Category Archives: Sides

Baked Falafel

Baked Falafel - gluten free, grain free, vegan. Follow guesswhoscooking.com on Twitter @guesswhoscookin

Ingredients

2 15-oz cans chickpeas, rinsed and drained

1/2 an onion

4 cloves garlic

3 tablespoons almond meal

2 tablespoons fresh parsley

1 teaspoon cumin

1 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon paprika

Dash black pepper

Baked Falafel - gluten free, grain free, vegan. Follow guesswhoscooking.com on Twitter @guesswhoscookin

 

Directions

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Combine all ingredients in a food processor. Pulse until combined, but it’s ok if there are some small chunks. Grease a large baking sheet. Form chickpea mixture into balls, about 1 inch in diameter, and place on the prepared baking sheet. Bake about 30  minutes.

Baked Falafel - gluten free, grain free, vegan. Follow guesswhoscooking.com on Twitter @guesswhoscookin

Berry Chia Jam

Blueberry Chia Jam - low sugar, healthy, fiber. Follow GuessWhosCooking.com on Twitter @guesswhoscookin

This super simple 2-3 ingredient recipe gets you a fruity jam in a pinch! You have complete control over the added sugar, unlike most standard jams that require plenty of sugar for preserving purposes. Note that due to low sugar content, this jam will only last about 5 days. The good news is you can quickly whip up another batch whenever you’d like! 

Berry Chia Jam

A very easy way to make a fruity jam.

Course Side Dish
Keyword chia, fruit, no cook
Prep Time 5 minutes
Servings 8

Ingredients

  • 10 ounce bag frozen blueberries or other berries, thawed or 2 cups fresh
  • 2 Tablespoons chia seeds
  • Sweetener to taste (optional)

Instructions

  1. Mash berries with a fork. You can also pulse them in a food processor or blender

  2. Add optional sweetener to taste, then mix in chia seeds.

  3. Cover or transfer to a container with a lid. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour to set. Add more chia seeds to thicken if necessary. Store in the refrigerator up to 5 days.

  • If using fresh berries, you may need to briefly cook them to release the liquid, which will be absorbed by the chia seeds and thicken the jam.
  • Serving suggestions: plain yogurt, oatmeal, whole grain baked goods, or chia pudding
  • Try other berries too – raspberries, blackberries, or strawberries
  • To make this recipe vegan, do not use honey as a sweetener.
  • Alternatively, you can briefly cook this recipe to speed up the gelling process. In a small saucepan, combine berries, a little water, and chia seeds. Heat over low heat for 5-10 minutes or until the chia seeds have started to gel (it will thicken more as it cools). If it is too runny, add 1-2 more tsp of chia seeds and continue heating until desired consistency is reached. Add sweetener to taste.

Blueberry Chia Jam - low sugar, healthy, fiber. Follow GuessWhosCooking.com on Twitter @guesswhoscookin

Strawberry Chia Jam - low sugar, healthy, fiber. Follow GuessWhosCooking.com on Twitter @guesswhoscookin

Roasted Carrots and Parsnips

Roasted Carrots and Parsnips Recipe - Follow Guess Who's Cooking on Twitter @guesswhoscookin. low carb, gluten free, dairy free, paleo

Ingredients

1 pound carrots

1 pound parsnips

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

Salt and pepper to taste

2 tablespoons fresh dill, chopped (optional)

 

Directions

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Peel and cut parsnips and carrots into 3 inch batons, cutting woody parts out of center of parsnips if necessary. Toss with olive oil, salt and pepper, and place on a baking sheet. Roast for 30-35 minutes, stirring once or twice, until parsnips and carrots are light golden brown. Top with dill and serve.









Asian Cole Slaw

Asian Cole Slaw. Follow Guess Who's Cooking on Twitter @guesswhoscookin

 

Serves: 6-8

Time: 15-20 minutes

 

Ingredients

1 head of cabbage, thinly sliced

4 stalks green onions, sliced

1/4 cup sliced almonds

2 tablespoons sesame seeds

1 can mandarin oranges, packed in water or juice, drained

For dressing:

1/4 cup + 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

2 tablespoons sesame oil

1/2 cup rice vinegar or white vinegar

Salt and pepper to taste

 

Directions

Preheat a skillet over low heat. Add almonds and toast, stirring frequently, until they start to turn very light brown. Add the sesame seeds and continue to stir often, until toasted but not burnt. Mix together salad dressing ingredients by shaking in a jar, blending in a blender, or whisking in a bowl. This cole slaw tastes best if you toss the cabbage with the dressing 30 minutes prior to serving, then add all other ingredients just prior to serving.









No-tatoes O’Brien (Rutabaga)

Rutabaga O'Brien - Low carb, paleo, and gluten free. Follow Guess Who's Cooking on Twitter @guesswhoscookin. https://guesswhoscooking.com

It’s like the popular breakfast dish, Potatoes O’Brien, except with rutabaga! Rutabaga does have a different taste from potatoes, but it’s just as good when served with scrambled eggs and hot sauce. This recipe may seem like a lot if you are cooking for one, but it is fairly time consuming, so consider making a full batch and saving leftovers for a quick breakfast throughout the week. You could also hard boil several eggs to eat with this throughout the week.

Serves: 4-5

Time: 40-45 minutes

Ingredients

  • 2 rutabagas, peeled and chopped (~ 5 cups) – smaller pieces will cook more quickly
  • 1 medium onion (~ 2 cups), chopped
  • 1 1/2 to 2 bell peppers (~ 2 cups), chopped
  • 1/2 tablespoon cooking oil
  • Salt to taste (~ 1/2 teaspoon)
  • Black pepper (~1/4 teaspoon)
    Rutabaga O'Brien - Low carb, paleo, and gluten free. Follow Guess Who's Cooking on Twitter @guesswhoscookin. https://guesswhoscooking.com

5 cups chopped rutabaga
5 cups chopped rutabaga

2 Cups Bell Peppers
2 Cups Bell Peppers

Directions

  1. Preheat a large nonstick pan (cast iron or ceramic coated preferred) over medium-high heat.
  2. Heat oil in pan, then add onions. Cook for 2-3 minutes, stirring frequently. Add rutabaga and turn down heat to medium, stirring occasionally. The heat should be high enough that the pan is still sizzling, but not so hot that the onions burn. Cook for about 5 minutes, then turn down heat to medium-low and cover.
  3. Cook for about 15-18 minutes, stirring occasionally, or until rutabaga are almost fork tender.
  4. Remove cover and add bell peppers and cook for about 5 minutes. Add salt and pepper to taste and serve. Cook a couple of eggs for a complete breakfast!

Add rutabaga when onion looks like this.
Add rutabaga when onion looks like this.

Rutabagas, also known as swedes, are a root vegetable from the cabbage family. They are often confused with turnips, but are larger, and look a bit more dull. They are also more dense and more mild than turnips. They have about half the calories and carbohydrates of potatoes, and about half the estimated glycemic load. Like other crucifers, they are high in antioxidants and anti-cancer compounds, as well as other vitamins and minerals. Rutabagas can be baked, sauteed, boiled, mashed, and added to stews and soups. They can also be eaten raw grated into salads or coleslaw, or eaten as a snack.
Rutabaga O'Brien - Low carb, paleo, and gluten free. Follow Guess Who's Cooking on Twitter @guesswhoscookin. https://guesswhoscooking.com

One serving
One serving









Roasted Carrots

Roasted Carrots - Low carb, gluten free, paleo. Follow Guess Who's Cooking on Twitter @guesswhoscookin. guesswhoscooking.com

Serves: 4

Time: 25-40 minutes

 

Ingredients

1-2 pounds carrots (don’t need to peel if organic)

Extra virgin olive oil for drizzling (about 1 tablespoon)

Salt to taste (about 1/4 teaspoon)

 

Directions

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. If carrots still have stalks, cut most of it off and discard (or use to make pesto, or compost!). Peel the carrots, or you can leave the outer skin on if they are organic. Place carrots on a baking sheet (and parchment paper if you’d like), then drizzle with olive oil and salt. Bake for 25-40 minutes, depending on the thickness of the carrots, stirring once or twice. When they are done, they should be light golden brown all over and the carrots should be fork tender.

Roasted Carrots - Low carb, gluten free, paleo. Follow Guess Who's Cooking on Twitter @guesswhoscookin. guesswhoscooking.com

I found these skinny carrots at the farmer’s market. In my opinion, they are much tastier than the ones sold in grocery stores, plus they cook more quickly, and are very fresh!









Eggplant “Fries”

Eggplant FriesTime: 30 minutes (+ 1 hour inactive)

Serves: 4

Ingredients

2 Medium Eggplants

Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Salt and Pepper to Taste

Chili Powder (Optional)

 

Directions

Slice eggplant into rounds. Sprinkle generously with salt and allow to sit for about 1 hour to let the bitter juices come out. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  After 1 hour, rinse salt and juices from eggplant, pat dry, then slice the rounds into sticks (to resemble French fries).

Place eggplant onto a cookie sheet and toss with olive oil, salt, pepper, and chili powder. Bake for 20-25 minutes, stirring once or twice, until softened and light golden brown. Broil if necessary to achieve desired crispiness.









Spanish Cauliflower “Rice”

Spanish Cauliflower Rice

Ingredients

1 Head Cauliflower

1 Medium Red Onion, Chopped

1 Tbsp Coconut Oil

1 15-Oz. Can Tomato Sauce

1 Tbsp Cumin

1 Tbsp Chili powder

Salt to taste

 

Directions

Grate cauliflower on a box grater. Heat coconut oil in a fry pan on medium heat, then add onions and cauliflower. Cook until vegetables begin to soften, then add tomato sauce, cumin, and chili powder. Cook until vegetables are tender. Add salt to taste.