I love to eat, there for I must love to cook. Baking is really my passion but lets be honest, those healthy desert options just are not the same. However I've found that you can make some amazingly tasty and healthy breakfast, lunch, and dinner items!
I love Pinterest for finding and modifying recipes. When I have no idea what to cook I simple search what ever major food item I have on hand and see whats out there that I can make happen. Sometimes its a win and some times, we don't eat that item again! Here are a list of 3 side items style dishes that we've enjoyed more than once!
Sides:
Avocado Corn Salsa
Do yourself a favor and make this, ASAP! Damn Delicious usually doesn't disappoint, recipes are simple and if necessary easy to modify.
Recipe as Written:
- 2 cups canned corn kernels, drained
- 1 jalapeño, seeded and diced
- 1/4 cup diced red onion
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro leaves
- 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lime juice
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 avocado, halved, seeded, peeled and diced
My Modification - Makes 2 large or 4 small servings
(I eat a macro based diet so I'm always converting things to grams/oz)
1 cup can corn kernels, drained (approx 270 grams)
1/4 cup diced red onion (approx 2 oz)
1 lime, squeezed
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp sugar
1 avocado, diced (approx 60 grams)
Cilantro to taste (I like a lot)
Or as I like to say, guilt free potato salad.
Recipe as Written
- 3 pounds red/new potatoes
- 1 large red onion, cut into thick slices
- 1 tablespoon coriander seed
- 1 pinch cumin seed
- 1 tablespoon oregano leaves
- 2 serrano chiles, minced
- 3 slices bacon, crisply cooked and coarsely chopped
- 1 bunch fresh cilantro, thick stems discarded, coarsely chopped
- ¼ cup olive oil
- 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon coarse black pepper
My modification - Makes 2 servings.
2-3 new red potatoes (I aim for about 110-120 grams uncooked each)
2 slices bacon, cooked and chopped
1/2 red onion chopped, saute in bacon grease for extra flavor
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 tbsp red wine vinegar
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
Ground Oregano to taste, sprinkled over
Ground Cumin to taste, sprinkled over
Cilantro to taste
Boil potatoes until soft, dice and spread out in baking sheet
Fry bacon, drain grease and use small amount of grease to saute onions
Top diced potatoes with onions and bacon, drizzle over olive oil and red wine vinegar
Stir
Sprinkle over ground oregano, cumin, and cilantro
Bake at 350/375 OR cover and cook later!
Y'all know how much spaghetti squash you get when you cook one and then your like what do I actually do with this? Here's the answer!
Recipe as written
- 1 package (8 oz) lower fat cream cheese
- ½ cup Greek yogurt or low fat sour cream
- 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, shredded
- 1 cup part skim mozzarella cheese, shredded
- 1 cup spaghetti squash, cooked
- 1 cup cooked spinach
- 4 garlic cloves, minced
- Cayenne pepper
- Salt
My modification - 2 servings
I even took this one step further and used it as a stuffing for mini sweet peppers
5 oz spaghetti squash (cooked)
8 oz spinach, cooked
2 oz low fat cream cheese
1 oz skim mozzarella cheese, shredded
1 oz Parmesan cheese
1 clove garlic
dash salt and cayenne pepper to taste
6-8 small sweet pepper, tops cut out and seeds removed
Saute spinach, add in spaghetti squash - stir together
Add in cheese and garlic - allow to melt
Sprinkle salt/cayenne pepper
Stuff peppers, place tops up into a small oven safe dish cover peppers with any remaining dip.
Bake a 400 for 5-8 min until peppers are tender
