Side Dish Archives - Page 4 of 6 - De Ma CuisineDe Ma Cuisine

Monday

15

June 2015

Bean and Veggie Mélange

Written by Rachel, Posted in Appetizers, Beans, Breakfast, Brunch, Dairy-Free, Dinner, Fruit, Gluten Free, Herbs, Legumes, Lunch, Potlucks, Quick and Easy, Salads, Sides, Snacks, Vegan, Vegetables, Vegetarian

I called this a “mélange”, which is French for “mixture”. It seems so versatile that I don’t want to limit it by calling it a dip or a salad. A dip implies the need for some sort of scooper. Corn chips would work well. I’m planning to try this tonight. A salad or a side implies that it’s a dish meant to compliment something else. Served alongside some grilled chicken or pan seared tofu would be fabulous. It could be a topping for brown rice/quinoa/bulgur wheat, breakfast burritos, fried eggs, or crispy potatoes. It could be a part of a taco salad. It could become an appetizer and top a garlic rubbed crostini.

This makes enough for about 4-5 servings, so I’m looking forward to trying as many of these as possible.

The magic all starts with the fruits and veggies. I chose summer squash, carrot, garlic, jalapeño, and these fabulous Kingsburg Gold cherry tomatoes that I’ve been waiting a year for.

Seriously.

Cherry tomatoes are one of my favorite things about summer. They bring back memories of eating tomatoes, still warm from the sun, from our garden when I was growing up. No matter how large or small my garden is, I always try to grow tomatoes. I plan to save some seeds from these Kingsburg Golds to plant next year.

If you want to swap out any of the veggies, I have a few suggestions: eggplant (finely chopped), corn (fresh off the cob), bell pepper (in place of or in addition to the jalapeño), red onion (I don’t have any on hand, or I would have added it), radish (finely grated – don’t use too much so it doesn’t overpower), and avocado (ripe, but not too).

I like to grate carrots when they’re in a salad or a dip. I thought they’d be easier to scoop up than chunks. Plus they’re a little less in your face with the crunch. Grating tames them a bit. If you like chunks, chop away.

It’s all so super simple. A quick oil and vinegar dressing with some paprika for fun flavor. It’s one of my favorite spices. If you don’t love it, chili powder would be great, cumin could be good, or you could just stick to salt and pepper and add a few fresh herbs (like basil and parsley, and maybe even cilantro).

Everyone gets tossed around, then they get to stand for a few minutes to marinate a bit.

We ate this for lunch with plain old cheese quesadillas. The fridge is a little bare right now, so we’re all out of the usual quesadilla toppings (salsa and Greek yogurt). But, let me tell you, I may just skip them from now on. I liked this better.

I think dinner tonight will be corn chips with this little mélange. That counts as dinner, right? And then breakfast burritos tomorrow… I wonder if I’ll ever get sick of it. 😉

Happy Eating

Bean and Veggie Mélange

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Total Time: 10 minutes

Yield: 4

Bean and Veggie Mélange

Ingredients

2-3 T balsamic vinegar
1 clove garlic, minced
2 T chives, minced
1 t paprika
to taste salt
to taste pepper
2-3 T olive oil
1 1/2 - 2 C beans (black, kidney, white, garbonzo), drained and rinsed if canned, cooked and cooled if dried
2 C zucchini, grated
1 C carrot, grated
1/2 to 1 C tomatoes, chopped
1/2 jalapeño (about 1-2 T - use more for more heat), ribs and seeds removed if desired, minced
could also add: bell pepper, red onion, radish, corn, avocado, or eggplant

Instructions

Whisk together balsamic through pepper. Stream in olive oil as you whisk some more.
Toss beans and veggies with dressing. Taste and adjust seasoning if needed.
Let stand about 10 minutes before serving.

Notes

Wash hands after cutting jalapeño and be careful not to touch eyes while cutting. Serve this dish on its own, as a side, or with corn chips for dipping. Use it to top rice/quinoa/bulgur wheat, breakfast burritos, fried eggs, crispy potatoes, taco salad, or crostini.

http://www.de-ma-cuisine.com/bean-and-veggie-melange/

Thursday

21

May 2015

0

COMMENTS

Roasted Stone Fruit with Bulgur and Fennel

Written by Rachel, Posted in Dairy-Free, Dinner, Fruit, Grains, Main Dishes, Nuts, Quick and Easy, Quinoa, Rice, Roasting, Sides, Vegan, Vegetables, Vegetarian

Complain as I will about summer – the heat, the heat, the heat, I love the fruits and veggies that it brings. I’m silly for squash (more about that next week), crazy for cherries, and wacko for watermelon. Not to mention sweet corn… be still my heart. And oh the stone fruit… Standing over the sink, eating the most perfectly ripe peach, juice dripping down my arms. That’s just heavenly.

Try as I might, stone fruit doesn’t last long in our home. It’s just too easy to grab one, give it a quick scrub, and have a delicious snack. So in order to have any left for this savory take, I had to make it as soon as the box got home.

This week it was nectarines in our Abundant Harvest Organics box, but apricots, apriums, or peaches would work great too. I sliced them about 1/4″ thick, tossed them with some olive oil, salt, and pepper, and roasted them for a few minutes.

While the nectarines hung out in the oven, I sautéed some onions and fennel. A few minutes later I added the bulgur wheat and let it get a bit toasty before I added some veggie stock. If you wanted to keep this dish gluten-free, quinoa, brown rice, or barley would be great instead of the bulgur wheat.

Once the fruit was roasted, flipped once, and roasted for a bit longer, it joined the party in the bulgur pan.

Added to it was some saffron, cayenne, and ginger.

Top it with a little lemon juice, some chopped nuts, and you’ve got dinner.

It’s great on its own, but would be fabulous served with some crispy fried tofu, or a roasted chicken, along with a salad of arugula, red onions, sliced stone fruit, and chopped nuts.

Happy Eating!

Roasted Stone Fruit with Bulgur and Fennel

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 15 minutes

Total Time: 30 minutes

Yield: 2-3 as a main dish, 3-4 as a side dish

Roasted Stone Fruit with Bulgur and Fennel

Ingredients

2 C firm stone fruit (apricots, nectarines, apriums, or peaches), sliced 1/4" thick
to taste salt
to taste pepper
1 t olive oil
1 T olive oil
1 C onion, chopped
1/3 C fennel, chopped
to taste salt
to taste pepper
1 C bulgur wheat (or quinoa, brown rice, or barley)
2 C vegetable stock (or water)
pinch saffron (optional)
pinch ginger
to taste salt
to taste pepper
pinch cayenne
1 T plus 2 t lemon juice
1/2 C nuts (almonds or pistachios), roughly chopped

Instructions

Pre-heat the oven to 400F.
Toss stone fruit with salt, pepper, and 1 t olive oil. Place on a baking sheet and roast for about 7 minutes, flip, then about 7-8 minutes more (or until fruit is lightly browned).
While fruit cooks, heat a medium sized sauce pan over medium or medium-low heat. Add 1 T olive oil. When oil is hot, add onion, fennel, salt, and pepper. Cook for 3-5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add bulgur and cook for 1 minute more. Add stock, turn the heat to high and bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer and cook for about 7-8 minutes (or until bulgur is cooked).
Add stone fruit through lemon juice to bulgur mixture. Taste and adjust seasoning if needed. Cool for about 10 minutes, then serve topped with nuts.

http://www.de-ma-cuisine.com/roasted-stone-fruit-with-bulgur-and-fennel/

Monday

6

April 2015

0

COMMENTS

Warm Beet Salad with Fruit and Nuts

Written by Rachel, Posted in Cheese, Dairy-Free, Dinner, Fruit, Gluten Free, Herbs, Lunch, Nuts, Quick and Easy, Salads, Sides, Vegan, Vegetables, Vegetarian

It’s spring. It’s time for flip flops and tank tops, warm breezes and sunshine, and a change in fruits and veggies. But, before we get to all things spring, let’s compromise with winter a bit. Let’s ask her to stay a while longer before we rush in to summer.

I want to keep eating beets, oranges, and apples. But, I’m starting to crave salads and lighter foods. So, this dish is a happy medium.

Beets are sautéed in some olive oil with salt and pepper. Simple. They taste similar to the way they do when they’re roasted, with a little less crunch. But, they still retain that kinda crispy outside, tender inside quality that I love for food to take on.

Then the greens are added. I like the taste of beet greens. If you don’t have any on hand, kale, chard, or spinach would also work well.

After the greens are wilted down, all that’s left to do is drizzle everyone with a bit of dressing and add some toppings. Apples, oranges, nuts, and raisins were perfect. You can vary it depending on what’s in season and what you like. You could use fresh blackberries and grapefruit, or maybe some watermelon. You could use almonds, or switch them up for sunflower or pumpkin seeds.

I topped it with some ricotta and the dressing has honey. If you want to make this a vegan dish, you could try some silken tofu and sweeten things up with maple syrup instead of honey. Easy changes to make.

This one feels simple and light. Bright, but with depth. Perfect for a warm spring day.

Happy Eating!

Warm Beet Salad with Fruit and Nuts

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 13 minutes

Total Time: 23 minutes

Yield: 2

Warm Beet Salad with Fruit and Nuts

Ingredients

1 T olive oil
2 beets, peeled and chopped
to taste salt
to taste pepper
1 T lemon juice
1 T balsamic vinegar
1/2 t honey or maple syrup
to taste salt
to taste pepper
1/4 to 1/2 t fresh parsley, chopped
1 T olive oil
1 bunch beet greens, de-stemmed and torn
1/4 C orange, chopped
1/4 C apple, chopped
2 T almonds (or pumpkin seeds or sunflower seeds), chopped
2 T raisins, chopped
1/4 C ricotta (optional) (or silken tofu - sweetened, if desired)

Instructions

Heat skillet, add olive oil, add beets, salt, and pepper. Cook over medium-low heat for about 10 minutes, or until the beets are tender, stirring occasionally. Add the greens and wilt down, about 3 minutes.
Whisk lemon juice through parsley, stream in olive oil and whisk. Taste and adjust seasoning if needed.
Top beets and greens with fruit, nuts/seeds, and raisins. Drizzle with dressing and top with ricotta/tofu.

http://www.de-ma-cuisine.com/warm-beet-salad-fruit-nuts/

Wednesday

18

March 2015

0

COMMENTS

Crispy Tofu with Black Bean Purée and Microgreens

Written by Rachel, Posted in Appetizers, Beans, Dairy-Free, Dinner, Fruit, Gluten Free, Herbs, Legumes, Lunch, Main Dishes, Quick and Easy, Sandwiches, Sides, Snacks, Vegan, Vegetables, Vegetarian

I think of this dish as a sort of open faced sandwich. We eat bread in our house. We also eat gluten. But, there are plenty of folks who don’t. There are also plenty of vegan-loving people out there. This is a shout out to all of you. But, but but but, not just for you GF+V friends! Because let me tell you, as a carnivore and gluten-eater, I loved this meal. So much so that I re-heated the leftovers and ate it again for dinner the day that I made it.

My goal was to make a bean purée (ish) topping. I love to eat beans. They’re full of protein and add so much to most any dish. But, I didn’t want it to taste like I’d just opened a can of beans and mashed them up. So I added things like a touch of lemon and vinegar for acidity and brightness, butternut squash for creamy richness, and cayenne for a hint of spice.

Which all tasted great topped with these super cute microgreens. Hello yum! Hello packed with nutrients!

I mixed up a lemony dressing to toss the microgreens in. Note: wait until right before serving to toss them. They will wilt if left too long (lesson learned). If you have extra dressing, just save it for tomorrow’s lunch, use it for drizzling on some soup, or make a double batch of these yummy treats and have a party!

I’m seriously digging crispy pan fried tofu these days. I love to sprinkle it with lots of cayenne and a bit of ginger (plus salt and pepper). In a super hot pan they’ll cook in no time at all.

The tofu gets spread with beans and topped with the microgreens (mine were kinda swimming in the dressing, so I had to quickly consume as many as possible – not a problem).

The perfect little gluten-free, vegan treat for lunch, dinner, snack, appetizer… maybe even for breakfast!

Happy Eating!

Crispy Tofu with Black Bean Purée and Microgreens

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 22 minutes

Total Time: 32 minutes

Yield: 2-3

Crispy Tofu with Black Bean Purée and Microgreens

Ingredients

1 C black beans (if canned, drained and rinsed)
1/4 C water
1 T lemon juice
1 t rice vinegar
sprinkle cayenne
1/4 C mashed butternut squash or sweet potato
to taste salt
to taste pepper
1/4 C lemon juice
1 T parsley, minced
1 t mint, minced
1 T green garlic/green onion/chives/garlic, minced
to taste salt
2-3 T olive oil
1-2 C microgreens
olive oil, for frying
14 oz. tofu (extra firm or firm)
to taste salt
to taste pepper
to taste cayenne
to taste ground ginger

Instructions

Heat beans, water, 1 T lemon juice, rice vinegar, cayenne, squash, salt, and pepper in a saucepan over medium-low heat for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Mash, taste and adjust seasoning if needed, and set aside and keep warm.
Whisk lemon juice, parsley, mint, green garlic, and salt. Stream in olive oil while whisking. Taste and adjust seasoning if needed. Set aside.
Heat a large skillet over medium-high. Add olive oil. Add tofu and sprinkle with salt, pepper, cayenne, and ginger. Cook for about 2-3 minutes per side, or until golden brown and crispy. Work in batches so the pan isn't overcrowded, adding more oil as needed. Set on a paper towel lined plate as they are done.
Spread beans on top of tofu, toss microgreens with dressing (right before serving, being careful not to overdress, as they will get soggy) and place them on top of the beans.

http://www.de-ma-cuisine.com/crispy-tofu-with-black-bean-puree-and-microgreens/

Thursday

15

January 2015

0

COMMENTS

Hearty Winter Salad with Dill Dressing

Written by Rachel, Posted in Beans, Eggs, Gluten Free, Herbs, Legumes, Lunch, Main Dishes, Potatoes, Quick and Easy, Salads, Sides, Vegetables, Vegetarian

Very rarely do I want a break from soup when the weather is cold. But, every once in a while it’s ok to take a breather from a steaming bowl of goodness. And I really do love the crunch of raw veggies. I also like how different a salad looks in the winter, compared to summer.

This simple meal starts with some hardboiled eggs. If you’re not in the mood for eggs, you could use tuna as an alternative.

When I was cooking these eggs, I thought I’d try to do them a different way from the way that I always do it, the way that works every time. I’d seen it done differently on TV, or read about it on a blog, or someone said something at some point in life about a different way to hard boil an egg.

Always a sure sign that something will turn out splendidly.

I ended up with soft boiled (aka goopy not fully cooked) eggs. Not at all what I was hoping for. So I returned them to the pot and re-boiled them the way I’d always done it. The way my mom taught me.

They turned out perfectly.

Lesson learned.

Veggies that I had on hand to go with the eggs: broccoli and radish. You could also use beets, crispy potatoes, peas, carrots, cauliflower, or cabbage.

Since I’m still obsessed with dill, I made a creamy dill dressing. It’s mostly Greek yogurt, because I was almost out of mayo. But, I’m happy with how it turned out, so I wouldn’t change the recipe. But, if you like a little less tang, switch up the proportions to suit your tastes.

This salad was seriously filling, with chickpeas and eggs on there. I made it to go along with the Spaghetti Squash au Gratin that I’d made for lunch the same day, but didn’t end up eating it until dinner, since the Gratin was more filling than I’d expected. As a light dinner, it was perfect (for me anyways). (I keep hitting the caps lock key so it looks like I’m screaming half of each word at you. I must have a rogue pinky finger.) A small portion of each would go nicely together.

So that’s that. Now I can go back to eating soup. 😉

Happy Eating!

Winter Salad

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 15 minutes

Total Time: 30 minutes

Yield: Serves 2-4

Winter Salad

Ingredients

4 eggs, hard boiled and chopped (or you could use tuna)
1/2 C Greek yogurt
2 T mayo
to taste salt
1 T balsamic vinegar
1 T fresh dill, chopped
1/4 C olive oil
greens (lettuce, kale, spinach, chard), torn
1/2 C broccoli, chopped into small pieces
1/4 C radish, very thinly sliced
(could also add: grated carrots, chopped cauliflower, shredded cabbage, peas, crispy potatoes, beet chips)
1/4 C chick peas

Instructions

Cook eggs.
Whisk yogurt through dill. Whisk in olive oil. Taste and adjust seasoning if needed.
Top greens with veggies, chick peas, hard boiled eggs, and dressing.

http://www.de-ma-cuisine.com/hearty-winter-salad-with-dill-dressing/

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Side Dish Archive

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Bean and Veggie Mélange

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21

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Roasted Stone Fruit with Bulgur and Fennel

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6

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Warm Beet Salad with Fruit and Nuts

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18

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Crispy Tofu with Black Bean Purée and Microgreens

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Hearty Winter Salad with Dill Dressing

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