My Favorite Veggie Side Dishes

In my opinion, a great side dish can really make your meal.  As someone who loves veggies, I’ve collected many personal favorite recipes over the years.  In fact, there are very few vegetable dishes I don’t care for.  That said, there are a few recipes that everyone in my family really loves, so I wanted to share them with you as I feel they are true “crowd pleasers” as well as being nutritious.
Honey Roasted Cauliflower with Pine Nuts and Crispy Sage was the one way I was able to get everyone in my family eating (and loving!) cauliflower.  You’ll need a large head of fresh cauliflower, one quarter cup of fresh sage leaves (sometimes I omit this ingredient), one quarter cup pine nuts, 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil (and a little extra to drizzle on if you need it), 3 tablespoons honey, 2 or 3 garlic cloves minced (I use my garlic presser), and 1/2 teaspoon salt.  Arrange the cut up cauliflower on a baking pan or cookie sheet.  I cut up the cauliflower in bite sized pieces.  Combine the olive oil, salt, and honey in a bowl and whisk together.  Warm the honey so it whisks easier.  Drizzle over the cauliflower and then sprinkle the pine nuts and sage over everything.  Stir so that everything is coated.  You can do this in a large bowl if you so desire.  Bake at 400 degrees for 30-35 minutes and stir about 20 minutes into cooking.  You’ll love the way the honey and garlic combination of flavors works!

Courtesy of Food For My Family
Each summer there is always an abundance of summer squash.  This Squash Casserole is made with yellow squash and an added bonus is unlike many casseroles, no “layering” is involved–simply combine your ingredients and bake!  You’ll need between 5-7 yellow squash (depending on the size of squash you have), 1 chopped onion, 2-3 cloves garlic (minced), 1/4 cup butter, 2 eggs, 1/4 cup milk, 2 cups grated cheese (I used a reduced fat cheddar), 2 cups of cornflakes, a bit of salt and pepper to taste.  Cook your squash until it’s tender and drain out the extra water.  Place your squash in a bowl and then add the onion and garlic to the pot and saute until done.  Add to squash.  Add butter, milk, cheese, eggs, salt, and pepper to the squash combination and mix well.  Add the cornflakes at the end and stir in until blended.  Pour the contents into a greased casserole dish and bake at 375 degrees for 40 minutes until bubbly.

Courtesy of My Blessed Life
5-Ingredient Zucchini Fritters or as some people refer to them as zucchini pancakes, are a big favorite.  This recipe calls for grated zucchini, chopped scallion, flour (you can substitute Bisquick for a lighter fritter), eggs, and fry them in canola oil. Here’s my own tip–I also add some parmesan cheese to the recipe for extra flavor.  You can top these fritters with sour cream if you choose or eat them plain.

Courtesy of Just A Taste
If you love ice cream, you’ll want to check back next week.  I’ll have some delicious recipes that are healthy and guilt-free.
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