Tag Archives: side

Whole Grain Salad with Miso Dressing

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Whole Grain Salad with Miso Dressing | GuessWhosCooking.com

This recipe can be made with any whole grain of choice. Farro was used in these photos, but you could also try brown rice, buckwheat, quinoa, or any other whole grain. Cooking time and water quantity depends on the grain. Use this chart for specific cooking instructions for various grains.

This salad can be an entree for dinner or made ahead and brought as leftovers to lunch, or it could be served as a side dish. It can be served room temperature or cold.

Whole Grain Salad with Miso Dressing

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Serves 4
This salad can be served at room temperature or cold and makes a great entree or side dish to serve to a group or bring to lunch.

Ingredients

  • 1 cup whole grain of choice (farro used in these pictures)
  • 1 12-14 oz. package of firm or extra firm tofu
  • 1 red bell pepper
  • 1 cup shelled edamame
  • 1 tablespoon cooking oil such as canola or olive oil (divided)
  • 2 teaspoons reduced sodium tamari or soy sauce
  • 1 tablespoon sesame seeds
  • 2 cups carrots (peeled and diced)

Dressing

  • 1/4 cup miso (reduced sodium if possible)
  • 1/4 cup rice or white vinegar
  • 1 tablespoon sesame oil
  • 1/4 cup shallot (minced)

Directions

Step 1
Rinse the grains, then add to a saucepan with the amount of water in this chart: http://wholegrainscouncil.org/recipes/cooking-whole-grains. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to a simmer and cook for the time listed in the chart. When grains are tender, drain any excess water and fluff with a fork.
Step 2
Meanwhile, drain the tofu and place between two towels and gently squeeze to remove excess liquid. Cut into cubes. Heat a skillet over medium high heat, then add 2 teaspoons oil. Add tofu and cook until it gets crisp on most sides, stirring occasionally, about 7-8 minutes. Add tamari and cook for one more minute.
Step 3
Preheat oven to 400˚F. Toss carrots with 1 teaspoon oil then spread into an even layer on a baking sheet. Bake for about 15 minutes or until carrots are tender, stirring halfway.
Step 4
Combine all dressing ingredients in a small bowl or jar and stir until well combined. In a large bowl, combine all salad ingredients and toss with the dressing. Garnish with sesame seeds. Serve at room temperature or cold.

Whole Grain Salad with Miso Dressing | GuessWhosCooking.com | Healthy, can be made gluten free, dairy free, vegetarian, vegan

Whole Grain Salad with Miso Dressing | GuessWhosCooking.com | Healthy, can be made gluten free, dairy free, vegetarian, vegan

Roasted Cauliflower with Miso Sauce

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Roasted Cauliflower with Miso Sauce | GuessWhosCooking.com | Healthy, quick, easy, simple, gluten free, dairy free, vegetarian, vegan
If you’re not a fan of cauliflower, you probably haven’t tried it roasted yet. Caramelized cauliflower combined with a simple miso sauce makes this an incredibly flavorful appetizer or side dish.

Roasted Cauliflower with Miso Sauce

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Serves 6
Prep time 5 minutes
Cook time 25 minutes
Total time 30 minutes
This flavorful recipe is easy, healthy, gluten-free, dairy-free, low-carb, and vegan.

Ingredients

  • 1 head cauliflower (cut into florets)
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1/4 cup miso (low sodium preferred)
  • 1 tablespoon rice wine vinegar or white vinegar
  • 1 tablespoon water
  • 1 teaspoon lemon juice
  • 1 tablespoon sesame seeds

Directions

Step 1
Preheat oven to 400˚F. Toss cauliflower florets with olive oil and place in a single layer on a baking sheet. Bake for 20-25 minutes, tossing 2-3 times, until cauliflower is well browned.
Step 2
Meanwhile, combine miso, vinegar, water, and lemon juice.
Step 3
Toss cauliflower with miso sauce, then garnish with sesame seeds and serve.

Roasted Cauliflower with Miso Sauce | GuessWhosCooking.com | Healthy, quick, easy, simple, gluten free, dairy free, vegetarian, vegan

Roasted Tomato Soup

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Roasted Tomato Soup | GuessWhosCooking.com | simple, healthy, plant based, dairy free, gluten free, vegan, nut free, soy free.

This recipe is very simple with only 5 required ingredients. Avoid the guilt with this soup because it is almost nothing but vegetables with a little healthy fat, yet is full of flavor and much more appetizing than canned tomato soup. In these pictures, I used heirloom tomatoes. Use any tomatoes you’d like, but make sure they are ripe. That means purchasing tomatoes during the summer, when they are actually in season. If possible, buy them from your local farmers market. If you’re looking to start growing your own vegetables, try growing tomatoes – they are easy and so much tastier when you grow them yourself!

Roasted Tomato Soup

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Serves 4 - 6
Prep time 10 minutes
Cook time 45 minutes
Total time 55 minutes
This simple soup recipe is vegan and contains only 5 ingredients.

Ingredients

  • 3lb tomatoes (halved)
  • 1 medium onion (quartered)
  • 4 cloves garlic
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil (plus a little to drizzle, if desired)
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt

Optional

  • fresh basil (garnish)

Directions

Step 1
Preheat oven to 400˚F. In a large bowl, toss tomatoes, onion, and garlic with olive oil. Spread in an even layer on a baking sheet.
Step 2
Place in the oven and bake for 30 minutes, turning the vegetables halfway through. Let cool.
Step 3
Place roasted vegetables in blender or food processor and blend in small batches as needed. Add salt. Blend until completely smooth, adding a little water or broth to thin if necessary. Warm in a saucepan over medium heat until heated through and serve. Garnish with fresh basil and a drizzle of olive oil (optional).

Roasted Tomato Soup | GuessWhosCooking.com | simple, healthy, plant based, dairy free, gluten free, vegan, nut free, soy free.

Springtime Buckwheat Salad

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Springtime Buckwheat Salad | GuessWhosCooking.com | Healthy, plant based, vegan, dairy free, gluten free

Whole grains don’t have to be boring! Buckwheat, which happens to be gluten-free, despite the word “wheat” in its name, is accompanied by colorful veggies and simple yet flavorful dressing. This salad is great side dish for a potluck, picnic, lunch, or dinner! Or add some protein such as chicken or beans and make it your entree.

Springtime Buckwheat Salad

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Serves 8-12
Prep time 15 minutes
Cook time 30 minutes
Total time 45 minutes
This colorful salad can be made with either roasted or grilled vegetables, which are combined with a tender whole grain and simple lemony dressing for a fresh-tasting and very satisfying salad!

Ingredients

  • 1 cup buckwheat groats (toasted for 4-5 minutes in a dry pan, or buy pre-toasted)
  • 2 cups water
  • 1 green zucchini, organic preferred (chopped)
  • 2 carrots (diced)
  • 1/2 red onion (diced)
  • 1 red bell pepper, organic preferred (chopped)
  • 1 bunch asparagus (cut into 1-inch pieces)
  • 1/2 cup artichoke hearts (quartered, thawed from frozen or marinated in jar and drained)
  • 6 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil (divided)
  • 2 tablespoons lemon juice (about 1 medium lemon)
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 tablespoon fresh parsley (minced)

Directions

Step 1
Preheat oven to 425˚F. Combine buckwheat and 2 cups water in a saucepan and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and cook on low 10-12 minutes, then let stand for 5 minutes. Let cool. Grains should be tender but not mushy. Toasted buckwheat or kasha may take less time to cook.
Step 2
Toss vegetables with 1/4 cup (4 Tbsp) olive oil and spread into a single layer on 2 baking sheets. Do not crowd the vegetables on the pan. Roast for 10-12 minutes, stirring once or twice, until vegetables are light golden brown on one or more sides. Let cool.
Step 3
In a small bowl, combine 2 Tbsp olive oil, lemon juice, and 1 tsp salt. In a large bowl, combine cooked buckwheat, roasted vegetables, and olive oil mixture. Toss and garnish with parsley. Serve warm or refrigerate and serve cold.

Springtime Buckwheat Salad | GuessWhosCooking.com | Healthy, plant based, vegan, dairy free, gluten free

Springtime Buckwheat Salad | GuessWhosCooking.com | Healthy, plant based, vegan, dairy free, gluten free

Red Lentil Patties

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Red Lentil Patties | GuessWhosCooking.com | Healthy, plant based, vegan, dairy free, gluten free

These patties are a fun and flavorful snack, appetizer, or side dish. They are a healthier alternative to a chicken nugget or other deep-fried patties.

Red Lentil Patties

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Meal type Appetizer, Side Dish, Snack
These lentil patties are a fun and flavorful snack or appetizer and can be paired with a tasty dip such as lemon tahini sauce.

Ingredients

  • 1 1/2 cup dried red lentils
  • 1/2 yellow onion
  • 4 tablespoons olive oil
  • 2 cloves garlic
  • 1/2 teaspoon cumin
  • 1/2 teaspoon paprika
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon pepper
  • 1 tablespoon lemon juice
  • 1 teaspoon turmeric

Optional

  • tahini
  • lemon juice

Directions

Step 1
Rinse and sort lentils. Soak in plenty of cold water overnight or for at least 8 hours. Lentils will end up about double in size.
Step 2
Heat a skillet to medium high and add 1 Tbsp olive oil. Add onion and cook until it becomes caramelized and translucent. Add garlic, turmeric and cumin and cook for 30 seconds, stirring often. Remove from heat.
Step 3
Drain lentils and place in a food processor. Add remaining ingredients except for cooked onion mixture. Puree until fairly smooth, scraping down sides as needed. Add cooked onion mixture and pulse until just combined.
Step 4
Heat skillet over medium high and add 1 Tbsp olive oil. Form lentil mixture into flattened balls, about the size of golf balls, then place into pan. Turn over when the bottom is golden brown and cook other side until golden brown. Place onto plate lined with a paper towel. Repeat with remaining oil and lentil mixture. Serve with lemon tahini sauce or other dipping sauce.
Step 5
To make optional lemon tahini sauce: Mix together tahini and lemon juice to taste, then thin with water to reach desired consistency. Add salt to taste. Optional: add minced garlic and parsley.

Red Lentil Patties | GuessWhosCooking.com | Healthy, plant based, vegan, dairy free, gluten free

Red Lentil Patties | GuessWhosCooking.com | Healthy, plant based, vegan, dairy free, gluten free

Layered Mediterranean Dip

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Layered Mediterranean Dip | GuessWhosCooking.com | Healthy, plant based, vegan, dairy free, low carb, gluten free

This layered dip is full of flavor and a much healthier alternative to layered Mexican dip. You can add or omit any ingredients according to personal preference.

To make roasted eggplant – cut into small cubes, toss with olive oil and salt, and roast at 350°F for 25-30 minutes, or until tender and light golden brown. Let cool before adding to dip.

For the hummus, either make your own or use a packaged hummus. It doesn’t necessarily
have to be 2 cups, it can be less.

Layered Mediterranean Dip

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Serves 8 - 10
Prep time 10 minutes
Meal type Appetizer
This healthy layered dip is a perfect appetizer for a party or potluck, and happens to be entirely plant-based.

Ingredients

  • 2 cups hummus
  • 1 cup roasted eggplant (chopped)
  • 1 cup cucumber (diced)
  • 1/2 cup marinated artichoke hearts
  • 1/4 cup sun dried tomatoes (julienned)
  • 1/4 cup olives (any kind) (sliced)
  • 1/4 cup red onion (minced)
  • 1-2 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
  • 2 tablespoons pine nuts (toasted)
  • 2 tablespoons fresh parsley (minced)

Optional

  • 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes

Directions

Step 1
Layer all ingredients in a shallow dish, starting with the hummus, then roasted eggplant. The other ingredients except olive oil and pine nuts can be layered in any order, but the order listed is recommended. Drizzle the olive oil on top when finished layering. Any ingredients can be omitted to suit personal preference. Add pine nuts just prior to serving.
Step 2
Refrigerate until ready to serve. Add pine nuts. Serve with raw veggies such as bell pepper strips, halved and seeded mini sweet peppers, or cucumber slices, or whole grain baked pita chips.

Layered Mediterranean Dip | GuessWhosCooking.com | Healthy, plant based, vegan, dairy free, low carb, gluten free

Pear Sauce, Unsweetened

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Pear Sauce, Unsweetened | GuessWhosCooking.com | Healthy, no sugar added, plant based, vegan, dairy free, gluten free

It’s like applesauce, but with pears! No added sugar necessary, especially if you use ripe to overly ripe pears. The ground ginger gives this recipe a little kick. You can mash/puree the pears using a variety of tools, including a whisk, potato masher, blender, food processor, or immersion blender. I used a whisk to make the chunky sauce pictured.

Pear Sauce

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It's like applesauce, but with pears!

Ingredients

  • 6 ripe pears (peeled, chopped into 1-inch pieces)
  • 2 tablespoons water
  • 1 tablespoon lemon juice
  • 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
  • 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions

Step 1
Combine all ingredients in a saucepan. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to a simmer for 20-25 minutes. Let cool.
Step 2
Once cool, mash with a potato masher or whisk or puree with an immersion blender or food processor. Pour off excess liquid if necessary. Refrigerate until served.

Pear Sauce, Unsweetened | GuessWhosCooking.com | Healthy, no sugar added, plant based, vegan, dairy free, gluten free

Broiled Green Beans

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Eat them like French fries, with or without sauce, or enjoy them as a super quick side dish, or keep reading for another idea!

Haricot vert, French for green beans, are a variety of green beans that are longer and thinner than most varieties in the US. When you broil them, they will be tender yet crisp on the outside. Because they are thin, they cook very quickly and work really well in this recipe. If you can’t find them, just use the thinnest green beans you can find and increase the cooking time.

Broiling is a high temperature direct heat cooking method. The outcome is an appearance that mimics Chinese restaurant-style stir fried green beans, usually cooked in a wok over a very high flame, which isn’t always possible at home, especially when you have an electric (as opposed to gas) stove. After broiling, you could try quickly warming them in a large skillet with a Szechuan sauce.

Pro tip: Trim the stems off the green beans by using kitchen shears. It is easier and dirties less dishes than using a cutting board and knife.

You can even roast frozen green beans straight out of the freezer! Prepare them the same way except bake (rather than broil) at 400˚F for 10-15 minutes, stirring once or twice, until light golden brown.

Broiled Green Beans

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Serves 3
Prep time 5 minutes
Cook time 15 minutes
Total time 20 minutes
Dietary Diabetic, Gluten Free, Vegan, Vegetarian
Meal type Side Dish, Snack
Misc Child Friendly, Serve Hot
This super simple recipe is addictively delicious and takes only about 5 minutes to cook!

Ingredients

  • 3 cups green beans, trimmed
  • olive oil
  • salt to taste

Optional

  • garlic powder

Directions

Step 1
Place oven rack in the top third of oven, second rack from the top. Set oven to broil.
Step 2
Toss green beans with a drizzle of olive oil, a generous pinch of salt, and if using, a light dusting of garlic powder. Spread an even layer of green beans on a baking sheet.
Step 3
Broil until light golden brown, tossing once or twice, about 5 minutes for haricot vert or very thin green beans, or up to 10-15 minutes for standard green beans. Watch the oven carefully the entire time to prevent burning.

Broiled Green Beans | GuessWhosCooking.com | Easy, quick, healthy, vegan, gluten-free, dairy-free, plant-based

Peanut Butter & Chocolate Apple “Nachos”

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Peanut Butter Chocolate Apple Nachos - healthy dessert that is gluten free, low in added sugar, and can be made dairy free and vegan. Guess Who's Cooking

This guilt-free dessert or appetizer is easy, requires very little cooking (microwaving), and is low in added sugar, gluten-free, and can be made dairy-free and vegan (depending on the chocolate chips). It only takes a few minutes to prepare, but is sure to please!

Peanut Butter Chocolate Apple Nachos

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Serves 4-5
Prep time 10 minutes
Cook time 1 minute
Total time 11 minutes
Meal type Appetizer, Dessert
Misc Child Friendly
This fun-looking and fun-tasting dish is a great dessert with very little added sugar.

Ingredients

  • 3 large apples
  • 1/2 cup natural peanut butter (preferably organic and unsweetened)
  • 1/2 cup mini dark or semisweet chocolate chips (divided. Look for vegan chips to make this a vegan recipe)

Directions

Step 1
Cut apples into thin slices, about 16 per apple. Place on a large plate.
Step 2
Microwave the peanut butter in a small bowl on high until it becomes melted enough to drizzle, 15 seconds at a time. You may be able to skip this step if using a fresh jar of natural peanut butter because it will already be somewhat thin. Drizzle over the apples.
Step 3
Microwave 2-3 tablespoons of the chocolate chips in a small bowl on high for about 30 seconds. Stir, then continue heating 15 seconds at a time until completely melted when stirred. Drizzle over the apples.
Step 4
Garnish with the remaining chocolate chips and serve immediately. The apples will start to brown, so don't wait to long to serve.
Peanut Butter Chocolate Apple Nachos - healthy dessert that is gluten free, low in added sugar, and can be made dairy free and vegan. Guess Who's Cooking

Guacamole Deviled Eggs

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Guacamole Deviled Eggs - dairy free, low carb, gluten free, vegetarian, healthy! Recipe from Guess Who's Cooking

 

Guacamole Deviled Eggs

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Serves 6
Prep time 10 minutes
Cook time 12 minutes
Total time 22 minutes
Meal type Appetizer, Side Dish, Snack
These avocado deviled eggs replace the traditional mayonnaise with healthier avocado. This provides a fun, tasty, and colorful twist!

Ingredients

  • 6 large eggs
  • 1 large avocado
  • 1 tablespoon red onion (minced)
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
  • 2-3 teaspoons lime juice

Optional

  • 1/8 teaspoon garlic powder
  • paprika for garnish

Note

Tired of standard deviled eggs? Put a healthy twist on them by stuffing with guacamole!

Directions

Step 1
Hard boil the eggs. One method is to put the eggs in pot, cover with water, and bring to a boil. Remove from heat and cover for 12 minutes. Drain and let sit in ice water to cool.
Step 2
Peel the eggs, cut in half lengthwise, and remove the yolks. Save 2 yolks and discard the rest.
Step 3
Mash the avocado and add the 2 yolks, red onion, lime juice, salt, pepper, garlic powder. Mix well but leave the avocado slightly chunky.
Step 4
Fill the egg whites with the avocado mixture. Sprinkle with paprika.

Guacamole Deviled Eggs - dairy free, low carb, gluten free, vegetarian, healthy! Recipe from Guess Who's Cooking