January 19, 2012: Skinny Fries Recipe

Just because you’re watching your weight doesn’t mean you have to avoid potatoes. The potatoes themselves are not a bad food; it’s only when you add things like butter and sour cream or fry them in oil that they become less than healthy. This recipe will alleviate your craving for French fries with just a fraction of the calories and none of the guilt.

Skinny Fries served as a side to Roasted New York Strip steak and cooked carrots.

Skinny Fries

1 large Russet potato

1 clove garlic, minced

2 teaspoons canola oil, divided

½ t. Kosher salt

1 t. dried parsley (or 2 teaspoons chopped fresh parsley)

Scrub the potato and cut lengthwise into about 20 skinny sticks. Soak in cold water for half an hour. Remove from water and pat dry with paper towels.

Meanwhile, in small skillet add garlic to one teaspoon oil. Heat to low and cook for 5 minutes. Remove from heat and strain garlic from oil.

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Toss potato sticks with garlic-infused oil and salt. Spray a baking sheet with cooking spray. Place potatoes in a single layer on sheet. Bake for 25 – 30 minutes, until crispy and golden, turning once. Add reserved garlic and parsley to potatoes.

Serves 2.

January 13, 2012: Slow Cooker Low Cal Sesame Green Beans Recipe

Looking for a diet-friendly side dish to go with an Asian-style main dish? These green beans fit the bill nicely. Not only are they flavorful, they are low in fat and can cook away in your Crock pot throughout the day or afternoon.

Slow Cooker Low Cal Sesame Green Beans

1 pound fresh green beans

½ t. sesame oil

½ t. olive oil

2 cloves garlic, sliced on the diagonal

1 shallot, chopped (about ¼ cup)

½ t. garlic salt

2/3 t. sesame seeds, toasted*
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Remove the ends of the green beans and snap each into two or three bite-size pieces.

Place the oils in a slow cooker set on low. Add the garlic and shallots, topped by the green beans. Sprinkle all with garlic salt and sesame seeds. Cover and cook on low for about 4 hours (or high for 2 hours), until tender. Season with salt and pepper to taste just before serving.

Serves 2 large servings with 71.4 calories in each serving.

*To easily toast sesame seeds, heat a small, heavy pan to medium heat on the stove; add sesame seeds and cook for five minutes, stirring occasionally.

Note: The longer you cook these green beans, the softer they will become. If you want them semi-crisp, don't cook longer than 2 hours.

January 3, 2012: Acorn Squash Crescents Recipe

Here’s a side dish loaded with flavor but slim on calories. It makes a beautiful accompaniment to a piece of chicken or fish, rice and a fresh, green salad.

Acorn Squash Crescents

1 acorn squash

1 T. butter

¼ t. curry powder

¼ t. kosher salt

1 T. apple juice or apple cider

Cut squash in half lengthwise; scoop out seeds and tough fibers. Place each half cut side down on a cutting board and cut into ½ inch thick slices. Arrange in a single layer on a rimmed baking sheet.

In a small saucepan, melt the butter and add seasonings; brush over squash.

Cover squash and bake in a 375 degree oven for about 20 minutes, until tender. Remove from the oven and sprinkle with apple juice, turning each slice to coat. Bake uncovered for another five minutes until tender and glazed.

Serves 6

December 3, 2011: Rice Alfredo Recipe

If you want to sneak more veggies in to the food your family eats, this recipe for a yummy rice side dish just might fit the bill. Because the cauliflower is the same color as the rice, chances are no one will even notice it's there!

Alfredo rice served as a side dish with Parmesan Chicken and fresh green beans.

Rice Alfredo

1/2 cup white rice
1/3 cup finely chopped cauliforets
1/2 t. dehydrated garlic
1/2 t. garlic salt
1/2 t. dried parsley
1 cup water
1/2 t. freshly ground black pepper
1/3 cup prepared Alfredo sauce (or just use bottled, such as Ragu)
1 T. butter
2 T. milk

In a medium sized saucepot, add rice, cauliflower, garlic, parsley, garlic salt and water. Bring to a boil; cover and reduce heat to simmer. Simmer for 20 minutes, until rice is done. Add pepper, butter, Alfredo sauce and milk. Heat through.

Serves 3 - 4

November 28, 2011: German Style Green Beans

Here’s a quick and easy side dish that’s just a bit different. I call it German style because it reminds me of my grandmother’s recipe for hot potato salad.

Tip: this is a great way to use up a few slices of bacon and the last of a bag of fresh or frozen green beans.

German Style Green Beans served with macaroni and cheese for a simple, easy weeknight dinner the whole family will love.

German Style Green Beans

2 cups fresh green beans (or about half a large package of frozen green beans)

2 slices bacon

¼ cup chopped onion

1 t. diced pimiento

1 t. dried minced parsley

1 T. brown sugar

1 T. apple cider vinegar

Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Boil green beans in a pan of water until crisp-tender, about 10 minutes. Drain.

In same pan, cook bacon slices (you may have to cut them in half to fit) until crisp. Remove to a paper towel. Do not drain bacon grease. Add onions and sauté over medium low heat until tender, about two minutes. Add remaining ingredients and heat through.

Serves 2 – 3

November 18: Whole Grain Sesame Noodles Recipe

This simple recipe is a perfect accompaniment to Orange Sauced Pork Chops. Feel free to add other vegetables to this recipe, such as green onions, baby corn, red bell peppers, snow peas, etc.

Whole Grain Sesame Noodles

½ lbs whole grain, thin spaghetti noodles

1 t. sesame oil

1 t. vegetable oil

4 ounces mushrooms, cleaned and thickly sliced

2 cloves garlic, thinly sliced on the diagonal

½ t. freshly ground black pepper

¼ cup teriyaki sauce

1 T. soy sauce

1 T. toasted sesame seeds, optional

Cook noodles according to package directions; drain.

In the same pan, heat oils to medium low. Add mushrooms and garlic; sauté for a couple minutes, until vegetables are soft. Add remaining ingredients and heat through. Top with toasted sesame seeds, if desired. Serve immediately.

Serves 4

November 1, 2011: Green Beans Gremolata Recipe

Well, it’s finally here – one of my favorite months of the year! It’s not my favorite just because my husband’s birthday occurs in the month, but because it signals my favorite time of year and holiday, Thanksgiving. Perhaps I’m wild about Thanksgiving because it was my dear mother’s favorite holiday, but it could also be that, as a dedicated foodie, I love to cook and this is the day I wait for all year long!

Of course today, being the first of the month, is All Saint’s Day in the Catholic church. Back in New Mexico, where I’m from, the holiday of Dia de los Muertos is celebrated. It also happens to be the day my older sister was born (happy birthday Debbie!).

If you’re like me, you’re already planning your Thanksgiving menu. This is a recipe I found online many, many years ago (yes, there was Internet back in the mid 90s) and it became a treasured one perfect for an elegant Thanksgiving dinner (if you can get your tribe to forgo the traditional green bean casserole topped with French fried onions, that is).

Green Beans Gremolata

½ cup minced fresh parsley

3 cloves garlic, minced

2 T. grated lemon zest (the peel but not the white pith)

14/ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

2 lbs. fresh green beans, trimmed

3 T. olive oil

Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

In a small bowl, mix together the parsley, garlic, lemon zest and Parmesan cheese. Set aside

Bring a 6 quart pot with 3 quarts of salted water to boil. Add the beans and cook until crisp tender, 3 to 5 minutes. Drain thoroughly and transfer to a large serving bowl. Toss the beans with the olive oil to coat, then the Gremolata (cheese and herbs) mixture. Season to taste with salt and pepper and serve immediately.

Serves 8

October 7, 2011: Homemade Applesauce Recipe

Making your own applesauce is so incredibly easy I’m surprised that so many people opt for the convenience of buying a jar at the store. I used to do that and often found that it didn’t get used up quickly enough and I’d have to toss half the jar when it got moldy. When I make it from scratch, I can make just enough for the night’s dinner and not have to worry about leftovers.

Because all apples have varying degrees of sweetness, there’s not a set amount of sugar to add (and really any variety of apples works fine for making sauce, tart or sweet). Try putting in a small amount, such as a quarter cup, first and then tasting. You can always add more but you can’t take it out if you get the sauce too sweet!

Homemade Applesauce

One apple per person (2 apples for 2 people, 3 apples for 3 people, etc.)

1 T. butter per 2 apples (optional)

Water

Squirt of lemon juice

Sugar

Dash of cinnamon

Peel and core the apples. Cut into large chunks. Melt the butter in a saucepan and add the apples. Add enough water to just cover the apples about halfway (you don’t want too much or the sauce will be too watery; however if this happens just cook it down further). Add remaining ingredients. Cover and cook over low heat for at least 20 minutes. Applesauce is done when the apples are tender. Taste for sweetness and add sugar, if necessary.

The applesauce can be served chunky, mashed slightly with a potato masher, or pureed in a blender, depending on what texture you prefer.

August 11, 2011: Fresh Corn Risotto Recipe

This is the side dish I made with yesterday’s Garlic Basil Pork Tenderloin. I love using fresh, seasonal ingredients and I happened to have corn on the cob and basil on hand so this was the perfect meal. This recipe was also adapted from the August issue of Relish magazine.

Fresh Corn Risotto

2 corn on the cob

2 T. milk

1 T. olive oil

1 T. butter

1 large shallot, thinly sliced

1 cup rice (Arborio is best but I used Jasmine rice with nice results)

3 to 4 cups chicken broth

1 t. minced parsley

1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Cut the corn kernels from the uncooked cobs. Place half of it in a blender and add the milk. Puree; set aside.

In a large skillet, heat the olive and butter to medium. Add the shallots and cook for a few minutes, just until they begin to soften. Add the rice and cook for a few minutes more. Add the parsley and one-half cup of the chicken broth, stirring frequently until absorbed. Add the corn kernels and pureed corn. Continue adding chicken broth one-half cup at a time, cooking and stirring until absorbed before adding more. Minimum total cooking time is 20 minutes. Just before serving season with salt and pepper and add Parmesan cheese; stir gently to combine.

Serves 4 – 6

August 7, 2011: Thai Pasta Salad Recipe

Wondering what to do with leftovers from my peanut sauce recipe? This side dish is a great way to use them up and pairs perfectly with the beef and mushroom kebabs recipe I shared yesterday.

The ingredients are low volume but that’s because it’s just my husband and I eating at home now that our niece is back in New Mexico. Feel free to double this recipe or even triple it for a larger amount of diners.

BTW, I bought a container of Thai pasta salad from the Safeway deli recently (the night before my new kitchen counter tops were scheduled to arrive and my kitchen was torn apart) and it was barely edible. This version is way tastier and really simple to prepare.

Tip: For a main dish salad, just add shredded chicken.

Thai Pasta Salad

4 ounces fettuccine noodles
2 T. shredded carrots
1 green onion
1 can water chestnuts or bean sprouts, drained
1/3 cup Thai peanut sauce (find my peanut sauce recipe here)
1 T. soy sauce

Cook fettuccine according to directions on the box; drain and rinse with cold water. Slice the green onion on the diagonal. In a medium-sized serving bowl, combine the shredded carrots, onion slices, water chestnuts or bean sprouts, peanut sauce and soy sauce. Mix together then toss in fettuccine noodles. Serve chilled or at room temperature.

Serves two.

August 4, 2011: Lemony Parmesan Potatoes Recipe

Here’s another side dish that goes with just about anything on the grill – or off! It’s easy and quick but packed with flavor. Although similar to roasted potatoes, this one has an added freshness from lemon juice.

Lemony Parmesan Potatoes

¾ lb. mixed Yukon gold and ruby baby potatoes
2 T. olive oil
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 t. lemon juice
1 t. citrus peel seasoning (or freshly grated lemon rind plus parsley)
1/2 t. kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
1/3 cup parmesan cheese, grated

Clean the potatoes but do not peel. Cut into equal-sized pieces about 1 ½ inches square (leave smaller potatoes whole). Place in a pot and add water to cover. Bring to a boil; cover and reduce heat to medium. Boil for about 20 minutes, or until done.

Remove potatoes from heat and drain. Set aside.

In the same saucepan, heat olive oil to medium low. Add garlic and cook for a couple minutes, until garlic is softened slightly. Add lemon juice and seasonings and stir. Carefully stir in drained potatoes. Add cheese and toss together lightly.

Serves 3 – 4