Healthy sides?

Question

I'm trying to incorporate some healthier side dishes into dinner. I'm in a rut with a can of vegetables and rice. Any suggestions?

Answer 1

Reduced Fat Stuffing

Ingredients:
1/2 teaspoon olive oil
1 cup minced onion
3/4 cup chopped celery
1 1/2 cups sliced mushrooms
1 cup reduced fat, reduced sodium chicken broth
4 cups whole wheat bread crumbs
4 cups white bread crumbs
3/4 teaspoon sage
3/4 teaspoon thyme
1/2 teaspoon parsley
Salt and pepper to taste

Prep:
Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Spray a 2 quart oven safe casserole with nonstick cooking spray and set aside. Heat olive oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat until hot. Add onion, mushrooms and celery and saute until tender. Combine the chicken broth and the bread crumbs and mix well. Add the onion mixture and spices and mix well. Place stuffing in prepared casserole and cook covered for 45 minutes.

Makes 12 servings
Serving Size: 8 ounces

Nutrients per serving:
Calories: 292
Total fat: 5 grams
Saturated fat: 1 gram
Cholesterol: 0 mg
Sodium: 665 mg
Carbohydrate: 54 grams
Protein: 11 grams
Dietary fiber: 5 grams

Answer 2

There are alot of ways to make the dinner menu healthier and more interesting and fun!
Incorporate more salads. To them add different things. Try mandarin orange segments and pecans one day, raisins and sunflower nuts another.
Try bulgar instead of rice. It is sooo nutty and good. Mix in freshly sauteed mushrooms and cook the bulgar in chicken stock and it is wonderful. (and I'm NO health nut....just love good food)
In your salads, you can top them with different dressings...like a raspberry vinaigrette, or balsamic vinegar.
Use fruit for desserts instead of cake and ice creams like a pudding, for example, topped with lite cool whip and raspberries. Or make a peach or cherry cobbler. Fast, good and healthy.
Use cole slaw already cut up from the grocers adding an oil and vinegar dressing or a mayo/milk dressing.
Steam fresh broccoli and sprinkle cheese over top--as a side or over a baked potato!
Does this get you going?

Answer 3

Here are some ideas for you:

Steamed vegetables such as broccoli,cauliflower,etc...

A nice salad with lots of veggies and a nice salad dressing on the side.

Sweet potatoes are good either baked or mashed,and they are an excellent source of beta carotene too,as well as a really good healthy side dish!! ;-)

Answer 4

here's some that i use...
Roasted Broccoli
2 tsp. olive oil
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 tsp.salt
1 large head broccoli
1 red pepper, cut into strips
Preheat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.Mix olive oil with minced garlic and salt. . Cut broccoli into florets. Toss with oil mixture. Add red pepper strips if desired.

Spinach Stuffed Mushrooms
1 package frozen spinach
12 large mushrooms
Salt to taste
Pepper to taste
1/2 cup reduced fat cheese
Olive oil for cooking - about 2 tablespoons
Defrost the spinach and wring out excess water. Place the spinach in a bowl, cover, and cook in the microwave on high for 3 minutes. Remove the mushroom stems, chop the stems, saute them with a little olive oil. Remove and add to the spinach. Take the mushroom caps and gently saute them in olive oil for 3-4 minutes.Add salt and pepper to taste to the spinach and sauteed chopped stems. Place caps on plate, stuff each with a spoonful of the spinach mixture. Top each cap with a little shredded cheese

Creamed Herbed Brussels Sprouts
1 lb fresh brussels sprouts
3 Tbsp butter
3 Tbsp flour
1 1/2 cup evaporated milk
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp ground black pepper
1/4 tsp ground marjoram
1/4 tsp ground thyme
Freshly chopped parsley
Steam brussels spouts in a vegetable strainer until desired crispness, about 8 minutes, and drain. In the meantime, melt butter in a sauce pan and blend in the flour, making a roux. Remove fromheat.Gradually stir in milk. Add remaining ingredients and return to heat. Stir and cook until a medium consistency. Pour over drained, cooked brussels sprouts. Garnish with parsley and cracked peppercorns.

Answer 5

Better-for-You Mashed Potatoes
Make a higher-nutrient side dish by blending mashed cauliflower with mashed potatoes -- all dressed up with seasonings and even a sprinkling of reduced-fat cheddar, if you like.
Ingredients:


2 large baked potatoes, peeled and cut into pieces
2 cups steamed or microwaved cauliflower florets, cooked just until tender
1/2 cup grated, reduced-fat sharp cheddar cheese (optional)
2/3 cup low-fat milk (fat-free half-and-half can be substituted); use more if needed
Salt and pepper to taste
A sprinkle or two of paprika or garlic powder (optional)
Preparation:
1. Put hot potato pieces, cauliflower florets, and grated cheese in a large mixing bowl. Beat on medium-low speed until nicely mashed. Pour in milk, and continue to beat until blended. Add a tablespoon or two more of milk if needed for desired consistency.
2. Add a touch of salt, pepper, and garlic powder or paprika (if desired) to taste.

Yield:
4 servings

Nutritional Information:
Per serving (not including salt to taste): 140 calories, 5 g protein, 30 g carbohydrate, 0.7 g fat (0.3 g saturated fat, 0.2 g monounsaturated fat, 0.2 g polyunsaturated fat), 2 mg cholesterol, 4 g fiber, 51 mg sodium. Calories from fat: 4%.
Easy Green Beans Almandine Recipe
Ingredients:


24-ounce bag extra fine French green beans
1 1/2 tablespoons whipped butter
2 tablespoons Amaretto (or similar almond liqueur)
1/4 cup toasted flavored sliced almonds
Preparation:


Briefly rinse frozen beans in hot water from the tap to lightly thaw. Start heating a large, nonstick frying pan, skillet, or wok over medium-high heat. Add the whipped butter and let it brown just slightly (about a minute), stirring constantly.
Add the green beans and sauté about 2 minutes, stirring often. Drizzle Amaretto liqueur over the top and continue to sauté 2 to 3 minutes more or until beans are still a nice green and just tender.
Spoon the green beans into a serving bowl and sprinkle the almond slices evenly over the top.
Yield:
8-10 servings

Nutritional Information:
Per serving (if 8 per recipe): 73 calories, 2 g protein, 8.5 g carbohydrate, 3.2 g fat, 0.9 g saturated fat, 4 mg cholesterol, 3 g fiber, 60 mg sodium. Calories from fat: 38%.

Answer 6

Buy fresh produce and roast it. There is nothing quite like roasted onions or broccoli or aspargus.

Lay cleaned and cut veggies on a cookie sheet. Sprinkle with vegetable oil and sprinkly lightly with salt and pepper. Toss to coat. Roast at 350 degrees until hot and fragrant and lightly-charred, about 25 minutes

Roasting will transform your vegetables. I guarantee.

Answer 7

cook the rice using low soduim chicken broth instead of water for a lil extra flavor, then saute the rice and veges in a little bit of vergetable oil. Season this mixture to your liking, it'll be sort of like fried rice/stir fry.

Answer 8

Here is a fun recipe for red wine risotto with peas. It's healthy, and it will help you get out of the everyday rut.

Red Wine Risotto with Peas

3 1/2 cups canned low-salt chicken broth
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 cup finely chopped onion
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 cup arborio rice, or medium-grain white rice
1/2 cup dry red wine
1/3 cup frozen peas, defrosted, optional
1/4 cup chopped fresh Italian parsley leaves
1/2 cup grated Parmesan, plus additional for garnish
Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Bring the broth to a simmer over medium-high heat. Cover the broth and keep it warm over very low heat.
Melt the butter in a heavy large saucepan over medium heat. Add the onion and saute until translucent, about 8 minutes. Stir in the garlic and saute for 30 seconds. Stir in the rice and cook for about 2 minutes until the rice is toasted. Add the wine and stir until it is absorbed, about 1 minute. Add 3/4 cup of hot broth; simmer over medium-low heat until the liquid is absorbed, stirring often, about 6 minutes. Repeat, adding 3/4 cup of hot broth 2 more times, stirring often, about 12 minutes longer. At this point, the risotto can be made 4 hours ahead. Refrigerate the risotto (the rice will still be firm) and remaining broth, uncovered, until cool, then cover and keep them refrigerated until ready to proceed.

Bring the remaining broth to a simmer, then cover and keep it warm over very low heat. Stir 3/4 cup of hot broth into the partially cooked risotto over medium heat until the broth is absorbed and the risotto is hot, about 3 minutes. Add the remaining broth and simmer until the rice is just tender and the mixture is creamy, about 5 minutes longer. Stir in the peas and parsley. Add the 1/2 cup of Parmesan. Season, to taste, with salt and pepper. Spoon the risotto into bowls. Sprinkle additional cheese over and serve.

Answer 9

did you ever try a salad or Cole slaw?how about a baked potato with sour cream and butter ( I know it sound's fat-ting but baked potato's are not fatting). or try steaming your veggies there better that way.
I hope one of these will help.

Answer 10

steamed veggies (made from fresh or frozen veggies not cans) especially green veggies
salads
baked beans
baked apples