Salads & Side Dishes

Gingery Beans and Mushrooms

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Gingery Beans and Mushrooms

This is a very quick vegetable side dish that can be done in 10 minutes from gathering and preparing ingredients (using already prepared ginger and garlic) to finished cooking, using fresh or frozen green beans. Not a fan of green beans? Switch them out with broccoli or asparagus.

Frozen beans are ready, no need to thaw in advance, so all you need to do is quarter about 10 button mushrooms and you are ready to cook. I happen to have a package of beans from my garden last summer still in the freezer, so that’s what I used.

Heat a medium stainless steel saute pan on medium heat and add 1 teaspoon of the sesame oil and the mushrooms. Saute for about 3 minutes until they are nice and golden brown.

You could use a non-stick pan if that is your preference.

Gingery Beans and Mushrooms Sauteing

Now add the rest of the ingredients, including the other teaspoon of sesame oil. Saute for another couple of minutes, scraping up the bits that got stuck to the bottom of the pan.

Gingery Beans and Mushrooms Ready

That’s all there is to it.

Try this with Hazelnut Crusted Pork Medallions.

Enjoy!

Gingery Beans and Mushrooms
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Gingery Beans and Mushrooms

The refreshing flavor of ginger with a hint of sesame and soy permeate this delightful and quick vegetable side dish.
Prep Time5 minutes
Cook Time5 minutes
Course: Side Dish, Vegetable
Cuisine: American, Asian
Keyword: Ginger, Green Beans, Mushrooms
Servings: 4 people
Calories: 146kcal
Author: Eating With Deb

Equipment

  • Medium stainless steel saute pan and spoon
  • Cutting board and knife

Ingredients

  • 2 cups frozen beans
  • 2 cups button mushrooms quartered, about 10 mushrooms
  • 2 tsp toasted sesame oil
  • 2 tsp soy sauce or wheat free tamari
  • 2 tsp ginger fresh, minced
  • 1 tsp garlic fresh, minced
  • 2 tsp toasted sesame seeds

Instructions

  • Heat a medium stainless steel saute pan on medium heat. Add 1 teaspoon of the sesame oil and the mushrooms. Saute for about 3 minutes until the mushrooms are nice and golden brown.
  • Add the other teaspoon of sesame oil and the rest of the ingredients, scraping up the bits that are stuck to the bottom of the pan, and saute for another 2 or 3 minutes until the beans are heated through.
  • Enjoy!

Notes

For an alternative, switch out the beans with broccoli.

Nutrition

Calories: 146kcal | Carbohydrates: 23g | Protein: 8g | Fat: 3g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Sodium: 213mg | Potassium: 541mg | Fiber: 6g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 155IU | Vitamin C: 8mg | Calcium: 42mg | Iron: 2mg

Rosemary Roasted Potatoes

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Roasting potatoes is a quick way to prepare a side dish for that rushed, weekday dinner. It doesn’t involve a lot of steps or prep time, and you can season them however you like. I used rosemary on these, but feel free to switch that out with thyme or another favorite flavor. Of course fresh herbs taste better, but not too many of us have them there for everyday use.

Start by cutting your potatoes. I slice them lengthwise in half, then each half into 3 or 4 wedges. If you have time, put them in a bowl of ice water for about 30 minutes. This step isn’t necessary, but with help give you a crispier potato. Either way, as you are slicing them, put them in ice water.

It’s probably time to preheat your oven to 350 degrees.

Drying your potatoes before seasoning and cooking is an important step. This also helps give you a nice, crispy potato. Make sure to drain and dry them really well.

Dry the bowl you had the potatoes in, put them back in the bowl and add the olive oil, rosemary, sea salt, and black pepper. Toss and lay out on a parchment-lined sheet tray. Try to space them out so they aren’t touching (this time around I used red potatoes).

I recommend using fresh herbs for this recipe. 1 teaspoon dry herbs equals 1 tablespoon fresh. However, they are expensive and usually go bad before you can use them up. So, if using dry herbs, make sure to muddle them with a mortar and pestle or crush them up in your hand to release the flavor of the dry herb.

Bake them for 30 minutes, flip them over and return to the oven.

After I bake them for 25 minutes more, I like to push them together on the pan and sprinkle on some Parmesan cheese and return to the oven for another 5 minutes. Of course if there are dairy allergies, just cook for another 30 minutes after flipping them over.

This time around, I served them with my Breaded Pork Bites that I made in my air fryer and some steamed chard.

Whatever you serve them with, I hope you enjoy!

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Rosemary Roasted Potatoes

This is a very easy side dish that can be quickly prepped for small or large groups.
Prep Time15 minutes
Cook Time1 hour
Resting Time30 minutes
Total Time1 hour 45 minutes
Course: Appetizer, Side Dish
Cuisine: American
Keyword: Potatoes, Roasted Potatoes
Servings: 4 people
Calories: 102kcal
Author: Eating With Deb

Equipment

  • Bowl with Ice Water
  • Sheet Pan
  • Cutting board and knife

Ingredients

  • 4 each russet potatoes small to medium
  • 2 tbsp Olive oil
  • 2 tbsp rosemary fresh, chopped
  • Sea salt and black pepper
  • 1/3 cup shredded parmesan optional
  • 1 tbsp fresh chives or parsley, optional

Instructions

  • Clean and then slice potatoes lengthwise into wedges and put them in a bowl filled with ice water. Let sit for 30 minutes, drain and pat dry with a clean towel. Put back into a dry bowl.
  • Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
  • Drizzle in the olive oil over and sprinkle in the rosemary and some salt and pepper – do not add too much salt as the parmesan will add more salty-ness. Toss this to get the potatoes evenly coated and place in a single layer on a parchment-lined sheet pan.
  • Bake for 30 minutes. Turn the potatoes over and bake another 25 minutes. Sprinkle the parmesan over the potatoes and bake another 5 minutes.
  • Remove from the oven and transfer to a serving dish. Sprinkle on the chives or parsley
  • Enjoy!

Nutrition

Calories: 102kcal | Carbohydrates: 1g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 10g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Cholesterol: 7mg | Sodium: 128mg | Potassium: 26mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 136IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 106mg | Iron: 1mg

Asparagus and Mushrooms in a Garlic Balsamic Reduction

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Asparagus is a very versatile vegetable that pairs well with a wide variety of main courses and meats. It cooks within a couple of minutes and can be as fast as doing a quick steam or sauteed with butter, salt, and pepper, or fancied up a bit with some sauteed mushrooms and a balsamic reduction.

As usual, start by gathering and prepping your ingredients. To trim the asparagus, I grab a hold of the bottom of the asparagus in one hand and the other hand I grab on the stem about 2 inches from my first hand. Then bend the asparagus and it will snap where the “woody” part stops and the stem becomes tender. Most of the rest of the bunch of asparagus will match up to the same length, so line up the one you snapped off with the rest and cut off the ends. Or you can snap each individually.

Slice your mushrooms, chop your garlic – if you don’t have a jar of minced garlic in your refrigerator, and make sure you have shredded Parmesan and bacon bits. I chop up a package of raw bacon and cook it, drain the grease, put it in a resealable bag in my freezer so it is ready any time I want bacon bits. I also buy large bags or tubs of shredded Parmesan cheese and keep it in my freezer for when I need it.

Heat a large stainless steel pan and add the oil and mushrooms. You can certainly use a non-stick pan, but the mushrooms won’t brown as well. Saute until the mushrooms are brown.

Then add garlic and balsamic vinegar and a few turns of your pepper grinder. Simmer until the vinegar is reduced in half – this will only take about 5 minutes.

Add the asparagus, cover with a lid and simmer for another 2 minutes, tops. If you wanted you could cut the asparagus into bite size pieces before adding it to the mushrooms and vinegar. When you add cut asparagus, stir it into the sauce for a minute or 2.

It is ready to eat. Top it with bacon bits, shredded Parmesan cheese, even some chives or toasted walnuts taste great too.

Enjoy!

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Asparagus and Mushrooms in a Garlic Balsamic Reduction

I love the time of year when asparagus is in season. Add some sauteed mushrooms, balsamic, little bacon and parmesan cheese and you have a great vegetable side dish to go with about any meal.
Prep Time10 minutes
Cook Time10 minutes
Course: Side Dish, Vegetable
Cuisine: American
Keyword: Asparagus
Servings: 4 people
Calories: 153kcal
Author: Eating With Deb

Equipment

  • Large stainless steel saute pan

Ingredients

  • 1 pound asparagus trimmed
  • 4 cups mushrooms sliced
  • 2 tsp garlic fresh, minced
  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • Black pepper
  • 1/3 cup balsamic vinegar
  • 2 tbsp bacon bits
  • 2 tbsp parmesan cheese shredded

Instructions

  • Heat 2 tbsp olive oil in a large, stainless steel sauté pan. Add the mushrooms and saute until brown, about 3 minutes.
  • Add the garlic and give it a stir, then add the balsamic vinegar and a pinch of black pepper. Simmer the vinegar until reduced in half, about 5 minutes.
  • Add the asparagus, cover with a lid and simmer for another 2 minutes.
  • Put it on a plate and top with the bacon bits and parmesan cheese. You can also add some fresh chopped parsley or chives.
  • Enjoy!

Nutrition

Calories: 153kcal | Carbohydrates: 13g | Protein: 8g | Fat: 9g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Cholesterol: 2mg | Sodium: 114mg | Potassium: 558mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 7g | Vitamin A: 877IU | Vitamin C: 9mg | Calcium: 72mg | Iron: 3mg

Chipotle Coleslaw

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I will admit it, I am a coleslaw snob. I haven’t found a restaurant coleslaw that I can say I really like. There have been a few that I can tolerate. Generally they are way to creamy or way to acidic, but mostly way to sweet.

I like to use purple (I know technically it’s called red) cabbage because it holds up better to the acid that is in coleslaw. Side note – I also use purple cabbage when I make sauerkraut for the same reason – it stays more firm and crisp.

Start by gathering and prepping your veggies. Shred the cabbage, grate the carrots, chop the bell pepper (I had a half of a red and green one on hand), cilantro, and onions, get your pumpkin seeds (aka pepitas).

Technically pumpkin seeds and pepitas are different. The pumpkin seed is the whole seed (has the white husk around the green seed, and a pepita is the green, inner seed. You can find the green seed called by either name in the grocery store.

Now mix your dressing ingredients. In a large bowl, add your mayo, lime zest and juice and adobo sauce. Chop the chipotle pepper and add that to the bowl and mix it all together.

To dress just prior to serving or in advance. I know people who will only add the veggies to the dressing right before the coleslaw is ready to serve. This is one reason I like using purple cabbage – it holds up and doesn’t soften right away so you can dress your coleslaw in advance so it is ready to eat when the rest of your meal is done. In fact, it will generally last a few days before it starts softening.

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Chipotle Slaw

A slightly spicy and crispy slaw that pairs well with any Tex-Mex meal.
Prep Time15 minutes
Cook Time0 minutes
0 minutes
Course: Side Dish
Cuisine: American, Tex-Mex
Keyword: Coleslaw, Salad
Servings: 6 cups
Calories: 177kcal
Author: Eating With Deb

Ingredients

  • 4 cups purple cabbage shredded
  • 2 medium sized carrots shredded
  • 1 each bell pepper chopped
  • 2 tbsp fresh cilantro chopped
  • 3 each green onions sliced
  • 1/3 cup raw pumpkin seeds
  • 1/2 cup mayonnaise
  • 1 each lime juice and zest
  • 1 each chipotle pepper in adobo sauce minced
  • 1 tsp adobo sauce

Instructions

  • Shred cabbage.
  • Grate carrots.
  • Chop bell pepper, cilantro and onions.
  • In a large bowl, combine dressing ingredients (mayo, lime juice and zest, and chipotle pepper and adobo sauce.
  • Add veggies and pumpkin seeds and mix well.
  • Enjoy!

Notes

I like to use purple cabbage instead of green because I like the flavor better and it holds up in a slaw longer. This slaw will hold up for 3-4 days in the refrigerator (if it lasts that long).
If you don’t have chipotle peppers in adobo sauce (see my tip on what to do with the rest of the can of chipotle peppers in adobo sauce) you can replace it with 1 chopped jalapeno, ribs and seeds removed, and ¼ teaspoon chipotle powder.

Nutrition

Calories: 177kcal | Carbohydrates: 7g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 16g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Cholesterol: 8mg | Sodium: 292mg | Potassium: 238mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 4080IU | Vitamin C: 35mg | Calcium: 33mg | Iron: 1mg

Quinoa Pilaf

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I like to use quinoa (KEEN-wah) to replace rice and other grains. It is packed with nutrients and contains all nine essential amino acids, meaning it is a complete protein. It is low in carbohydrates and gluten-free. While technically not a grain, it is used as a grain replacement in many dishes.

First things first. It is important to rinse quinoa before you cook it. For some people, quinoa can taste “soapy” so rinsing will help remove this not so tasty flavor.

Just put it in a fine mesh sieve and run under cold water for a minute or two. Then drain well.

Next we cook the quinoa. I always use a stock, generally chicken or veggie stock, instead of plain water. It adds flavor to the cooked quinoa.

Put the quinoa and stock in a sauce pot and bring to a simmer. Reduce heat, cover and simmer for 15 minutes. Remove from heat and let rest for 5 minutes. Remove lid and fluff with a fork.

If there is still some liquid left, don’t worry. we can add it to the pilaf when we put this all together.

While the quinoa is cooking and resting, you can prep your veggies.

Slice the mushrooms, dice the carrots, bell pepper, and onion. Get a couple handfuls of greens out – I like spinach, kale, and/or arugula – and some frozen peas.

Of course the greens are optional, but I use any chance I get to add some extra nutrients to my food.

Now it’s time to put it all together.

Heat a large saute pan and add the olive oil and butter. Need it to be dairy-free, use a butter substitute or a little more olive oil.

Add the onions, peppers, mushrooms, and carrots and saute until the carrots are tender, about 5 minutes.

Now add the cooked quinoa, greens, peas, and 1/2 cup chicken or veggie stock.

Stir until combined and the greens have wilted.

Taste and add some sea salt and/or black pepper to your liking. Top with some fresh, chopped parsley and chives.

Enjoy!

Try this with Lemon Pepper Chicken and Veggies.

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Quinoa Pilaf

I like using quinoa in place of rice. Quinoa is a very healthy alternative to grains, has more protein and fiber, and is higher in iron and potassium than rice. And it's gluten-free so it can be used in place of other gluten containing grains.
Prep Time15 minutes
Cook Time20 minutes
Course: Side Dish
Cuisine: American
Keyword: Glutenfree, Pilaf, Quinoa
Servings: 5 cups
Calories: 198kcal
Author: Eating With Deb

Ingredients

  • 1 cup quinoa uncooked
  • 2 ½ cups vegetable stock or chicken stock
  • 2 tbsp shallots or red onion minced (or about ¼ c sliced leeks)
  • ½ each red bell pepper fine diced
  • 1 cup sliced mushrooms
  • 2 each carrots fine diced
  • ½ c frozen peas
  • 3 handfuls fresh greens spinach, kale, arugula…
  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 tbsp butter or butter substitute
  • Sea salt and black pepper to taste

Instructions

  • To cook quinoa: Put quinoa in a fine, mesh sieve, rinse and drain well. Transfer to a sauce pan and add 2 cups stock. Bring to a simmer, cover and simmer for about 15 minutes until broth is mostly absorbed. Remove from heat and let sit for 5 minutes. Remove lid and fluff with a fork.
  • While the quinoa is cooking and resting, prep your vegetables. Slice the mushrooms, chop the peppers, onion, and carrots. Gather your greens and peas.
  • Heat a sauté pan and add oil and butter. Add onions, peppers, mushrooms and carrots. Sauté until tender – about 5 minutes. Add the cooked quinoa, peas, greens, and ½ cup stock. Stir until combined and greens are wilted throughout pilaf.
  • Taste and add sea salt and black pepper to your taste.
  • Top with some fresh chopped parsley and chives.
  • Enjoy!

Nutrition

Calories: 198kcal | Carbohydrates: 27g | Protein: 7g | Fat: 7g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Cholesterol: 6mg | Sodium: 508mg | Potassium: 388mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 2187IU | Vitamin C: 12mg | Calcium: 37mg | Iron: 2mg