper, in just five minutes. Not only is it quick to prepare, but it is also delicious and healthy.

In Summary

Whether you are planning to serve chicken cordon bleu to your family, friends, or guests, consider pairing it with any of these side dishes. They are not only nutritious but also easy to prepare. Whether you are cooking for a family dinner, a special occasion, or a formal dinner party, any of these side dishes will be a perfect match for this classic chicken dish.

Recipe Card

Print
cordon bleu cutlet chicken meat, cheese, bacon meal snack on the table copy space food background rustic top view

Easy Chicken Cordon Bleu


1 Star2 Stars3 Stars4 Stars5 Stars (No Ratings Yet)
Loading…

  • Author: MomsWhoThink.com

Ingredients

Units
  • 1 cup milk
  • 1 cup dry bread crumbs
  • 6 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves – pounded to 1/4 inch thickness
  • salt and pepper to taste
  • 6 slices cooked ham
  • 6 slices Swiss cheese
  • 2 Tablespoons vegetable oil
  • 1 (10.5 ounce) can condensed cream of chicken soup
  • 1/2 cup heavy cream

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Place milk and bread crumbs in two separate shallow bowls.
  2. Season the chicken with salt and pepper. Place one slice of ham and one slice of cheese on each piece of chicken; roll, and secure with toothpicks.
  3. Dip each chicken roll into milk, and then into breadcrumbs.
  4. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Brown rolled chicken on all sides.
  5. Arrange the chicken in a 9×13 inch baking dish.
  6. In a small saucepan over medium heat, blend soup and cream; season with salt and pepper to taste.
  7. Pour over the chicken. Bake in the preheated oven for 30 minutes, or until chicken is no longer pink and juices run clear.

The post The 12 Best Side Dishes to Serve with Chicken Cordon Bleu – Easy & Healthy Pairings appeared first on Moms Who Think.

]]>
https://www.momswhothink.com/the-best-side-dishes-to-serve-with-chicken-cordon-bleu-easy-to-healthy/feed/ 0
13 Healthy Sides for Pulled Pork – From Beans to Pasta https://www.momswhothink.com/healthy-sides-for-pulled-pork-from-beans-to-pasta/ https://www.momswhothink.com/healthy-sides-for-pulled-pork-from-beans-to-pasta/#respond Sun, 07 Jan 2024 14:13:54 +0000 https://www.momswhothink.com/?p=205850&preview=true&preview_id=205850 The post 13 Healthy Sides for Pulled Pork – From Beans to Pasta appeared first on Moms Who Think.

Pulled pork is the unofficial “star” of traditional barbecue. Don't get us wrong — bring on the brisket, chicken wings, and ribs, too. We're here for all of it. But there's something about the tender, tangy taste of pulled pork that elicits nostalgic childhood memories of backyard gatherings and family picnics. Of course, pulled pork is nothing without its sidekicks! From baked beans and macaroni salads to homemade pickles and “cowboy caviar,” here are thirteen tasty options to turn to when you're looking for all the flavor without all the fat content (or in some cases, without excessive sodium and sugar!).

Pulled Pork
A beautiful pulled pork deserves equally beautiful sides. And it doesn't hurt if they're healthy, too! Image: Dar1930, Shutterstock

VEGGIES

Roasted Cauliflower with Garlic

Easy preparation and simple flavors prevail here. This side dish only consists of six ingredients! Fresh rosemary and garlic add just the right amount of flavor and seasoning to offset the delicate taste of roasted cauliflower.

Homemade Pickles

You can't go wrong with these simple, sugar-free refrigerator pickles. Great for using up those end-of-summer cucumbers that are threatening to overstay their welcome in your vegetable drawer, they are great for layering on pulled pork sandwiches or serving alongside them. With plenty of fresh dill, garlic cloves, whole peppercorns, onion, and vinegar, this recipe isn't complicated … and it's certainly tasty.

SALADS

Fresh Asparagus and Avocado Salad

Though it may initially sound like an unlikely pair, asparagus and avocado combine to create the perfect creamy and crunchy side dish. There are plenty of other healthy ingredients in this salad, too, including tomatoes, mushrooms, zucchini, and a tangy Dijon dressing.

Broccoli Salad

There's something alluring about a broccoli salad — the way it balances salty and sweet components along with creamy and crunchy ones. This salad's preparation isn't labor-intensive, and ingredients like broccoli and sunflower seeds will up your daily vitamin consumption (with a little bacon thrown in for good measure!). Additionally, the yogurt dressing adds a creamy element that blends it together.

Kale Salad

This simple kale salad is a massive dose of vitamins and fiber with the tang of lemon and a touch of sweetness, thanks to golden raisins (or dried cranberries, depending on your preference!). And not that it doesn't add that extra “je ne sais quoi,” but you can certainly skip the parmesan cheese if you're looking to go dairy-free or remove a calorie-enhancing ingredient.

Potato Salad

The standout feature of this particular potato salad might just be its greenery. Quite literally. The dish offers everything from chives, parsley, and dill to celery and green bell peppers. Throw in some Dijon mustard, fresh lemon juice, and spices, and you've got yourself a great accompaniment.

BBQ smoked pulled pork sandwich with pickles and barbeque sauce
Who doesn't love a good old-fashioned Southern pulled pork sandwich? While the classic accompaniments are often carb-heavy or chock full of calories, there are healthy options out there, too! Image: Elena Veselova, Shutterstock

BEANS

Cowboy Caviar

It's true, this side dish is brimming with many other wonderful ingredients aside from beans, including avocado (“good” fats), red pepper, corn, jalapeño, and cilantro. But the reality is that the black beans in “cowboy caviar” (or “Texas Caviar” as it is sometimes referred to) offer up the protein you need to feel satiated.

Lemon-Basil Three-Bean Salad

This plant-based dish offers up a beautiful mixture of chickpeas, white beans, black beans, lemon, cherry tomatoes, basil, and so much more. It's just hearty enough to work in the fall, and just fresh enough to be the perfect side for summer, too!

Home made pulled pork ready to be eaten
Pulled pork is a versatile main dish, lending itself to pairing well with many different types of side dishes! Image: KarepaStock, Shutterstock

PASTA

Vegan and Gluten-Free Pesto Pasta

Pesto is one of those savory pasta sauces that always wows — whether on its own or accompanying the main dish. This particular recipe includes vegan pesto, gluten- or grain-free pasta, and cherry tomatoes for an acidic element.

One-Pot Healthy Orzo

This fabulous side dish is chock full of veggies — essentially, it's delivering one giant dose of vitamins to your system. From chickpeas and spinach to zucchini and fresh parsley, it's a great way to take in some vegetables and also fill up.

… AND MORE

Healthy Stuffed Potatoes

Subbing lower calorie ingredients such as low-fat cottage cheese, low-fat milk, and margarine for the standard butter, cream, and sour cream additions, this stuffed potato dish offers a filling, delicious way to enjoy potatoes without the extra fluff. It even has a bit of hot sauce for a tasty kick!

Roasted Sweet Potatoes

While a brown sugar-and-marshmallow-topped casserole or butter-filled mashed sweet potatoes might be delicious, it's not the healthiest approach. This sweet potato recipe offers a lighter take by tossing the sweet potatoes in some olive oil and seasoning, then roasting them.

Classic Coleslaw

This Whole30-friendly coleslaw is a great way to enjoy a classic pulled pork side without overdoing it. It also happens to be low-carb and Paleo-friendly! Made with a homemade dressing, it's perfectly creamy while still offering a healthy alternative!

The post 13 Healthy Sides for Pulled Pork – From Beans to Pasta appeared first on Moms Who Think.

]]>
https://www.momswhothink.com/healthy-sides-for-pulled-pork-from-beans-to-pasta/feed/ 0
25 Side Dishes for Coconut Shrimp https://www.momswhothink.com/side-dishes-for-coconut-shrimp/ https://www.momswhothink.com/side-dishes-for-coconut-shrimp/#respond Thu, 04 Jan 2024 21:03:38 +0000 https://www.momswhothink.com/side-dishes-for-coconut-shrimp/ The post 25 Side Dishes for Coconut Shrimp appeared first on Moms Who Think.

Although the exact origin of coconut shrimp and what type of cuisine it belongs to are unclear, it is loved by many. Theories behind its origin include Polynesia, the Caribbean, or even possibly it's been thought to be created as an American fusion. Since it's unclear what kind of cuisine they are, you can usually find coconut shrimp to order at seafood restaurants, but it's also easily made at home! Whether cooking frozen coconut shrimp or making it from scratch, you'll need some delicious sides. Here are some delicious side dishes for coconut shrimp.

Roasted Cauliflower

baked cauliflower on a black background. french cuisine
Cauliflower is a very healthy and low-calorie vegetable.

Keep your meal light and fresh with this delicious roasted cauliflower recipe. Full of flavor, it's made with fresh rosemary, salt, pepper, and fresh cloves of garlic. Cooked in the oven, they're ready in about 30 minutes.

Roasted Brussels Sprouts

Vegetarian cuisine. Homemade Brussels Sprouts roasted with olive oil on black slate background. Copyspace, top view, flatlay.
Brussels Sprouts are named after their city of origin, Brussels, the capital of Belgium.

This roasted Brussels sprout recipe is so easy and delicious. To prep, cut off the ends of the Brussels sprouts and season with olive oil, salt, and pepper. Then, cook in the oven for 40 minutes or until they're tender but crispy on the outside.

Brown Rice Salad With Cranberries & Sweet Potato

This brown rice salad with sweet potatoes is the perfect side dish for coconut shrimp. It's healthy, easy, and filling. It's a great fall recipe when sweet potatoes are in season, and the dressing is delicious made with orange juice, honey, vinegar, dijon mustard, and shallots.

Apple Coleslaw

This apple coleslaw is a great recipe to brighten up your meal. It's creamy while also juicy. Made with sour cream, mayonnaise, vinegar, lime juice, scallions, apples, and seasonings, this recipe can be pulled together in just 15 minutes.

Cucumber Dill Salad

This is a great Summer side dish when you're looking to make coconut shrimp. With cucumber, red onion, fresh dill, and an oil and vinegar dressing, this is a delicious, light, and bright recipe. It's also really quick and easy and can be pulled together in just five minutes.

Fresh Spring Rolls With Peanut Sauce

Although you may have never thought to make fresh spring rolls at home, it's really easy and delicious. Made with thin rice noodles, cabbage, butter lettuce, cucumber, carrot, green onion, and jalapeno (optional), these spring rolls can be ready in 45 minutes.

Coconut Rice With Lime

This coconut lime rice is a great pair for your coconut shrimp. The lime and coconut flavors are the perfect duo. This recipe is easy, delicious, and filling. Made with rice, coconut milk, lime, and salt, it's simple and can be ready in just 30 minutes.

Curry Fried Rice

This Thai curry fried rice is a great recipe, whether as a side dish or as the main dish, and then topped with coconut shrimp. It's quick and easy to make with leftover cooked rice, sesame oil, onions, garlic, soy sauce, curry powder, vegetables, and seasonings.

Pineapple Mango Salsa

This is another recipe that has tropical flavors and will pair amazingly with your coconut shrimp. Often, pineapple mango salsa is known for pairing well with seafood. Made with mango, pineapple, onions, peppers, and lime juice, this recipe is easy and delicious.

Sweet Potato Farro Salad

This sweet potato farro salad is another great Fall recipe when sweet potatoes are in season. It's also well-rounded with farro and kale and is brought to life with a tangy and sweet balsamic dressing. This Mediterranean recipe can be pulled together in just 35 minutes.

Grilled Pineapple

This is another tropical recipe that will pair well with coconut shrimp and is to die for. Most often, people just eat fresh pineapple, but grilling it makes it so delicious. Whether you choose fresh or canned pineapple paired with butter, brown sugar, and cinnamon, you'll fall in love with this recipe.

Garlic Butter Broccolini

To me, broccolini is the upgraded version of broccoli. It has a delicious crunch that makes it stand out. This broccolini recipe is full of flavor with butter and garlic. Once prepped, sautee the broccolini in garlic butter and top with lemon zest. This recipe is super easy and can be done in 15 minutes.

Sweet Pepper, Mushroom, And Onion Medley

This is a great vegetable recipe as a side dish for your coconut shrimp. After cutting up a blend of different colored peppers, mushrooms, and onions, season it with salt, pepper, and garlic. Then, finish it off with some balsamic vinegar for the final touch.

Hawaiian Coleslaw

Here's a coleslaw recipe but with a tropical take. Made with cabbage, pineapple, carrots, and a soy-ginger lime vinaigrette, this recipe is the perfect pair for your coconut shrimp. It also pulls together really quickly in just 15 minutes.

Asparagus With Lemon Butter Sauce

If you love asparagus, then you have to try this amazing lemon butter asparagus recipe. It's easy to pull together, and the whole family will love it. First, boil the asparagus, and while that is cooking, pull together the lemon butter sauce. Made with lemon juice, vegetable broth, white vinegar, heavy cream, sugar, butter, and seasonings, this recipe can be ready in 20 minutes.

Crispy Baked Zucchini Fries

These panko-crusted zucchini fries are delicious. Paired with a basil cream sauce, this recipe will add a nice sweetness to your coconut shrimp meal. While the zucchini fries cook for about 20 minutes, pull together the sauce by mixing Greek yogurt, fresh basil, minced garlic, Worcestershire sauce, salt, and pepper.

Avocado Chickpea Salad

This healthy and delicious avocado chickpea salad is a great side dish. Made with avocado, chickpeas, feta cheese, red onion, parsley or cilantro, lemon juice, olive oil, sumac, salt, and pepper, it's full of flavor and can be pulled together in 20 minutes.

Kung Pao Brussel Sprouts

Spice up your Brussels sprouts with this kung pao Brussels sprouts recipe. Made with sesame oil, ginger, garlic, chili paste, soy sauce, rice wine vinegar, and brown sugar, this side dish is full of flavor.

Golden Rice Pilaf

This 30-minute golden rice pilaf is fun and flavorful. Seasoned with turmeric, cumin, salt, and pepper and cooked in vegetable broth, the rice itself has tons of flavor. Then, top it off with some pomegranate and almonds to add brightness and crunch.

Beet And Mandarin Orange Salad

This beet salad is a great recipe to make and top with coconut shrimp. Simple and easy, it can be ready in just 15 minutes. Using spinach, red onion, mandarin oranges, feta cheese, and pine nuts, it has delicious toppings and is mixed together with a honey-mustard lemon vinaigrette.

Asian Sesame Ginger Slaw

This is another great coleslaw recipe that can pair well with coconut shrimp. It's healthy and delicious and made with quinoa, kale, cabbage, carrot, cilantro, and a sesame ginger vinaigrette.

Arugula Pear Salad

This arugula pear salad is a great Fall recipe made with arugula, blue cheese, walnuts or pecans, and a honey-dijon vinaigrette. If you don't like blue cheese, you can easily substitute it for feta cheese.

Broccoli Cranberry Salad

This broccoli cranberry salad is a delicious recipe if you're looking for something savory and sweet. Made with broccoli, red onion, cranberries, and pecans, it's mixed together with a creamy apple cider vinaigrette dressing.

Cashew Crunch Salad With Sesame Dressing

This cashew crunch salad is another Asian-inspired side dish that will pair well with coconut shrimp. Ready in just 30 minutes, it's made with cabbage, carrots, edamame, cashew, crunchy chow mein noodles, green onions, cilantro, and a creamy sesame vinaigrette.

Coconut Creamed Spinach

Lastly, this coconut creamed spinach is the perfect pair for coconut shrimp. The coconut flavor will keep your meal cohesive, and the spinach will make it a healthy, well-rounded meal.

Recipe Card

The post 25 Side Dishes for Coconut Shrimp appeared first on Moms Who Think.

]]>
https://www.momswhothink.com/side-dishes-for-coconut-shrimp/feed/ 0
14 Healthy Sides for Ribs—From Smoky Sides to Salad https://www.momswhothink.com/healthy-sides-for-ribs-from-smoky-sides-to-salad/ https://www.momswhothink.com/healthy-sides-for-ribs-from-smoky-sides-to-salad/#respond Sat, 30 Dec 2023 23:12:40 +0000 https://www.momswhothink.com/?p=205852&preview=true&preview_id=205852 The post 14 Healthy Sides for Ribs—From Smoky Sides to Salad appeared first on Moms Who Think.

Throwing a rack of barbecued ribs on the grill is one of summer's most highly anticipated culinary endeavors. Of course, ribs aren't a summer exclusive; they can be enjoyed all year round! Even better, they're typically accompanied by some stellar sidekicks that are filling, tasty, and even nostalgic—no matter the season. If you're searching for some healthy new side dishes to add to your rib-roasting repertoire, we've got you covered. Here are 14 healthy sides to accompany your next ribs feast—from fresh salads and roasted veggies to smoky selections that will have your mouth watering.

Spicy hot grilled spare ribs from a summer BBQ served with a hot chili pepper and fresh tomatoes on an old vintage wooden cutting board

The Classics

Collard Greens

There's nothing cozier than a giant pot of greens simmering on the stovetop, right? Here are several health-conscious ways to cook greens (did you know greens can be grilled?) without all of the extra sodium and calories.

Garlic Mashed Potatoes

Mashed potatoes are always a hit, and incorporating a bit of garlic only adds to the flavor profile. This recipe offers a healthier take than the typical butter-laden iterations, by using skim milk and avoiding butter altogether — a great way to enjoy a classic dish without all of the fat content!

Baked Beans

Baked beans have long been a go-to side dish when we're searching for something hearty and delicious. Not to mention, they pack a serious protein punch! This recipe uses maple syrup and Dijon mustard to replace the sugary condiments that often form the foundation of a baked bean dish.

Greek Yogurt Coleslaw

To be fair, any coleslaw that isn't chock full of mayonnaise and sugar is a step in the right direction when it comes to a healthy side dish. This particular coleslaw substitutes fat-heavy mayo with Greek yogurt, and sugar with honey. It also offers up some clean (low-carb, vegetarian, and gluten-free) eating with tons of veggies, parsley, apple cider vinegar, and more. Yum!

Gluten-Free Cornbread

Whether you're on a gluten-free diet or not, this cornbread recipe offers a healthier take on traditional cornbread by subbing in shortening and buttermilk and forgoing some of the sugar content. It's also vegetarian!

2 racks of ribs sitting on brown paper with barbeque sauce brush, sides of cole slaw, baked beans and garnished with fresh thyme herbs
Side dishes don't have to be overly calorie-heavy — whether we're talking baked beans, macaroni salad, or coleslaw. Image: Teri Virbickis, Shutterstock

Salads

Potato Salad

For a healthy potato salad that celebrates tubers without drenching them in mayonnaise and other saturated fats, this recipe is perfection. Plus, dill and green onions add just the right depth of flavor.

Watermelon and Feta Salad

There's just something intriguing about the combination of crisp, summery watermelon and creamy feta. Throw in some fresh cucumber and top it with a mint-lime dressing, and you won't be disappointed.

Greek Salad

While there may be quite a number of ingredients in this salad, each one of them serves an essential (and tasty!) purpose. The ideal Mediterranean side dish, this healthy salad includes everything from tomato wedges, red onion rings, and green pepper to tangy Kalamata olives, creamy feta cheese, and homemade dressing.

Crunchy “Detox” Salad

Made with an abundance of fresh ingredients such as broccoli, cabbage, carrots, cauliflower, almonds, sunflower seeds, ginger, and honey, this salad is an immunity-boosting, detoxifying, energy-intensifying side dish that happens to be delicious! Did we mention it's also vegetarian, gluten-free, and Paleo-friendly?

Veggies

Roasted Asparagus with Feta Cheese

This side dish of crisp asparagus is seasoned with everything from lemon zest and parsley to red pepper flakes and garlic, then topped with feta and roasted. It's quick, easy, and tasty, too.

10-Minute Miso Corn on the Cob

Topped with flavorful, plant-based ingredients such as white miso, tamari, vegan butter, maple syrup, cilantro, and lime juice, this corn on the cob will add some unconventional umami to your meal!

Roasted Green Beans

A very simple dish that perfectly complements ribs, these green beans only have four ingredients. Talk about an easy accompaniment! Not to mention, green beans are an incredibly healthy addition to your diet, as they are chock full of protein, fiber, potassium, folate, and vitamin C.

Smoky Sides

Chipotle Honey-Roasted Carrots

Chipotle is a wonderful ingredient that'll put a little pep in your step. This wonderfully sweet and spicy side dish is both gluten-free and Paleo-friendly, and it's no secret that carrots are full of antioxidants, vitamins, and minerals.

Smoky Roasted Brussels Sprouts

Vegan, soy-free, and gluten-free, this dish is smoky, savory, and good for you, too! With smoked paprika, thyme, garlic, and a pinch of cayenne pepper balanced out by maple syrup, these Brussels sprouts offer just the right amount of heat.

Recipe Card

Now that you have some delicious sides, try a tasty recipe for ribs. Enjoy!

Print
A rack of delicious baby back ribs with barbecue sauce, french fries, coleslaw and beer.

Sweet and Sour Barbecued Baby Back Ribs


1 Star2 Stars3 Stars4 Stars5 Stars (No Ratings Yet)
Loading…

  • Author: MomsWhoThink.com

Ingredients

Units
  • 1 1/4 cup ketchup
  • 3/4 cup water
  • 1/4 cup honey
  • 2 Tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
  • 4 teaspoons lemon juice
  • 1 small onion, chopped
    1/2 teaspoon salt
    1/2 teaspoon pepper
    6 pounds baby back ribs

Instructions

  1. Mix together the ketchup, water, honey, Worcestershire sauce, lemon juice, onion, salt, and pepper.
  2. Cook for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
  3. Prepare a charcoal grill, and cook ribs over medium-hot coals, turning occasionally. Brush ribs with sauce after each turn.
  4. Cook ribs until desired doneness.

The post 14 Healthy Sides for Ribs—From Smoky Sides to Salad appeared first on Moms Who Think.

]]>
https://www.momswhothink.com/healthy-sides-for-ribs-from-smoky-sides-to-salad/feed/ 0
11 Keto Sides Dishes for Thanksgiving https://www.momswhothink.com/keto-sides-dishes-for-thanksgiving/ https://www.momswhothink.com/keto-sides-dishes-for-thanksgiving/#respond Fri, 15 Dec 2023 20:41:53 +0000 https://www.momswhothink.com/?p=211172&preview=true&preview_id=211172 The post 11 Keto Sides Dishes for Thanksgiving appeared first on Moms Who Think.

These days, many people are focused on healthy eating, and many choose to follow specific diets. One of the most popular diets is keto. The keto diet is a low-carb diet that focuses on protein and fat as a way to lose weight. It's quite popular, and many people are seeing results. However, following a strict keto diet can be difficult at holiday times, especially holidays that revolve around food like Thanksgiving. Luckily, we have put together a list of some excellent keto side dishes for Thanksgiving. So whether you are hosting for friends and family that follow a keto diet or you yourself follow a keto lifestyle, there are plenty of ways to remake classic Thanksgiving dishes keto-compliant so you never have to feel like you are missing out on traditional Thanksgiving favorites.

What is Keto?

If you are new to keto, it is basically a way of eating that puts the body into ketosis. In ketosis, the body burns stored fat for energy. Eating a very low-carb diet for a few days can put your body into ketosis. The trick is staying there because consistently eating low-carb can be challenging. Generally, fifty grams of carbs is the daily limit for those following keto. According to Healthline, the keto diet has some benefits, including weight loss, and it can help manage blood sugar in people with diabetes. Basically, to follow keto, you need to eliminate grains, beans, potatoes, fruit, candy, condiments, and alcohol. The keto diet is mainly lean meats, low-carb fruits and veggies like berries and leafy greens, and protein like eggs, chicken, fish, and beef. Dairy, nuts and seeds, dark chocolate, and alternative flours are all ok on keto.

If you are considering following a keto diet, always talk to your doctor first. The diet does have some downsides and may not be the best fit for everyone.

11 Keto Side Dishes for Thanksgiving

All of these side dishes are keto. If you follow keto and are also vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free, or dairy-free, then you will need to double-check that these meet your dietary requirements.

1. Mashed Cauliflower

Ricotta roasted garlic mashed cauliflower. toning. selective focus
Cauliflower mashed potatoes are a great alternative to regular mashed potatoes.

Cauliflower has really become a popular vegetable in the last decade. Healthy home cooks are making cauliflower into rice, pasta, and pizza crust. This cruciferous vegetable has such a mild flavor that it really can work as a substitute for carb-heavy foods. In this case, mashed cauliflower substitutes mashed potatoes for a keto Thanksgiving side dish. You can start by boiling fresh cauliflower and then mashing it with butter, salt, and a spoonful of sour cream. You will be surprised at just how good it is, and you might not even be able to tell the difference between regular mashed potatoes and mashed cauliflower. We suggest adding some roasted garlic, too, for an extra savory bite.

2. Roasted Brussels Sprouts

Baking sheet with roasted brussel sprouts on light background
Brussels sprouts are best roasted with olive oil and salt.

Brussels sprouts are better than you might think. It is not a coincidence that more people are eating these little green cabbage-looking vegetables. The truth is that scientists in the late 1990s started playing with Brussels sprout varieties to try to make a less bitter version of this healthy green vegetable. And they succeeded, which is why Brussels sprouts are more popular today than they were in the past. And they are a keto-friendly vegetable. This is one of the easiest Thanksgiving sides to make. Just cut the sprouts in half and toss them in a bowl with some salt and olive oil, which are both keto-compliant. Then roast in the oven at 400 degrees Fahrenheit for thirty to forty minutes.

3. Green Bean Salad with Bacon

Green beans or haricots. Sautéed organic vegetable in olive oil, herbs, spices and salt and pepper. Classic American steakhouse, restaurant or bistro side dish.
Skip the cream of mushroom soup for a tasty keto green bean dish.

Traditional green bean salad is not keto-friendly. That classic version of the recipe has a can of cream of mushroom soup, which is not keto-friendly mainly because it has high-carb fillers and thickeners. But there is a tastier way to make green bean salad without that antiquated cream of mushroom soup. Instead, take those washed and trimmed green beans and mix them with a keto-friendly homemade mushroom gravy and chopped cooked bacon for a tasty and healthy green bean salad.

4. Keto Stuffing

Country Bread Stuffing
Keto bread is the best way to make classic stuffing keto-friendly.

Whether you call it stuffing or dressing, one thing is for sure: this is one of the quintessential Thanksgiving recipes, and just because you are eating keto doesn't mean you have to miss out. You can swap out the dried bread chunks with keto-dried bread chunks. You may be able to find some prepackaged online, or you can easily make your own. Start with sliced keto bread and cut it into pieces, then roast it in the oven on low to dry it out and get it ready to make stuffing. Then, follow your favorite stuffing recipe. 

5. Keto Gravy

Homemade Thanksgiving Turkey Gravy in a Boat
Keto gravy is perfect for mashed cauliflower.

It may come as a shock to you that you can make keto gravy since gravy is mostly flour. But you can make gravy keto in a couple of different ways. Basically, the rendered fat is the star of the gravy, and one way to make keto gravy is to mix this rendered fat or grease drippings with keto-approved flour like almond, sunflower seed, or flaxseed flour. Some keto gravies opt to skip the flour and instead use xanthan gum, which is a popular food additive used to thicken sauces. It's often used in gluten-free baking and is easy to find online.

6. Cauliflower Mac and Cheese

Keto Cauliflower Mac and Cheese with the entire recipe preparation photos, ingredients and instructions
Swap macaroni pasta for steamed cauliflower.

Cauliflower to the rescue again. Chunks of cauliflower are often used in plates of pasta, and you can use them to recreate a classic macaroni and cheese. Mac and cheese is full of cheese and butter, which are keto-approved, but the pasta isn't, so replacing soft macaroni noodles with chunks of steamed or boiled cauliflower pieces is a great way to make keto-friendly mac and cheese. Just because you eat keto doesn't mean you can't enjoy classic comfort food. You might even convert some family and friends to keto with this creamy cauliflower mac and cheese.

7. Sugar-free Cranberry Sauce

Cranberry Sauce, Cranberry Sauce, Above, Anise, Appetizer, Autumn
Sugar-free cranberry sauce is easy to make.

While fat is okay on keto, sugar is not. That's why many fruits are not permitted on keto except for low-sugar fruits like berries. You can’t open that classic can of cranberry sauce for a keto Thanksgiving, but you can make your own with fresh or dried cranberries. Just cook the cranberries in water for thirty minutes with some lemon juice, orange zest, and your favorite keto-friendly sweeteners like monk fruit or erythritol. It's that easy, and this cranberry sauce isn’t just great for turkey; you can add it to smoothies or slather it on other keto-friendly foods.

8. Almond Flour Rolls

Basket of freshly baked dinner rolls with tableware in background. Macro with shallow dof.
Make dinner rolls with almond flour.

Low-carb eating doesn't necessarily mean you have to give up bread. There are many different types of keto-friendly breads and rolls made with alternative flour. We love using almond flour to make keto-friendly rolls. You can find almond flour in most supermarkets, health food stores, and online.

9. Keto Broccoli Salad

Broccoli_Salad
Homemade broccoli salad can be customized to keto.

Every Thanksgiving table should have some green options, and this keto-friendly broccoli salad is perfect. It only has a few ingredients, and you can make it beforehand. You need some lightly steamed broccoli florets, keto mayo, cheddar cheese, red onion, chopped cooked bacon, and salted sunflower seeds. It’s quick, easy,  healthy, and, most importantly, keto.

10. Creamed Collard Greens or Spinach

Homemade Creamed Spinach Side Dish with Onion and Garlic
Skip the flour in this creamed spinach dish.

Many creamed greens recipes use flour to thicken them up, but with these keto-friendly versions, the mix of butter, heavy cream, milk, and cream cheese adds enough creaminess. Start with sauteed onions and garlic, then mix in the greens and add the creamy ingredients, and in ten minutes, you have yourself a show-stopping dish of creamed greens.

11. Bacon Wrapped Jalapenos

Spicy appetizer: jalapeno peppers stuffed with cheese wrapped in bacon close-up on the table. horizontal
Bacon-wrapped jalapenos make a spicy appetizer.

Bacon is a keto-friendly food that makes every dish better. While this isn't technically a side, it is more of an appetizer. Most Thanksgiving celebrations have an appetizer table for guests to graze while watching the big game and waiting for the main attraction, the turkey, to cook. Bacon-wrapped jalapenos are a tasty keto treat. Start with fresh jalapenos, slice down the middle, and remove the seeds. Fill the jalapenos with cream cheese and wrap with half a slice of bacon. Roast at 400 degrees Fahrenheit for twenty to thirty minutes. We suggest making these ahead of time since the oven will be at capacity with the turkey. You can also make them in the toaster oven.

Thanksgiving is about sharing a meal with loved ones and celebrating all of the things that make you grateful. Your keto diet shouldn't mean you have to skip the holiday. Just tweak your favorite Thanksgiving recipes to make them keto.

Recipe Card

Print
baked cauliflower on a black background. french cuisine

Roasted Cauliflower with Roasted Garlic


1 Star2 Stars3 Stars4 Stars5 Stars (No Ratings Yet)
Loading…

  • Author: MomsWhoThink.com

Ingredients

Units
  • 1 large head cauliflower (trimmed and cut into bite size pieces)
  • 1/2 cup olive oil
  • 2 teaspoons minced fresh rosemary
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
  • 8 garlic cloves, peeled and lightly crushed

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees F.
  2. Mix oil, rosemary, salt, pepper and garlic together.
  3. Toss in cauliflower and place in a large casserole dish in one layer.
  4. Roast in for 20 minutes. Toss well and bake for 10 more minutes.

The post 11 Keto Sides Dishes for Thanksgiving appeared first on Moms Who Think.

]]>
https://www.momswhothink.com/keto-sides-dishes-for-thanksgiving/feed/ 0
14 Keto Side Dishes for Steak https://www.momswhothink.com/keto-side-dishes-for-steak/ https://www.momswhothink.com/keto-side-dishes-for-steak/#respond Fri, 15 Dec 2023 17:37:00 +0000 https://www.momswhothink.com/?p=205826&preview=true&preview_id=205826 The post 14 Keto Side Dishes for Steak appeared first on Moms Who Think.

Sliced grilled meat steak Rib eye medium rare set, on wooden serving board, with white beans and rosemary in cast iron pan, on black wooden table background

The best keto side dishes for steak are more expansive than you might think. People hear the term “keto diet” and might confuse it for a really restrictive meal plan. But eating keto means going for high fat, lots of protein, and a low carbohydrate intake overall. So, while keto meal plans include the guidelines on cooking this way, if you’re looking for easy sides to go along with your keto meal, you’re in the right place. For the purpose of this post, we’ll focus on a great keto meal, a hearty steak.

Steak can provide a hearty dose of protein, healthy fat, and valuable vitamins and minerals like iron and vitamin B-12 (via Men’s Journal). Unprocessed meats are a great keto option because they have virtually no carbohydrates. This is dependent on the cut of meat, but a steak is definitely keto-friendly, so now let’s find some side dishes that will go well. 

In this post, you’ll get a basic rundown of some great keto side dishes for steak. Learn what ingredients you need, the cooking time, and the prepping process. You’ll be well prepared for any grocery store run, or dinner planning by the end of this. And, perhaps you’ll have a better idea of what recipes are, in fact, keto-friendly. Don’t let the term keto scare you, it just means you need to pay attention to the fat content, protein content, and carbohydrate count of your meal. Labels are great for this and will guide you in picking the right ingredients. So, let’s get into some keto-friendly side dishes for your soon-to-be-perfect steak dinner

1. Broccoli Cheese

Next up, we have a Broccoli Cheese Bake. Gather frozen, chopped broccoli, Velveeta cheese, spices, and salt to taste, garlic powder, butter, and a sleeve of Ritz crackers. Cook your broccoli and in a separate skillet melt the butter with the Velveeta cheese. Combine the broccoli, crumble in crackers, and load into a casserole pan. Bake for 20-25 minutes at 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Allow to cool and then serve.

2. Roasted Cauliflower With Garlic

Have some Roasted Cauliflower With Garlic for which you'll need a head of cauliflower, olive oil, rosemary, seasonings, and 8 cloves of garlic. Preheat your oven to 450º Fahrenheit, mix your spices, and put your cauliflower into a casserole dish, season and oil, and roast for 20 minutes. Take out to toss, and then bake for another 10 minutes. This keto side dish pairs wonderfully with steak.

3. Zucchini Cheese Bake

This Zucchini Cheese Bake calls for zucchini, chopped onions, butter, bread crumbs, heavy cream, and eggs. You'll need American cheese, salt, black pepper, and chopped fresh dill. Preheat the oven to 350º Fahrenheit, and oil a soufflé or casserole dish. Peel your zucchini and grate it into strips. Squeeze out the juice from the chopped onion, and add to the zucchini. Combine melted butter, breadcrumbs, and eggs. Add in cheese, spices, and fresh dill. Fill the casserole pan, and bake for 1 hour and 15 minutes, adding foil if the zucchini is browning too quickly.

casserole with cheese and zucchini in baking dish
This zucchini cheese bake comines healthy veggies and delicious cheese.

4. Creamed Spinach

Starting off with Creamed Spinach. This leafy green is not only a great source of iron, but low in carbs and chock full of antioxidants and great vitamins. You can keep this recipe keto by using heavy cream for the fat content. For this recipe, you'll need baby spinach, butter, and yellow onion, garlic cloves. Get some heavy cream, milk, salt, pepper, cayenne pepper, and parmesan cheese. Bring a pot of water to boil on the stove, and cook the spinach for 30 seconds. Drain and put into an ice bath. Drain again and allow it to dry. For the cream sauce, combine your heavy cream, milk, butter, and chopped onion in a skillet. Simmer and add in spices. Combine with spinach and parmesan cheese, stirring frequently.

5. Cauliflower Mac & Cheese

Try this Cauliflower Mac & Cheese which calls for a head of cauliflower, vegetable oil, heavy cream and cream cheese. You'll need Dijon mustard, sharp cheddar (shredded), ground black pepper, and garlic powder. Take your casserole dish and oil the sides. Cook the cauliflower until tender (5 minutes), drain and dry before placing into the casserole dish. Preheat oven to 375º Fahrenheit and prepare your cheese mixture. You'll need to simmer the heavy cream in a saucepan, add cream cheese, mustard, seasoning, cheese, and whisk until melted and properly combined. Pour over the calulflower in the cassedrole dish and stir up while adding more shredded cheese. Bake until bubbly and slightly browned (15 minutes).

6. Asparagus And Avocado Salad

For this Asparagus and Avocado Salad you'll need asparagus, mushrooms, avocado, zucchini, tomato, and a medium red onion. Your dressing will be made of olive oil, balsamic vinegar, dijon mustard, one garlic clove, dried basil, thyme, and salt and pepper. Cook your asparagus in a microwave until crispy and tender, and combine with the other chopped vegetables until properly combined. Mix up your oils and vinegars for the dressing, add spices and seasonings to taste. Coat your salad and refrigerate before serving. Enjoy this keto side dish salad that will pair wonderfully with some well-done steak.

7. Cabbage and Tomato Salad

For another great keto side dish, try this Cabbage and Tomato Salad. Get a head of cabbage, tomatoes, and radishes. You'll need salt, pepper, red pepper, olive oil, rice vinegar, and freshly chopped cilantro. Combine your cubed, chopped, and shredded veggies. In a separate bowl, combine spices, viegar, olive oil and other seasonings. Mix well, dress your veggies, refrigerate and then enjoy.

Salad with fresh cabbage, tomato, cucumber and herbs on the plate on a table
This healthy cabbage and tomato salad is the perfect keto side dish for a hearty steak.

8. Green Bean Casserole

This Green Bean Casserole calls for drained canned green beans, cream of mushroom soup, shredded cheddar cheese, and fried crispy onions. Additional, optional ingredients include crumbled bacon, mushrooms, onions, garlic, black pepper, and garlic. Heat your cream of mushroom soup and green beans together in the microwave, add some cheese and microwave again to fully melt. Pour contents into baking dish and top with fried onions and more shredded cheese. Bake until the cheese is perfectly melty and the onion layer on top has nicely browned.

9. Cheese Baked Asparagus

This Cheesy Asparagus calls for asparagus, heavy cream, minced garlic and several kinds of cheese. You'll need garlic cloves, josher salt, red pepper flakes, and ground black pepper. Preheat your oven to 400º Fahrenheit, fill a baking dish with chopped asparagus, add heavy cream, season, and then add in lots of cheese. Bake for up to 30 minutes until it's melted and golden-brown in color.

10. Keto Onion Rings

If you're wondering, yes there are such a thing as Keto Onion Rings! These onion rings use coconut flour which cuts down on the unnecessary carbohydrates. They're also baked instead of fried. You'll need eggs, heavy whipping cream, cooking, pork rinds, white onion, and parmesan cheese. Slice your onion rings, and prepare stations for dipping coconut flower, eggs, heavy cream, and pork rinds. Dip your onion rings and then coat them all with an egg wash. Place them on a baking rack and bake for 15 minutes at 425º Fahrenheit. Serve alongside some hearty steak, and enjoy these crispy keto onion rings.

13. Sauteed Bell Peppers

These Sautéed Bell Peppers need olive oil and bell peppers. Cut your peppers into strips, heat oil and sautée them until they've softened. Add salt, cover and cook for 10 minutes. Add balsamic vinegar, stir in the basil, parsley, garlic, and any other seasonings. Serve alongside your main keto meal, and enjoy!

14. Eggplant Parmigiana

And last, but not least, try this keto side dish of Eggplant Parmigiana. You'll need egplants, all-purpose flour (use almond or coconut flour if you want to decrease the carbohydrates), granualted sugar, eggs, and whole milk. Get Italian breadcrumbs, seasonings (pepper, salt, oregano, thyme,) mozzarella, parmesan, vegetable oil, and basil. For the sauce get some EVOO, yellow onions, garlic, salt, red pepper flakes, and a can of San Marzano whole plum tomatoes.

Combine your sauce ingredients in a pan over medium heat, break up the tomatoes and cook for 10-15 minutes til everything is well blended. Allow this to cool and prepare your eggplant. Salt and let your eggplant halves sit to draw out any bitterness, rinse and dry after an hour. Combine flour and spices, and in another bowl make an eggwash with milk, and more seasonings. Mix breadcrumbs with the fresh herbs, and dip your eggplant halves into the flour then the egg wash, then the breadcrumbs.

Arrange on baking sheet with 1/2 inch of oil, and cook the halves for 2 minutes on each side at between 380º and 400 º Fahrenheit. Lastly, assemble your layered casserole dish with tomato sauce, fried eggplant, mozzarella cheese, provolone and parmesan. Repeat this at least three times to properly layer. Cook at 350º Fahrenheit for 35-40 minutes until cheese is bubbling and the top bis nicely browned.

Recipe

Print
peppercorn stek in thyme sauce, Steak, Beef, Cherry Tomato, Color Image, Dining

Peppercorn Steak with Thyme Butter Sauce


1 Star2 Stars3 Stars4 Stars5 Stars (No Ratings Yet)
Loading…

  • Author: MomsWhoThink.com
  • Total Time: 20 minutes

Ingredients

  • 1 1/4 pounds flank or skirt steak
  • 2 Tablespoons cracked black peppercorns
  • 3 Tablespoons unsalted butter
  • 1 Tablespoon chopped fresh thyme
  • 1/2 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce

Instructions

  1. Coat a stovetop grill pan or griddle with cooking spray and preheat over medium-high heat.
  2. Season both sides of the steak with salt and the cracked peppercorns.
  3. Place the steak on the hot pan and cook for 3 to 5 minutes per side for medium-rare to medium.
  4. Remove the steak from the pan and let stand for 5 to 10 minutes before slicing crosswise (against the grain) into ¼-inch-thick slices.
  5. Melt the butter, thyme and Worcestershire sauce together in a small saucepan over medium heat.
  6. Serve the steak slices with the butter sauce spooned over the top.
  • Prep Time: 10 minutes
  • Cook Time: 10 minutes
  • Category: Main Course
  • Method: Pan-Frying
  • Cuisine: American

The post 14 Keto Side Dishes for Steak appeared first on Moms Who Think.

]]>
https://www.momswhothink.com/keto-side-dishes-for-steak/feed/ 0
15 Healthy Sides for Chicken Wings – From Slaw to Smoked Veggies https://www.momswhothink.com/healthy-sides-for-chicken-wings-from-slaw-to-smoked-veggies/ https://www.momswhothink.com/healthy-sides-for-chicken-wings-from-slaw-to-smoked-veggies/#respond Thu, 14 Dec 2023 17:45:49 +0000 https://www.momswhothink.com/healthy-sides-for-chicken-wings-from-slaw-to-smoked-veggies/ The post 15 Healthy Sides for Chicken Wings – From Slaw to Smoked Veggies appeared first on Moms Who Think.

There are few things more delicious than wings drenched in your favorite buffalo or barbecue sauce. However, the only thing that could make your meal of chicken wings better is the perfect side to go along with them.

While chicken wings can be a good source of protein, you can have a more balanced meal if you pair them with a healthy side salad or vegetable. Here are 15 healthy sides for chicken wings you can enjoy any night of the week.

1. Cajun Coleslaw

  • 96 calories
  • 3.3 grams of carbs
  • 8.1 grams of fat

There are few sides that go well with chicken wings as coleslaw does. However, if you need something with a bit more of a kick than your classic coleslaw recipe, try this Cajun Coleslaw. The addition of Louisiana hot sauce gives it the perfect amount of spice, but you can substitute a different type of hot sauce if you have something else on hand.

Cajun_Coleslaw
This Cajun Coleslaw recipe gives you the delicious flavors of coleslaw with an extra kick of spice.

2. Caesar Salad

  • 156 calories
  • 7 grams of carbs
  • 12 grams of fat

When it comes to the best types of salads to pair with your meal, the Caesar salad is a classic choice. You can make this delicious salad with just a handful of ingredients and you don’t even need to buy Caesar dressing. The homemade croutons are hard to beat, but you can also add store-bought ones if necessary.

Delicious salad with croutons, grilled chicken breast, grated parmesan cheese and cos lettuce, with sauce in the gravy boat, simply and healthy recipe, horizontal top view
Ceasar salad is a classic side that pairs well with a variety of meals.

3. Crunchy Coleslaw

  • 174 calories
  • 14 grams of carbs
  • 13 grams of fat

For those who love the classic coleslaw recipe, this one’s for you. This crunchy coleslaw recipe is the perfect side to pair with chicken wings and the dressing is so simple to make. Cabbage, like most other cruciferous vegetables, is loaded with vitamins and minerals. When you make this classic coleslaw recipe, you get a tasty side with a ton of health benefits.

Coleslaw made of freshly shredded white cabbage and grated carrot with homemade mayonnaise-based salad dressing in wooden bowl, photographed overhead (Selective Focus, Focus on the salad)
This classic coleslaw recipe is a tasty and healthy side dish to serve with chicken wings.

4. Cobb Salad

  • 379 calories
  • 15 grams of carbs
  • 25 grams of fat

If you’re craving a side salad to pair with your wings, a Cobb salad is another excellent choice. Topped with hard-boiled eggs, avocado, and tangy Roquefort cheese, this salad recipe is one the whole family will love. Even though this recipe calls for chicken breast, you can leave it off when pairing it with chicken wings.

Cobb salads are packed with protein, but you can leave off the chicken breast when serving it with chicken wings.

5. Garden Potato Salad

  • 145 calories
  • 29 grams of carbs
  • 1 gram of fat

Potato salad is one of the most common sides for barbecues and cookouts, but this healthy version is still packed with flavor without any heavy ingredients. The cottage cheese gives the potato salad a healthy dose of protein while the dill weed and celery seed add a unique flavor to this recipe.

Potato salad
This garden potato salad is a healthier alternative to classic potato salad recipes.

6. Roasted Broccoli

  • 88 calories
  • 5 grams of carbs
  • 7.1 grams of fat

Broccoli is incredibly beneficial for your health and it pairs well with nearly any meal. One of the best ways to cook broccoli is by roasting it in the oven. When you roast the broccoli on high heat, it caramelizes the broccoli, leading to a crispy texture and slightly sweet flavor. Broccoli is also a great side because it’s simple and quick to cook and it tastes great with only a little preparation.

Roasted broccoli florets with cheese on a baking tray
Roasted broccoli is a simple and healthy way to enjoy this vegetable.

7. Pasta Salad

  • 405 calories
  • 34 grams of carbs
  • 13 grams of fat

Not all pasta salad recipes are created equal but this healthy pasta salad recipe will be a hit with your family or guests. It pairs well with chicken wings and many other dishes with its simple list of ingredients. Packed with vegetables such as zucchini and carrots, it has a nice crunch and plenty of nutritional benefits. If you’re pairing the pasta salad with chicken wings, you can leave out the tuna and add just the vegetables.

Cold summer pasta salad with bacon, tomatoes, avocado and mustard in a plate with fork on white background. Healthy diet food
This healthy pasta salad is simple to make and goes perfectly with any type of chicken wings.

8. Garlic Butter Zucchini and Mushrooms

  • 161 calories
  • 9 grams of carbs
  • 13 grams of fat

Both zucchini and mushrooms have numerous health benefits. While they can be delicious on their own, cooking them together with olive oil, butter, and garlic makes for a tasty and healthy side dish. This simple skillet recipe can come together in about 20 minutes and it’s packed full of vitamin A, potassium, and other nutrients.

9. Cabbage and Tomato Salad

  • 43 calories
  • 7 grams of carbs
  • 1 gram of fat

As simple as it sounds, this cabbage and tomato salad can add a lot of flavor to your meal, especially as a side for chicken wings. This recipe is perfect when you don’t have a lot of time to cook up an elaborate side or you want something simple that won’t overpower the flavor of your chicken wings. 

Salad with fresh cabbage, tomato, cucumber and herbs on the plate on a table
Cabbage has numerous health benefits and this simple salad is a tasty side dish for any meal.

10. Smothered Greens

  • 80 calories
  • 9 grams of carbs
  • 2 grams of fat

If you’re looking for an alternative to some of the standard healthy side dishes, try this unique recipe for smothered greens. Complete with spices such as ginger, thyme, and cayenne pepper, there’s plenty of flavor in this healthy dish. You can use a variety of greens for this recipe and the mix of greens adds flavor and plenty of nutrients to your overall meal.

Southern Style Collard Greens with Salt Pork
Smothered greens are a tasty and healthy side dish that goes well with chicken wings and other barbecue recipes.

11. Summer Green Beans and Potatoes

  • 114 calories
  • 18.96 grams of carbs
  • 3.96 grams of fat

This summer green beans and potatoes recipe is perfect for your summer barbecues, picnics, or cookouts. Green beans add plenty of nutrients such as vitamin C, folate, and potassium. This summer recipe also calls for red potatoes, which are low in fat and packed full of fiber. Even with just the addition of salt and pepper, this is an incredibly tasty and flavorful side dish.

vegetarian recipe with green beans and potatoes with olive oil
This perfect summer recipe gives you a healthy and delicious side dish for any summer gathering.

12. Smoked Cauliflower

  • 222 calories
  • 2.7 grams of carbs
  • 12.6 grams of fat

If you’re tossing chicken wings on the grill, you’ve got to pair them with this healthy smoked cauliflower recipe. When you smoke the cauliflower, it captures all the barbecue flavors you love but you also get all the benefits of eating cauliflower. You can use any kind of smoker to make this recipe and you can mix up any of the seasonings to make it your own.

13. Steamed Spaghetti Squash

  • 42 calories
  • 10 grams of carbs
  • 0.4 grams of fat

When you’re looking for a healthy alternative to pasta, spaghetti squash can be a great substitute. Spaghetti squash is a favorite vegetable, especially among picky eaters, and steaming it is one of the simplest and healthiest ways to cook it. Even if you don’t have a steamer basket, you can easily steam spaghetti squash in your favorite skillet.

Spaghetti Squash with Tomatoes
Steamed spaghetti squash is perfect for kids as an alternative to pasta.

14. Healthy Stuffed Potatoes

  • 113 calories
  • 17 grams of carbs
  • 3 grams of fat

There are truly no limits to the ways you can use potatoes to make a tasty side dish. While regular potatoes often get a bad rap, there are actually many benefits to eating them. With this recipe, the addition of cottage cheese and low-fat milk keeps the fat and calories down while still adding some extra protein.

Baked stuffed potatoes with bacon, green onion and cheese, top view.
Potatoes are incredibly diverse, and this stuffed potato recipe is simple to put together as a healthy side.

15. Ranch Roasted Carrots

  • 89 calories
  • 11.4 grams of carbs
  • 5 grams of fat

Carrots are another crowd-pleaser when it comes to finding vegetables your kids will eat. This simple and healthy carrot recipe brings together the sweet flavor of carrots with the savory flavor of ranch. The recipe only calls for 3 ingredients and you can make this side dish in less than 30 minutes. This one is bound to be a favorite dish to pair with chicken wings and numerous other meals.

Final Thoughts

No matter what style of chicken wings you prefer, you need a healthy side to go along with them. Cooking any of these tasty sides is a great way to add some extra nutritional benefits to your meal. Looking for the best ways to cook chicken wings? Check out our article on How to Cook Chicken Wings Perfectly 3 Ways!

Print
alt

Chinese Chicken Wings


1 Star2 Stars3 Stars4 Stars5 Stars (No Ratings Yet)
Loading…

  • Author: MomsWhoThink.com
  • Yield: 6 servings

Ingredients

Units
  • 3 lbs. chicken wings
  • 3/4 cup soy sauce
  • 3/4 cup brown sugar
  • 1/4 cup oil
  • 1/2 teaspoon powdered ginger
  • 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

Instructions

  1. Mix all ingredients in a large bowl.
  2. Add wings and marinate overnight.
  3. Bake at 350 degrees F for 1 hour.

The post 15 Healthy Sides for Chicken Wings – From Slaw to Smoked Veggies appeared first on Moms Who Think.

]]>
https://www.momswhothink.com/healthy-sides-for-chicken-wings-from-slaw-to-smoked-veggies/feed/ 0
13 Keto Side Dishes for Burgers https://www.momswhothink.com/keto-side-dishes-for-burgers/ https://www.momswhothink.com/keto-side-dishes-for-burgers/#respond Thu, 14 Dec 2023 17:23:34 +0000 https://www.momswhothink.com/?p=205856&preview=true&preview_id=205856 The post 13 Keto Side Dishes for Burgers appeared first on Moms Who Think.

If you’re like many other folks and you’re reading this, chances are good that you enjoy a tasty burger. However, sometimes you want a little more. You need a tasty side to accompany the main dish. Another reason you’re reading this is because you’re a fan of the ketogenic diet, which is a diet rich in fat, low protein, and very few carbs. It may seem difficult to find many foods that fit that criteria, but you’d be surprised. Today, we’ll tell you about many keto side dishes for burgers that can make your meal complete.

What is Keto?

The first step to choosing great keto side dishes for burgers is to know what the ketogenic diet is all about. While it may seem like a new fad, it’s actually been around in some fashion since the 1920s. Basically, it’s an eating pattern where you eat a lot of similar foods, including seafood, butter, eggs, meat, chicken, and seeds. Basically, you’re looking for moderate amounts of protein and very few carbs but lots of fat. 

The idea is that by restricting carbs and being careful with protein, you’ll put your body in a nutritional ketosis, which is a process that breaks down the fat and protein for energy, which, in turn, helps you to lose weight. The whole idea is to lose weight on a temporary basis. This diet is not meant for the long term. 

With all that said, here are some great keto side dishes for burgers.

Broccoli Salad

Broccoli_Salad
Homemade Green Broccoli Salad with Grapes Onion and Bacon

Nothing goes better with a burger than a great salad, and if you’re on a keto diet, you need something that is just right. In this case, it could be a broccoli salad that packs a powerful crunch with the addition of onions, bacon, sunflower seeds, and the perfect amount of cheese. Top it all off with a tasty and tangy mayo dressing for a party in your mouth.

Broccoli Cheese Bake

Baked-Broccoli
Broccoli Cheese Bake

While you’re working with broccoli, you might as well whip up this broccoli cheese bake that you can make with items likely already in your kitchen. You just combine up to five boxes of frozen broccoli, cheese, butter, a sleeve of Ritz crackers, and a bit of salt, pepper, and black pepper, and you’re ready to go. You should take any chance to cook with broccoli because it’s loaded with vitamins K and C and antioxidants that can help to reduce your cholesterol levels.

Chicken Salad

Homemade Healthy Chicken Salad in a Bowl
Make a healthy chicken salad to accompany your burger.

This is one of the most nutritious chicken salad dishes you’ll ever have. It has just one gram of carbs and only 88 calories. To start, you’ll combine olive oil, chicken breasts, and salt and pepper. Simply preheat the oven to 350-degrees, bake the chicken for about 30 minutes. While you’re doing that, create the salad with lettuce, celery, boiled eggs, Greek yogurt, and then add your salt, pepper, fresh dill, garlic powder, and anything else you like to add. While you can eat this as a main dish, it also makes for one of the best keto side dishes for burgers.

Roasted Cauliflower with Garlic

Vegetarian roasted cauliflower steak on white plate close up food
Roasted cauliflower is a great palate cleanser alongside a burger.

For the perfect palate cleanser after your burger, look no further than this tasty roasted cauliflower recipe. The recipe is fairly straightforward. Add a large head of cauliflower, garlic cloves, and season it with salt, rosemary, and black pepper. The secret ingredient is the olive oil, which gives the cauliflower a nice caramelized texture. 

Crispy Baked Zucchini Slices

Another great palate cleanser is a plate of these amazing zucchini slices. There are various ingredients to this one but they all go together so well. Take your zucchini and add olive oil, almond flour, parmesan cheese, eggs, and seasoning (garlic powder black pepper, herb dressing), and then follow the recipe and bake for about 25 minutes at 425 degrees, and you’ll end up with a fantastic treat.

Cabbage and Tomato Salad

Salad with fresh cabbage, tomato, cucumber and herbs on the plate on a table
A cabbage and tomato salad is the perfect side dish for a burger.

This is another tasty salad that’s refreshing, crunchy, and creates the perfect companion to your char-broiled burger. It’s like a salad you had in your childhood. Mix cabbage, tomatoes, radishes, and fresh cilantro. Then mix in rice vinegar, salt, black and red pepper, and you’re ready to go. This salad tastes great with burgers or just about any other main course. 

Smothered Greens

Southern Style Collard Greens with Salt Pork
This a healthy dish and a great friend to the burger.

For the ultimate keto dish, look no further than this unbelievable smothered greens recipe that’s incredibly healthy and a great supplement to burgers and many other meals. For the greens portion, you can mix in two pounds of turnip, mustard, collard, and kale. Then, to add more meatiness, mix in turkey breast. Finally, season it all with cayenne pepper, garlic, thyme, and add one stalk scallion, and you’ve got a dish the whole family will love. 

Fresh Asparagus and Avocado Salad

grilled avocado and asparagus salad
This can be a full meal or a side dish for your burger.

This amazing recipe has a laundry list of ingredients, but it’s worth the effort to make this perfect companion piece to your next burger. It has an amazing mix of avocado, zucchini, red onion, asparagus, and mushrooms. It’s all topped with vinegar, Dijon mustard, salt, pepper, and thyme. If you want to add more substance to the salad, add cooked shrimp or chicken to make a very hearty meal. 

Bacon-Wrapped Avocado Fries

For something truly unique, try these bacon-wrapped avocado fries. All you basically need is about 20 strips of precooked bacon and one large avocado. Preparation includes preheating the oven to 425 degrees, and then stretching out a piece of bacon and wrapping it around a strip of avocado. Make as many as you want and then bake for 5-10 minutes until crisp. It’s a great dish we recommend, and it only has 65 calories. 

Keto Tortilla Chips

The perfect side dish for burgers includes tortilla chips and a dip or guacamole. The traditional chips you buy at the supermarket are not keto, but you can make your own. To do so, make low-carb tortillas, which can be almond flour tortillas or something else of your liking. Next, brush the tortillas with olive oil and then add seasonings. This recipe recommends salt and cayenne pepper, but you can use whatever you enjoy.

You can use different seasoning profiles based on what you like. If you like the spicier chips, you can go with chili pepper or hot sauce. Use smoked paprika for a smoky flavor.

Sauteed Zucchini

zucchini strips on a wooden cutting board.
Cook up some zucchini and they'll be like healthy fries.

Some of the best keto side dishes for burgers are the most simplistic, like this sauteed zucchini recipe. This is basically zucchini cut the long way that is then sauteed in olive oil. Once done, douse them in soy sauce. It’s like you’re eating fries with your burger, but it’s a much healthier alternative. You can make them how you like them and then add salt and pepper to your taste. 

Sautéed Mushrooms

While you’re sauteeing delicious burger companions, do the same with hearty mushrooms.  This is a simple dish but it’s very tasty and you can eat the mushrooms on the side or put them directly on your burger. To make them, saute an onion in butter until tender. Then, add the mushrooms and add salt, pepper, garlic powder, Worcestershire sauce, and white wine and cook them to perfection. 

Roasted Green Beans 

Roasted Green Beans topped with fried shallots and almonds, selective focus
Green beans can be cooked many different ways and they all taste great with burgers.

This is another simple side dish but it goes great with so many things, from pizza to burgers. It’s roasted green beans, and you can cook them how you like them. All you need is the beans, olive oil, salt, and ground pepper. You just preheat the oven, drizzle them with a bit of olive oil, sprinkle with your desired amount of salt and pepper, and cook at 400 degrees for about 20 minutes. This is the nutritious side dish that your whole family needs.

Conclusion

These are absolutely the best keto side dishes for burgers. They’re all really tasty, and they will fit in with your keto diet plans. Eat burgers and your appetizers in moderation, and you’ll be satisfied while also maintaining a healthy lifestyle. 

The post 13 Keto Side Dishes for Burgers appeared first on Moms Who Think.

]]>
https://www.momswhothink.com/keto-side-dishes-for-burgers/feed/ 0
What to Serve with Chicken Sandwiches – 14 Amazing Side Dishes https://www.momswhothink.com/what-to-serve-with-chicken-sandwiches-amazing-side-dishes/ https://www.momswhothink.com/what-to-serve-with-chicken-sandwiches-amazing-side-dishes/#respond Sat, 09 Dec 2023 21:34:27 +0000 https://www.momswhothink.com/?p=205825&preview=true&preview_id=205825 The post What to Serve with Chicken Sandwiches – 14 Amazing Side Dishes appeared first on Moms Who Think.

Fried chicken sandwiches are their own kind of heaven, with breaded, deep-fried chicken, creamy condiments, bread & butter pickles, and toasted buns. But what’s better than a sandwich alone? Let’s take a look at what to serve with chicken sandwiches. These amazing sides will take your crispy chicken sandwich to the next level. 

Whether it's more deep-fried dishes, creamy coleslaw, mac & cheese, or sweet and crumbly cornbread. Read on to learn more about the recipes for amazing side dishes that’ll clear up what to serve with Chicken sandwiches. In this post, you’ll get a breakdown of the best side dishes to put your chicken sandwich over the top. Learn exactly what ingredients you need, and how best to cook the sides. Let’s get into the details of these delicious side dishes.

1. Coleslaw

Starting off with this great Coleslaw recipe, you'll need condiments including mustard, mayonnaise, olive oil, wine vinegar, and ketchup. For seasonings, you'll want to add sea salt and garlic salt. Combine these with the gathered condiments and make the dressing for your slaw. Shred your cabbage, cut your bell pepper, and chop your onions. Allow the dish to soak up all the flavor by letting it marinate for at least an hour before serving.

Coleslaw is made from cabbage, carrots, and various herbs, and served with tortillas and guacamole on a wooden background.
Variations on this recipe include carrots and other fun seasonings.

2. Sweet Potato Wedges

This recipe for sweet potato wedges includes olive oil, brown sugar, ground cumin, and cayenne pepper. Cut your sweet potatoes into wedges, and lay them out on a baking sheet. Cover with cooking spray, and preheat the oven to 350º Fahrenheit. Sprinkle your seasonings and bake the sheet for 10 minutes. Turn your potatoes, then up the heat to 400º and bake for another 20 minutes. Serve once the wedges are tender, and crispy.

Serving oven-roasted sweet potatoes in a white ceramic bowl.
Add seasonings of your choice, and customize your sweet potato wedges!

3. Baked Beans

This recipe for healthy baked beans involves 3 cans of beans, ketchup, and brown sugar. In a casserole dish mix up beans with ketchup and sugar, and bake at 350º Fahrenheit for 30 minutes until it's bubbling.

Bourbon Baked Beans in a Cast Iron Skillet: Pork and beans seasoned with bourbon whiskey, molasses, and brown sugar
These healthy baked beans are easy to make and exactly what to serve with chicken sandwiches.

4. Mac & Cheese

This Mac and Cheese With Bacon recipe calls for applewood smoked bacon, cooked until crispy. Take the bacon from the pan and add some all-purpose flour, then add in milk, and salt to further thicken it. Add cheese and stir til melted, remove from heat. Add cooked macaroni, and diced tomatoes to a baking dish, then pour your creamy sauce over the top. Bake at 450º Fahrenheit for 20 minutes before adding bacon, and more cheese. Bake for another 5-7 minutes for the cheese to properly melt.

Homemade Cheeseburger Macaroni Skillet
Add some spice with jalepeños in the mix, or use some spicy cheese!

5. Potato Salad

This healthy potato salad involves potatoes, green onions, black pepper, dried dill weed, and olive oil. Boil and drain your potatoes, and allow them to cool before cutting them into fourths. Mix your dressing with your potatoes and serve alongside your crispy chicken sandwich.

Traditional German Potato Salad
Potato salad is a cooling side dish that will complement your chicken sandwich.

6. Onion Rings

These onion rings call for two white onions, thinly sliced. You'll need beer for cooking, salt, baking powder, flour, oil, and an egg. Make a mixture out of the flour, baking powder, salt, beer, oil, and egg. Blend it up and dip your onion rings into the batter before dropping into the hot oil (375º). Fry til golden brown, and carefully remove to dry on a paper towel. Serve with ketchup.

Homemade crunchy fried onion rings with tomato sauce
Why not enjoy a crispy chicken sandwich alongside some crisp onion rings?

7. Cornbread

This healthy cornbread recipe involves cornmeal, flour, white sugar, baking powder, an egg, butter, vegetable oil, and buttermilk. Preheat your oven to 350º Fahrenheit, while you mix together the buttermilk with your egg, and beat til combined. Combine dry ingredients and add the buttermilk batter in slowly. Blend in the butter with a mixer until you have a proper cornbread batter. Bake for 20-25 minutes in a greased baking dish. Cut and serve.

Sliced cornbread on a gray plate on a light wooden background. Corn flour recipes. American food. Copyspace.
This cornbread recipe is healthy and easy to make.

8. Pickles

Try these refrigerator dill pickles. For this, you'll need white vinegar, white sugar, sea salt, garlic, dill, and water. Cut cucumber spears from whole cucumbers and mix together sugar, water, vinegar, and sea salt. Bring this to a boil in a saucepan and then allow it to cool. Prepare a container with your cucumber spears, as well as some garlic, and dill. Add the vinegar mixture to the jar and seal tightly. Refrigerate for 3 days or more before trying.

Preservations, conservation. Salted, pickled cucumbers in a jar on an old wooden table in the garden. Summer, sunny day. Cucumbers, herbs, dill, garlic. Rustic. Background image, copy space,horizontal
Try making your own pickles with this great side dish option for Chicken Sandwiches.

9. Caesar Salad

Sometimes a classic Caesar Salad is the way to go. You'll need Romaine lettuce, parmesan cheese, and garlic cloves. You can use either French bread or sourdough to home-make your croutons. Soft boil an egg and start your dressing with lemon juice, olive oil, garlic, pepper, and Worcestershire sauce. to make your dressing. Bake your bread into croutons at 275º Fahrenheit and toss the whole thing together. Be sure to add more cheese.

Classic Fresh Caesar Salad Cool crunchy cos lettuce, bacon, garlic croutons, chilled free range hard boiled egg, house-made Caesar dressing, parmesan cheese
Further customize your Caesar salad with a soft-boiled egg on top as well!

10. Cherry Tomato Salad

Try this great Cherry Tomato Salad Recipe. You'll need cherry tomatoes, basil, Romaine lettuce, chives, and bacon. For the dressing gather mayonnaise, olive oil, salt, and tarragon vinegar. Get your bacon nice and crispy, mix your salad, chop your tomatoes, and crumble that bacon overtop.

Fresh summer vegetable salad with mozzarella cheese, green arugula leaves and cherry tomatoes on wooden table background.
Why not try arugula instead of Romaine? Or include some mozzarella cheese.

11. Corn On The Cob

Try these sweet corn on the cob recipe. Take your stripped ears of corn, softened butter, salt, and pepper. Preheat a grill and coat the corn in butter and seasoning before wrapping it in tinfoil. Place on a grill and roast for 30 minutes checking that the corn is properly cooked. You can either eat it right off the cob or slice it off with a knife and enjoy it with your chicken sandwich.

Sweet boiled corn, food concept photo
Season your corn on the cob with butter, cheese, hot sauce, and all kinds of other flavorings.

12. Collard Greens

And lastly, but not least, try this collard greens recipe. You'll need olive oil, bacon, an onion, garlic, collard greens, chicken broth, salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes. Heat the oil and cook the bacon until crispy. Add in chopped onion, garlic, and collar greens. Cook until they're properly wilted and the garlic is fragrant. Add the chicken broth and further season. Simmer on low for around 45 minutes until the greens are tender and the flavors are full.

Southern Style Collard Greens with Salt Pork
Some people add salted pork to their collard greens, bacon also works!

13. Glazed Carrots

This Glazed Carrots Recipe calls for sliced carrots, in a glaze of maple syrup, butter, ginger, and grated orange peel. Boil your carrots until they're tender (10-20 minutes). Make a glaze of the other ingredients in a saucepan and allow it to cool after combined. Plate the carrots and pour the glaze over. Sprinkle it with chopped parsley, artisanal salt, and pepper.

Honey coasted and glazed roasted carrots. Tasty and delicious vegetable side dish.
These sweet-to-eat and nicely glazed carrots are a great side dish.

14. Corn Fritters

For another crispy side dish, try Corn Fritters. You need 3 eggs, canned corn, salt, vegetable oil, pepper, and all-purpose flour. Separate the egg whites from the yolk and whip the whites until they've thickened. Combine canned corn, seasonings, flour, and egg yolks. Once those are blended, folk in the whipped egg whites. Fold in the beaten egg whites and mix. Now it's time to fry them. Drop spoonfuls into hot vegetable oil and cook til both sides have properly browned. Carefully remove and lay to dry on a paper towel. Serve and enjoy these crispy, sweet corn fritters.

Buttermilk Corn Fritters, fritter, corn, pancake, maize, cilantro, kitchen, vegetables
You can add jalepeños to the mixture for a hint of spice in these fritters.

The post What to Serve with Chicken Sandwiches – 14 Amazing Side Dishes appeared first on Moms Who Think.

]]>
https://www.momswhothink.com/what-to-serve-with-chicken-sandwiches-amazing-side-dishes/feed/ 0
15 Healthy Side Dishes for BLTs – Perfect Sandwich Complements https://www.momswhothink.com/healthy-side-dishes-for-blts-perfect-sandwich-complements/ https://www.momswhothink.com/healthy-side-dishes-for-blts-perfect-sandwich-complements/#respond Fri, 08 Dec 2023 18:01:49 +0000 https://www.momswhothink.com/?p=205824&preview=true&preview_id=205824 The post 15 Healthy Side Dishes for BLTs – Perfect Sandwich Complements appeared first on Moms Who Think.

The perfect BLT combines the salty crunch of bacon, with the crisp sweetness of the lettuce and tomato, all sandwiched between the golden-brown goodness of well-toasted bread. If you’re looking for some healthy side dishes for BLTs, you’ve come to the right place. The right side dish can make a meal that much better. A sweeter side dish will emphasize the tender bacon and the fresh vegetables. A more savory option will bring out the seasoning in the bacon, and the overall meaty taste of the sandwich. And don’t forget the classic pairing of a savory sandwich with hearty, warm soup. Read on to learn about some great healthy side dishes for BLTs. 

From all kinds of salads to air fryer kale chips, zucchini fries, and deviled eggs – we’ll go over it all. Stick around to get some recipe ideas and all kinds of healthy side suggestions that will perfectly complement your next BLT sandwich night. We’ll cover cooking tips, important ingredients, and things you can change about a particular recipe. Let’s get into it – here are some healthy side dishes for BLTs.

1. Fruit Salad

We'll start with something sweet, try this fruit salad recipe. To make this you'll need strawberries, canteloupe melon, apples, pineapple, grapes, and mandarin oranges. If you want to make it even more creamy, add a whipped topping, and shredded coconut. Wash the fruit and find your serving bowls. Combine the fruit with the whipped topping, alternate so they're layered, garnish with coconut, and enjoy alongside your crispy BLT sandwich.

Bowl of healthy fresh fruit salad. fresh fruit and vegetable salad, healthy breakfast. bowl of oat granola with yogurt.
If you want a healthier version of this salad, add more fruit and less cream

2. Macaroni Salad

Next up we have a macaroni salad from Allrecipes. You'll need cooked macaroni noodles, mayonnaise, yellow mustard, sugar, and vinegar. Pick your seasonings and chop up some vegetables. This recipe calls for celery, onion, and bell pepper. Add grated carrots, pimento peppers, and other crispy veggies of your choosing. Combine the ingredinets with your dressings and seasoning, stir til blended, and refrigerate before serving.

Homemade Macaroni Salad
There are all kinds of ways to customize macaroni salad with different vegetables.

3. Potato Salad

You can't go wrong with a healthy potato salad. This recipe calls for potatoes, olive oil, green onions, black pepper, and dried dill weed. Clean your potatoes, and boil them. Drain and cool before cutting them into fourths. Mix with the olive oil and spices. Refrigerate before serving, and enjoy your potato side dish alongside your tasty BLT sandwich.

Traditional German Potato Salad
Potato salad is a creamy and wonderful side dish to compliment a BLT sandwich.

4. Greek Salad

Check out this Greek Salad Recipe. For this one, you'll need kalamata olives, red onion, cucumber, tomatoes, green pepper, and a block of feta cheese. To make the dressing, combine olive oil, minced garlic, sea salt, pepper, dried oregano, and lemon juice. Drizzle this mixture over your greens and vegetable combination and crumble your block of feta over the top. Enjoy this savory, fresh salad with your savory sandwich.

Greek Salad
Add other kinds of lettuce and other fresh vegetables to further enhance your salad.

5. Caesar Salad

For a classic Caesar Salad Recipe get your Romaine lettuce, garlic cloves, and parmesan cheese ready for action. You'll need French bread to make your own croutons and an egg to make the dressing. Combine lemon juice, olive oil, a partially boiled egg, garlic, pepper, and Worcestershire sauce to make your dressing. Cut up your loaf of French bread, and bake at 275º until golden brown and crispy. Mix up your greens, dressing, and croutons, and add parmesan until coated.

Classic Fresh Caesar Salad Cool crunchy cos lettuce, bacon, garlic croutons, chilled free range hard boiled egg, house-made Caesar dressing, parmesan cheese
Add an egg on top for more protein in your Caesar salad.

6. Tomato Soup

Enjoy your BLT with tomato soup for which you'll need chopped tomatoes, chicken broth, garlic, onion, butter, all-purpose flour, and white sugar. You'll need to boil the tomatoes with your broth, garlic, and onion mixture. Run the mixture through a food processor or food mill, add the flour for thickening, and enjoy your homemade tomato soup.

Tomato soup, vegan dish on white.
Dipping a good sandwich into a hearty soup has to be one of the best things.

7. Kale Chips

For a healthier alternative to potato chips, try kale chips. You'll need a bunch of kale, olive oil, and sea salt. Other versions include cheese, brewer's yeast, and other flavorful seasonings. For these chips, preheat your oven to 300º Fahrenheit and lay out a baking sheet. Tear your kale leaves into pieces and spread them over the sheet. Drizzle with olive oil and seasonings, bake for 20-30 minutes. The edges should start to brown, but not burn, and they should be wonderfully crispy by the end.

Homemade Green Kale Chips with Vegan Cheese
This variation of kale chips includes other seasonings.

8. Coleslaw

Enjoy this creamy Coleslaw recipe which includes mayonnaise, Louisana hot sauce, yellow mustard, olive oil, wine vinegar, and ketchup. Gather sea salt, and garlic salt, and make a dressing from the condiments and seasonings. You'll need shredded cabbage, chopped bell peppers, and onions. Allow all of this to soak in a container for at least an hour before serving. The longer it sits, the longer the juices have to soak into the vegetables. Enjoy this cooling side with your crunchy BLT sandwich.

Coleslaw is made from cabbage, carrots, and various herbs, and served with tortillas and guacamole on a wooden background.
Add in carrots and other seasonings, lime juice, or parsley to really add some flavor to the coleslaw side.

9. Zucchini Fries

Try these baked zucchini fries from Allrecipes. Whether you're using an air fryer or a classic oven, you'll need bread crumbs, Parmesan cheese, eggs, and zucchini. Cooking spray will help to coat the veggies while they're cooking. Preheat your oven to 425º Fahrenheit, and line your baking sheet with aluminum. Mix bread crumbs and cheese together, whisk eggs, and dip the zucchini strips into the egg mixture. Coat your zucchini fries in the breadcrumbs and cheese and transfer to a baking sheet/air fryer pan. Bake for 20-25 minutes until golden brown and crisp.

crispy zucchini fries with garlic yogurt sause. top view
These fries can be enjoyed with classic condiments or a homemade aioli.

10. Sweet Potato Wedges

Check out these sweet potato wedges. Get your sweet potatoes and cut them into wedges, you'll need olive oil, brown sugar, ground cumin, cayenne pepper, and cooking spray. Preheat the oven to 350º Fahrenheit, and spray a baking sheet. Coat your potatoes in olive oil and mix your seasonings with sugar. Sprinkle over the potatoes and spread the potatoes out on the baking sheet. Bake for 10 minutes before turning, increase the heat to 400º Fahrenheit, and cook for another 20 until crispy and tender.

Serving oven-roasted sweet potatoes in a white ceramic bowl.
Sweet potatoes are a savory and delicious side dish to go along with your BLT sandwich.

11. Deviled Eggs

Deviled eggs are a great and healthy side dish for BLT sandwiches. The creamy egg topped with savory spices absolutely complements the crunch and salt of the sandwich. For this recipe, you'll need eggs, mayonnaise, sugar, mustard, vinegar, onion celebray and seasonings. The classics are salt, pepper, and paprika. You'll need to hardboil your eggs, and then slice them. Remove the yolks and mash them up with the other ingredients. Stuff the mixture back into the white of the egg. If you want more of a presentation, you can pipe the mixture back into the halved egg white.

Easter Food (Deviled Eggs )
Deviled eggs are easy to make and delicious to eat.

12. Pickled Vegetables

Next up, we have classic pickled vegetables. You can either buy these at a store or make them yourself. This side is definitely more of a commitment than some of the others but they're fun to try and make! For this one, we'll focus on making pickles, and you'll need white vinegar, white sugar, sea salt, cucumber spears, garlic, dill, and water. Mix sugar, water, vinegar, and sea salt in a saucepan and boil. Cool before adding to a jar filled with cucumber, garlic, and dill. Be sure your container has a lid. Pour the vinegar mixture into the jar and seal tightly. Refrigerate for at least 3 days. There are all kinds of things to pickle!

Preservations, conservation. Salted, pickled cucumbers in a jar on an old wooden table in the garden. Summer, sunny day. Cucumbers, herbs, dill, garlic. Rustic. Background image, copy space,horizontal
Pickles are fun to make, and a great side for BLTs.

13. Corn On The Cob

You can't go wrong with some corn on the cob. For this, you'll need ears of corn, softened butter, salt, and black pepper. Preheat your grill, peel corn husks, and remove silk. Coat in butter, salt, and pepper. Wrap each corn cob in aluminum foil for maximum roasting. Cook while turning for 30 minutes until the corn is nicely tender. Serve hot on the cob with your BLT sandwich.

Sweet boiled corn, food concept photo
Season your corn on the cob with butter, cheese, hot sauce, and all kinds of other flavorings.

14. Garlic Bread

Try this Garlic Bread recipe which calls for unsalted butter, and garlic cloves, grated parmesan cheese, chopped parsley, salt for seasoning, and French bread. You'll need to preheat the oven to 450º and make a mixture of the unsalted butter and garlic. Spread your bread slices with this garlic butter goodness, and sprinkle with cheese before it goes into the oven. Bake for 10-15 minutes until the cheese is melted and the bread is crispy. Add extra garlic and cheese while serving if you so desire.

Tasty bread with garlic, cheese and herbs on kitchen table
What's better than some hearty garlic bread alongside a nice BLT sandwich? Maybe some soup too?

15. Roasted Green Beans

Try out some Roasted Green Beans alongside your BLT sandwich. For this, you'll need olive oil, and pepper/salt for seasoning. Preheat the oven to around 400º Fahrenheit, wash your beans, and spread them on a baking pan. Drizzle with olive oil, season with salt and pepper, and any other spices of your choosing. Roast for 15 minutes and turn the green beans. Cook for another 5 until your green beans are tender and cooked. Enjoy your homemade healthy side dish.

Roasted Green Beans topped with fried shallots and almonds, selective focus
Top your roasted green beans with garlic, lemon, and other seasonings.

The post 15 Healthy Side Dishes for BLTs – Perfect Sandwich Complements appeared first on Moms Who Think.

]]>
https://www.momswhothink.com/healthy-side-dishes-for-blts-perfect-sandwich-complements/feed/ 0
What Goes Well with Hamburger Helper? 19 Amazing Side Dishes https://www.momswhothink.com/what-goes-good-with-hamburger-helper-amazing-side-dishes/ https://www.momswhothink.com/what-goes-good-with-hamburger-helper-amazing-side-dishes/#respond Thu, 07 Dec 2023 17:14:00 +0000 https://www.momswhothink.com/?p=205823&preview=true&preview_id=205823 The post What Goes Well with Hamburger Helper? 19 Amazing Side Dishes appeared first on Moms Who Think.

Hamburger Helper is a great lunch or dinner option and if you're wondering what goes well with Hamburger Helper, you're in the right place. Hamburger Helper is a perfect blend of creamy noodles and the perfect mix of spices. It comes in quite a few flavors, including beef, chicken, cheese, tuna, tomato, and some spicier options as well. While this dinner takes under an hour to make, you'll want some tasty sides to elevate your chosen flavors. This leads us back to the question at hand: What goes well with Hamburger Helper?

These side dishes range from the perfect mixed-green salad to a hearty helping of potatoes. We'll cover your options from roasted sides to fresh veggies, and all kinds of other delicious mini-meals that will go the best with Hamburger Helper. Read on as we learn more about these amazing side dishes that will make your mealtime planning that much easier. Prepare your Hamburger Helper meal in under an hour and then try out one of these fun combinations.

Side Salads

We'll start with some salads that are sure to add a bit of freshness and crunch alongside those creamy, seasoned noodles.

1. Cherry Tomato Salad Recipe

This Cherry Tomato Salad recipe recipe involves cherry tomatoes, bacon, fresh basil, romaine lettuce, and chives. You'll need mayonnaise, tarragon vinegar, olive oil, and salt. You'll want to cook your bacon until it is crispy and press out the extra grease with a paper towel. Make a dressing from the other ingredients, chop up your cherry tomatoes, and dress your salad. Crumble the crisped bacon, add a sprinkle of chives and enjoy.

Fresh summer vegetable salad with mozzarella cheese, green arugula leaves and cherry tomatoes on wooden table background.
Feel free to customize this salad with other ingredients with cheese or variations of leafy greens.

2. Caesar Salad Recipe

This Caesar Salad recipe calls for romaine lettuce, French bread for croutons, a garlic clove, an egg, and Romano cheese. For the dressing, you'll need salt, lemon juice, olive oil, Worcestershire sauce, and freshly ground pepper. Wash the lettuce, cube the French bread, and bake at 275º Fahrenheit until crispy. Boil the egg for about a minute, and then crack it into the bowl. Next, take your garlic clove and mash it up in the bowl, add your spices and remaining liquid ingredients, and mix this until blended for the dressing. Add French bread croutons and enjoy your homemade Caesar salad, that goes well with Hamburger Helper.

Classic Fresh Caesar Salad Cool crunchy cos lettuce, bacon, garlic croutons, chilled free range hard boiled egg, house-made Caesar dressing, parmesan cheese
A variation on this salad recipe calls for lightly soft-boiling the egg and enjoying over the lettuce.

3. Tortellini Pasta Salad

This Tortellini Pasta Salad salad involves cheese tortellini, artichoke hearts, thinly sliced carrots, broccoli florets, red bell pepper, and 2 green onions. For the dressing, you'll need minced garlic, salt and pepper, mustard, balsamic vinegar, olive oil, and basil. Mix together all the ingredients for the dressing, cook your tortellini, drain and cut your artichoke hearts, and toss them all together. Add parmesan cheese for taste.

Bowl of tricolor tortellini pasta salad with tomatoes and onions on dark wood table background
Variations of this recipe may call for more spices and tomatoes.

4. Cucumber Salad Recipe

For a fresh and crispy Cucumber Salad recipe gather sliced cucumbers, onions, salt, sugar, vinegar, water, and fresh pepper. Mix it all together and refrigerate until cooled. This is a cool combination of the flavor and texture of your Hamburger Helper dinner.

Chinese smashed cucumber salad with chili peppers and sesame seeds, top view.
Cucumber salads can sometimes include chili peppers or other tangy spices.

5. Greek Salad Recipe

For this balanced Greek Salad recipe, you'll need tomatoes, red onion, cucumber, green pepper, feta cheese, and kalamata olives. Make the dressing with olive oil, lemon juice, minced garlic, sea salt, dried oregano, and black pepper. Combine your leafy greens and vegetables and mix together with your dressing. Crumble in the feta and chill before enjoying this side dish that goes well with Hamburger Helper.

Greek Salad
Even alone, this side salad can be spruced up with protein and other tasty ingredients.

Cooked Vegetable Side Dishes

These cooked veggie dishes will add warmth, crispness, and flavor to your Hamburger Helper meal.

6. Roasted Baby Red Potatoes

Try these Roasted Baby Red Potatoes as a side to your Hamburger Helper. You'll need washed and quartered baby red potatoes, cut bell pepper, red onion, garlic cloves, olive oil, dried basil, and salt, and pepper to season. Preheat the oven to 450º Fahrenheit and put your vegetables to roast for about 15 minutes. Season and allow to cook for another 5-10 minutes before serving.

Roasted-Baby-Red-Potatoes
These crispy cooked potatoes are a great side dish that goes well with Hamburger Helper.

7. Roasted Green Beans

This recipe for Roasted Green Beans calls for fresh green beans, olive oil, salt, and pepper. Preheat your oven to 400º Fahrenheit, and place washed beans in a baking pan with olive oil for cooking. Season and coat evenly with salt before roasting for 20-15 minutes, turning at 15 minutes until thoroughly done.

Almondine. Green beans with almonds. Side dish
Adding almonds as a garnish can elevate this dish even further.

8. Glazed Carrots Recipe

Try this Glazed Carrots recipe! You'll need sliced carrots, butter, maple syrup, ginger, grated orange peel, and chopped parsley. Boil the carrots in an inch of water for 10-20 minutes. Melt butter and the remaining ingredients into a glaze. Allow it to cool for at least 1 minute before pouring over the boiled carrots. Garnish with the chopped parsley, and add salt, and pepper to taste.

Honey coasted and glazed roasted carrots. Tasty and delicious vegetable side dish.
These are easy to make and so tasty to enjoy alongside your Hamburger Helper.

9. Corn Fritters

These Corn Fritters call for 3 eggs, canned corn, salt, pepper, all-purpose flour, and vegetable oil. Separate the whites from the egg yolks, and beat them until they've thickened. Add in the canned corn, salt, pepper, and all-purpose flour and egg yolks. Fold in the beaten egg whites and mix. Take spoonfuls of the mixture and drop into the hot vegetable oil. Cook on both sides until they have fully browned and are done cooking. Enjoy your corn fritters with a heaping helping of Hamburger Helper.

Buttermilk Corn Fritters, fritter, corn, pancake, maize, cilantro, kitchen, vegetables
These crispy, sweet corn fritters make a great side for this particular meal.

10. Scalloped Potato Recipe

Potatoes are always a good choice. This Scalloped Potato recipe calls for butter, flour, milk, salt, cayenne pepper, cheddar cheese, and paprika. Melt butter and add flour in a saucepan, along with milk, salt, and cayenne pepper. Whisk until blended over low heat, lower the heat even further, and add in the cheese. Place half of the chopped, oiled potatoes in a casserole dish, and pour the cheese sauce until coasted. Layer another round of potatoes in the same casserole dish, and pour more cheese sauce. Add cheese to the top, along with paprika, and bake for 1 hour at 350º Fahrenheit.

Scalloped Potatoes
Some scalloped potatoes are a perfect, cheesy side dish for the robust flavors in Hamburger Helper.

11. Roasted Brussels Sprouts

This Roasted Brussels Sprouts recipe calls for fresh Brussels sprouts, olive oil, salt, and pepper. It's that easy! Preheat an oven to 400º Fahrenheit, and cut the Brussels sprouts from the stalk. Season with olive oil, and salt/pepper combo. Roast on a baking sheet for 35-40 minutes. They should be crisp on the outside and tender on the inside, and shaking the pan while they're cooking will help them to evenly brown.

Vegetarian cuisine. Homemade Brussels Sprouts roasted with olive oil on black slate background. Copyspace, top view, flatlay.
You can further customize your recipe with additional spices and maybe even some cheese.

12. Glazed Pearl Onions Recipe

This Glazed Pearl Onions recipe is sweet and savory. You'll need unsalted butter, frozen small onions, light brown sugar, dijon mustard, and minced parsley. Melt butter in a skillet pan, and add the onions til they're fully browned (10-12 minutes). Add brown sugar and mustard to coat the onions and cook for another 2 minutes. Add parsley as a garnish and serve.

Savory Glazed Pearl Onions in White Bowl
These pearl onions are a sweet side dish to go with your Hamburger Helper dinner.

13. Herb Seasoned Broccoli & Tomatoes Recipe

Try out this Herb Seasoned Broccoli and Tomatoes recipe. You'll need olive oil, dried basil, dried oregano, 1 garlic clove, salt, and plum (or cherry) tomatoes. Boil the broccoli in a pot until crispy and tender, add tomatoes to a different skillet over medium heat, and add in the other ingredients. Sautée these for 1-2 minutes before stirring in the broccoli and tossing the ingredients til they're nicely blended. Enjoy.

Stewed vegetables beans broccoli tomatoes stewed with spices in a frying pan. horizontal photo
This easy and nicely seasoned dish makes a great side for lunches or dinners.

Baked/Fried Side Dishes

You can't go wrong with these baked and fried items. From buttered garlic bread to sweet potato fries, these sides will make your meal that much more delicious.

14. Mac and Cheese With Bacon

Who doesn't love some baked macaroni and cheese? Try out this Mac and Cheese With Bacon recipe! You'll need applewood smoked bacon, which you'll cook on medium heat until crisp. Add all-purpose flour to the bacon-greased pan, and add in milk, and salt until it thickens over the heat. Remove from the stovetop, add in jack cheese, and stir until blended. Take your cooked macaroni noodles, as well as some diced tomatoes, and add the sauce to a baking dish. Combine the ingredients and bake at 450º Fahrenheit for 20 minutes. Add bacon, and cheese, then mix. Allow another 5-7 minutes for the cheese to fully melt.

Homemade Cheeseburger Macaroni Skillet
You can further customize this dish with added jalepeños, meats, or other kinds of cheeses.

15. Tater Tot Casserole

This Tater Tot Casserole is the stuff of cheesy dreams. For this you'll need ground beef, 1 can of cream of mushroom soup, 1 can of condensed cream of chicken soup, whole milk, garlic powder, salt, pepper, French green beans, and tater tots. Preheat your oven to 375º Fahrenheit, drain the fat from your ground beef, and add to a skillet. Add in the cans of soup, milk, garlic powder, other seasonings, and green beans. Pour this mixture into a casserole dish and layer tater tots on top. Bake for 30 minutes. Enjoy!

Easy Dinner Meal Plan Favorites
This side dish is the definition of cheesy goodness, add your own seasoning and types of cheese.

16. Garlic Bread

For this Garlic Bread recipe, you'll need unsalted butter, garlic cloves, Italian/French loaf bread, grated parmesan cheese, chopped parsley, and salt for seasoning. Preheat the oven to 450º Fahrenheit and melt butter, along with garlic in a skillet on medium heat. Slice your bread, spread the buttery garlic mixture, and brush the loaf with more garlic butter. Transfer to a baking sheet, sprinkle salt and parmesan. Bake til golden brown for between 10-15 minutes. This can not only be eaten all on its own but also used to soak up all the good flavors left in your Hamburger Helper meal.

17. Sweet Potato Fries

Another fan favorite, who doesn't love sweet potato fries? You'll need 2 sweet potatoes, olive oil, and seasonings of your choice (salt, pepper, garlic powder, paprika?) Peel the potatoes and cut them into wedges, toss in oil, and season them. Bake a tray at 425º Fahrenheit for around 30 minutes.

18. Coleslaw

This particular Coleslaw recipe calls for mayonnaise, yellow mustard, olive oil, Louisana hot sauce, ketchup, and wine vinegar. For seasonings, you'll need salt and garlic salt. For the actual slaw, you'll need a lemon, 1 large cabbage, bell peppers, and 2 chopped onions. Combine the condiments, and beat in the seasonings. Add lemon juice, and wine vinegar into the mixture and further season with salt and pepper if needed. Add your shredded cabbage, peppers, and onions and thoroughly combine. Allow the mixture to soak for at least an hour before serving the slaw as a side.

Coleslaw made of freshly shredded white cabbage and grated carrot with homemade mayonnaise-based salad dressing in wooden bowl, photographed overhead (Selective Focus, Focus on the salad)
There are all kinds of ways to make coleslaw, this one calls for lots of condiments.

19. Chicken Garlic Cheese Biscuits

And lastly, but not least, check out these Chicken Garlic Cheese Biscuits. 2 cans of chicken or tuna, 1 can of condensed cream of chicken, or cream of mushroom soup. You'll need thawed and drained frozen vegetables, milk, Bisquick, shredded cheddar, butter, and garlic powder. Preheat your oven to 425º Fahrenheit and add the canned tuna/chicken, soup cans, and vegetables with 2/3 cup of milk into a casserole pan. Bake for 20 minutes. In a separate bowl combine Bisquick, cheese, and milk to form a dough. Add your casserole pan mixture to the dough and use it to form biscuits. Cook these uncovered for 10-12 minutes until the stuffed biscuits are golden brown.

Homemade Cheddar Cheese Biscuits with Parsley
Top your biscuits with garlic butter, and parsley. Enjoy with your Hamburger Helper dinner.

The post What Goes Well with Hamburger Helper? 19 Amazing Side Dishes appeared first on Moms Who Think.

]]>
https://www.momswhothink.com/what-goes-good-with-hamburger-helper-amazing-side-dishes/feed/ 0
14 Healthy Sides for Pizza – From Delicious Veggies to Salads https://www.momswhothink.com/healthy-sides-for-pizza-from-delicious-veggies-to-salads/ https://www.momswhothink.com/healthy-sides-for-pizza-from-delicious-veggies-to-salads/#respond Wed, 06 Dec 2023 17:23:30 +0000 https://www.momswhothink.com/?p=205855&preview=true&preview_id=205855 The post 14 Healthy Sides for Pizza – From Delicious Veggies to Salads appeared first on Moms Who Think.

Pizza will likely forever be known as one of our favorite foods on the planet, but it’s often far from healthy. Unless you get your pizza without cheese or toppings, you will be packing on some calories. But that’s okay! The point is that you balance your meal with a healthy and pleasant side dish. Today, we’ll be talking about some of the healthy sides for pizza that you should try the next time you put a pie in the oven with your family and friends.

1. Healthy Biscuits

  • 99 Calories per Serving
  • 15 g Carbs
  • 3 g Fat
  • 2g Protein

Many people consider biscuits to be the ultimate side dish for all things Italian, including pizza. The problem is that most biscuits are far from healthy. We’re here to save you. This healthy biscuit recipe uses a fraction of the ingredients, and it uses 1% fat buttermilk. The serving size is one biscuit, so eat in moderation. 

Freshly Baked Homemade Buttermilk Biscuits
Homemade biscuits are simple but they're great with pizza.

2. Cauliflower Rice

  • 44 Calories per Serving
  • 5g Carbs
  • 3g Fat
  • 2g Protein

A great pallet-cleansing pizza side dish is a basic but delicious bowl of cauliflower rice. This is a tasty recipe that provides a mild and slightly sweet flavor profile that has great earthy tones. While cauliflower rice is nice as a component in larger dishes, it’s also good by itself. This recipe uses only cauliflower, olive oil, and salt and pepper, but put them together, and you have a great side dish.

Cauliflower rice or couscous mixed with finely chopped parsley in a black bowl on a white concrete table, healthy eating, low calories food, horizontal view from above, flatlay, empty space
Cauliflower rice offers an healthier choice to go with your pizza.

3. Spaghetti Squash

  • 84 Calories per Serving
  • 8g Carbs
  • 6g Fat
  • 1g Protein

Stick with the Italian theme and make a very healthy side dish in the form of spaghetti squash. This side is essentially a large dish of vegetables, and so it’s very healthy. You just need to preheat your oven, scoop out the squash, and put it on a baking sheet. Then, drag a fork along it and make noodles out of it. Bake it for about 40 minutes until tender. You can really kick the side up a notch by adding garlic to the equation and creating a new family favorite. 

4. Zucchini Spaghetti

  • 91 Calories per Serving
  • 8g Carbs
  • 5g Fat
  • 6g Protein

Similar to spaghetti squash, zucchini spaghetti is a delicious bowl of vegetable noodles that you can modify with your own choice of toppings. This recipe is as simple as taking a zucchini, using a vegetable peeler to make thin strips, and then cooking it in the oven. It’s the perfect Italian-inspired treat and one of the healthy sides for pizza.

5. Carrot Fries

  • 51 Calories per Serving
  • 9g Carbs
  • 2g Fat
  • 1g Protein

Pizza goes great with french fries, so meet in the middle and try a healthier version of the classic side dish. All you need is carrots, oil, and salt for seasoning and you’re set. Other fun seasonings, like garlic powder, Italian seasoning, and roasted vegetable seasoning can bring the dish to the next level.

6. Classic Caesar Salad

  • 343 Calories per Serving
  • 12g Carbs
  • 28.2g Fat
  • 11.9 Protein

There’s a reason why many pizza joints around the world sell Caesar salad. It’s the perfect palette cleanser, and when made right, it’s also quite tasty. A good Caesar salad will have romaine leaves, a clove of garlic, an egg, and lemon juice, among other tasty additions. Add croutons, and it can increase the calorie count, but there’s no doubt that this is one of the tastiest healthy sides for pizza. 

Classic Fresh Caesar Salad Cool crunchy cos lettuce, bacon, garlic croutons, chilled free range hard boiled egg, house-made Caesar dressing, parmesan cheese
A Caesar salad is simple, but oh so delicious.

7. Cucumbers and Ranch

  • 145 Calories per Serving
  • 2g Carbs
  • 15g Fat
  • 0.3 Protein

You may not equate ranch with healthy foods, but it’s all about moderation. If you only have one serving of ranch with your favorite vegetable, then it’s not too bad. A serving is about 30 grams, so measure it out if this side is appealing to you. The vegetable you decide to pair will add a few calories to the meal. A medium-sized carrot has about 25 calories. A cucumber has about 16 calories. Celery has about 15. In addition to being healthy, many of these vegetables also have other benefits, including being packed with vitamins and protecting the cells in your body.

8. Guacamole

  • 45 Calories per Serving
  • 2.6g Carbs
  • 4.1g Fat
  • 0.6g Protein

You can also pair your favorite vegetables with a serving size of guacamole, which is about one cup. People love guacamole, so it’s a great side for yourself if you’re having a party. Some healthy treats to dip into your guacamole include celery sticks, baby carrots, julienne bell peppers, and grape tomatoes. You might even dip your pizza in there!

Bowl of delicious guacamole, nachos chips and ingredients on grey table, closeup
Guacamole is simple but very versatile, and it's great with pizza.

9. Cabbage Fried Rice

  • 131 Calories per Serving
  • 13g Carbs
  • 6g Fat
  • 5g Protein

Another simple dish is cabbage fried rice, which you can make by combining fried rice with cabbage or kick it up a notch and add extra protein with chicken, pork, or shrimp. You can also make it spicy by adding sriracha or serrano peppers. It’s a tasty side dish that you can make in less than 20 minutes.

10. Fruit Salad

  • 93 Calories per Serving
  • 24.2g Carbs
  • 0.3g Fat
  • 1g Protein

One of the best healthy sides for pizza is a refreshing fruit salad. The fruit you choose is up to you, but often, people go with apples, bananas, grapes, and pears. To add the extra flavor and make it a cohesive dish, add cinnamon, nutmeg, apple cider, and some almonds for the extra crunch. Some people even try to be adventurous by adding raisins or walnuts. A fruit salad will be a great contrast to the pizza.

Bowl of healthy fresh fruit salad. fresh fruit and vegetable salad, healthy breakfast. bowl of oat granola with yogurt.
A fresh fruit salad is tasty and the perfect palate cleanser with your pizza.

11. Brussels Sprouts

  • 38 Calories per Serving
  • 8g Carbs
  • 0.3g Fat
  • 3g Protein

A side of vegetables is a great addition to your pizza, and Brussels sprouts are about as healthy as you can get. For this particular recipe, use about eight ounces of Brussels sprouts, a bit of olive oil, salt, black pepper, grated orange rind, and two tablespoons of orange juice. Then, bake them in the oven for seven minutes or until tender. Brussels sprouts are great on their own, or you can use them as a topping on the pizza!

Vegetarian cuisine. Homemade Brussels Sprouts roasted with olive oil on black slate background. Copyspace, top view, flatlay.
Brussels sprouts are healthy and you can add your own twist on the recipe.

12. Israeli Chopped Salad

  • 56 Calories per Serving
  • 6g Carbs
  • 3g Fat
  • 1g Protein

Another great salad side is this Israeli chopped salad that’s loaded with healthy treats, including cucumbers, tomatoes, and fresh herbs. It’s all topped with an unbelievable lemon dressing. There are several ways to kick this dish up another notch, including with feta cheese, bell peppers, or baked pita chips that can act as croutons. If you want to add a little protein, then dried chickpeas or grilled chicken can do the trick.

13. Sautéed Green Beans

  • 64 Calories per Serving
  • 8g Carbs
  • 4g Fat
  • 1.8 g Protein

Many people remember pizza day at their school, and many times, that delicious slice was served with a side of green beans. Now, you can relive those days with this tastier sauteed recipe. To prepare, saute the onion until golden. Then, cut the green beans into one-inch pieces and add vegetable oil, onion, salt, pepper, and parsley. Serve alongside pizza for a tasty, complete meal.

14. Coleslaw

  • 140 Calories per Serving
  • 12g Carbs
  • 10g Fat
  • 1.8 g Protein

It may not be for everyone, but if you love coleslaw, then this recipe makes for the perfect healthy side for your pizza. This recipe includes shredded cabbage, carrots, peppers, onions, and other great flavors. It’s also as easy as shredding the cabbage, adding the ingredients, boiling, and then refrigerating. In addition to being moderately low in calories, coleslaw is also healthy for you in other ways. It’s loaded with fiber that is necessary for gut health and your digestive system. Plus, it’s packed with vitamin C, which supports a properly-functioning immune system.

Coleslaw is made from cabbage, carrots, and various herbs, and served with tortillas and guacamole on a wooden background.
Coleslaw is made from cabbage, carrots, and various herbs, and it goes great with pizza.

Conclusion

These are some of our favorite healthy sides for pizza. Try one if you’re eating lunch on your own, or make several if you’re having a party. Remember to eat your pizza and sides in moderation, and you’ll remain in good health and stick to your diet plans.

Recipe Card

Now that you have the sides picked out, what about the pizza? If you're looking to do homemade, we have some great recipes to help you out. Try one of our favorites. Enjoy!

Print
Pizza on a pizza peel top view

Spicy White Pizza


1 Star2 Stars3 Stars4 Stars5 Stars (No Ratings Yet)
Loading…

  • Author: MomsWhoThink.com

Ingredients

  • 1 unbaked pizza crust
  • 2 Tablespoons butter, melted
  • 1 Tablespoon olive oil
  • 3 Tablespoons minced garlic
  • 2 Tablespoons sun-dried tomato pesto
  • 1 teaspoon dried basil leaves
  • 1 teaspoon dried oregano
  • 1 Tablespoon grated Parmesan cheese
  • 1 tomato, sliced
  • 1 bunch fresh spinach, torn
  • 1 sweet onion, sliced
  • 1 fresh jalapeno pepper, chopped
  • 1 (6 ounce) package feta cheese, crumbled

Instructions

  1. Preheat the oven according to the pizza crust package directions.
  2. In a small bowl, combine butter, olive oil, garlic, pesto, basil, oregano, and Parmesan cheese.
  3. Spread the mixture evenly on the pizza crust.
  4. Arrange tomato, spinach, onion, and jalapeno on pizza.
  5. Top with crumbled feta cheese.
  6. Bake according to the pizza crust package directions.

The post 14 Healthy Sides for Pizza – From Delicious Veggies to Salads appeared first on Moms Who Think.

]]>
https://www.momswhothink.com/healthy-sides-for-pizza-from-delicious-veggies-to-salads/feed/ 0
32 Keto Side Dishes for Chicken https://www.momswhothink.com/keto-side-dishes-for-chicken/ https://www.momswhothink.com/keto-side-dishes-for-chicken/#respond Wed, 29 Nov 2023 22:28:34 +0000 https://www.momswhothink.com/?p=204363&preview=true&preview_id=204363 The post 32 Keto Side Dishes for Chicken appeared first on Moms Who Think.

Looking to try the keto diet, but don't know where to begin? The keto diet is essentially a high protein and low carb diet that kick-starts your body into ketosis, which helps you lose weight faster. It's quite strict when it comes to what you can and can't eat, which can make meal planning a little more tedious than you might be used to. That's why we've pulled together 25 keto side dishes you can make with your chicken.

Something important to keep in mind when on a keto diet is the condiments you use. Often, for a main dish, you're going to be making a protein. If you have a sauce or condiment that you're going to dip your food in, make sure that it is keto-friendly as well. You don't want to eat keto-friendly foods and then accidentally throw it all away because you ate a condiment with too much sugar. With that being said, let's dive into it!

Factor 75 - Save $120 with Factor Meals!
  • Fresh, Never-Frozen Meals: A new menu of 30+ dietitian-designed options every week.
  • Cooked to Perfection: Prepared by gourmet chefs and delivered fresh to you.
  • Zero Prep, No Mess: Just heat and enjoy in minutes.
We earn a commission if you make a purchase, at no additional cost to you.

Roasted Cauliflower With Garlic

baked cauliflower on a black background. french cuisine
Cauliflower is often used as a rice substitute. Use cauliflower rice instead of regular rice while on your keto diet.

Cauliflower is a great vegetable to use when you're on keto because it's very low in calories. This recipe is super easy and delicious with one head of cauliflower, olive oil, seasonings, and fresh garlic.

Zucchini Cheese Bake

casserole with cheese and zucchini in baking dish
Zucchini is a nutrient-dense and low-calorie food.

Did you know zucchini is actually a fruit? Whether fruit or vegetable, it's another great food that is low in calories. Mix it with cheese and cream for this bake, and it's a delicious side. Please note, to keep this recipe keto, you should refrain from adding in the bread crumbs.

Garlic Butter Zucchini & Mushrooms

This mushroom and zucchini recipe is a healthy and fresh keto side dish that cooks up in just 20 minutes. Cooked with butter, seasonings, onions, fresh garlic, and herbs, these veggies are delicious and full of flavor.

Keto Loaded Cauliflower

Something great about keto is cheese is a safe food to eat! That makes eating veggies as a side so much better. This casserole is filled with bacon, sour cream, and cheese to make it delicious.

Factor 75 - Save $120 with Factor Meals!
  • Fresh, Never-Frozen Meals: A new menu of 30+ dietitian-designed options every week.
  • Cooked to Perfection: Prepared by gourmet chefs and delivered fresh to you.
  • Zero Prep, No Mess: Just heat and enjoy in minutes.
We earn a commission if you make a purchase, at no additional cost to you.

Crispy Baked Zucchini Chips

They may not be potato chips, but these zucchini chips can give you that crunch you're looking for. These are great to dip in a ranch dip, especially since ranch is a keto-safe condiment.

Roasted Parmesan Green Beans

Green beans are another keto-friendly vegetable. And roasting anything with parmesan gives it a delicious flavor. To keep these green beans keto, refrain from adding in any breadcrumbs.

Low Carb & Keto Mac ‘n Cheese

If you're craving a bowl of carb-filled mac and cheese, here's a keto-friendly alternative. This recipe is made with cauliflower, cheddar cheese, and bacon. Looking for that crunch on top that you normally get from breadcrumbs? Substitute it with pork rind crumbs.

Keto Cheesy Garlic Bread

Bread is an obvious no-no for the keto diet, but this cheesy garlic bread is safe because it doesn't contain any flour. It's made up of parmesan cheese, mozzarella cheese, egg, and seasonings. It's quick and easy; just mix all the ingredients together and bake in the oven for 15 minutes.

Stuffed Acorn Squash with Creamed Spinach

This stuffed acorn squash is a beautiful and tasty keto side dish. It's a great dish for Fall when squash is in season. Fill the squash with spinach, cream cheese, and parmesan cheese for a delicious and creamy filling.

Roasted Radishes with Garlic Browned Butter

If you're not a fan of radishes, this recipe may just make you change your tune. That's partially thanks to the garlic butter. Try out this recipe, and your family will be running for seconds!

Cabbage and Tomato Salad

Salad with fresh cabbage, tomato, cucumber and herbs on the plate on a table
cabbage and tomato salad

If you're craving a delicious, healthy side dish, look no further! This crunchy salad is as delicious as it looks and it's simple to throw together on busy weeknights.

Factor 75 - Save $120 with Factor Meals!
  • Fresh, Never-Frozen Meals: A new menu of 30+ dietitian-designed options every week.
  • Cooked to Perfection: Prepared by gourmet chefs and delivered fresh to you.
  • Zero Prep, No Mess: Just heat and enjoy in minutes.
We earn a commission if you make a purchase, at no additional cost to you.

Cauliflower Mashed Potatoes

If you're searching for a substitute for typical mashed potatoes, try cauliflower. It's a deliciously trendy food that is used in various dishes as a healthy alternative.

Spinach & Broccoli Cheese Casserole

Broccoli casserole is a comfort food for many, and you don't have to give it up on keto! This cheesy casserole only requires a few ingredients that get mixed together and then baked in the oven.

Broccoli Salad

This is a great salad recipe to keep on hand while doing keto. This Broccoli salad is hardy and stays low-carb with broccoli, cheese, bacon, onions, and a sweet dressing that uses a sugar substitute. If you want a more savory salad, you can also use or make ranch dressing.

Garlic Parmesan Roasted Brussels Sprouts

Brussels sprouts are another great vegetable for the keto diet. And like anything, it's always better when you roast it with garlic and parmesan cheese. This Brussels recipe will be a go-to that your family will love.

Smothered Greens

Cooked collard greens in a foam bowl, southern barbeque side

This recipe makes it easy to get in your green veggies at dinnertime—and it's the perfect accompaniment to a delicious chicken main dish.

Creamy Garlic Mushrooms With Bacon

If you love mushrooms, this creamy garlic mushroom with bacon will be a favorite. Cooked with bacon, butter, garlic, seasonings, chicken broth, and heavy cream, these mushrooms soak up a ton of flavor.

Mac ‘n Cheese

Who would have thought that you could have keto-friendly mac ‘n cheese? With this tasty recipe, you don't have to give up this cheesy dish! It's creamy and a great side dish to chicken.

Jicama Fries

Jicama is a root vegetable that can be compared to a potato as far as taste and texture to make a healthier french fry alternative. Seasoned with cumin, smoked paprika, and garlic salt, these will be delicious seasoned “fries” for you to enjoy.

Factor 75 - Save $120 with Factor Meals!
  • Fresh, Never-Frozen Meals: A new menu of 30+ dietitian-designed options every week.
  • Cooked to Perfection: Prepared by gourmet chefs and delivered fresh to you.
  • Zero Prep, No Mess: Just heat and enjoy in minutes.
We earn a commission if you make a purchase, at no additional cost to you.

Broccoli Cheese Tots

Tater tots are a favorite among all family members—especially your children. However, their fried goodness is not as healthy as you'd like. Try these cheesy, keto-friendly broccoli tots. Your kids won't even know they're not enjoying their favorite potato tots.

Grilled Zucchini With Goat Cheese, Basil, and Honey

Cooking on the grill? This grilled zucchini recipe is easy and tasty with basil and goat cheese. It's super healthy, simple, and delicious. Refrain from the honey to keep it keto, and if you don't like goat cheese, it can be substituted with feta cheese.

Fresh Asparagus & Avocado Salad

Bunch of fresh asparagus and avocado on wooden table

This healthy salad is chock full of healthy fats and fiber, thanks to the avocado and asparagus, respectively. And, it couldn't be easier to put together!

Keto Cauliflower Mashed Potatoes

These may not be as hardy as regular mashed potatoes, but they are delicious and a great substitute for the original. It's super easy to make and is yummy because it's loaded with bacon and cheese.

Fried Cabbage

Cabbage is a very hardy vegetable that's also full of fiber, so it's very healthy for you. This fried cabbage is very tasty with bacon, butter, smoked paprika, and stone-ground mustard. It's slightly sweet from the cabbage, savory from the mustard and bacon, and smoky from the paprika.

Keto Cucumber Salad

This Mediterranean cucumber salad is a great side dish for keto. Filled with keto-safe veggies and a delicious vinaigrette, it's a fresh and bright side that will pair well with protein.

Keto Cabbage Au Gratin

Don't let this diet get in the way of you eating some of your favorite dishes. This cabbage au gratin is a great way to get that cheesy side dish you love. Made with cabbage, onions, garlic, seasonings, heavy cream, gouda cheese, parmesan cheese, and bacon, this dish is full of flavor.

Greek Roasted Cauliflower With Feta And Herbs

Spice up your cauliflower with this Greek roasted cauliflower with feta and herbs recipe. This is a great side dish if you want to keep your meal light and bright. It's made with cauliflower, seasonings, lemon juice, and feta cheese.

Keto Antipasto Salad

This antipasto has a ton of flavor because it's loaded with different meats, cheeses, and veggies. The recipe calls for salami, pepperoni, provolone, mozzarella, tomatoes, pepperoncini, black olives, red peppers, and red onions.

Parmesan Chopped Salad

This lemon parmesan salad is a delicious salad that only takes five minutes to pull together. Made with romaine, parmesan, shallots, olive oil, and lemon juice, mix it all together and chop it up for a healthy side dish.

Tennessee Onions

These Tennessee onions are a classic Southern dish with onions, cheese, and herbs. If you love onions, then you have to try this dish. Not only is it pretty, but it's delicious. It's also super easy, you just add all the ingredients together and bake it in the oven.

Crispy Baked Keto Zucchini Fries

Here's another keto-friendly version of a french fry. Although these zucchini fries don't try to replicate the flavor of a potato fry, they are still delicious. This recipe also offers a cajun aioli, which is a delicious condiment to pair with these fries.

Keto Bacon Cheddar Cauliflower Tots

These delicious bacon cheddar cauliflower tots will fill the potato void in your heart while you're chugging along on keto. They are packed with veggies and offer a great low-carb option for a side dish. Don't forget to make sure your condiment is keto-friendly as well. Ranch is always a safe option!

Recipe Card

Print
Zucchini raw vegan pasta with avocado dip sauce, spinach leaves and cherry tomatoes on plate. On dark background. Vegetarian healthy food

Zucchini Noodles with Pesto


1 Star2 Stars3 Stars4 Stars5 Stars (No Ratings Yet)
Loading…

  • Author: MomsWhoThink.com
  • Total Time: 20 minutes

Ingredients

Units

For the Zucchini Noodles:

  • 4 medium-sized zucchini, spiralized into noodles
  • 2 Tablespoons olive oil
  • Salt and pepper to taste

For the Pesto:

  • 2 cups fresh basil leaves
  • 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
  • 1/2 cup pine nuts
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
  • Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

For the Zucchini Noodles:

  1. Spiralize the zucchini into noodles using a spiralizer.

  2. In a large pan, heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil over medium heat. Add the zucchini noodles and sauté for 3-4 minutes or until just tender. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Set aside.

For the Pesto:

  1. In a food processor, combine basil, Parmesan cheese, pine nuts, and minced garlic. Pulse until finely chopped.

  2. With the food processor running, slowly drizzle in the olive oil until the pesto reaches your desired consistency. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Assembling:

  1. Toss the zucchini noodles with the pesto until well coated.

  2. Optionally, garnish with additional Parmesan cheese and fresh basil leaves.

  3. Serve the Zucchini Noodles with Pesto as a flavorful and low-carb side dish for your chicken.

Nutrition

  • Calories: 320
  • Sugar: 4 g
  • Sodium: 120 mg
  • Fat: 30 g
  • Carbohydrates: 8 g
  • Fiber: 3 g
  • Protein: 6 g
  • Cholesterol: 10 mg

The post 32 Keto Side Dishes for Chicken appeared first on Moms Who Think.

]]>
https://www.momswhothink.com/keto-side-dishes-for-chicken/feed/ 0
20 Healthy Sides for Breakfast – from Tomatoes to Egg Dishes https://www.momswhothink.com/healthy-sides-for-breakfast-from-tomatoes-to-egg-dishes/ https://www.momswhothink.com/healthy-sides-for-breakfast-from-tomatoes-to-egg-dishes/#respond Wed, 29 Nov 2023 01:47:00 +0000 https://www.momswhothink.com/?p=204957&preview=true&preview_id=204957 The post 20 Healthy Sides for Breakfast – from Tomatoes to Egg Dishes appeared first on Moms Who Think.

Breakfast is one of the most important meals of the day; some people enjoy waking up to a hot, savory one, while others down hot coffee and call it good. Many breakfast choices exist, from hot and tasty sausage and eggs to fluffy chocolate chip pancakes. No matter what your favorite type of breakfast is, sometimes you want to add a healthy side dish with excellent health benefits to start the day right! This article will cover some fantastic healthy sides for breakfast that you will want to eat all the time. 

Try Home Chef - Family Meals Made Easy
  • 4-serving meals starting at $3.77 per serving (up to 25% cheaper than HelloFresh).
  • Incredible variety with 10+ weekly meal options, delivered directly to you.
  • Easy to prepare meals ready in 30-minutes or less.
We earn a commission if you make a purchase, at no additional cost to you.

Healthy Sides For Breakfast

From eggs and tomatoes to fruit and a slice of bread, this article contains many delicious and healthy sides you can enjoy for breakfast. 

1. Green Chili Breakfast

  • Calories: 255
  • Fat: 20 g
  • Carbohydrates: 50 g

One of the go-to dishes for breakfast is an egg. Eggs are full of excellent health benefits all on their own, including protein, iron, and potassium. Although they can be pretty tasty alone, this green chili breakfast recipe takes it up a notch. It includes tomatoes, chilis, cheese, and eggs, creating a tasty and hearty side dish. 

food : vegetable casserole triangle on white plate with cheese and tomatoes isolated on white background with red and green hot peppers
Green chili breakfast bake is a tasty take on an egg casserole.

2. Baked English Omelette

  • Calories: 400
  • Fat: 40 g
  • Carbohydrates: 4 g

Omelette's are popular because they can be tweaked to fit your needs and likes. There are omelettes made only of egg whites, omelettes with only cheese, and others packed with excellent vegetables and other beneficial ingredients for one's health. This baked English omelette contains eggs, cheese, bacon, and onions, keeping it simple yet offering plenty of nutritional benefits. 

Delicious breakfast - egg omelette with mortadella, leek,spinach and cherry tomatoes on wooden table
A delicious egg omelette is quite the treat in the morning!

3. Breakfast Sausage Bake

  • Calories: 456
  • Fat: 281 g
  • Carbohydrates: 16 g

Sausage and eggs are often cooked together because they make a hearty breakfast. The added nutrition keeps you filling full; together, they give you plenty of protein. Try this breakfast sausage bake if you are looking for a hearty yet unique side for breakfast. 

Breakfast strata with cheese and sausage in baking dish
Sausage and cheese breakfast casserole is a classic savory and filling dish.

4. Healthy Make-Ahead French Toast

  • Calories: 460
  • Fat: 23 g
  • Carbohydrates: 16 g

French toast is a sweet breakfast that many kids and adults love. The versatility of French toast allows one to dress it up however they want with fruit, powdered sugar, or maple syrup. This French toast recipe also allows you to make it ahead of time, perfect for busy moms and families everywhere! 

French toast can be sweet and are yummy with fruit and maple syrup.
Try Home Chef - Family Meals Made Easy
  • 4-serving meals starting at $3.77 per serving (up to 25% cheaper than HelloFresh).
  • Incredible variety with 10+ weekly meal options, delivered directly to you.
  • Easy to prepare meals ready in 30-minutes or less.
We earn a commission if you make a purchase, at no additional cost to you.

5. Healthy Rice Cereal Breakfast

  • Calories: 250
  • Fat: 2 g
  • Carbohydrates: 3 g

If you are a fan of breakfast cereal but prefer rice over oatmeal, try this recipe. The cinnamon and sugar give a sweet flavor, yet the recipe only uses 1% milk, making it a bit healthier. Additionally, you can tweak this recipe to make it even healthier. 

Rice cereal is creamy and can be a great side for breakfast.

6. Copycat Cracker Barrel Hash Brown Casserole

  • Calories: 380
  • Fat: 26 g
  • Carbohydrates: 29 g

It can be hard to beat a delicious side of hash brown casserole. If you have ever been to Cracker Barrel, you may know that their hash brown casserole is among the most raved around. Try your hand at this copycat cracker barrel hash brown casserole. While it is higher in calories, it contains significant nutritional benefits that can help you start your day right! 

7. Healthy Rice Pudding

  • Calories: 142
  • Fat: 2 g
  • Carbohydrates: 27 g

Rice pudding is just as tasty as rice cereal. This specific recipe uses whole milk, so it contains more calories. However, it is simple to cook and is very hearty and filling, perfect for first thing in the morning! 

Sweet and creamy coconut rice pudding with honey, topped with grated and toasted coconut in a ceramic bowl
Healthy rice pudding is creamy and satisfying.

9. Healthy Crispy Potato

  • Calories: 170
  • Fat: 5 g
  • Carbohydrates: 48 g

Potatoes are filling and contain plenty of nutritional benefits that are great in the day's first meal. The ingredients in this recipe are also simple, including potatoes, seasoning, and vegetable oil. While simple, the flavor is zesty and delicious, making it a great side dish for any breakfast meal! 

Crispy potatoes are simply yet mouthwatering.

10. Best Ratatouille

  • Calories: 297
  • Fat: 21 g
  • Carbohydrates: 25 g

Ratatouille is a savory and tasty side dish that uses an array of delicious vegetables such as zucchini, onion, and eggplant. The nutritional benefits of these vegetables are perfect first thing in the morning. Additionally, the calories are kept lower because of the type of vegetables in the recipe. If you are looking for a new and tasty side dish filling for breakfast, try this one! 

Ratatouille made of zucchini, eggplants, peppers, onions, garlic and tomatoes slices with aromatic herbs. Rustic wooden table. Traditional French food, vegetable, vegan healthy dish. Copy space
If you enjoy vegetables like zucchini and peppers, this ratatouille dish is sure to delight your taste buds!
Try Home Chef - Family Meals Made Easy
  • 4-serving meals starting at $3.77 per serving (up to 25% cheaper than HelloFresh).
  • Incredible variety with 10+ weekly meal options, delivered directly to you.
  • Easy to prepare meals ready in 30-minutes or less.
We earn a commission if you make a purchase, at no additional cost to you.

11. Creamy Fruit Salad

  • Calories: 100
  • Fat: 3 g
  • Carbohydrates: 24 g

Fruit is a natural sweetener that kids and adults both love. Try this creamy fruit salad recipe if you have a sweet tooth, and enjoy it first thing in the morning. It contains cantaloupe, grapes, strawberries, apples, oranges, and more, with whipped topping and coconut. Give your family a burst of sweetness and texture with this fun and delectable recipe. 

12. Apple Coffee Cake

  • Calories: 196
  • Fat: 8 g
  • Carbohydrates 31 g

Sometimes, a good old coffee cake is one of the best sides or main dishes for breakfast. This apple coffee cake is under 200 calories a serving and contains less sodium. If you enjoy the coffee cake as a breakfast meal or simply as a side, this is easy to make and quite delicious! 

A tasty apple cake on the table
Apple cake is such a treat; it can be lower in calories and a filling breakfast dish!

13. Healthy Cabbage and Tomato Salad

  • Calories: 43
  • Fat: 1 g
  • Carbohydrates: 7 g

This cabbage and tomato salad is low in calories and contains plenty of flavor. Whether you are a fan of cabbage or not, trying this recipe may delight your taste buds just the same. With simple seasonings like pepper and salt, rice vinegar, and cilantro, this salad is refreshing, crunchy, and delightful next to eggs, sausage, or any other savory meal for breakfast. 

Salad with fresh cabbage, tomato, cucumber and herbs on the plate on a table
Cabbage and tomato salad is healthy, low-calorie, and quite delicious.

14. Healthy Sunshine Rice

  • Calories: 276
  • Fat: 6 g
  • Carbohydrates: 50 g

This healthy sunshine rice recipe is under 300 calories and full of flavor. The hot sauce gives it a zing that many people enjoy. However, you can omit this ingredient if you aren't a fan of heat! 

pilaf with meat with greens on a white plate.
Healthy sunshine rice is filling and makes a perfect breakfast side dish!

15. Healthy Banana Nut Bread

  • Calories: 133
  • Fat: 5 g
  • Carbohydrates: 20 g

Banana nut bread may seem like an unhealthy breakfast meal. However, this specific recipe is under 200 calories. You can enjoy bananas and pecans' complex flavor and texture while keeping your calorie intake lower. The benefits of banana nut bread include potassium, vitamin C, and B6.

Homemade gluten free banana bread with walnuts and honey cut into appetizing slices on white marble table, closeup view
Banana nut bread can be a healthy and tasty breakfast dish or snack.
Try Home Chef - Family Meals Made Easy
  • 4-serving meals starting at $3.77 per serving (up to 25% cheaper than HelloFresh).
  • Incredible variety with 10+ weekly meal options, delivered directly to you.
  • Easy to prepare meals ready in 30-minutes or less.
We earn a commission if you make a purchase, at no additional cost to you.

16. Healthy Carrot Raisin Bread

  • Calories: 99
  • Fat: 3 g
  • Carbohydrates: 17 g

Carrot raisin bread is another bread that is perfect for breakfast. It is under 100 calories a serving and contains delicious seasonings like cinnamon and allspice while offering plenty of nutrition. Some health benefits you receive from carrots include potassium, vitamin C, and B6. 

17. Healthy Rice and Pasta Pilaf

  • Calories: 208
  • Fat: 1 g
  • Carbohydrates: 33 g

This healthy rice and pasta pilaf is simple yet hearty. It contains rice and pasta, making it a filling side dish for breakfast. It has fantastic flavors like white pepper, chicken stock, and onions. So, if you love robust dishes for breakfast, this is a must-try. 

18. Roasted Sweet Potatoes

  • Calories: 180
  • Fat: less than 1 g
  • Carbohydrates: 41 g

Sweet potatoes are often a healthier alternative to typical potatoes. They have a mildly sweet flavor, are versatile, and can be eaten anytime. This roasted sweet potato recipe is simple and filling to make first thing in the morning! 

Serving oven-roasted sweet potatoes in a white ceramic bowl.
Roasted sweet potatoes are both healthy and tasty.

19. Peppery Cheese and Veggie Potato Skillet

  • Calories: 284 
  • Fat: 14 g
  • Carbohydrates: 38 g

One of the best ways to eat vegetables and potatoes is with a skillet recipe. It allows the flavors to melt into one another and can be savory in the end. If you want a great side to eat alongside meat or eggs, give this peppery cheese and veggie potato skillet recipe a chance.

Freshly cooked vegetable stew of seasonal organic veggies sprinkled with fresh herbs, in a cast-iron skillet, on wooden background. Vegetarian meal. Healthy eating and dieting concept. Food still life
If you love vegetables this skillet bake is an excellent dish to try.

20. The Best Roasted Tomatoes

  • Calories: 127
  • Fat: 7 g
  • Carbohydrates: 15 g

Roasted potatoes are low in calories and contain excellent health benefits like potassium, fiber, and folate. If you love tomatoes, add them to your breakfast meal plan with these roasted tomatoes. 

The post 20 Healthy Sides for Breakfast – from Tomatoes to Egg Dishes appeared first on Moms Who Think.

]]>
https://www.momswhothink.com/healthy-sides-for-breakfast-from-tomatoes-to-egg-dishes/feed/ 0
20 Healthy Sides for Spaghetti – Low-Calorie and Delicious https://www.momswhothink.com/healthy-sides-for-spaghetti-low-calorie-and-delicious/ https://www.momswhothink.com/healthy-sides-for-spaghetti-low-calorie-and-delicious/#respond Wed, 29 Nov 2023 00:46:39 +0000 https://www.momswhothink.com/?p=204961&preview=true&preview_id=204961 The post 20 Healthy Sides for Spaghetti – Low-Calorie and Delicious appeared first on Moms Who Think.

Spaghetti is one of those family classic meals. The ingredients are relatively cheap, and many people enjoy Italian cuisine! One of the characteristics of a good spaghetti dinner is that it can be delicious all on its own or with a side of garlic bread. However, sometimes you are looking for that specific kick, one side that will take your dinner to the next level. It also helps if the side is healthy! This article is going to explore different healthy sides for spaghetti. Get ready to find your next favorite complementary dish this week to add to your dinner list. 

Try Home Chef - Family Meals Made Easy
  • 4-serving meals starting at $3.77 per serving (up to 25% cheaper than HelloFresh).
  • Incredible variety with 10+ weekly meal options, delivered directly to you.
  • Easy to prepare meals ready in 30-minutes or less.
We earn a commission if you make a purchase, at no additional cost to you.

Healthy Sides for Spaghetti

Whether potatoes, vegetables, bread, or something different, there are many side options to add to your weekly spaghetti night dinner. Since spaghetti is an Italian dish, it pairs well with bread, which we see often with garlic bread sides. However, it can also be delicious alongside a vegetable such as green beans or peas. There are also excellent fruit choices and salad options on this list. Take a look at the great healthy sides for spaghetti below.  

Disclaimer: The approximate nutritional facts for calories, fat, and carbohydrates are below each recipe.

1. Healthy Stuffed Potatoes

  • Calories: 113
  • Fat: 3 g
  • Carbohydrates: 17 g

Although the name itself doesn't sound super healthy, there is just something about these healthy stuffed potatoes! They can be an excellent substitute for bread and are pretty filling. What's more, potatoes come with fantastic health benefits, such as antioxidants and fiber. 

Stuffed baked potatoes with cheese and egg
Stuffed baked potatoes are filling and delicious!

2. Healthy Garlic Mashed Potatoes

  • Calories: 142
  • Fat: less than 1 g
  • Carbohydrates: 29 g

Mashed potatoes aren't one of those sides where you automatically think “healthy.” However, these garlic mashed potatoes are lower in calories and fat but still high in beneficial vitamins like potassium and fiber. These healthy garlic mashed potatoes utilize skim milk over heavy cream, making them healthier and allowing you to receive all the fantastic benefits of potatoes. 

Garlic Mashed Potatoes
If you love mashed potatoes, try healthy garlic potatoes.

3. Healthy Lemon Vegetable

  • Calories: 22
  • Fat: 2 g
  • Carbohydrates: 2 g

There's so much to love about this healthy lemon vegetable recipe. For starters, it is low-calorie. Also, the lemon juice and garlic give it a unique and delicious flavor that pairs well with a savory dish. If you are a cauliflower and broccoli fan, try this recipe! 

4. Fall Vegetable Brussels Sprouts

  • Calories: 38
  • Fat: 0.3 g
  • Carbohydrates: 8 g

Brussels Sprouts, you either hate them or love them. There is little of an in-between. When cooked just right, brussels sprouts can be a healthy and flavorful side for adults and kids. 

Vegetarian cuisine. Homemade Brussels Sprouts roasted with olive oil on black slate background. Copyspace, top view, flatlay.
Brussels sprouts can be delicious when cooked correctly!

5. Fall Vegetable Broccoli

  • Calories: 113
  • Fat: 21 g
  • Carbohydrates: 18 g

This broccoli side is healthy and tasty, using seasonings, low-sodium broth, and vegetables like mushrooms. Whether you are a fan of broccoli or eat it for the health benefits over the taste, this side dish dresses up the broccoli. This means you can enjoy the flavor and the health benefits all in one! 

2015, Broccoli, Cabbage, Cooking, Crucifers
Broccoli makes an amazing and low-calorie side dish.
Try Home Chef - Family Meals Made Easy
  • 4-serving meals starting at $3.77 per serving (up to 25% cheaper than HelloFresh).
  • Incredible variety with 10+ weekly meal options, delivered directly to you.
  • Easy to prepare meals ready in 30-minutes or less.
We earn a commission if you make a purchase, at no additional cost to you.

6. Healthy Smothered Greens

  • Calories: 80
  • Fat: 2 g
  • Carbohydrates: 9 g

Smothered greens are a great complement to spaghetti. First, the seasoning and flavor added to this recipe are unique yet flavorful. Second, there are so many health benefits to greens! These include vitamins A, C, and K. These antioxidants carry many benefits, including being beneficial for pregnant women, blood clotting, and heart health. 

Southern Style Collard Greens with Salt Pork
Smothered greens are low-calorie and quite delicious.

7. Healthy Italian Vegetable Bake

  • Calories: 27
  • Fat: less than 1 g
  • Carbohydrates: 5 g

This Italian vegetable bake combines onions, tomatoes, peppers, okra, and green beans with various seasonings and flavors. The result is a deliciously low-calorie bake that makes an excellent side to any dish, especially spaghetti. With all these vegetables' added health benefits, you can feel good about adding this recipe to your weeknight meal plan. 

the ratatouille, traditional French vegetable stew in a ceramic dish
If you enjoy vegetables like peppers, tomatoes, and zucchini, try this side dish.

8. Best Healthy Sautéed Green Bean Recipe

  • Calories: 64
  • Fat: Less than 4 g
  • Carbohydrates: 8 g

Green beans have plenty of health benefits, yet they can taste quite bland when cooked with no added ingredients. This sauteed green bean recipe plays on the natural flavors of the added ingredients to bring flavor to life, yet the green beans remain healthy and low calorie. This cooking style makes them a delicious and perfect side to spaghetti. 

Overhead view green beans
Green beans are a classic, but they don't have to be bland.

9. Healthy Homestyle Biscuits

  • Calories: 99
  • Fat: less than 3 g
  • Carbohydrates: 15 g

Sometimes, the best side dish to spaghetti is bread. Whether you love garlic bread or biscuits, this side can be hard to beat! If you are craving carbohydrates yet want to keep it relatively healthy, try these healthy homestyle biscuits. The recipe uses 1% buttermilk, giving you a healthier version of the classic biscuit. 

Freshly Baked Homemade Buttermilk Biscuits
Homemade biscuits can be healthy and delicious.
Try Home Chef - Family Meals Made Easy
  • 4-serving meals starting at $3.77 per serving (up to 25% cheaper than HelloFresh).
  • Incredible variety with 10+ weekly meal options, delivered directly to you.
  • Easy to prepare meals ready in 30-minutes or less.
We earn a commission if you make a purchase, at no additional cost to you.

10. Healthy Rainbow Fruit Salad

  • Calories: 96
  • Fat:  1 g
  • Carbohydrates: 24 g

Fruit is among the best sides if you or your family have a sweet tooth. The natural sweetness of many fruits can satisfy that craving for sweets, yet the calories stay down, and the benefits increase. This healthy rainbow fruit salad will delight your kids; they may want you to make it every night! 

Fruit Salad
Fruit salad is a family favorite!

11. Crisp Summer Broccoli Salad

  • Calories: 498
  • Fat: 41 g
  • Carbohydrates: 24 g

Broccoli, bacon, onions, what's not to love about this delicious and crunchy summer broccoli salad? The refreshing bite and the tastiness make the perfect side dish to eat with anything, especially spaghetti! 

Broccoli_Salad
Broccoli salad is crispy and tasty.

12. Sweet and Healthy Fruit Salad

  • Calories: 140
  • Fat: 1 g
  • Carbohydrates: 38 g

This fruit salad is another excellent addition to your family recipe book. The sweetness keeps your kids returning for more, yet the added health benefits of the apples, grapes, and yogurt benefit the entire family. 

Autumn_Fruit_Salad
Add yogurt to this sweet fruit salad.

13. Greek Salad

  • Calories: 179
  • Fat: 15 g
  • Carbohydrates: 7 g

More popular healthy sides for spaghetti include salad. Change your salad up a bit and try this Greek salad recipe. With various ingredients such as onions, tomatoes, cheese, olives, and lemon juice, your taste buds will love the flavor! Additionally, greek salad is relatively low calorie and contains plenty of vitamins and minerals that we need daily. 

Greek Salad
Greek salad is a classic and always remains tasty.

14. Crunchy Coleslaw

  • Calories: 140
  • Fat: 10 g
  • Carbohydrates: 12 g

There are many versions of coleslaw out there that can be both healthy and unhealthy. However, the cabbage in coleslaw will give you plenty of nutrients like fiber and vitamin C. Therefore, adding it to your weekly meal plan can improve your health! 

Cajun_Coleslaw
Coleslaw can be both healthy and unhealthy, depending on the ingredients.

16. Cobb Salad

  • Calories: 770
  • Fat: 55 g
  • Carbohydrates: 40 g

Another popular salad that is healthy and quite filling is the Cobb salad. Packed with protein like chicken, tomatoes, onions, bacon, and hard-boiled eggs, many nutrients are crammed into one little bowl! You can feel good about adding this salad alongside your spaghetti because you will supply yourself and your family with protein, iron, vitamin D, and potassium. 

Cobb salad is a great choice if you are craving a filling and delicious salad.
Try Home Chef - Family Meals Made Easy
  • 4-serving meals starting at $3.77 per serving (up to 25% cheaper than HelloFresh).
  • Incredible variety with 10+ weekly meal options, delivered directly to you.
  • Easy to prepare meals ready in 30-minutes or less.
We earn a commission if you make a purchase, at no additional cost to you.

17. Cherry Tomato Salad

  • Calories: 192
  • Fat: 5 g
  • Carbohydrates: 5 g

If you are a cherry tomatoes fan, try this salad! With tomatoes, lettuce, bacon, and a handful of seasonings, you and your family will love the unique flavor. Additionally, it requires minimal ingredients and seasonings that you most likely have on hand, making it a simple recipe to make as well! 

Fresh summer vegetable salad with mozzarella cheese, green arugula leaves and cherry tomatoes on wooden table background.
Tomato salad is quite tasty and easy to make!

18. Caesar Salad

  • Calories: 94
  • Fat: 4 g
  • Carbohydrates: 9 g

Caesar salad can be understated. While it may appear simple, this salad contains fantastic flavor with added seasonings and liquid flavorings like lemon juice and Worcester sauce. If you are in the mood for simple yet healthy, try this Caesar salad recipe today. 

Caesar-Salad-1
Caesar salad is simple but a yummy classic.

19. Carrot Raisin Salad

  • Calories: 176
  • Fat: 61 g
  • Carbohydrates: 30 g

Carrots and pineapple may seem odd, but this recipe takes simple ingredients and turns them into something unique. While it does contain added powdered sugar, the additional health benefits of the pineapple, carrots, and raisins make this a healthy and flavorful salad to try at least once in your life. 

Carrot Salad
Carrot raisin salad may be unique but carries many health benefits!

20. Low Carb Garlic Bread

  • Calories: 29
  • Fat: Less than 1 g
  • Carbohydrates: 4 g

Of course, you cannot have spaghetti without having garlic bread. However, garlic bread doesn't have to pack on the calories. This low-carb garlic bread allows you to reap fantastic health benefits, keep the carbs low, and enjoy a classic. It's a win-win! This is a great choice if you are craving healthy sides for spaghetti that include bread.

The post 20 Healthy Sides for Spaghetti – Low-Calorie and Delicious appeared first on Moms Who Think.

]]>
https://www.momswhothink.com/healthy-sides-for-spaghetti-low-calorie-and-delicious/feed/ 0
25 Healthy Sides for Hot Dogs – Perfect Pairings from Salad to Smoked Veggies https://www.momswhothink.com/healthy-sides-for-hot-dogs-perfect-pairings-from-salad-to-smoked-veggies/ https://www.momswhothink.com/healthy-sides-for-hot-dogs-perfect-pairings-from-salad-to-smoked-veggies/#respond Sat, 25 Nov 2023 03:49:57 +0000 https://www.momswhothink.com/?p=204960&preview=true&preview_id=204960 The post 25 Healthy Sides for Hot Dogs – Perfect Pairings from Salad to Smoked Veggies appeared first on Moms Who Think.

Hot dogs are delicious food for barbecues or lunch. Regardless of how you enjoy it, there are many different yummy sides to eat alongside a hot dog! This list has salads, smoked vegetables, fruit, and more! Take a look at some of the best healthy sides for hot dogs to eat any day of the week. 

Healthy Sides for Hot Dogs

Below are numerous healthy sides for hot dogs that children and adults will enjoy.

Salads

There are many ways to enjoy a refreshing salad, from pasta to greens. Take your hot dog to the next level with one of these tasty salads. 

1. KFC Coleslaw Recipe

There's just something about KFC's coleslaw; many prefer it over any other side at this famous restaurant. Try this copycat recipe to replicate the same refreshing flavor at home. 

Coleslaw is made from cabbage, carrots, and various herbs, and served with tortillas and guacamole on a wooden background.
Coleslaw is light and a great summer barbecue or lunch dish.

2. Cucumber Salad

Grab a cucumber, onion, and a few ingredients you most likely have on hand for a rejuvenating side to serve alongside your hot dog. 

salad of zucchini, cucumber and goat cheese
Cucumber salad is refreshing and quite delicious!

3. Healthy New Potato Salad

As most backyard barbecues can confess, there's just something about a tasty potato salad! This healthy new potato salad will have you saying more, please. 

German Picnic Salad. traditional German potato salad
Try this recipe if you love a good potato salad.

4. Potato Salad

Manyoise, mustard, potatoes, and more, this recipe has the classic taste and feel of potato salad. A perfect complement to your hot dogs! 

potato salad
There's just something about a classic potato salad.

5. Black Bean Salad

Crunchy and refreshing, this black bean salad is both healthy and delicious. With simple vegetables, beans, and seasonings, you can have a mouthwatering salad on the table in one hour. 

Black beans corn avocado red onion tomato salad
Try fresh and crunchy vegetables to make this delicious bean salad.

6. Antipasto Salad

The cheese tortillini and peppers step up their game in this yummy antipasto salad. Perfect for any day of the year, but especially on a warm summer night! 

Antipasto salad with pasta, tomato, olives, red onion, bell pepper, salami, cheese artichoke and basil on wooden table
If you are a fan of flavor, you just may love this antipasto salad.

7. Greek Salad

There is just something about a tasty Greek salad that implements fresh vegetables. The crunchy, refreshing texture and flavors will make you want to make this side repeatedly. 

Greek Salad
Greek salad is simple yet delicious as a side to any dish, even hot dogs.

Vegetables

Vegetables add essential nutrients and minerals to your meal and are both refreshing and delicious! 

8. Corn

What better vegetable than corn for a delicious side? It is tasty and sweet, and kids love it!

Organic Yellow Steamed Corn in a Bowl
There are many ways to make corn, plus it's a winner in most kids' books!

9. Green Beans and Potatoes

Green beans and potatoes give a refreshing and healthy feel alongside hearty. Eaten alongside hotdogs, you will leave the dinner table feeling full and satisfied. 

vegetarian recipe with green beans and potatoes with olive oil
Potatoes and green beans are comforting and tasty, no matter the recipe.

10. Spaghetti Squash with Tomatoes

Spaghetti squash is one of those vegetables that you may not think about making right away. However, the flavor topped with tomatoes gives a unique side dish you will enjoy with any main dish. 

Spaghetti Squash with Tomatoes
Spaghetti squash and tomatoes have amazing texture and is quite filling.

11. Smoked Vegetables

Add color and flavor to your lunch with these smoked vegetables. Peppers, asparagus, and more all have amazing health benefits and are quite yummy!

12. Roasted Asparagus with Feta Cheese

Asparagus, lemon, and feta cheese give a refreshing and delicious flavor that both adults and kids will love! Although this seems like a unique pairing alongside hotdogs, the fresh and healthy vegetable does a great job of balancing the meal. 

Roasted_Asparagus_with_Feta_Cheese
Roasted asparagus and feta cheese create a tasty side dish that complements the simple and hearty hot dog.

Beans

Whether you enjoy tasty baked beans or filling white beans, the ones on this list complement a simple hot dog. 

13. Healthy Baked Beans

These healthy baked beans use only three ingredients for a hearty and delicious side dish. While it is a perfect complement to hotdogs, these baked beans can be quickly whipped up any day of the week for any main dish! 

Bourbon Baked Beans in a Cast Iron Skillet: Pork and beans seasoned with bourbon whiskey, molasses, and brown sugar
Healthy baked beans are easy to make and are quite filling.

14. Healthy Ranch Beans

Add a bit more flavor to your baked beans with this recipe. Peppers, molasses, and dried onion give a unique flavor that will make you want to add this to your weekly lineup. 

Ranch beans are tasty and pair great with any meat, especially hot dogs.

15. Chipotle Red and White Bean Chili

Flavor, texture, and spice all exist inside the Chipotle red and white bean chili. Add excellent and tasty flavor to your simple hotdog dinner. 

Cannellini beans ragout, healthy homemade meal with white beans, vegetables, top view, copy space.
This chipotle red and white bean chili adds flavor and spice to your lunch or dinner.

16. Healthy Sautéed Green Bean

Green beans are simple, healthy, and a perfect side dish to complement hotdogs. This is a simple recipe, and green beans are a vegetable that many kids enjoy! 

Green beans with garlic, onion and red pepper. Warm salad. The garnish. Dish Oriental cuisine. Selective focus
Green beans are simple yet tasty, making them perfect as a side dish.

Fruit 

Fruit is refreshing and adds an airy feel to an otherwise hearty meal!

17. Healthy Rainbow Fruit Salad

Eat the rainbow with this healthy rainbow fruit salad. Use what your kids and you like or what is in season for a refreshing, light side dish! 

Fruit Salad
Fruit salad is simple and adaptable, with so many fruits to choose from.

18. Strawberries

Sweet and tasty is the only way to describe eating strawberries next to any dish, even hot dogs.

Summer season. Fresh strawberries in a colander on the green grass. Sunlight. Background image, copy space. Flatlay, top view
Strawberries are naturally sweet but healthy, making them irresistible to many kids and adults.

19. Baked Peaches

Brown sugar, cinnamon, and pecans add to the flavor of peaches. The sweetness is a contrasting flavor to the hearty hot dog. 

20. Healthy Applesauce

This applesauce is a child's delight! It doesn't take very long to make, letting you have lunch or dinner on the table quickly. 

More Sides for Hot Dogs

The rest of the side dishes on this list are kid favorites, from french fries to mac and cheese; they are yummy ways to enjoy hot dogs! 

21. French Fries

Homemade french fries allow you to control the flavoring and ingredients, making them healthier than most. This recipe is no exception! 

French fries
Make your own French fries healthier with this recipe.

22. Easy Macaroni and Cheese

Macaroni and cheese is the favorite dish of many children. The flavor, spice, cheese, and more make this recipe heartier and more delicious than the box version. 

skilletmacncheese
Macaroni and cheese isn't exactly on the healthy side, but it can be made healthier. Plus, many kids absolutely love it!

23. Ravioli Recipe with Broccoli Cream Sauce

Combine healthy broccoli and yummy cheese ravioli for a can-not-beat side dish! 

24. Greek Garlic Potatoes

Potato wedges are just as tasty as french fries! With the garlic flavor and additional spices like oregano, your family will love these alongside their hotdogs! 

25. Turkey Chili

Chili is the go-to hot dog side dish. Make it a bit healthier with this turkey chili recipe.

The post 25 Healthy Sides for Hot Dogs – Perfect Pairings from Salad to Smoked Veggies appeared first on Moms Who Think.

]]>
https://www.momswhothink.com/healthy-sides-for-hot-dogs-perfect-pairings-from-salad-to-smoked-veggies/feed/ 0
25 Healthy Sides for Lasagna – Perfect Salad, Veggie & Low-Calorie Pairings https://www.momswhothink.com/healthy-sides-for-lasagna-perfect-salad-veggie-low-calorie-pairings/ https://www.momswhothink.com/healthy-sides-for-lasagna-perfect-salad-veggie-low-calorie-pairings/#respond Sat, 25 Nov 2023 02:56:00 +0000 https://www.momswhothink.com/?p=204959&preview=true&preview_id=204959 The post 25 Healthy Sides for Lasagna – Perfect Salad, Veggie & Low-Calorie Pairings appeared first on Moms Who Think.

Lasagna is a hearty dish that can fill you up all on its own. The classic side to go with lasagna is garlic bread. However, all the carbohydrates can leave you feeling stuffed and may also lead to a blood sugar spike. Look no further if you want the best healthy sides for lasagna. Below are some tasty sides that are healthy and low in calories, from salads to vegetables; we've got you covered. 

Try Home Chef - Family Meals Made Easy
  • 4-serving meals starting at $3.77 per serving (up to 25% cheaper than HelloFresh).
  • Incredible variety with 10+ weekly meal options, delivered directly to you.
  • Easy to prepare meals ready in 30-minutes or less.
We earn a commission if you make a purchase, at no additional cost to you.

Healthy Sides for Lasagna

Try one of these healthy sides for lasagna this week for your next Italian night.

1. Greek Salad Recipe

Greek salad is simple yet filling. This recipe pairs well with any Italian dish, especially lasagna, and will leave you feeling full, yet it is less heavy on the stomach. 

Greek Salad
Greek salad is a tasty and low-calorie choice for dinner.

2. KFC Coleslaw Recipe

It can be hard to beat coleslaw! Try this one if you are looking for the perfect KFC coleslaw copycat recipe. 

Coleslaw is made from cabbage, carrots, and various herbs, and served with tortillas and guacamole on a wooden background.
Coleslaw is a light, airy side dish that pairs great with Italian food.

3. Cucumber Salad

Cucumber is both healthy and delicious. Although the ingredients in this recipe are simple, they will leave anyone satisfied. You may even want to add it to your make-again list! 

salad of zucchini, cucumber and goat cheese
Are you a fan of cucumbers? If you are, you may just love this cucumber salad!

4. Waldorf Salad Recipe

Although Waldorf salad is not your typical salad recipe, its sweetness perfectly complements lasagna. Using apples, lemon juice, celery, mayonnaise, raisins, and walnuts, you will have a unique and delicious salad to serve with dinner! If you are tired of the same old recipes, Waldorf salad is the perfect choice.

Traditional Waldorf salad uses apples, nuts, and dressing for a unique yet yummy dish.

5. Ratatouille Recipe

Ratatouille isn't just a cartoon movie! It is a delicious side dish that pairs great with lasagna. The ingredients, tomatoes, onion, eggplant, zucchini, and bell peppers, all pair together to make the perfect vegetable side dish that will leave you feeling light and satisfied. 

Ratatouille made of zucchini, eggplants, peppers, onions, garlic and tomatoes slices with aromatic herbs. Rustic wooden table. Traditional French food, vegetable, vegan healthy dish. Copy space
Ratatouille uses a delicious combination of vegetables to delight any taste buds!
Try Home Chef - Family Meals Made Easy
  • 4-serving meals starting at $3.77 per serving (up to 25% cheaper than HelloFresh).
  • Incredible variety with 10+ weekly meal options, delivered directly to you.
  • Easy to prepare meals ready in 30-minutes or less.
We earn a commission if you make a purchase, at no additional cost to you.

6. Cherry Tomato Salad Recipe

The flavor in this cherry tomato salad recipe is both unique and tasty. If you want a light yet delicious new salad, give this one a chance! 

Fresh summer vegetable salad with mozzarella cheese, green arugula leaves and cherry tomatoes on wooden table background.
For a light, low-calorie side dish, go with this tasty cherry tomato recipe.

7. Caesar Salad Recipe

Caesar salad is a simple and underrated salad. It packs a punch with the many flavors and seasonings that it contains! The tasty flavor is perfect alongside a hearty lasagna. 

Caesar-Salad-1
Caesar salad is simple yet satisfying.

8. Crisp Summer Broccoli Salad

Sometimes, broccoli can feel monotonous. Dress it up in this crips summer broccoli salad recipe using numerous tasty ingredients. These include mayonnaise, bacon, vinegar, raisins, and nuts. You may want to try this recipe again and again! 

Broccoli_Salad
This broccoli salad is filled with flavor and texture that is as delightful as it is healthy.

9. Cobb Salad Recipe

This delicious cobb salad has many characters that take center stage. These include bacon, onion, avocado, and eggs. Traditional Cobb salad typically contains chicken. However, you can omit this protein if you would like while eating alongside lasagna. However, if you enjoy plenty of meat, keeping it in can be filling and just as tasty! 

Cobb salad contains plenty of healthy food, flavor, and protein for a filling and tasty dish.

10. Healthy Garden Potato Salad Recipe

This potato salad is less than 200 calories a serving and has delicious flavor! 

Potato salad
Potato salad can be healthy! This recipe is an unlikely but delicious companion to lasagna.
Try Home Chef - Family Meals Made Easy
  • 4-serving meals starting at $3.77 per serving (up to 25% cheaper than HelloFresh).
  • Incredible variety with 10+ weekly meal options, delivered directly to you.
  • Easy to prepare meals ready in 30-minutes or less.
We earn a commission if you make a purchase, at no additional cost to you.

11. Sweet and Healthy Fruit Salad Recipe

Apples, bananas, yogurt, and more make a sweet and tasty side dish for any meal! 

Bowl of healthy fresh fruit salad. fresh fruit and vegetable salad, healthy breakfast. bowl of oat granola with yogurt.
Fruit salad is a sweet treat that many kids and adults absolutely love.

12. Black Bean Salad Recipe

Tomatoes, black beans, and numerous tasty seasonings make the perfect black bean salad! Eat alongside any Italian dish for a filling and tasty meal. 

Black beans corn avocado red onion tomato salad
Fresh black bean salad is crisp and light, perfect for a low-calorie option.

13. Healthy Stuffed Potatoes Recipe

Can stuffed potatoes be healthy? This recipe is under 200 calories per serving, so you can enjoy the tasty flavor of cheese and potatoes alongside lasagna.

Stuffed baked potatoes with cheese and egg
Try a filling yet healthy stuffed potato recipe for your next meal.

14. Lemon Vegetable Recipe

Broccoli is a go-to vegetable when it comes to eating healthy. Add flavor with lemon and a handful of seasonings to this recipe. 

Broccoli, Cauliflower, Color Image, Cooking, Crucifers
Enjoy this delicious broccoli and cauliflower side dish alongside healthy meat like fish or even hearty dishes like lasagna.

15. Healthy Garlic Mashed Potatoes

Mashed potatoes are a classic side dish to eat alongside lasagna. Yet, you can make them a bit healthier by using skim milk. Try this recipe for a tasty and healthier garlic mashed potatoes side. 

Healthy Garlic Mashed Potatoes
Mashed potatoes can be so satisfying, and a healthier option exists!
Try Home Chef - Family Meals Made Easy
  • 4-serving meals starting at $3.77 per serving (up to 25% cheaper than HelloFresh).
  • Incredible variety with 10+ weekly meal options, delivered directly to you.
  • Easy to prepare meals ready in 30-minutes or less.
We earn a commission if you make a purchase, at no additional cost to you.

16. Healthy Smothered Greens

Healthy and smothered don't seem like they should be used in the same sentence, yet that's precisely what you are getting in this recipe! Under 100 calories, these smothered greens are flavorful and complement lasagna. 

Southern Style Collard Greens with Salt Pork
Smothered greens are healthy, low-calorie, and delicious.

17. Sautéed Green Bean

Green beans are a classic, straightforward vegetable perfect for paring alongside numerous main dishes. Use this sauteed green recipe for a tasty side dish your kids will love just as much as you. 

Green beans with garlic, onion and red pepper. Warm salad. The garnish. Dish Oriental cuisine. Selective focus
Sauteed green beans add a tasty flavor to a popular and versatile side dish.

18. Healthy Homestyle Biscuits

Carbohydrates are sometimes the best side to go with Italian dishes like lasagna. Yet, they can pack on the calories. These healthy homestyle biscuits are under 100 calories per serving, use 1% buttermilk, and are still quite delicious! 

Freshly Baked Homemade Buttermilk Biscuits
If you are in the mood for homemade biscuits, try this recipe.

19. Excellent and Healthy Cornbread Recipe

Did you know that cornbread could be healthy? This recipe comes in under 200 calories per serving and uses 1% buttermilk. So, you can have your classic cornbread in a healthier version. 

Sliced cornbread on a gray plate on a light wooden background. Corn flour recipes. American food. Copyspace.
Cornbread can be a great complementary side dish for lasagna without worrying about excessive calories.

20. Healthy Rainbow Fruit Salad

Sometimes, fruit is the best side to eat with a hearty and filling meal. It is light, sweet, and can be adapted for any family. Use your favorite fruits or follow this recipe for a delicious rainbow fruit salad you and your kids will love! 

Fruit Salad
Use your family's favorite fruit to create a delicious fruit salad!

21. Peppery Cheese and Veggie Potato Skillet

Sometimes, potatoes just hit the right spot! This veggie potato skillet recipe implements fantastic flavors such as mushrooms, green pepper, onions, and cheese and will leave you feeling full and satisfied. 

Freshly cooked vegetable stew of seasonal organic veggies sprinkled with fresh herbs, in a cast-iron skillet, on wooden background. Vegetarian meal. Healthy eating and dieting concept. Food still life
Potato skillet is filling but can also be a healthier side to add to your lasagna meal.

22. Fresh Asparagus and Avocado Salad

Asparagus and avocado make a unique combination in this salad recipe. With an array of additional flavors, such as zucchini, garlic, mushrooms, lemon juice, and more, your taste buds will be soaring!

grilled avocado and asparagus salad
Pairing avocado and asparagus together packs plenty of flavor and many health benefits.

23. Fall Vegetable Brussels Sprouts Recipe

Brussels sprouts sometimes get a bad rap from kids and maybe even adults for being uninspired! Yet, they are a healthy vegetable and can be pretty yummy if cooked just right. Give this fall vegetable Brussels sprouts recipe a try; you may want to make it repeatedly.

Vegetarian cuisine. Homemade Brussels Sprouts roasted with olive oil on black slate background. Copyspace, top view, flatlay.
Brussels sprouts are healthy and packed with plenty of vitamins and minerals. When cooked just right, they can complement any main dish.

24. Fall Vegetable Broccoli Recipe

Broccoli can feel a bit boring, but this recipe's flavor truly goes up a notch! With tasty seasoning, mushrooms, chicken broth, and more, you can take your vegetable side to a new level of tastiness. 

Broccolini, broccoli florets green vegetable broccolini grows baby broccoli vegan food grey table overhead
Broccoli is a low-calorie side that can be dressed up in many different ways.
Try Home Chef - Family Meals Made Easy
  • 4-serving meals starting at $3.77 per serving (up to 25% cheaper than HelloFresh).
  • Incredible variety with 10+ weekly meal options, delivered directly to you.
  • Easy to prepare meals ready in 30-minutes or less.
We earn a commission if you make a purchase, at no additional cost to you.

25. Garlic Herb Roasted Potatoes

Potatoes, carrots, and zucchini, what's not to love about this delicious side dish? 

The post 25 Healthy Sides for Lasagna – Perfect Salad, Veggie & Low-Calorie Pairings appeared first on Moms Who Think.

]]>
https://www.momswhothink.com/healthy-sides-for-lasagna-perfect-salad-veggie-low-calorie-pairings/feed/ 0
What to Serve with Chicken Alfredo – 25 Top Side Dishes from Healthy to Hearty https://www.momswhothink.com/what-to-serve-with-chicken-alfredo-top-side-dishes-from-healthy-to-hearty/ https://www.momswhothink.com/what-to-serve-with-chicken-alfredo-top-side-dishes-from-healthy-to-hearty/#respond Sat, 25 Nov 2023 02:25:36 +0000 https://www.momswhothink.com/?p=204958&preview=true&preview_id=204958 The post What to Serve with Chicken Alfredo – 25 Top Side Dishes from Healthy to Hearty appeared first on Moms Who Think.

Chicken alfredo is a hearty and filling meal all on its own. However, sometimes you want a healthy, light, or hearty side alongside your main dish. If you are wondering what to serve with chicken alfredo, this article has tasty dishes you will want to put on your make-again list! 

What to Serve With Chicken Alfredo

Try these simple and tasty side dishes to pair alongside your already hearty chicken alfredo!

1. Cherry Tomato Salad

Bacon, cherry tomatoes, and more all make a light and delicious side. You can serve it alongside chicken alfredo, lasagna, or even soup! Cherry tomato salad is an excellent complementing side regardless of your main dish. 

Fresh summer vegetable salad with mozzarella cheese, green arugula leaves and cherry tomatoes on wooden table background.
A fresh cherry and tomato salad is perfect alongside chicken alfredo.

2. Caesar Salad

Caesar salad may seem basic, but don't let its simple ingredients fool you. The seasoning and sauce truly take center stage in this recipe! 

Caesar-Salad-1
Caesar salad is simple yet tasty, making it the perfect salad to go alongside chicken alfredo.

3. Cucumber Salad

Cucumbers are light and tasty, all on their own. However, putting them into this salad ups their game. Try this simple cucumber salad recipe for a low-calorie option.

salad of zucchini, cucumber and goat cheese
This refreshing salad uses cucumbers and more.

4. Greek Salad

This Greek salad recipe has many characteristics that make for a delicious side. Onions, cucumbers, feta cheese, lemon juice, and more all make up the zest that adds to the zeal of this Greek salad recipe. 

Greek Salad
Greek Salad is tasty and simple to make!

5. KFC Coleslaw Recipe

There's just something about a refreshing coleslaw recipe. The KFC coleslaw copycat recipe is a perfect pairing alongside chicken alfredo. It adds light and airy next to filling and hearty! 

Cajun_Coleslaw
Use this copycat KFC coleslaw recipe for something delicious and refreshing.

6. Fall Vegetable Broccoli Recipe

Add flavor and zest to broccoli in this recipe! The ingredients like chicken broth, mushrooms, onions, and more all add to the delicious flavor that can be hard to beat.

2015, Broccoli, Cabbage, Cooking, Crucifers
Dress up your broccoli with this simple recipe.

7. Summer Fruits Raspberries Recipe

Although raspberries may seem like an unlikely pairing, this recipe is perfect alongside chicken alfredo. The reason is that flavors like orange and brown sugar add to the sweet taste of the raspberries and create a contrasting complementary side! 

raspberries
Raspberries are sweet and tasty in this recipe.

8. Summer Fruits Peaches Recipe

Peaches are sweet and satisfying, making them a great pairing alongside chicken alfredo. 

Ripe peaches in basket on wooden background
Add a bit of sweetness to your meal with peaches.

9. Summer Vegetables Corn Recipe

Corn is a kid and adult favorite! There are many different ways to make corn, whether grilling, baking, or boiling on the stovetop. Use this simple corn recipe for an excellent side dish. 

An ear of corn isolated on a white background
There are so many ways to make corn! This recipe is delicious and simple!

10. Vegetables Squash Recipe

This squash casserole is tasty and simple to make for dinner tonight. Using squash, onions, breadcrumbs, and a handful of seasonings, you can create a side dish that will have your family begging for more! 

basket of variety of summer squash
Use squash for a healthy and tasty side dish.

11. Summer Vegetable Bell Peppers

Bell peppers are crunchy, healthy, and filling. Make a tasty side dish using rice, seasoning, cheese, and more. You can forgo the beef in this recipe to complement chicken alfredo perfectly.

bellpeppers
Bell Peppers are both healthy and crunchy. Perfect for a delicious side dish.

12. Summer Vegetables Green Peas Recipe

Green peas are a healthy pairing perfect for many side dishes, chicken alfredo included. This recipe uses spaghetti noodles for a filling dish, or you can leave the noodles out and sautee the peas for a crunchy and healthy side.

sugar peas in baskets
Peas make an excellent side dish for chicken alfredo.

13. Delicious French Quarter Green Beans

French Quarter green beans are filling and delicious alongside a hearty meal like chicken alfredo. While these green beans are typically a holiday treat, they are tasty any day of the week.

Overhead view green beans
Green beans are a simple but tasty side to eat with various main dishes.

14. Glazed Pearl Onions Recipe

Pearl onions are not always a side dish one thinks of making. However, this recipe is perfect for your next meal. Using simple ingredients, you can whip up a tasty side that will pair perfectly with chicken alfredo! 

Savory Glazed Pearl Onions in White Bowl
Pearl onions are not the go-to side dish, but they are tasty, just the same!

15. Broccoli Cheese Bake

Broccoli and cheese, sometimes there's just nothing better! Add this yummy combo with your weeknight chicken alfredo dinner for a filling and tasty meal. 

Baked-Broccoli
Broccoli and cheese simply go together!

16. Glazed Carrots Recipe

Carrots are healthy and perfect for snacking on raw or cooked for lunch. However, these glazed carrots take it up a notch with added flavor and sweetness. Your kids will love them! 

Glazed-Carrots
Add sweetness to the meal with this glazed carrots recipe.

17. Fried Green Tomatoes

Fried green tomatoes are the favorite pastime of many. While it may seem an unlikely pairing, the crunch and flavor of fried green tomatoes take the weeknight meal to a different level! 

American food: fried green tomatoes with fresh salad close-up on a plate and ingredients on a table. horizontal
Fried green tomatoes are a classic comfort dish.

18. Baked Corn Pudding

If you have a family who loves corn, try this baked corn pudding recipe for a new take on the classic vegetable. You only need canned corn, creamed corn, eggs, butter, sour cream, sugar, and Jiffy cornbread mix. 

The instructions are simple; before you know it, you will have a filling and delicious side dish alongside your favorite meal! 

Baked_Corn_Pudding
Use this recipe for a new take on corn as a side.

19. Herb-Seasoned Broccoli and Tomatoes

Broccoli, tomatoes, and a handful of seasonings; with this combination, you will have a delicious and easy side dish that is also healthy! 

Tomatoes and broccoli on a wooden table.
Broccoli and tomatoes are both healthy and delicious.

20. Onion Roasted Potatoes

Sometimes, the best side dish is the most hearty and filling one. That is where potatoes arrive center stage. Are they the healthiest sides? Not exactly, but they do have a way of hitting your soul just right and filling you up. These onion-roasted potatoes are no exception! 

Easy Side Dish Recipes
Baked potatoes are filling and tasty!

21. Corn Fritters

Corn fritters are another take on the classic vegetable that many enjoy and love. Using only a few simple ingredients, you can have a tasty and comforting side dish that is perfect next to any main dish, especially chicken alfredo!

fried corn fritters in a skillet with yogurt dipping sauce and fresh sweet corn in cob on an old wooden kitchen table, close-up
Corn fritters make a hearty and filling side dish.

22. Sauteed Zucchini

Zucchini is often an underrated vegetable that complements many side dishes. This recipe is easy to make yet produces a tasty result. 

zucchini strips on a wooden cutting board.
Healthy sauteed zucchini are perfect next to a hearty main dish.

23. Roasted Sweet Potatoes

Add a little sweetness to your weeknight dinner with roasted sweet potatoes. Olive oil and a handful of seasoning add robust flavor to this recipe. 

Serving oven-roasted sweet potatoes in a white ceramic bowl.
Sweet potatoes are both healthy and tasty! Perfect as a side dish alongside any main dish.

24. Healthy Rainbow Fruit Salad

Fruit salad is simple and can be adapted to fit any family's needs and likes. Use this specific recipe, or grab your favorite fruits and make a delicious salad that kids and adults will love.

Bowl of healthy fresh fruit salad on wooden background. Top view.
Eat the rainbow with this yummy fruit salad!

25. Garlic Pull-Apart Bread

This bread is filling, tasty, and the perfect twist on the classic garlic bread that so many enjoy with hearty dishes! 

In Conclusion

If you are searching for what to serve with chicken alfredo, you cannot go wrong with any of the side dishes on this list! Whether you love the hearty side dishes such as potatoes or garlic bread or the healthier options like broccoli or zucchini, the choices are plentiful.

The post What to Serve with Chicken Alfredo – 25 Top Side Dishes from Healthy to Hearty appeared first on Moms Who Think.

]]>
https://www.momswhothink.com/what-to-serve-with-chicken-alfredo-top-side-dishes-from-healthy-to-hearty/feed/ 0
21 Pasta Dishes for Fish – Easy, Delicious & Perfect Pairings https://www.momswhothink.com/pasta-dishes-for-fish-easy-delicious-perfect-pairings/ https://www.momswhothink.com/pasta-dishes-for-fish-easy-delicious-perfect-pairings/#respond Wed, 22 Nov 2023 18:08:16 +0000 https://www.momswhothink.com/?p=204367&preview=true&preview_id=204367 The post 21 Pasta Dishes for Fish – Easy, Delicious & Perfect Pairings appeared first on Moms Who Think.

Pasta is a great choice when looking for a side dish to make with your fish. Fish is a great source of protein, which can be filling but not enough on its own unless you're eating a lot of fish. Pasta is a great way to add in some carbohydrates that will help feed the whole family. If you're looking for some easy and delicious pasta pairings to go with your fish, then you are in the right place. We're going to take a look at some recipes that will pair well with your fish, whether you're cooking salmon, tilapia, halibut, or other common types of fish. Many of these recipes can be prepared quickly, only requiring about 30 minutes. Some of them are one-pot recipes that will make your cleanup a breeze. Others only require five ingredients or less. No matter which recipe you choose, your family is bound to love it.

Creamy Pasta Primavera

Pasta Primavera is a great pasta side dish option if you're looking to make sure you have enough veggies. Pasta primavera translates to “pasta of the spring” because it has vegetables like zucchini and asparagus. But this recipe can be customized, and you can add any veggies that you like or that you have on hand. But if you want a classic primavera, choose fresh and crisp vegetables. This recipe also calls for chicken breast, which makes it a full meal in itself, but you can remove the chicken to make it a side dish for your fish.

Pasta with zucchini, carrots, red bell pepper, garlic and parmesan. Primavera Traditional Italian Vegetable Pasta
Add in other crisp vegetables like carrots and bell peppers to your pasta primavera.

Butternut Squash, Chard, and Spinach Lasagna

This butternut squash, chard, and spinach lasagna is another great way to get in your veggies with your pasta side dish. This recipe, in particular, is great to get in your leafy greens. Swiss chard is a great source of vitamins A, C, and K. Spinach also contains a lot of important minerals our bodies need. Pair this together in a lasagna with your fish for protein, and you'll have a well-rounded meal.

alt
Stocked with nutrients, this lasagna offers great nutrition for your family.

Garlic Parmesan Pasta

This garlic parmesan pasta is creamy, buttery, and everything you want in a pasta dish. This dish is great if you have any picky eaters in your home. It's hard not to like buttery noodles. It's also great if you're in a pinch for time. This can be cooked in under 30 minutes. What makes this dish so delicious is that the pasta cooks in a sauce made with chicken broth, butter, garlic, and cream.

Creamy Tomato Basil Pasta

This creamy tomato basil pasta is full of flavor. It's easy and simple to make and is great in the Summer when the basil and tomatoes are in season. So, if you have a garden and are growing excess tomatoes, this recipe is perfect to keep on hand. This is another dish that can be ready in about 30 minutes. It pairs super well with a fish accompaniment and a crisp white wine. While the pasta is cooking, you'll mix together and cook all the ingredients to make the delicious sauce.

Creamy Tomato Basil Pasta

This is a one-pan creamy tomato basil pasta. One-pan recipes are great because of how easy they are. This recipe is also great because the ingredients require little prep, which means it's also quick to pull together. All you have to do is cut up some tomatoes, and everything else can be used as is. These ingredients include basil, cream, marinara sauce, spinach, mozzarella, and seasonings.

Spaghetti Alla Nerano

This spaghetti alla nerano is delicious and is loved by actor Stanley Tucci, who featured this dish on his show “Searching for Italy.” He stated that this dish is one of the best things he's ever eaten, and we agree. Spaghetti alla nerano is creamy but light and has a great texture. What's fun about this dish is that the zucchini is fried, giving it a crunch that you might not be used to in pasta, but it is delightful. This dish also requires minimal ingredients. The recipe calls for zucchini, oil, basil, spaghetti noodles, and parmesan cheese.

Garlic Parmesan Broccoli Pasta

This garlic parmesan broccoli pasta is another one-pot pasta recipe. It's full of flavor as the noodles are cooked in the delicious sauce. It's also another great recipe to get in those veggies. This recipe is very simple and calls for noodles, broccoli, chicken broth, milk, cream cheese, parmesan, garlic, white wine, olive oil, and seasonings. You can substitute your pasta for different shapes, but small kinds of pasta are best, like large elbow macaroni or medium shells.

Cilantro Lime Pasta Salad

This cilantro lime pasta salad is a great way to keep your meal bright if you want citrus to be a prominent flavor in your fish dinner. It's also loaded with veggies and is a great recipe in the Summer. This recipe calls for bowtie pasta, tomatoes, corn, red onion, garlic, avocado, greek yogurt, cilantro, fresh lime juice, and seasonings. Although it calls for bowtie pasta, you can use another type of short pasta like rotini. While the pasta boils. all you need to do is cut up the tomato, onion, and cilantro and mix together all the ingredients for the dressing. Then, you mix all the ingredients with the pasta to get this delicious pasta salad.

Simple Sesame Noodles

This sesame noodles recipe is a great side dish if you're making an Asian-inspired fish like teriyaki salmon. If you've never had sesame noodles, you're in for a treat. These noodles have a deep umami flavor that is so good you'll keep going back for seconds. It's also really easy and only requires that you make a pan sauce to mix in your noodles. This sauce is made with soy sauce, rice vinegar, sesame oil, sugar, dried ginger, chili garlic sauce, and garlic. It's important to note that this dish is on the drier side and isn't super saucy, so if you like a lot of sauce, double the amount of ingredients for the sauce. Also, if you want to take this recipe to the next level, you can use fresh ginger and garlic for that extra burst of flavor.

Coleslaw Orzo Salad

This coleslaw orzo salad is a fun twist on pasta salad. It's crunchy, citrusy, and has some sweetness. In a lot of Caribbean cultures, they will pair a bright and citrusy coleslaw with a piece of cooked fish. That's why this pasta salad will pair super well with your fish dinner. This recipe calls for orzo pasta, coleslaw mix, slivered almonds, dried cranberries, scallions, orange juice, rice vinegar, olive oil, honey, dijon mustard, and seasonings. Although you can add in the slivered almonds as is, if you want to add some more flavor, you can toast them to bring out their warm, nutty flavor.

Pasta E Piselli (Pasta and Peas)

Pasta e piselli is a super easy yet tasty dish. It's Neapolitan-inspired and is made with a short pasta and peas. It can almost be described as a cross between a soup and a pasta dish. It's super easy and can be pulled together in under 30 minutes with minimal ingredients. This recipe calls for ditalini pasta, frozen peas, parmesan, one shallot, olive oil, and fresh bail.

Garlic Mushroom Pasta

This garlic mushroom pasta is full of flavor. It is a deep and savory dish, but it can be brightened up easily with some lemon juice or zest. Cooking with mushrooms is so fun because they soak up whatever flavor of the ingredients you're cooking them in. In this case, you'll cook them with garlic and butter. If you want to brighten it up, this is when I would add in the lemon juice. Once the mushrooms are sauteed, you add in chicken broth to finish cooking them. Then add in the pasta and mix it all together with some parmesan cheese and salt and pepper to taste, and this dish is ready to go.

Vegan Lemon Pasta

This creamy lemon pasta is great if you need a vegan and gluten-free pasta dish. How do you make this pasta creamy if it's vegan? Easy answer! Instead of using a cream, you'll use coconut milk, and for the cheese, purchase a vegan parmesan cheese. While you boil the noodles, you'll cook together the delicious creamy and zesty sauce. Once the noodles are ready, you'll mix them into the pan with the sauce and top it with fresh parsley.

Caprese Pasta Salad

If you love fresh mozzarella, then this caprese pasta salad is for you. This pasta salad combines all the flavors and ingredients of a caprese salad but adds in pasta to make it more filling. It's super simple and only requires a few ingredients: grape tomatoes, mozzarella pearls, fresh basil, pasta, oil, vinegar, lemon juice, and seasonings. All you'll have to do is cook the pasta, cut the tomatoes and basil, and then mix all the ingredients together.

Pesto Pasta Salad

This is similar to the pasta salad above! But make it pesto. This recipe calls for many of the same ingredients as the caprese pasta salad but adds in a few more flavors. In this recipe, add pesto sauce, red onions, and pepperoncini to brighten up the flavors. Although you can purchase pesto at the store, the best way to make this recipe the most delicious is to make homemade pesto. If you've never made homemade pesto, it's so easy and absolutely worth the extra bit of effort to make. It's made with oil, basil (or kale or spinach if you don't have basil), and a nut like pine or walnuts.

Creamy Sun Dried Tomato Pasta

If you've never tried sun-dried tomatoes in your pasta, then this is a great recipe for you to try and pair with your fish. Sun-dried tomatoes bring a bright and tangy flavor to your dish, which balances out this recipe well since you'll be making a creamy sauce. This recipe is super easy and can be ready in under 30 minutes with minimal ingredients. It calls for pasta, butter, garlic, flour, white wine, heavy cream, sun-dried tomatoes, cheese, and seasonings. Not only is this dish delicious, but it's colorful and will look beautiful on your plate.

Lemon Ricotta Pasta

This one is for all the ricotta lovers out there. This recipe tastes fresh and is easy and delicious. Although you can use low-fat ricotta if you're trying to reduce calories, it is recommended to use full-fat ricotta because of its flavor and texture. This recipe is super easy and quick, where you make the sauce while the pasta is boiling. Mix together the lemon juice, ricotta cheese, olive oil, and parmesan cheese. If you want to add in some spice, you can use red chili flakes in the sauce, or you can top it on each dish when it's served.

Creamy Cauliflower Rigatoni Pasta

This is another great recipe to help sneak in some vegetables, especially if you have picky eaters. The cauliflower in the recipe is easily hidden since cauliflower has such a mild flavor, and it's cooked down and dissolved into the sauce. Although you can use fresh cauliflower for this recipe, it will take less time and effort if you decide to use frozen cauliflower. If you'd like to add in some texture and crunch, you can also make garlic breadcrumbs to top the dish with. This recipe calls for cauliflower, onion, fresh garlic, thyme, stock, and cream. If you decide the make the breadcrumbs, then you'll need butter, garlic, and ciabatta bread.

Spinach Artichoke Pasta

This spinach and artichoke pasta is great for anyone who likes spinach artichoke dip. Take that, but make it into a full side dish! This recipe is also great if you want to keep your meal bright. The artichokes in this meal offer a great bright and tangy flavor, and the spinach ensures you're getting tons of nutrients. This dish is made creamy with cream cheese but has a good flavor from the vegetable stock. This dish can also be made with all types of pasta, even though the recipe calls for penne. But you can use any other kind like spaghetti, fusilli, or linguine.

Tortellini with Pesto and Roasted Veggies

Not only is this tortellini with pesto and roasted veggies beautiful with all of the colors it's full of, but it's also full of flavor and absolutely delicious. This recipe is a great way to dress up tortellini. As you may know, sometimes tortellini can be a bit dry. But all the veggies in this dish bring a liquid that balances it out. This recipe calls for cheese tortellini, red bell pepper, red onion, mushrooms, tomatoes, zucchini, yellow squash, spinach, garlic, oil, pesto, and parmesan cheese. Don't forget, if you really want this dish to stand out, try to make fresh pesto sauce! It takes little effort and really makes a difference in your dish.

One-Pot Greek Spaghetti

This one-pot is great if you're wanting to make a Mediterranean meal. There are so many ingredients in this recipe that have bright and bold flavors that make it super yummy. And because this is a one-pot recipe, it's super easy, and you can have it ready in under 30 minutes. This recipe calls for noodles, minced garlic, capers, kalamata olives, cherry tomatoes, feta cheese, and fresh basil leaves. First, you saute the garlic, then add in the cooked noodles, cut-up vegetables, and feta cheese. Mix it all together until the flavors combine and everything is coated in the sauce made from sauteeing the garlic. Although this dish calls to be served warm, it's similar to pasta salad and can be served cold if preferred. But, to serve cold, I would suggest a different style of pasta noodles.

The post 21 Pasta Dishes for Fish – Easy, Delicious & Perfect Pairings appeared first on Moms Who Think.

]]>
https://www.momswhothink.com/pasta-dishes-for-fish-easy-delicious-perfect-pairings/feed/ 0
15 Rice Side Dishes for BBQ – From Easy to Low-Calorie https://www.momswhothink.com/rice-side-dishes-for-bbq-from-easy-to-low-calorie/ https://www.momswhothink.com/rice-side-dishes-for-bbq-from-easy-to-low-calorie/#respond Mon, 20 Nov 2023 20:21:27 +0000 https://www.momswhothink.com/rice-side-dishes-for-bbq-from-easy-to-low-calorie/ The post 15 Rice Side Dishes for BBQ – From Easy to Low-Calorie appeared first on Moms Who Think.

Getting ready to cook up a barbecue and looking for some rice side dishes? First, it's important to know there are so many different kinds of barbecue you can cook. If you're looking at barbecue styles worldwide, there are over 30 different kinds of barbecue you can enjoy. Some famous ones include North or South Carolina-style barbecue, Texas-style barbecue, Hawaiian-style barbecue, Chicago-style barbecue, Alabama-style barbecue, Argentinian-style barbecue, Mexican-style barbecue, Brazilian-style barbecue, and Korean-style barbecue. With each of these styles of barbecue come different flavors. For example, North Carolina barbecue will have a vinegar-based barbecue sauce, whereas Hawaiian barbecue uses soy and teriyaki sauces. Each of these styles of barbecue will call for different dishes and flavors.

Some common side dishes for American barbecue include coleslaw, mac and cheese, collard greens, corn, pasta salad, rice, baked beans, and more. But today, we're going to focus and take a look at some rice side dishes for your barbecue. Here are 15 rice recipes to try that cater to U.S. and North American barbecue flavors.

Cheesy Cabbage Rice Casserole

A rice casserole is a great dish to make a side for a barbecue. Often, making the meats takes a lot of effort and time, so making a casserole where you can throw all the ingredients together and then bake it in the oven is an easy way to add on this side. Not only is this dish filling since it's made of rice, but it's also a great way to get in some veggies since it has cabbage. This recipe also calls for ground beef if you want more protein, but you can remove it for a vegetarian option.

Rice casserole with barbecue chicken breast, cheese and vegetables
Casseroles are a great way to make a side dish that requires little effort.

Cheeseburger Rice

This is another rice dish that contains ground beef. If you want to add in some extra protein, you can add this in! Or if you just want it to be a rice dish, it can be removed. This recipe is super easy and uses simple ingredients, including rice, cheddar cheese, ketchup, and mustard.

Homemade stewed rice bake with cheese,  and tomato sauce.
Cheeseburger casserole is a hardy meal that can be ready in under 30 minutes.

Cauliflower Rice Mac and Cheese

If you're looking for a lower-calorie side dish, this cauliflower rice mac and cheese is a great option. It is mixed with elbow macaroni as well as cauliflower rice. Cauliflower is very low in calories, so for any dish, regular rice can be substituted with cauliflower rice to lower the calories in the dish. This recipe also calls for butter, garlic powder, cream cheese, heavy cream, cheddar cheese, and milk.

Southwestern Skillet Rice

Southwestern skillet rice is especially a great side dish if you're making a Mexican barbecue. It's made with rice that is seasoned with chili powder, cumin, and garlic, and it's made up of tomatoes, black beans, corn, bell peppers, and onions. These veggies also make it a very colorful dish that will bring life to your plate. This recipe is super easy and can be ready in under 30 minutes.

Cheesy Rice

Cheesy rice is a great side dish for making barbecue. Cheese is a famous ingredient when it comes to southern barbecue in America. Most often, you'll find mac and cheese as one of the side dishes. But if you have rice at home instead of pasta, this recipe is a great alternative. This recipe calls for rice, chicken broth, cheddar cheese, whole milk, butter, onion, paprika, salt and pepper.

Cowboy Brown Rice Salad

This cowboy brown rice salad could be a great side dish for both Texas-style and Mexican-style barbecues. It's fresh and creamy and makes a great side dish in the Summer season. It's super easy and just requires cooking rice and cutting up veggies. This recipe calls for rice, black beans, tomatoes, bell pepper, corn, red onion, cilantro, and avocado with oil, lime juice, and seasonings for the dressing.

BBQ Cheesy Rice

If you're looking for a dish that looks and feels like barbecue, then this barbecue cheesy rice dish is just what you're looking for. With a good smokiness, it will pair perfectly with your main dishes that are being smoked or cooked on the grill. Rice will soak in the flavor of the liquid you cook it in, so cooking it in barbecue sauce is what gives this rice its great flavor.

Cheesy Rice and Vegetable Bake

This is another great dish if you're looking to work in some veggies for your barbecue. It's a casserole dish which makes it super easy to make. Although this recipe calls for certain veggies, you can substitute them with your favorite veggies or whatever you have on hand. For this recipe, you'll use onions, carrots, squash, zucchini, rice, broth, cheddar cheese, and seasonings.

Southern Red Rice

This Charleston red rice is a classic Southern low countryside dish. It also goes by the names Savannah red rice, Gullah Red rice, or Lowcountry red rice. It's full of flavor because the rice is cooked with bacon, garlic, tomato paste, and onions. Once you cook the bacon on the stovetop, you add in all the other ingredients to cook together. This recipe can be ready in about an hour.

Easy Bell Pepper Rice Salad

Brown rice is considered a healthier alternative to white rice, it’s also more filling because of its fiber content. Usually, brown rice has a nuttier flavor and a chewier texture, and pairing it with some bell peppers and shallots adds a pop of color and flavor. Topped with feta, this side will surely get a lot of love at your cookout.

Dirty Red Beans and Rice

Dirty rice is a true Southern classic, and adding some red beans is a way to add plenty of protein to this staple dish. Red beans and dirty rice have been feeding families for a long time, and the ingredients couldn’t be simpler. Plus, using ready-to-go cajun seasoning can make it really easy to spice up the rice.

Hawaiian Pineapple Rice

Pineapple may or may not belong on pizza, but it certainly belongs in rice. This pineapple rice originates in Hawaii and is subtly sweet and ready in around 20 minutes. When you add in garnishes like lime, green onion, and a little butter, this dish turns from something pretty plain into something that feels a little more elevated. It’s a great dish for your Hawaiian barbecue. 

Three Bean Salad with Rice

Rice isn’t the main star of this bean salad, but it really helps to create a well-rounded dish. It’s a good starch and has protein. It’s made with minute rice, and if you go with canned beans, this side can be thrown together in minutes. The flavor of this dish comes from its delicious dressing. This is a party pleaser whether it’s served hot or cold.

Savoury Rice

Need a lower-calorie rice option that isn’t just plain rice? This savoury rice is much better than standard packer mixes and usually tastes better too!  It’s also vegetarian, so it’s a great side for people who may not be eating the main dish. If this is the case, you can make it into a full meal by adding in veggies and potatoes.

Salsa Rice

Plain rice is generally pretty boring, but it makes for the perfect canvas for all sorts of flavors. With a few pantry staples, you can turn plain rice into something wonderfully tasty. Salsa rice is just that. All you need is rice, veggie broth, and your favorite salsa. You can also add a little butter if you want to make it extra flavorful. Adding salsa to your pre-cooked rice lets it soak up all that amazing flavor and only requires you to dump in a jar of your favorite salsa.

https://www.pinterest.com/pin/818599669790154064/

The post 15 Rice Side Dishes for BBQ – From Easy to Low-Calorie appeared first on Moms Who Think.

]]>
https://www.momswhothink.com/rice-side-dishes-for-bbq-from-easy-to-low-calorie/feed/ 0
25 Keto Side Dishes for BBQ https://www.momswhothink.com/keto-side-dishes-for-bbq-2/ https://www.momswhothink.com/keto-side-dishes-for-bbq-2/#respond Mon, 20 Nov 2023 17:38:42 +0000 https://www.momswhothink.com/?p=204362&preview=true&preview_id=204362 The post 25 Keto Side Dishes for BBQ appeared first on Moms Who Think.

One of the best parts of having a barbeque is all the sides you get to eat. Now, if you're on keto, that does change what you can eat, but you can still make and eat some delicious keto side dishes! Remember, when on keto, you're aiming for a high protein, high fat, and low carbs. This will help your body enter into ketosis. Ketosis is a metabolic state that helps you burn fat for energy instead of burning glucose. This helps many people lose weight quicker as well as increase energy. If you're looking for a cheat sheet to ensure you follow all the keto rules, check out this guide.

When cooking a barbeque, make sure the sauces you are using are also keto-friendly. This is where many people accidentally fall off their diet without even knowing it. You could be eating keto-friendly foods, but if your condiments and sauces aren't keto, it will ruin your chances of getting your body into ketosis. Now that we've covered that, let's check out these delicious keto side dishes.

Factor 75 - Save $120 with Factor Meals!
  • Fresh, Never-Frozen Meals: A new menu of 30+ dietitian-designed options every week.
  • Cooked to Perfection: Prepared by gourmet chefs and delivered fresh to you.
  • Zero Prep, No Mess: Just heat and enjoy in minutes.
We earn a commission if you make a purchase, at no additional cost to you.

Keto-Friendly Sausage and Sage Stuffing

fried Italian sausage of freshly ground pork meat and spices on white plate with fork on white wooden textured table, horizontal view from above
Many delicious keto recipes use sausage as the main protein.

Sausage is one of the most flavorful meats and helps add protein and spices to keto side dishes. Using it in stuffing (made with almond flour) helps keep the flavor with none of the carbs.

Broccoli Cheese Bake

millet casserole with broccoli and cheese. the toning. selective focus
There are three different types of broccoli: broccoli Rabe, broccolini, and Calabrese.

Broccoli has two grams of net carbs per half cup, making it a great option for keto dishes that need to be low in carbs. This cheese bake will make your broccoli delicious, savory, and creamy.

Greek Salad

Greek salad is a great option because the dressing usually consists of herbs, spices, oil, and vinegar, all of which are low-calorie and keto. The body of the salad, veggies, cheese, and olives are also keto. Together, the salad is easy to toss together and super tasty.

Cauliflower Potato Salad

Cauliflower potato salad's name is a bit deceiving since it doesn't technically have any potatoes. Instead, replace them with cauliflower florets and have a crunchy, zesty potato salad as a perfect keto side dish.

Keto Mac And Cheese

How is mac and cheese keto? Easy! It uses cauliflower instead. It's not lacking in flavor, either, since it uses bacon, cheese, and all the other goodies that make things taste better.

Lemon Shredded Brussels Sprouts Salad

Brussels sprouts are a very high-fiber, healthy food. Adding in the lemon juice and zest ensures this dish is bright, and using a simple-to-make dressing with Dijon mustard and oil guarantees it stays low-calorie and keto. Make sure to substitute the maple syrup with a keto option!

Cauliflower Mashed Potatoes

Cauliflower is one of the best keto-substitutions around. This dish looks and feels just like mashed potatoes but cuts calories and carbs by subbing out the starches. Adding the cheese and bacon makes sure it's tasty but still keto.

Factor 75 - Save $120 with Factor Meals!
  • Fresh, Never-Frozen Meals: A new menu of 30+ dietitian-designed options every week.
  • Cooked to Perfection: Prepared by gourmet chefs and delivered fresh to you.
  • Zero Prep, No Mess: Just heat and enjoy in minutes.
We earn a commission if you make a purchase, at no additional cost to you.

Keto Zucchini Au Gratin

Another way to sub out potatoes in a dish, zucchini au gratin is a low-calorie take on a steakhouse classic. You won't miss the potatoes since the melted cheese makes up for them with plenty of richness.

Loaded Radishes

When you roast a root vegetable, you often get a deep and meaty flavor. This keto side dish does just that. Think loaded fries, but instead of high-carb fries, you use low-carb radishes.

Fried Cabbage

Cabbage is a southern staple. Frying it and adding some bacon and seasonings gives you a dish loaded with flavor without all the carbs. It's the best of both worlds.

Avocado Kale Salad

Kale is a superfood for a reason. Leafy greens make up the body of this dish, and the creaminess of the avocado really helps to make this a salad that feels like a whole meal, not just a side. Plus, you get a touch of protein with the added egg.

Bacon Wrapped Green Beans

Bacon and green beans are both keto and together, they are better than alone! The trick is to wrap more than one green bean with bacon, ensuring that the entire bunch gets to soak in the bacon fat and all the flavor along with it.

Asparagus With Brown Butter Hollandaise

Another asparagus dish, only this time, with a delicious brown butter hollandaise sauce. Hollandaise sauce is super rich and creamy and the perfect addition to a usually plain veggie, like asparagus.

Keto Coleslaw

Many types of coleslaw are naturally keto. This recipe helps to guarantee that's the case. It's crunchy, slightly sweet, and creamy but also super easy to make in large batches as a side dish for gatherings.

Factor 75 - Save $120 with Factor Meals!
  • Fresh, Never-Frozen Meals: A new menu of 30+ dietitian-designed options every week.
  • Cooked to Perfection: Prepared by gourmet chefs and delivered fresh to you.
  • Zero Prep, No Mess: Just heat and enjoy in minutes.
We earn a commission if you make a purchase, at no additional cost to you.

Keto Street Style Cauliflower

Keto doesn't have to be flavorless, and this dish proves it! Taking inspiration from Mexican flavors and cuisines, this street-style cauliflower uses charred veggies, bright cilantro, and cheese. Plus, the sauce is fantastic and adds a ton of depth.

Rainbow Slaw With Peanut Dressing

Another coleslaw, this one is Asian-inspired and uses a peanut sauce instead of a mayonnaise base. Since peanut butter only has 3.5 grams of net carbs per two tablespoons, this dish is a great option that is also low-carb.

Air Fryer Jicama Fries

Jicama is a magical little vegetable that has a very similiar makeup to a turnip. It can be fried, however, and used to make all sorts of things. Jicama is extremely low-calorie and low-carb, making it the perfect option to recreate a classic like french fries.

Keto Potato Salad

Here's another potato salad recipe, only this time it doesn't have potatoes or cauliflower. Instead, this recipe uses rutabaga, which is a root vegetable that is somewhat similar to a turnip. This version also adds gherkins and dill to the dressing for added flavor.

Tajin Cucumber Salad

Tajin is a staple Hispanic seasoning that is used on everything from candy to veggies. This recipe uses cucumbers and seasons with Tajin, making it subtly spicy and full of flavor without adding extra carbs or calories.

Keto Collard Greens

Collard greens are dark leafy greens, but they are far from flavorless. In this easy instant pot or stovetop version, you can add bacon or other meat to deepen the flavor without adding carbs. Collards are a Southern classic and perfect for all sorts of gatherings, BBQ included.

Keto Onion Rings

Generally, breading isn't keto-friendly, but this version uses almond flour to get the crispy exterior without the carbs that come with standard flour. Since onions are naturally keto, this keto side dish is very low carb and, with the added dip, just as good as anything you get at a restaurant.

Factor 75 - Save $120 with Factor Meals!
  • Fresh, Never-Frozen Meals: A new menu of 30+ dietitian-designed options every week.
  • Cooked to Perfection: Prepared by gourmet chefs and delivered fresh to you.
  • Zero Prep, No Mess: Just heat and enjoy in minutes.
We earn a commission if you make a purchase, at no additional cost to you.

Avocado Fries

Another fried-yet-still-crispy option, these keto avocado fries are made by breading slices of avocado with low-carb flour, in this case, almond flour. It also uses parmesan cheese for some added depth of flavor and crispiness.

Fresh Grilled Vegetables

Grilled vegetables are a grill-out staple and great for BBQ dishes. This version uses zucchini, onions, peppers, and mushrooms. All of these veggies are low calorie and low carb. The marinade that they are soaked in adds a lot of flavor without adding carbs.

Keto Cornbread

Cornbread is another Southern staple, and this version uses almond flour to make up the body of the bread. It also uses eggs for added protein and to help provide structure since there isn't any gluten, as there normally would be in standard flour.

Keto Stuffed Peppers

Stuffed peppers always look great when displayed, but they taste great, too. This version is filled with hamburger meat (keto-friendly) and topped with cheese and scallions. Plus, since it uses peppers as the cups, they are dish and cleanup-friendly, too!

Factor 75 - Save $120 with Factor Meals!
  • Fresh, Never-Frozen Meals: A new menu of 30+ dietitian-designed options every week.
  • Cooked to Perfection: Prepared by gourmet chefs and delivered fresh to you.
  • Zero Prep, No Mess: Just heat and enjoy in minutes.
We earn a commission if you make a purchase, at no additional cost to you.

The post 25 Keto Side Dishes for BBQ appeared first on Moms Who Think.

]]>
https://www.momswhothink.com/keto-side-dishes-for-bbq-2/feed/ 0
16 Side Dishes for Chicken & Rice – Delicious & Easy https://www.momswhothink.com/side-dishes-for-chicken-rice-delicious-easy/ https://www.momswhothink.com/side-dishes-for-chicken-rice-delicious-easy/#respond Fri, 17 Nov 2023 20:24:36 +0000 https://www.momswhothink.com/side-dishes-for-chicken-rice-delicious-easy/ The post 16 Side Dishes for Chicken & Rice – Delicious & Easy appeared first on Moms Who Think.

Are you making chicken and rice for dinner but looking for another delicious and easy side to add to your meal? For a well-rounded meal, try adding some fruits and veggies through delicious and easy sides. Check out these side dishes for chicken and rice that are easy and delicious.

Broccoli Cheese Bake

This broccoli cheese bake is super easy. Cook up some frozen broccoli, and then mix it with Velveeta cheese and seasonings. It all goes in the oven together for about 25 minutes and then it's ready.

millet casserole with broccoli and cheese. the toning. selective focus
Broccoli and cheese are two ingredients that make a warming and nostalgic dish.

Green Bean and Pecan Salad

This green bean and pecan salad will be great for adding some color to your plate. Start by toasting the pecans, and while those cook you can steam your beans in the microwave. Mix the beans with the pecans and add dressing, and this salad is tasty and ready to go.

Green Bean and Pecan Salad
Green bean and pecan salad offers the freshness of green beans and a sweet nutty flavor from the pecans.

Roasted Asparagus with Feta Cheese

Roasted asparagus is easy to throw in the oven, but want to take it up a notch? Adding feta cheese makes this dish worthwhile. You'll also add fresh garlic, lemon zest, and a handful of seasonings to fill it with flavor.

Warm salad with asparagus, feta cheese, pine nuts and lemon
Brighten up your asparagus with feta cheese and a squeeze of lemon.

Roasted Cauliflower with Garlic

Cauliflower can be plain on its own, so boost it with flavor by adding fresh garlic. This recipe is easy, just cut up the cauliflower, prep the garlic, mix in all the seasonings, and roast in the oven for 30 minutes.

baked cauliflower on a black background. french cuisine
Add a ton of flavor to your cauliflower by cooking it with fresh garlic.

Broccoli Salad

Tired of plain old broccoli? Switch it up by making this broccoli salad. Made with red onion, bacon, sliced almonds, and a sweet dressing, this salad is full of flavor, color, and texture.

Vinegar Coleslaw

This vinegar coleslaw is a great side dish for chicken and rice to brighten up your meal. What's great about homemade coleslaw is that it's so easy to throw together. This recipe calls for green cabbage, carrot, onion, olive oil, apple cider vinegar, honey, dijon mustard, and salt and pepper to taste.

Collard Greens

If you've ever made homemade collard greens, you know they are an act of love, but they sure are worth it. Although it takes a few hours, these greens are a great veggie to add to your chicken and rice dinner.

Southern Style Mac and Cheese

Homemade mac and cheese is often a family favorite. If you don't already have a go-to recipe, try this Southern-style mac and cheese. It's made with noodles, butter, flour, milk, heavy cream, shredded cheese, and seasonings.

Candied Yams

If you're looking for something sweet to add to your meal, then these candied yams are it. They are made with sweet potatoes, brown sugar, white sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, vanilla, and orange juice concentrate.

Maple Dijon Brussels Salad

Shaving Brussels sprouts makes for a delicious and nutritious salad. This sweet and savory recipe features a maple dijon vinaigrette. It's simple with only brussels, shallot, and walnut in the salad.

Southern Green Beans

These are not your average green beans, made with bacon and chicken broth, these green beans get infused with flavor by cooking together on the stovetop for an hour. When serving these beans, make sure to top them with a splash of the juice, it's full of flavor!

Garlic Butter Parmesan Potatoes

There's something about baby potatoes that makes a potato dish superior. These garlic butter parmesan potatoes are full of flavor and are so easy to make. Coat the potatoes with garlic, seasonings, and parmesan, and cook in the oven for 25 minutes.

Cowboy Caviar

This dish is great in the Summer and will add a ton of color and flavor to your plate. Cowboy caviar is made with corn, black beans, jalapeno, red bell pepper, red onion, and avocado.

Anastasia's Best Ever Baked Beans

If you need a side dish that is more hands-off, these baked beans are great. All you have to do is mix together canned beans with some onions, condiments, and seasonings, and they cook in the oven for about two hours.

Elote Mexican Corn Salad

This recipe is another way to spice up veggies you might have a hard time getting your kids to eat. This Elote corn salad is full of flavor. It's made with corn, red onion, cotija cheese, sour cream, mayonnaise, lime juice, cumin, paprika, chili powder, cilantro, salt, and pepper.

Watermelon, Cucumber & Feta Salad

Want to include some fruit in your dinner? This watermelon, cucumber, and feta salad is light and refreshing with a mint and lime dressing. Simply cut up the watermelon and cucumber, then mix together with feta cheese, fresh mint, lime juice, olive oil, salt, and pepper

Recipe Card

And for a delicious main dish, try out one of our favorite chicken recipes. Enjoy!

Print
Homemade chicken fillet baked with ranch

Baked Parmesan Garlic Chicken


1 Star2 Stars3 Stars4 Stars5 Stars (No Ratings Yet)
Loading…

  • Author: MomsWhoThink.com

Ingredients

Units
  • 1 cup grated Parmesan cheese
  • 1 package Good Seasons Italian Dressing mix
  • 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 6 boneless skinless chicken breast halves

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
  2. Mix cheese, dressing mix, and garlic powder.
  3. Moisten chicken breasts with water; coat with cheese mixture. Place in a shallow baking dish.
  4. Bake 20 to 25 min. or until chicken is no longer pink in the center.

The post 16 Side Dishes for Chicken & Rice – Delicious & Easy appeared first on Moms Who Think.

]]>
https://www.momswhothink.com/side-dishes-for-chicken-rice-delicious-easy/feed/ 0
25 Healthy Sides for Tacos – From Corn to Rice https://www.momswhothink.com/healthy-sides-for-tacos-from-corn-to-rice/ https://www.momswhothink.com/healthy-sides-for-tacos-from-corn-to-rice/#respond Thu, 16 Nov 2023 21:45:22 +0000 https://www.momswhothink.com/healthy-sides-for-tacos-from-corn-to-rice/ The post 25 Healthy Sides for Tacos – From Corn to Rice appeared first on Moms Who Think.

Are you making tacos for dinner but looking for some delicious and healthy side dishes? From corn, rice, roasted veggies, and a variety of salads, there will be a recipe for you where you can enjoy all the great flavors of Mexican cuisine. Try any of these 25 healthy sides for tacos on your next taco night.

Try Home Chef - Family Meals Made Easy
  • 4-serving meals starting at $3.77 per serving (up to 25% cheaper than HelloFresh).
  • Incredible variety with 10+ weekly meal options, delivered directly to you.
  • Easy to prepare meals ready in 30-minutes or less.
We earn a commission if you make a purchase, at no additional cost to you.

Spanish Rice

Spanish rice in a cast iron skillet
Spanish rice is easy to make with just a few simple ingredients.

Making Spanish rice with your tacos will be a classic side dish. If you ever get tacos at a Mexican restaurant, it's likely they will come with rice and beans. This recipe will help you make delicious rice just like you can get from the restaurant. Please note that this recipe is intended to be a main dish with chicken added, but you can remove the chicken to make it a side. It's made with onions, green peppers, tomato sauce, garlic, and seasonings.

Corn

Organic Yellow Steamed Corn in a Bowl
Corn is popular because of its mild and sweet taste.

This recipe is just about how you can make simple ol' corn. Making corn can be a great side for tacos if you're short on time. It's super easy to make but is delicious even without being done up. You can cook corn in a few different ways. You can boil it, roast it, or even microwave it.

Mexican Street Corn Salad

If you want to make your corn a little more fancy, try this spicy Mexican street corn salad. It's the perfect side dish to pair with tacos or even fajitas. And if you don't like spicy, don't worry, it can be made mild. It's made with corn, jalapeno, red onion, cilantro, mayonnaise, fresco cheese, fresh lime juice, and seasonings.

Black Bean Corn Salsa

Have you ever heard of cowboy caviar? That's what this black bean corn salsa is. It's super easy and just requires that you chop up some ingredients and mix them together with dressing and seasoning. It's made with black beans, corn, red onion, red bell pepper, scallions, cilantro, lime juice, olive oil, and seasonings.

Try Home Chef - Family Meals Made Easy
  • 4-serving meals starting at $3.77 per serving (up to 25% cheaper than HelloFresh).
  • Incredible variety with 10+ weekly meal options, delivered directly to you.
  • Easy to prepare meals ready in 30-minutes or less.
We earn a commission if you make a purchase, at no additional cost to you.

Easy Cilantro Lime Slaw

This cilantro lime slaw recipe is super easy and can be ready in just 10 minutes. It's a light and fresh recipe that can work great as a side for tacos. It's also good to use on top of your tacos as well. The recipe calls for cole slaw mix, green onions, greek yogurt, cilantro, lime juice, fresh garlic, jalapeno, and seasonings.

Tomato Avocado Salad

Made with fresh ingredients, you'll want to make a lot of this tomato avocado salad because it can be addictive. This recipe is a cross between salsa and a salad and is a great summer side dish when all the vegetables are in season. It's made with tomatoes, avocado, red onion, cilantro, olive oil, lime, fresh garlic, and seasonings.

Quick and Easy Refried Beans

This is another staple recipe when you're making Mexican for dinner. These beans are super easy to make, and they are a healthier version of refried beans since technically these are not refried. This recipe is made with pinto beans, onions, fresh garlic, and seasonings.

Mexican Roasted Cauliflower

This Mexican roasted cauliflower recipe is great if you're looking for something that is paleo, vegan, gluten-free, and whole30-friendly. Cauliflower is a very healthy veggie, and this recipe will spice it up since cauliflower is very plain. You just need to mix up the cauliflower with olive oil, chili powder, garlic powder, onion powder, cumin, and salt and pepper. Then, once it's cooked, you'll top it with cilantro, red onion, fresh lime juice, and avocado.

Try Home Chef - Family Meals Made Easy
  • 4-serving meals starting at $3.77 per serving (up to 25% cheaper than HelloFresh).
  • Incredible variety with 10+ weekly meal options, delivered directly to you.
  • Easy to prepare meals ready in 30-minutes or less.
We earn a commission if you make a purchase, at no additional cost to you.

Roasted Mexican Zucchini

This roasted Mexican zucchini is great if you're looking for a low-carb side dish. It also pulls together rather quickly in just 20 minutes. Slice the zucchini and then mix it together with olive oil, salt, pepper, chili powder, garlic powder, onion powder, and cumin. Cook it in the oven for 15 minutes and serve it with cotija cheese, cilantro, and lime juice.

Fresh Mango Salsa with Avocado

This mango avocado salsa is a delicious, colorful, spicy, tangy, and fruity dish. It's easy to make and is loaded with nutrients. This is another great recipe to make in the Summer when the ingredients are in season. Mangos are in season during the hot Summer months. This recipe calls for mango, avocado, cucumber, red bell pepper, red onion, jalapeno, fresh garlic, cilantro, lime juice, and salt and pepper.

Kicked Up Black Beans

If you want to make sure your black beans are full of flavor, this easy kicked-up skillet black bean recipe is for you. It's made with onions, bell pepper, jalapeno, cumin, chili powder, chicken broth, and lime juice. First, cook the veggies in the skillet, then stir in the beans and the broth. Bring it all to a boil, and then reduce the heat for it to simmer until most of the liquid is gone. Finish it off with lime juice and fresh cilantro.

Mexican Street Style Roasted Carrots

These Mexican street-style roasted carrots are delicious. Besides being coated with spices, these carrots are served with a cilantro lime crema. First, season the carrots with cumin, brown sugar, chili powder, oregano, garlic powder, and smoked paprika. While those roast in the oven, make the cilantro lime crema by mixing Greek yogurt or sour cream, mayonnaise, lime juice, fresh garlic, cilantro, and cotija cheese.

Black Bean Taco Salad

This black bean taco salad is loaded with veggies and topped with a cream salsa dressing. Mix together some romaine lettuce, black beans, bell pepper, tomatoes, corn, green onion, cheddar cheese, and crushed tortilla chips. The dressing is made of sour cream, red salsa, cumin, lime, and salt. This recipe can be ready in under 30 minutes.

Try Home Chef - Family Meals Made Easy
  • 4-serving meals starting at $3.77 per serving (up to 25% cheaper than HelloFresh).
  • Incredible variety with 10+ weekly meal options, delivered directly to you.
  • Easy to prepare meals ready in 30-minutes or less.
We earn a commission if you make a purchase, at no additional cost to you.

Mexican Street Corn Brussels Sprouts

These Mexican street corn brussels sprouts are creamy and crispy. You can also choose to roast or air fry your Brussels, depending on what you have available in your kitchen. Season the Brussels sprouts with olive oil, salt, and pepper, and cook them how you choose. Next, make the street corn in a saucepan with mayonnaise, sour cream, lime juice, chili powder, paprika, and salt. Then toss the corn and Brussels sprouts together for the final product.

Taco Rice

This easy taco rice is a great side dish. It pairs perfectly with tacos, even burritos, and enchiladas. It is a little spicy, but you can customize it to your liking. You'll add all the ingredients into a saucepan and allow it to cook for 20 minutes once it's started boiling. This recipe calls for rice, chicken broth, southwest corn with poblano and red peppers, green chiles, chili powder, cumin, garlic powder, dried oregano, salt, and pepper. Then once it's done, stir in the cilantro, and it's ready.

Southwest Quinoa Salad

This southwest quinoa salad is a healthy black bean and corn salad that is vegan and gluten-free. It has a cumin-lime dressing and is a great side dish. The salad ingredients include quinoa, black beans, chickpeas, sweet corn, cherry tomatoes, red onion, and black olives. The dressing calls for lime juice, olive oil, cumin, chili powder, cilantro, and salt.

Mexican Sweet Potatoes

This recipe is so fun and colorful. Never thought you would pair sweet potatoes with tacos, did you? Well, these Mexican-style sweet potatoes are easy and delicious. They are basically healthy nachos, but sweet potatoes instead of chips. First, layer the sweet potatoes on a baking sheet and cook them in the oven. Then, transfer to a cast iron skillet and layer it with corn and cheese. Once done cooking, top it with jalapeno, avocado, red onion, and cilantro.

Calabacitas (Mexican Zucchini and Corn)

Calabacitas is a beloved Mexican dish made from sauteeing zucchini, squash, onions, corn, tomatoes, peppers, and cheese. It's a healthy and easy recipe to make. First, saute the onions and peppers, then add in the corn and tomatoes. You will add in the squash and zucchini last. Then, you'll make the sauce by melting shredded cheese and milk together. Top it all with cilantro and cotija cheese, and it's ready to go.

Mexican Roasted Vegetables

https://www.pinterest.com/pin/806144402065258881/

This is another easy and healthy recipe filled with vegetables. Once all the veggies are cut and prepped, season them with salt, pepper, garlic powder, chili powder, coriander, and olive oil. They'll cook in the oven for 15 minutes and will be ready once topped with cilantro and cotija cheese.

Mexican Kale Salad

Make sure you get your leafy greens with this easy Mexican salad recipe with lime vinaigrette. The salad consists of kale, red bell pepper, black beans, corn, cilantro, cotija cheese, and jalapeno. The dressing is made of fresh lime juice, olive oil, a fresh garlic clove, honey, cilantro, and salt and pepper.

Spanish Quinoa

This recipe is like the Spanish rice recipe at the top of the list, but make it quinoa! It's super easy and only requires five ingredients and one pot. The key to making delicious rice or quinoa is to infuse it with flavor while it's cooking. This quinoa is cooked with onions, salsa, and vegetable broth.

Try Home Chef - Family Meals Made Easy
  • 4-serving meals starting at $3.77 per serving (up to 25% cheaper than HelloFresh).
  • Incredible variety with 10+ weekly meal options, delivered directly to you.
  • Easy to prepare meals ready in 30-minutes or less.
We earn a commission if you make a purchase, at no additional cost to you.

Mexican Chickpea Salad

This recipe is quick and easy in just 15 minutes. It's also packed with protein from the garbanzo beans. Mix together chickpeas, red onions, cherry tomatoes, jalapeno pepper, cilantro, and avocado. Then, for the dressing, add olive oil, white wine vinegar, lime juice, fresh garlic, salt, and pepper.

Mexican Cucumber Salad

This Mexican cucumber salad is a twist on Mexican street corn. It just has cucumber to add some crunch. It's made with cucumber, corn, sour cream, mayonnaise, cotija cheese, lime, chili powder, red onion, fresh garlic, and cilantro. First, make the sauce with all the ingredients and spices, excluding the cucumber and corn. Then, mix in the veggies and make sure it is all well combined.

Slow Cooker Charro Beans

So far, we've covered black beans and refried beans, but these slow-cooker charro beans are full of flavor. Cooked with bacon, tomatoes, garlic, jalapenos, green chiles, cilantro, and spices, this recipe is basically effortless once you combine it. This is one of those recipes that you throw together really quickly in the morning before your day gets started. It will cook for up to 10 hours and will be ready by dinner time.

Cilantro Lime Rice

This cilantro lime rice recipe is perfect if you're looking for a simple rice recipe but something more than plain rice. You'll cook the rice in water for 25 minutes and then mix in oil, chopped cilantro, and lime juice before serving.

Recipe Card

Now that you have plenty of tasty side recipes to go with your tacos, you may need a recipe for your main dish. Try this delicious recipe. Enjoy!

Print
Mexican rice with tomatoes and onion served with cilantro

Tex-Mex Fried Rice


1 Star2 Stars3 Stars4 Stars5 Stars (No Ratings Yet)
Loading…

  • Author: MomsWhoThink.com

Ingredients

Units
  • 1 pound boneless skinless chicken breasts, cubed
  • 1 package (10 ounces) frozen corn, thawed
  • 1 medium green pepper, chopped
  • 1 medium onion, chopped
  • 2 teaspoons canola oil
  • 1 cup chicken broth
  • 1 cup medium salsa
  • 1 teaspoon chili powder
  • 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1 1/2 cups uncooked Minute Instant White Rice
  • 1/2 cup shredded reduced-fat cheddar cheese

Instructions

  1. In a large nonstick frying pan, sauté the chicken, corn, green pepper, and onion in oil until chicken juices run clear (about 7 to 9 minutes).
  2.  Stir in the broth, salsa, chili powder, cayenne pepper, and salt; bring to a boil.
  3. Add the rice. Cover and remove from the heat; let stand for 5 minutes.
  4. Fluff mixture with a fork. Sprinkle with cheese; cover and let stand for 3 minutes or until cheese is melted.

The post 25 Healthy Sides for Tacos – From Corn to Rice appeared first on Moms Who Think.

]]>
https://www.momswhothink.com/healthy-sides-for-tacos-from-corn-to-rice/feed/ 0
20 Easy Rice Side Dishes for Tuna Steaks https://www.momswhothink.com/rice-side-dishes-for-tuna-steaks/ https://www.momswhothink.com/rice-side-dishes-for-tuna-steaks/#respond Thu, 16 Nov 2023 00:32:26 +0000 https://www.momswhothink.com/rice-side-dishes-for-tuna-steaks/ The post 20 Easy Rice Side Dishes for Tuna Steaks appeared first on Moms Who Think.

Tuna steaks are a great option for a main dish. They are healthy, low in calories, and packed with nutrients, minerals, protein, and good fats. Deciding how to cook your tuna steaks? Check out how to cook tuna steak perfectly in four different ways. Generally, tuna steaks are cooked on the outside but left rare on the inside to keep it tender and moist. You can think of cooking it like steak, safe to eat and serve when rare on the inside. You can sear, bake, air fry, or grill tuna steaks. If you're looking for some delicious side dishes, rice makes a great pairing for tuna steaks. Here are 18 rice side dishes that will pair perfectly with your main dish.

1. Baked Savory Rice

Garlic Fried Rice Or Pulav using Basmati Rice and Lahsun, served with Dal Tadka over moody background, selective focus
You can use cauliflower rice if you're ever looking for a lower-calorie rice substitute.

Have you ever cooked rice in the oven? If you haven't, let this be your sign to try! This simple recipe makes making rice easy. By cooking your rice in the oven, you'll get a delicious crunch that forms on the top and sides. This recipe only requires white rice, onion, salt, and butter. Once all mixed together, it cooks in the oven for 30 minutes.

2. Spanish Rice

Spanish rice in a cast iron skillet
Spanish rice is full of flavor from cooking in tomato sauce.

There is a dish that originates from Spain where Spanish rice and tuna are mixed together into a dish, so your tuna steaks will pair well with this rice. This rice is made by cooking your rice with sauteed onions, green peppers, tomato sauce, and spices. Although this recipe calls for chicken, you can leave this part out to make it a side dish.

3. Healthy Fried Rice

Veg Schezwan Fried Rice in black bowl at dark slate background. Vegetarian Szechuan Rice is indo-chinese cuisine dish with bell peppers, green beans, carrot. Top view

Depending on how you are planning on preparing your tuna steak, fried rice is a great option to accompany this dish. And, what's more, this recipe is a healthier version of other fried rice recipes, and it's simple to make.

4. Asian Pilaf Rice

This Asian rice pilaf recipe takes rice to a new level. It's savory and pairs perfectly with a grilled fish. It would also pair well if you decided to make your tuna steaks with a teriyaki sauce. This recipe has basmati rice, chicken stock, fresh garlic, soy sauce, sesame oil, butter, and cilantro.

5. Edamame Rice

Not only is this edamame rice delicious, but it's so pretty and colorful. It's also easy and quick, it can be ready in just 20 minutes (as long as your rice is already cooked). It's made with edamame, carrots, red cabbage, red onion, fresh garlic, fresh ginger, spring onion, soy sauce, white vinegar, sesame oil, and red chili flakes if you like a bit of spice.

6. Easy Lemon Dill Rice

Lemon is a common ingredient paired with fish, so this easy lemon dill rice recipe will pair amazingly with your tuna steaks. It's ready in under 30 minutes with little effort, so it's also great if you're short on time. It's made with onion, fresh garlic, butter, chicken broth, lemon juice, and dill.

7. Coconut Rice with Crispy Ginger and Garlic

This coconut rice with crispy ginger and garlic is flavorful and fragrant. What's fun about this recipe is making the crispy and ginger garlic from scratch, and it's super easy. Just stir-fry it in oil on a large skillet until it turns brown and crispy for about two or three minutes. By doing this, you're also infusing the garlic and ginger flavors into the oil. This oil will be used to sautee the rice.

8. Cilantro Lime Brown Rice

This healthy cilantro lime brown rice is another great citrus dish to pair well with tuna. If you're worried about having your rice too citrusy, this recipe is good for you. It doesn't cook the rice in lime juice but rather tops it with lime zest. When you're zesting citrus, only zest the colored part and not the white pith. Pith is bitter, and you want to avoid it.

9. Creamy Lemon Rice

There's something so warm about cozy about a creamy lemon recipe. This creamy lemon rice is simple and easy. This recipe cooks the rice in coconut water and oil, adding another depth of flavor. Once the rice is cooked, add lemon zest and lemon juice to give it that citrus flavor.

10. Easy Garlic Rice

Cauliflower rice or couscous mixed with finely chopped parsley in a black bowl on a white concrete table, healthy eating, low calories food, horizontal view from above, flatlay, empty space
Cauliflower rice offers a healthier choice for those who enjoy the texture of white rice but want something a bit healthier.

If you're looking for a simple recipe to pair with your tuna, look no further. This easy recipe is delicious and has a light garlic taste.

11. Spanakorizo ​​- Greek Spinach Rice

Spanakorizo is the name for this Greek spinach rice dish. It's very healthy for you with its spinach content; you have to make sure you get in those leafy greens. Although this recipe calls for basmati rice, you can use your preferred type of rice, whether it's white rice or brown rice.

12. Toasted Brown Rice with Mushrooms and Thyme

This toasted brown rice with mushrooms and thyme recipe is a great savory dish if you prefer brown rice. This recipe calls for crimini mushrooms, fresh garlic, yellow onion, vegetable broth, and fresh seasonings. One of the important keys to making good rice is to cook it in a flavorful liquid, like the broth in this recipe.

13. Teriyaki Rice Pilaf

Teriyaki is a great pairing with tuna steaks, making this teriyaki rice pilaf with mushrooms and peas the perfect side dish. This dish requires pre-cooked rice and can be ready in 20 minutes. It calls for baby portabella mushrooms, green onion, frozen peas, fresh garlic, ground ginger, red pepper flakes, teriyaki sauce, and sesame oil.

14. Ginger and Garlic Fried Rice

Fried rice is an easy recipe that only requires mixing together rice and veggies and stir-frying it for a toasty flavor. This recipe calls for red onion, fresh ginger, fresh garlic, carrots, green beans, spring onions, soy sauce and seasonings.

15. Parmesan Sun-Dried Tomato and Basil Rice

This parmesan sun-dried tomato and basil rice is light, colorful, and flavorful, making it perfect for Summer and as a side for fish. It's fairly simple, with only a few ingredients, including chicken broth, jasmine rice, sun-dried tomatoes, fresh basil leaves, and parmesan cheese.

16. Prasorizo (Greek Leeks with Rice)

Prasorizo is a rice pilaf recipe with leeks as one of the main ingredients. If you've never cooked with leeks before, this is a great recipe to help introduce you to this vegetable. For this recipe, the rice is cooked and boiled with the leeks, infusing the flavor into the rice. It's then finished off with lemon zest and fresh dill.

17. Hawaiian Pineapple Rice

This Hawaiian pineapple rice recipe is delicious and sweet. In Hawaii, it's common to pair tuna with pineapple, so these two ingredients will pair well together. This recipe calls for jasmine rice, crushed pineapple, fresh lime juice, green onions, and granulated sugar. Once the pineapple, salt, sugar, rice, butter, and water are combined, they'll cook for 20 minutes until it's ready.

18. Thai Spicy Basil Fried Rice

This Thai spicy basil fried rice is a great savory recipe. Please note that this recipe is meant to be a main dish, but if you remove the chicken it calls for, it's a great side. Made with jasmine rice, Thai basil, fresh garlic, chili pepper, oyster sauce, fish sauce, soy sauce, and sugar, this dish is ready under 30 minutes.

19. Chili Oil Garlic Rice

If you love chili oil, then you'll love this chili oil sinangag Filipino fried garlic rice. This rice is a spicy and savory dish and has a deep flavor from the chili oil. This recipe only has a few ingredients that it calls for; rice, chili oil, garlic, and salt.

20. Saffron Rice

Impress your family with this saffron rice recipe. Persian-inspired, it's made with fresh herbs, pomegranate, pistachios, and onions. The rice gets cooked in chicken stock that's flavored with saffron. You don't have to serve the rice with the pomegranate and pistachios, but that is what makes this dish so unique.

Delicious Tuna Steak Recipe

Now that you have plenty of rice side dish recipes, you probably want a tasty tuna steak recipe. Feel free to adjust depending on your preference and which side dish you choose. Enjoy!

Print
Close Up Still Life of Two Fried Tuna Steaks on Square White Plate with Seasoning and Fresh Green Salad with Tomato on Painted Wooden Table

Seared Tuna Steaks with Sesame Crust


1 Star2 Stars3 Stars4 Stars5 Stars (No Ratings Yet)
Loading…

  • Author: MomsWhoThink.com
  • Total Time: 25 minutes
  • Yield: 4 servings

Ingredients

Units
  • 4 tuna steaks (about 6 ounces each)
  • 1/4 cup sesame seeds
  • 1 tablespoon black sesame seeds (optional)
  • 2 tablespoons soy sauce
  • 1 tablespoon sesame oil
  • 1 tablespoon honey
  • 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
  • 1 teaspoon grated fresh ginger
  • 1 teaspoon minced garlic
  • 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
  • Salt and pepper to taste
  • Sliced green onions and sesame seeds for garnish

Instructions

  1. Combine the soy sauce, sesame oil, honey, rice vinegar, ginger, and garlic in a shallow dish. Place the tuna steaks in the marinade, turning to coat. Marinate for at least 15 minutes, allowing the flavors to infuse.

  2. Mix the sesame seeds (white and black if using) on a separate plate. Season the tuna steaks with salt and pepper, then press each side into the sesame seed mixture, ensuring a crust forms.

  3. Heat vegetable oil in a skillet or pan over medium-high heat. Sear the tuna steaks for 1-2 minutes per side for a rare to medium-rare doneness or longer if desired.

  4. Remove the tuna steaks from the pan and let them rest for a few minutes. Slice the tuna into 1/2-inch thick slices.

  5. Garnish with sliced green onions and additional sesame seeds.

Nutrition

  • Calories: 300
  • Sugar: 4 g
  • Fat: 15 g
  • Carbohydrates: 6 g
  • Fiber: 1 g
  • Protein: 35 g

The post 20 Easy Rice Side Dishes for Tuna Steaks appeared first on Moms Who Think.

]]>
https://www.momswhothink.com/rice-side-dishes-for-tuna-steaks/feed/ 0
17 Healthy Sides for Chicken – Low-Calorie And Pair Perfectly https://www.momswhothink.com/healthy-sides-for-chicken-low-calorie-and-pair-perfectly/ https://www.momswhothink.com/healthy-sides-for-chicken-low-calorie-and-pair-perfectly/#respond Tue, 14 Nov 2023 20:45:21 +0000 https://www.momswhothink.com/healthy-sides-for-chicken-low-calorie-and-pair-perfectly/ The post 17 Healthy Sides for Chicken – Low-Calorie And Pair Perfectly appeared first on Moms Who Think.

Cooking chicken for dinner and looking for some side dishes that will help keep your meal healthy? Calories can add up quickly if you're not sure what to keep an eye out for. These recipes have you covered. Check out these 17 healthy sides for chicken that are low in calories.

Try Home Chef - Family Meals Made Easy
  • 4-serving meals starting at $3.77 per serving (up to 25% cheaper than HelloFresh).
  • Incredible variety with 10+ weekly meal options, delivered directly to you.
  • Easy to prepare meals ready in 30-minutes or less.
We earn a commission if you make a purchase, at no additional cost to you.

Healthy Mexican Corn Salad

Nutritional information per serving:

  • 174 calories
  • 21 grams of carbs
  • 9 grams of fat
  • 6 grams of protein

This healthy Mexican street corn salad is made with sweet corn, jalapenos (if you like spice), mayonnaise, cotija cheese, fresh cilantro, and lime juice. It's creamy and bright, and it makes a great side for grilled chicken.

Roasted Carrots

Nutritional information per serving:

  • 110 calories
  • 12 grams of carbs
  • 7 grams of fat
  • 1 gram of protein

This roasted carrots recipe is meant to mimic Weight Watchers. Weight Watchers assigns points to foods and assigns healthier foods lower points so you can consume more points. This is done to reduce calories and assist with losing weight, so these carrots offer a delicious side that is low in calories. For this recipe, all you need is carrots, olive oil, and salt and pepper.

Spinach Tomato Salad with Feta

Nutritional information per serving (half a bowl):

  • 157.5 calories
  • 6.5 grams of carbs
  • 12.2 grams of fat
  • 2.9 grams of protein

This spinach tomato salad with feta cheese is a great recipe for spring and summer when these vegetables are in season. If serving a whole bowl of salad as the main dish, this salad has 315 calories. But, if you're serving it as a side and serving half of a bowl, it's only 157.7 calories per serving.

Try Home Chef - Family Meals Made Easy
  • 4-serving meals starting at $3.77 per serving (up to 25% cheaper than HelloFresh).
  • Incredible variety with 10+ weekly meal options, delivered directly to you.
  • Easy to prepare meals ready in 30-minutes or less.
We earn a commission if you make a purchase, at no additional cost to you.

Sauteed Baby Bok Choy With Ginger Sauce

Nutritional information per serving:

  • 136 calories
  • 7 grams of carbs
  • 11 grams of fat
  • 4 grams of protein

If you've never had bok choy, you'll fall in love with this recipe. It's quick and easy, only taking 15 minutes to complete. Bok choy is a super healthy leafy green vegetable with a crisp flavor. It can sometimes be bitter, but the ginger sauce is the perfect pairing to make this side delicious.

Garlic Parmesan Zucchini Fries

Nutritional information per serving:

  • 83 calories
  • 7.5 grams of carbs
  • 3.6 grams of fat
  • 6.9 grams of protein

Take the idea of fries but give it a twist. These garlic parmesan zucchini fries are delicious. It's a simple recipe, and these fries can be ready in under a half hour. All you need is zucchini, parmesan, Italian seasonings, garlic powder, salt, pepper, and olive oil.

Healthy Broccoli Salad

Nutritional information per serving:

  • 169 calories
  • 18.2 grams of carbs
  • 9.6 grams of fat
  • 5.3 grams of protein

This healthy broccoli salad makes eating broccoli fun. It's tangy and creamy, which is something you're likely not used to having when you eat broccoli. It's made with broccoli, red onion, roasted sunflower seeds, dried cherries, greek yogurt, olive oil, vinegar, and honey.

Tuscan Artichoke Tomato Salad

Nutritional information per serving:
  • 157 calories
  • 6 grams of carbs
  • 14 grams of fat
  • 1 gram of protein

This Tuscan artichoke tomato salad is great if you're looking for a vegan and gluten-free recipe. It's made with artichoke hearts, chickpeas, tomatoes, red onion, and a vinaigrette. The vinaigrette is made with red wine vinegar, olive oil, and seasonings.

Ratatouille

Nutritional information per serving:

  • 194 calories
  • 20.8 grams of carbs
  • 5.7 grams of fat
  • 5.7 grams of protein

Ratatouille is another recipe that can be used as a main or side dish. Made of just vegetables, it's a great vegan dish and is low in calories. It's made with zucchini, eggplant, tomatoes, peppers, and onions. It can be served by itself, or it's also great served over rice.

roasted chicken
Although most people pick up a rotisserie chicken from the store, it's really easy to make a roasted chicken at home.
Try Home Chef - Family Meals Made Easy
  • 4-serving meals starting at $3.77 per serving (up to 25% cheaper than HelloFresh).
  • Incredible variety with 10+ weekly meal options, delivered directly to you.
  • Easy to prepare meals ready in 30-minutes or less.
We earn a commission if you make a purchase, at no additional cost to you.

Healthy Green Bean Casserole

Nutritional information per serving:

  • 112 calories
  • 12 grams carbs
  • 6 grams of fat
  • 7 grams of protein

If you love green bean casserole but are shying away because of the calorie count, this healthy green bean casserole is just what you need. It is low in carbs and calories and is gluten-free. It's made with green beans, greek yogurt, almond milk, broth, almond flour, parmesan, and seasonings.

Low-Calorie Coleslaw

https://www.pinterest.com/pin/364650901093894035/

Nutritional information per serving:

  • 40 calories
  • 7 grams of carbs
  • 2 grams of fat
  • 3 grams of protein

This low-calorie coleslaw offers the least amount of calories of all the side dishes on this list. It's made with green and red cabbage, carrots, green onions, greek yogurt, lemon juice, dijon mustard, vinegar, and seasonings.

Roasted Winter Vegetables

Nutritional information per serving:

  • 105 calories
  • 24 grams of carbs
  • 2 grams of fat
  • 4 grams of protein

This roasted winter vegetables recipe is particularly great while these vegetables are in season. It's made up of carrots, parsnips, and Brussels sprouts. Seasoned with rosemary, thyme, oregano, basil, salt, and pepper, they bake in the oven at 400 degrees and are ready in about 35 minutes.

Mexican Street Cauliflower

Nutritional information per serving:

  • 229 calories
  • 12 grams of carbs
  • 19 grams of fat
  • 7 grams of protein

Cauliflower is normally very low in calories, this dish is a bit higher in calories due to the sauce being made out of mayonnaise. An easy way to reduce the calories is to substitute the mayo with Greek yogurt. If you love elote, this dish is the perfect way to fulfill your craving while keeping it healthy.

Mexican Three-Bean Salad

Nutritional information per serving:

  • 177 calories
  • 6 grams of carbs
  • 19 grams

This Mexican three-bean salad is easy and quick. It also has a good amount of protein due to the bean content. Paired with chicken as your main dish, this is a great way to make sure you're meeting your protein needs. It's made with corn, black beans, kidney beans, northern beans, bell peppers, red onions, jalapeno, cilantro, avocado, olive oil, red wine vinegar, lime and lemon juice, honey, fresh garlic, and seasonings.

Try Home Chef - Family Meals Made Easy
  • 4-serving meals starting at $3.77 per serving (up to 25% cheaper than HelloFresh).
  • Incredible variety with 10+ weekly meal options, delivered directly to you.
  • Easy to prepare meals ready in 30-minutes or less.
We earn a commission if you make a purchase, at no additional cost to you.

Roasted Green Beans With Caramelized Onions

Nutritional information per serving:

  • 102 calories
  • 19 grams of carbs
  • 2.5 grams of fat
  • 3.5 grams of protein

This roasted green beans with caramelized onions recipe is great if you're roasting a chicken. This dish is very simple as it only has two main ingredients; Vidalia onions and green beans. First, you'll place the green beans into the oven, and while those cook, you'll brown the onions on the stovetop.

Lemon Garlic Sauteed Cabbage

Nutritional information per serving:

  • 105 calories
  • 14.3 carbohydrates
  • 6.4 grams of fat
  • 2.7 grams of protein

Enjoy this fresh take on cabbage. It's simple and quick. While cabbage can naturally become sweet after cooking, the lemon in this dish brightens it up for a slightly tangy flavor. The dish stays savory, though, as the cabbage is also sauteed with garlic. Cabbage is super easy to cook. Once you've sliced the cabbage, cook it in a skillet on the stovetop. Although it might look like a lot of cabbage, it's important to note that cabbage shrinks and cooks down, so it will look like less once it's done cooking.

Herbed Spaghetti Squash With Garlic And Parmesan

Nutritional information per serving:

  • 78 calories
  • 1 grams of carbs
  • 12 grams of fat
  • 2 grams of protein

I'm a firm believe that spaghetti squash is not a direct substitute for pasta, but that doesn't mean that spaghetti squash can't be good. If you've written off spaghetti squash, make sure to give this recipe a try! This dish is delicious because it's coated in butter and parmesan. You can use it as a side to make healthy chicken parmesan and “pasta.”

Roasted Sugar Snap Peas

Nutritional information per serving:

  • 70 calories
  • 8 grams of carbs
  • 5 grams of fat
  • 2 grams of protein

If you've only ever had snap peas in a stir-fry recipe, it's time to let them be the star of the show. This recipe is low in calories and high in fiber. The peas are slightly sweet, and the onions bring in a savory flavor. It's super easy to make with just sugar snap peas, red onion, olive oil, and seasonings.

The post 17 Healthy Sides for Chicken – Low-Calorie And Pair Perfectly appeared first on Moms Who Think.

]]>
https://www.momswhothink.com/healthy-sides-for-chicken-low-calorie-and-pair-perfectly/feed/ 0
25 Easy Side Dishes for Grilled Cheese – All Perfect for Kids https://www.momswhothink.com/side-dishes-for-grilled-cheese-all-perfect-for-kids/ https://www.momswhothink.com/side-dishes-for-grilled-cheese-all-perfect-for-kids/#respond Tue, 14 Nov 2023 03:42:43 +0000 https://www.momswhothink.com/side-dishes-for-grilled-cheese-all-perfect-for-kids/ The post 25 Easy Side Dishes for Grilled Cheese – All Perfect for Kids appeared first on Moms Who Think.

Grilled cheese is a leisurely go-to lunch or quick dinner for kids and adults! Sometimes, it's satisfying to gobble up a grilled cheese on its own. However, other times, a great and tasty side hits the right spot. Regarding this classic dish, the typical sides are tomato soup or a handful of chips. While those are certainly on this list, there are many delicious side dishes for grilled cheese; even kids will love these! 

But first, let's look at one of our favorite grilled cheese recipes that is sure to be the star of the show with these delicious side dishes.

Print
Grilled cheese sandwich

Sweet and Spicy Grilled Cheese


1 Star2 Stars3 Stars4 Stars5 Stars (No Ratings Yet)
Loading…

  • Author: MomsWhoThink.com
  • Yield: 4 servings

Ingredients

Units
  • 2 teaspoons canola oil
  • 1 large red onion, finely diced (about 2 cups)
  • 8 slices whole-wheat bread
  • 3 ounces sharp cheddar cheese, thinly sliced
  • 3 ounces pepper jack cheese, thinly sliced
  • 1 large or 2 medium ripe beefsteak or hothouse tomatoes, sliced

Instructions

  1. Heat the oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring, until golden and the edges are browned, 10 to 12 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.
  2. Divide the cheddar cheese between 4 slices of the bread.
  3. Spread one tablespoon of the caramelized onions on top of the cheddar, then top with the pepper jack.
  4. Place one or two slices of tomato on the cheese and then top with the other slice of bead.
  5. Clean and dry the skillet, then coat with cooking spray and heat over medium-high heat until hot.
  6. Place one of the sandwiches in the skillet and weigh down with a heavy skillet or plate. Lower the heat to medium-low and grill until the underside is a deep brown but not burnt and the cheese is partially melted, 5 to 6 minutes. Flip the sandwich and grill the other side until it’s nicely colored another 4 to 5 minutes.
  7. Slice in half and serve hot.
  8. Repeat with other sandwiches.

Nutrition

  • Serving Size: 1 sandwich
  • Calories: 350
  • Sodium: 560 mg
  • Fat: 18 g
  • Saturated Fat: 8 g
  • Carbohydrates: 33 g
  • Fiber: 5 g
  • Protein: 16 g
  • Cholesterol: 45 mg

1. Roasted Baby Red Potatoes 

Potatoes are easy and fun to make. These potatoes are no exception! In fact, the roasted baby red potatoes recipe calls for red onion, a bell pepper, and a handful of seasonings. Pop them in a baking dish; before you know it, you will have a tasty side for your grilled cheese. 

Roasted-Baby-Red-Potatoes
Roasted red potatoes are quick and easy to prepare!

2. Roasted Green Beans

Green beans are an excellent source of nutrients and can be very delicious! Furthermore, you can prepare these roasted green beans with just a few different ingredients and have the perfect side to pair with your grilled cheese! 

Green beans with garlic, onion and red pepper. Warm salad. The garnish. Dish Oriental cuisine. Selective focus
Green beans are a mild and nutritious vegetable that pairs well with many main dishes, including grilled cheese.

3. Fruit Salad

Fruit salad is a great way to satisfy anyone's sweet tooth. The best thing about fruit is that there are so many choices! If your child loves berries, then mix blackberries, strawberries, and blueberries. There are also apples, kiwis, watermelons, bananas, oranges, and many more options.

Are you looking for a great fruit salad recipe? Give this one a try! 

Bowl of healthy fresh fruit salad on wooden background. Top view.
Are you looking for a yummy fruit salad to serve with grilled cheese? There are numerous variations to try!

4. Tomato Soup

Tomato soup is classically the go-to side dish for grilled cheese. Pairing the two is both a comforting and easy option in winter or when feeling under the weather. While out-of-the-can tomato soup is more convenient, making your own can be healthier. Try this homemade tomato soup recipe for a flavorful lunch or dinner that your kids and you will enjoy. 

5. Apple Sauce

Apple sauce can be easy, and most kids love it! While prepackaged options make serving apple sauce for lunch easy and convenient, opting for homemade applesauce will help you keep an eye on the additives and be healthier but just as tasty! 

6. Corn on the Cob

There are a few different ways to prepare corn on the cob. Whether you enjoy grilling the corn on the grill outside, baking it in the oven, or boiling it in the traditional sense, the methods are quick and easy! Not only is the method quick, but corn on the cob is a fun option as a side for grilled cheese. 

7. Homemade Potato Chips

Potato chips can be a go-to lunch side for grilled cheese. While the prepackaged potato chips are pretty tasty and addicting, try making homemade ones! It is easier than it sounds, plus you are in charge of the additives and ingredients that find their way into the chips. 

8. Pickles

Although they sound simple, pickles can make a perfect side for grilled cheese. Kids love this side because they are a quick and easy finger food. Plus, they come in different flavors! Whether you are a dill pickle type or a sweet pickle person, the most satisfying side for your grilled cheese may be a lid pop away. 

Delicious marinated pickled cucumbers, isolated on white background
Pickles can be a fun and quick side to eat alongside grilled cheese.

9. Pasta Salad

There are several different ways to prepare pasta salad. Add cheese, cut-up tomatoes, or various seasonings to find the perfect pasta salad for you and your family. While making your own variation is easy enough, you can try this pasta salad if you want something new. 

Italian colored tortellini with parmesan and sliced sausages
Tortellini pasta salad is a unique and delicious side with grilled cheese.

10. Baked Beans

Although baked beans may not be the first thing that comes to mind when thinking about side dishes for grilled cheese, they are a perfect side! Not only are they filling, but this baked beans recipe combines ingredients like brown sugar and bacon for an impactful flavor that can be hard to beat. 

barbecue-picnic-recipes
Baked beans and grilled cheese make an interesting pairing of comforting and hearty.

11. Corn Chowder

Sometimes, the best side dish to go alongside gooey grilled cheese is soup. One option is to try this New England corn chowder recipe instead of serving tomato soup or chili. 

The ingredient list is simple enough: it includes bacon, onions, and potatoes. However, the flavor is creamy and hearty, making it a comforting side dish perfect for lunch or dinner! 

Onions, potatoes and whole grain corn in cream sauce for New England Corn Chowder. Colorful stoneware mug on old wood tabletop.
Corn chowder is great for autumn and winter meals because it is comforting.

12. Yogurt

Yogurt is both easy and versatile. There are many different flavors to enjoy as a kid and an adult. While some yogurts have too much sugar and additives, there are healthier versions that can give kids delicious flavor and essential nutrients, which is a bonus for any parent. 

bowls of various greek yogurt on kitchen table, top view
There are many excellent ways to enjoy yogurt! In fact, you can try adding berries, granola, or eating it plain.

13. Onion Rings

Onion rings do not have to be reserved for eating out at a restaurant. In fact, these homemade onion rings will delight your child and complement the grilled cheese sandwich, making a perfect lunch. 

Fried onion rings
Making homemade onion rings is fun for spending the afternoon with your kids!

14. Glazed Carrots

Carrots are a healthy side for lunches or dinners. They contain vitamins like A and K1, potassium, and fiber. However, convincing kids to eat this mighty orange vegetable can sometimes be challenging. Although the sugar content will rise with this particular glazed carrots recipe, the flavor will abound!

Glazed-Carrots
Glazed carrots are sweet and tasty!

15. Corn Fritters

Flavor and texture take center stage in this corn fritters recipe. With only a few seasonings, egg whites, flour, egg yolks, and a can of corn, you will have a fun side dish that kids will want to eat again and again, especially if they love corn! 

fried corn fritters in a skillet with yogurt dipping sauce and fresh sweet corn in cob on an old wooden kitchen table, close-up
Try corn fritters with grilled cheese for a filling and hearty lunch.

16. Sweet Potatoes and Apples

Sometimes, the best dishes that complement one another have distinct and differing flavors. If you and your child have a sweet tooth, satisfy it with this sweet potatoes and apples recipe. 

Additionally, this side dish is relatively simple and perfect for serving in the autumn. Boil, mix, and pop in the oven for an hour; a sweet and tasty casserole comes out! 

Serving oven-roasted sweet potatoes in a white ceramic bowl.
Sweet potatoes and apples are great with grilled cheese in a casserole or even separately!

17. Scalloped Potatoes

Potatoes are both filling and comforting! If you are in the mood for delicious and flavorful potatoes, this scalloped potatoes recipe is a must-try. While scalloped potatoes from a box are convenient, there is just something about eating homemade anything. With just a few simple ingredients you most likely have at home, like milk, butter, and flour (of course, remember the potatoes!) You can have the best scalloped potatoes on your table in just over an hour.

Crock Pot Scalloped Potatoes
It can be hard to beat homemade scalloped potatoes!

18. Roasted Brussels Sprouts

Brussels sprouts aren't everyone's cup of tea. A lot of the time, kids turn their noses up to this vegetable. However, when cooked just right, they can be tasty and a great way to provide your child with unique nutrients. Furthermore, this simple roasted Brussels sprouts recipe may make your kid want to try them repeatedly. 

Vegetarian cuisine. Homemade Brussels Sprouts roasted with olive oil on black slate background. Copyspace, top view, flatlay.
When prepared the right way, Brussels sprouts can be quite tasty!

19. Broccoli Cheese Soup

Sneak some healthy broccoli into a side dish with this creamy broccoli cheese soup. Your kids are sure to devour it!

20. Zucchini Cheese Bake

Zucchini is nutritious and quite tasty. Adding cheese, cream, and bread crumbs will make the zucchini more appealing to kids and adults! Try this zucchini cheese bake for a perfect, filling side dish to serve alongside your grilled cheese. 

casserole with cheese and zucchini in baking dish
Zucchini cheese bake is a fun way to eat zucchini!

21. Charcuterie Board 

Kids love finger foods! There's just something about being able to pick what your heart desires from a beautifully arranged board of options. Try setting up a charcuterie board with fruits like apple slices, grapes, strawberries, or kiwi. In addition, a vegetable arrangement with carrots, cucumbers, grape tomatoes, or even cheese and crackers is all fun and easy to serve with grilled cheese! 

Bright and Colorful Charcuterie Boards and Boxes Fruit, Meat and Cheese
A charcuterie board can be a fun and engaging way to entice children to eat healthy options for snacks or lunch!

22. Crispy Kale Chips

This recipe may not seem like it would be a hit with your kids, but trust us on this one! With the crunchiness of the kale and the garlic and parmesan flavoring, they'll almost think they are snacking on chips (yes, almost).

23. Chili 

Chili and grilled cheese are both comfort dishes. So, why not pair the two together for the ultimate delicious and filling meal? Mama Shirley's Chili recipe combines simple flavors and seasonings for a hearty meal that pairs well with grilled cheese—the grilled cheese steps aside as the chili takes center stage in this combination. 

Healthy Beef and Bean Chili2
Chili is a comfort food that surprisingly pairs great with grilled cheese!

24. Macaroni and Cheese

Although loading cheese on top of cheese is not always the healthiest choice, there is no denying that most children love these comfort foods. This homemade macaroni and cheese has flavor and texture that adults and children love. Therefore, if you are in a pinch and need help figuring out what to serve for lunch alongside grilled cheese, go for these two classics together. 

Baked mac and cheese in a cast iron pan
While some do not like to load up on cheese, both mac and cheese and grilled cheese can be a favorite for kids.

25. Sweet Potato Fries

Sweet potato fries are such a classic side dish and a hit with your whole family! You can either bake or air fry them to give them a crunchier taste.

The post 25 Easy Side Dishes for Grilled Cheese – All Perfect for Kids appeared first on Moms Who Think.

]]>
https://www.momswhothink.com/side-dishes-for-grilled-cheese-all-perfect-for-kids/feed/ 0
15 Healthy Sides for Burgers – Many Around 100 Calories or Less https://www.momswhothink.com/healthy-sides-for-burgers-many-with-100-calories-or-less/ https://www.momswhothink.com/healthy-sides-for-burgers-many-with-100-calories-or-less/#respond Tue, 07 Nov 2023 22:16:01 +0000 https://www.momswhothink.com/?p=194859&preview=true&preview_id=194859 The post 15 Healthy Sides for Burgers – Many Around 100 Calories or Less appeared first on Moms Who Think.

Looking to keep your calorie count low? Having burgers as your main dish is a great way to do so. You can stock up on protein with or without a bun by eating burger patties. It will also be important to ensure your side dishes are low in calories. Here are 12 healthy sides for burgers that are low in calories.

Roasted Cauliflower With Garlic

baked cauliflower on a black background. french cuisine
Roasted cauliflower is a great healthy side for burgers.

Nutritional info per serving:

  • 130 calories
  • 8.95 grams of fat
  • 9.14 grams of carbs
  • 5 grams of protein

Roasted cauliflower is a great side dish that is easy to make and low in calories. For this recipe, cut up a head of cauliflower, season it with dried seasonings and fresh garlic, then throw it in the oven for 30 minutes.

Ginger Broccoli

Broccoli vegetables served with carrots and garlic. Garlic Butter Broccoli and Carrots. Close up

Nutritional info per serving:

  • 90 calories
  • 5 grams of carbs
  • 7 grams of fat
  • 3 grams of protein

Broccoli, like cauliflower, is also low in calories. This ginger broccoli recipe can be low in calories as long as you don't add any sugars. It's prepared easily by sauteeing the broccoli with sesame oil, soy sauce, and ground ginger.

Factor 75 - Save $120 with Factor Meals!
  • Fresh, Never-Frozen Meals: A new menu of 30+ dietitian-designed options every week.
  • Cooked to Perfection: Prepared by gourmet chefs and delivered fresh to you.
  • Zero Prep, No Mess: Just heat and enjoy in minutes.
We earn a commission if you make a purchase, at no additional cost to you.

Roasted Asparagus With Feta Cheese

Oven roasted asparagus on sheet pan.
Asparagus is a good source for Vitamin C and K.

Nutritional info per serving:

  • 65 calories
  • 3.9 grams of carbs
  • 4.6 grams of fat
  • 3.5 grams of protein

Asparagus has a unique flavor and can often be done with just a simple seasoning of salt and pepper. But if you want to make your asparagus stand out, use this recipe! Seasoned with garlic, lemon juice, oregano, red pepper flakes, parsley, and crumbled feta cheese, this asparagus will be a family favorite.

Healthy Stuffed Potatoes

Stuffed baked potatoes with cheese can be a great side dish.
Stuffed baked potatoes with cheese can be a great side dish.

Nutritional info per serving:

  • 113 calories
  • 17 grams of carbs
  • 3 grams of fat
  • 5 grams of protein

Instead of french fries, opt for these healthy stuffed potatoes. They have a high amount of vitamin C and a healthy amount of fiber. They're so delicious you'll forget they're even healthy.

Roasted Portobello Caps

Nutritional info per serving:

  • 94 calories
  • 5 grams of fat
  • 10 grams of carbs
  • 4 grams of protein

With just a few ingredients, these portabello mushroom caps are delicious. Take your portabello mushrooms, season them with salt, pepper, and olive oil, then cook in the oven for 20 minutes. Top them off with a breadcrumb mixture and parmesan cheese.

Factor 75 - Save $120 with Factor Meals!
  • Fresh, Never-Frozen Meals: A new menu of 30+ dietitian-designed options every week.
  • Cooked to Perfection: Prepared by gourmet chefs and delivered fresh to you.
  • Zero Prep, No Mess: Just heat and enjoy in minutes.
We earn a commission if you make a purchase, at no additional cost to you.

Garlic Baked Cabbage

Nutritional info per serving:

  • 149 calories
  • 11.5 grams of carbs
  • 11.15 grams of fat
  • 2.5 grams of protein

Cabbage is well known for being a low-calorie vegetable. For this recipe, cut up cabbage and season it with salt, pepper, paprika, and garlic powder. It calls for butter, which is where most of the calories come from. If you want less calories, you can opt to use olive oil.

Mexican Cucumber Salad

Nutritional info per serving:

  • 101 calories
  • 14 grams of carbs
  • 5 grams of fat
  • 3 grams of protein

This Mexican cucumber salad is inspired by Mexican street corn. It's creamy and crunchy, with cucumbers as one of the main ingredients. It's made with sour cream, mayonnaise, cotija cheese, cucumbers, corn, red onion, lime, chili powder, garlic, and cilantro.

Mediterranean Chickpea Salad

Nutritional info per serving:

  • 135 calories
  • 13.4 grams of carbs
  • 1.8 grams of fat
  • 5 grams of protein

This Mediterranean chickpea salad is easy and delicious. It takes only 10 minutes and is made with chickpeas, cucumbers, tomatoes, red bell pepper, kalamata olives, red onion, feta cheese, and parsley.

Healthy Baked Beans

Bourbon Baked Beans in a Cast Iron Skillet: Pork and beans seasoned with bourbon whiskey, molasses, and brown sugar

Nutritional info per serving:

  • 220 calories
  • 1 gram of fat
  • 0 grams of cholesterol

When you think of a backyard barbecue, one side dish that may come to mind is baked beans. This baked bean recipe pairs especially well with a delicious burger. And, more importantly, it's a healthier version!

Factor 75 - Save $120 with Factor Meals!
  • Fresh, Never-Frozen Meals: A new menu of 30+ dietitian-designed options every week.
  • Cooked to Perfection: Prepared by gourmet chefs and delivered fresh to you.
  • Zero Prep, No Mess: Just heat and enjoy in minutes.
We earn a commission if you make a purchase, at no additional cost to you.

Beet Salad

Nutritional info per serving:

  • 120 calories
  • 13 grams of carbs
  • 7 grams of fat
  • 2 grams of protein

Beets offer an earthy and sweet flavor that works great in a side dish. This recipe is simple and only requires beets, olive oil, vinegar, dijon muster, honey, celery, shallot, and salt and pepper to taste. You'll first roast the beets in the oven, then mix all the ingredients together into a salad.

Cheesy Vegetable Bake

Making a vegetable casserole is a great way to dress up veggies.

Nutritional info per serving:

  • 104 calories
  • 10 grams of carbs
  • 4 grams of fat
  • 7 grams of protein

What's great about a vegetable casserole is that you can throw in whatever vegetable you have on hand to make it. This recipe calls for frozen broccoli, cauliflower, and carrots, but if you have other vegetables on hand, those can work as well.

Artichoke Tomato Salad

Nutritional info per serving:

  • 157 calories
  • 6 grams of carbs
  • 14 grams of fat
  • 1 gram of protein

This Tuscan artichoke tomato salad is bright and fun, and it can be prepared quickly in just 20 minutes. It's made with tomatoes, red onions, artichoke hearts, chickpeas, basil, chives, and capers. The vinaigrette is also simple with olive oil, red wine vinegar, and seasonings.

Roasted Sweet Potatoes

An overhead photo of roasted sweet potatoes in a pan, shot from above on dark rustic wooden textures with rosemary branches, with a place for text

Nutritional info per serving:

  • 180-200 calories
  • 42-45g carb
  • 2-3g protein
  • 0.2-0.4g fat

Instead of greasy fries, a better alternative is roasted sweet potatoes. They are more nutritious and because they are slightly sweet, your picky eaters will love them!

Marinated Tomatoes

Nutritional info per serving:

  • 149 calories
  • 6 grams of carbs
  • 14 grams of fat
  • 1 gram of protein

These marinated tomatoes are so easy they are almost effortless. It's packed with a bunch of flavors from the marinade with olive oil, vinegar, and herbs.

Factor 75 - Save $120 with Factor Meals!
  • Fresh, Never-Frozen Meals: A new menu of 30+ dietitian-designed options every week.
  • Cooked to Perfection: Prepared by gourmet chefs and delivered fresh to you.
  • Zero Prep, No Mess: Just heat and enjoy in minutes.
We earn a commission if you make a purchase, at no additional cost to you.

Roasted Sheet Pan Veggies

Oven-roasted vegetables are a delicious and easy side dish.

Nutritional info per serving:

  • 98 calories
  • 11 grams of carbs
  • 6 grams of fat
  • 2 grams of protein

This recipe is colorful with butternut squash, broccoli, red bell peppers, and red onions. If you have other vegetables at home you'd like to add in, you can easily do so!

The post 15 Healthy Sides for Burgers – Many Around 100 Calories or Less appeared first on Moms Who Think.

]]>
https://www.momswhothink.com/healthy-sides-for-burgers-many-with-100-calories-or-less/feed/ 0
10 Healthy Sides for Salmon – From Rice Dishes to Salads https://www.momswhothink.com/healthy-sides-for-salmon-from-rice-dishes-to-salads/ https://www.momswhothink.com/healthy-sides-for-salmon-from-rice-dishes-to-salads/#respond Mon, 06 Nov 2023 21:40:13 +0000 https://www.momswhothink.com/?p=194861&preview=true&preview_id=194861 The post 10 Healthy Sides for Salmon – From Rice Dishes to Salads appeared first on Moms Who Think.

Salmon is a great light and healthy meal that still offers a good amount of protein. In a four-ounce salmon filet, you can get between 20-25 grams of protein. On average, women need 45 grams of protein per day, and men need 55 grams per day. That means one filet of salmon can provide almost half of your daily protein intake! If you're looking to keep your dinner healthy, here are some great side dishes for salmon.

Factor 75 - Save $120 with Factor Meals!
  • Fresh, Never-Frozen Meals: A new menu of 30+ dietitian-designed options every week.
  • Cooked to Perfection: Prepared by gourmet chefs and delivered fresh to you.
  • Zero Prep, No Mess: Just heat and enjoy in minutes.
We earn a commission if you make a purchase, at no additional cost to you.

Sauteed Garlic Mushrooms and Zucchini

These sauteed garlic mushrooms and zucchini are full of flavor and easy to make. With only 10 minutes of prep and 15 of cooking time, they're ready in under 30 minutes. For this recipe, you'll need zucchini, button mushrooms, yellow onion, garlic, herbs, and vegetable broth.

Mediterranean Salad

This refreshing side dish is great to pair with your salmon. Made with tomatoes, cucumber, red onion, and cilantro, it's a bright and fresh salad that you can simply toss together with some olive oil and lime juice or vinegar. All you have to do is cut up the vegetables and make a quick vinaigrette, and it's ready to go.

Parmesan and Balsamic Roasted Asparagus With Tomatoes

This recipe is a fun way to spruce up your side of asparagus. Adding tomatoes, minced garlic, and balsamic glaze makes the asparagus super flavorful. If you don't have balsamic glaze, but you have balsamic vinegar, you can make a reduction by boiling down the vinegar to a glaze. And if you want to sweeten the dish, you can add honey or maple syrup to your glaze reduction.

Factor 75 - Save $120 with Factor Meals!
  • Fresh, Never-Frozen Meals: A new menu of 30+ dietitian-designed options every week.
  • Cooked to Perfection: Prepared by gourmet chefs and delivered fresh to you.
  • Zero Prep, No Mess: Just heat and enjoy in minutes.
We earn a commission if you make a purchase, at no additional cost to you.

Greek Lemon Rice

This zesty Greek lemon rice recipe is a delicious Mediterranean side. Filled with herbs and lots of lemon, it's a great pair for salmon. Ready in 30 minutes, all you have to do is sautee onions and garlic, then add broth, lemon juice, and seasonings to cook into the rice. Once the rice is done, it's optional to add in some butter and an extra squeeze of lemon juice.

Low-Carb Broccoli Salad

This loaded low-carb broccoli salad has broccoli, cauliflower, red onions, bacon, and cheese. It's also made with a homemade dressing. My personal belief is everything is better with a homemade dressing! This dressing is made with Greek yogurt, mayonnaise, honey, red wine vinegar, sugar, salt, and pepper.

Garlic Butter Quinoa

Quinoa is normally a plain-tasting grain, but this garlic butter quinoa recipe makes it a rich and flavorful side. It only takes five ingredients; quinoa, butter, garlic, salt, and vegetable broth. One of the keys to cooking quinoa is cooking it in a broth so that it adds extra flavor. If you cook it in water, it will be plain with an earthy taste. But it will soak up the flavor of the liquid it's cooked in, so make sure that liquid is flavorful.

Roasted Carrots With Pecans And Goat Cheese

Not only is this side dish pretty, but it tastes amazing. It's a great balance of sweet and savory with brown sugar and tangy goat cheese. If you don't like goat cheese, no problem, you can easily substitute it with feta cheese. Once the carrots are prepared, they will go in the oven for up to an hour. During that time, you can make candied pecans to sprinkle the carrots with once they're done. If you prefer to have regular pecans, you can roast them alongside the carrots.

Lemon Orzo Salad

This twist on a classic pasta salad is so fun. It's fresh from all the veggies and is easy to make with minimal prep time. While you cook the orzo, cut up all the cucumbers, peppers, and onions. The dressing is easy and delicious, made with olive oil, lemon juice, salt, pepper, and garlic. To make it taste even more fresh, add in fresh basil and parsley.

Factor 75 - Save $120 with Factor Meals!
  • Fresh, Never-Frozen Meals: A new menu of 30+ dietitian-designed options every week.
  • Cooked to Perfection: Prepared by gourmet chefs and delivered fresh to you.
  • Zero Prep, No Mess: Just heat and enjoy in minutes.
We earn a commission if you make a purchase, at no additional cost to you.

Jennifer Aniston Salad

If you haven't heard of the famous Jennifer Aniston salad yet, where have you been? Made with chickpeas, quinoa, cucumber, red onion, fresh parsley and mint, salted pistachios, and crumbled feta cheese, it has a ton of flavor. Then toss in lemon juice, olive oil, honey, and salt and pepper, and it is perfection. This is a cold salad, so make sure to cool down the cooked quinoa before mixing together the salad.

Cilantro Lime Rice

If you love the Chipotle cilantro lime rice, then you'll love this recipe. Made with onion, fresh garlic, vegetable or chicken stock, lime juice, and fresh cilantro, this rice bursts with flavor. Anything citrus is a great addition to your salmon meal.

Gourmet portion of thick juicy fresh salmon grilling on a griddle seasoned with lemon zest, herbs and spices in a low angle view with copyspace and rising steam
Salmon is a heart-healthy food because of its high omega-3 content.

Cooking Your Salmon

If you're new to making salmon at home, make sure to check out these articles on how to best cook your salmon.

The post 10 Healthy Sides for Salmon – From Rice Dishes to Salads appeared first on Moms Who Think.

]]>
https://www.momswhothink.com/healthy-sides-for-salmon-from-rice-dishes-to-salads/feed/ 0