Side Dishes

Asian Sweet & Sour Bean Salad

INGREDIENTS

• 1 pound fresh green beans, trimmed and cut into 1- to 1½ -inch pieces (roughly 3 ½ cups cut pieces)
• 2 cups (one 12-ounce bag) frozen shelled edamame, thawed, or fresh ready-to-eat edamame
• 1 can (15-16 ounces) dark red kidney beans, well drained and rinsed
• 1 can (15-16 ounces) garbanzo beans, well drained and rinsed
• ¾ cup red onion, chopped
• ⅔ cup rice vinegar
• ⅓ cup canola oil
• ⅔ cup granulated sugar
• ½ teaspoon kosher salt
• ½ teaspoon ground black pepper

DIRECTIONS

Place cut green beans in a glass bowl or pie plate, cover and microwave on high until crisp-tender, about 2 to 3 minutes. Place edamame in separate glass bowl and microwave 1 minute. In a large bowl, combine green beans, edamame, kidney beans, garbanzo beans and red onion, tossing lightly. Whisk rice vinegar, canola oil, sugar, salt and pepper in a separate small bowl until thoroughly blended. Pour dressing over bean-onion mixture and stir lightly to coat all ingredients. Serve immediately.

Makes 12 servings of 3/4 cup each. 150 calories per serving. Recipe from farmflavor.com

Brown Rice with Mushrooms & Thyme

INGREDIENTS

• 1 1/2 tsp olive oil, divided
• 1 1/2 tsp olive oil, divided
• 1/2 yellow onion, chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 cup brown rice
• 1 cup vegetable broth
• 1 cup water
• 8 oz. crimini mushrooms, sliced
• 1 tbsp minced fresh thyme
• 3 tbsp minced flat-leaf parsley
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp ground pepper

DIRECTIONS

Heat ½ teaspoon olive oil in a medium saucepan set over medium heat. Add the onions and cook until soft, 4 to 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for 30 seconds. Add the rice and cook, stirring constantly, for 1 minute. Stir in the vegetable broth and water. Bring to a boil, cover saucepan and reduce heat to low. Cook until all of the liquid is absorbed, about 50 minutes. Heat 1 teaspoon olive oil in a large nonstick skillet set over medium-high heat. Add the mushrooms and cook until starting to brown, about 4 minutes. Stir in the thyme and cook for 30 seconds. Add the mushrooms, parsley, salt and pepper to the rice, and stir to combine. Serve.

Makes 6-8 servings. 282 calories per serving. Receipe from www.cookincanuck.com.

Cloud Bread

INGREDIENTS

• 4 large eggs, separated
• 1/2 tsp cream of tartar
• 2 oz low fat cream cheese
• 1 tsp Italian herb seasoning
• 1/2 tsp sea salt
• 1/4 tsp garlic salt

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat the oven to 300 degrees F. If you have a convection oven, set on convect. Line two large baking sheets with parchment paper.
2. Separate the egg whites and egg yolks. Place the whites in a stand mixer with a whip attachment. Add the cream of tartar and beat on high until the froth turns into firm meringue peaks. Move to a separate bowl.
3. Place the cream cheese in the empty stand mixing bowl. Beat on high to soften. Then add the egg yolks one at a time to incorporate. Scrape the bowl and beat until the mixture is completely smooth. Then beat in the Italian seasoning, salt, and garlic powder.
4. Gently fold the firm meringue into the yolk mixture. Try to deflate the meringue as little as possible, so the mixture is still firm and foamy. Spoon 1/4 cup portions of the foam onto the baking sheets and spread into even 4 inch circles, 3/4 inch high. Make sure to leave space around each circle.
5. Bake on convect for 15-18 minutes, or in a conventional oven for up to 30 minutes. The bread should be golden on the outside and firm. The center should not jiggle when shaken. Cool for several minutes on the baking sheets, then move and serve!

Makes 10 servings (1 piece per serving). 35 calories per serving. Total fat 2.1g; Saturated Fat 0.7g; Cholesterol 75mg; Sodium 153mg; Carbohydrates 0.6g; Sugar 0.2g; Protein 3.4g. Receipe from www.aspicyperspective.com.

Mashed Cauliflower with Parmesan and Chives

INGREDIENTS

• 2 small heads cauliflower, cored and leaves removed and cut into small florets
• 2 cups chicken broth
• ¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese
• ¼ cup chopped fresh chives
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

DIRECTIONS

In a medium saucepan, combine the cauliflower and chicken broth and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to a simmer, cover with a lid, and cook for 15 to 20 minutes or until the cauliflower is tender, but not completely falling apart. Use a slotted spoon to transfer the cauliflower to a food processor and puree until silky smooth. Transfer to a bowl and stir in the Parmesan and chopped chives and season with kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper. Serve warm.

Makes 4-6 servings. Receipe from www.foodiecrush.com

Maple Roasted Root Vegetables

INGREDIENTS

• 1 pound white turnips, peeled and cut into 1 ½ inch chunks
• 1 pound sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1 ½ inch chunks
• 2 large carrots, peeled and cut into 1 ½ inch chunks
• 1 large yellow onion, peeled and quartered, root end left intact
• 2 tablespoons maple syrup
• 1 teaspoon salt
• ¾ teaspoon cinnamon
• ¼ teaspoon freshly ground pepper
• 1/8 teaspoon nutmeg

DIRECTIONS

Preheat the oven to 425° F. Spray a large roasting pan with nonstick spray. Combine the turnips, sweet potatoes, carrots, onion, maple syrup, salt, cinnamon, pepper and nutmeg in a large bowl; toss well to coat. Arrange in a single layer in the roasting pan. Roast, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are tender and lightly browned, about 45 minutes.

Makes 6 servings. 102 calories per serving.

Rainbow Roasted Veggies – Oil-Free!

INGREDIENTS

• 1 2/3 cup chopped red bell peppers
• 2 cups chopped carrots
• 1 1/3 cup chopped yellow bell peppers
• 1 2/3 cup chopped zucchini
• 1 cup broccoli florets
• 1 cup chopped red onions
• 1 tbsp dried thyme
• Balsamic vinegar to taste

DIRECTIONS

Preheat the oven to 400 ºF or 200 ºC. Place the chopped vegetables onto a baking sheet, add the thyme and balsamic vinegar to taste. Bake for about 25 minutes or until the vegetables are cooked. Store the veggies in a sealed container in the fridge for 3 to 4 days.

Makes 4 servings. 89 calories per serving. Recipe from www.simpleveganblog.com.