Side Dishes
Cooking Time - 15 minutes
Servings - 4
This Is one of my favorite side dishes because it takes no time to make, and it is super delicious. My husband will even eat this, and he refuses to eat cauliflower. I just must be sure I throw away the frozen cauliflower bag before he comes home. I got the recipe from kirbiecravings.com.
Ingredients:
5 cups of Raw Cauliflower "rice" (about 1 medium head of cauliflower; cut into florets and then briefly pulse in the food processor until they are the size of grains of rice, because of time, I use frozen cauliflower rice)
3 Tablespoons Salted Butter
3 Garlic Cloves, minced
6 Tablespoons Shredded Parmesan Cheese
Salt and Pepper, to taste
Instructions:
In a small saucepan over a stove top, add butter and minced garlic.
Bring to a simmer and cook for 2-3 minutes, stirring often, until garlic flavors are infused into the oil. Careful not to let the garlic burn.
In a large skillet, wok or frying pan, add cauliflower rice and bring to medium-high heat over stove top.
Pour in butter mixture.
Sprinkle cheese on top.
Stir to mix and cook until cauliflower is tender.
Add salt and pepper to taste and stir a few more times until everything is thoroughly mixed.
Garnish with parsley if desired.
Cooking Time - 15 minutes
Servings - 12
If you're looking for easy coconut flour recipes, try paleo low carb tortillas with coconut flour. These are keto paleo coconut wraps. Original recipe came from wholesomeyum.com.
Ingredients:
½ cup Coconut Flour
6 Large Eggs (up to 7 or 8 see directions)
1½ cup Unsweetened Almond Milk (up to 1½ cup; can use any milk of choice - use coconut milk beverage for nut-free)
¾ teaspoon Sea Salt, optional
1 tablespoon Unflavored Gelatin Powder or ¼ teaspoon xanthan gum (optional)
½ teaspoon Cumin, optional
½ teaspoon Paprika, optional
Instructions:
In a large bowl, whisk all ingredients together until smooth. Let the batter sit for a minute or two to account for the natural thickening caused by coconut flour. The batter should be very runny before cooking - it should pour easily (add more almond milk and eggs in "equal" proportions if needed to achieve this.)
If you are using the optional gelatin, add it last. Sprinkle it over the top of the batter (instead of dumping) and whisk as you do to avoid clumping. Then, add an extra 1/4 cup almond milk.
Heat a small skillet (about 8 inches) over medium to medium-high heat and grease lightly (use oil of choice or an oil mister). Pour 1/4 cup of batter onto the skillet and immediately, rapidly tilt in different directions to evenly distribute, like making crepes. Cook, covered with a lid, until the edges are golden, and you see bubbles forming in the middle. The edges will curl inward when you lift the lid (about 1-2 minutes). Flip over, cover again, and cook until browned on the other side (1-2 more minutes). Repeat until the batter is used up.
Recipe notes:
Exact amounts of eggs and milk needed can vary slightly based on your brand of coconut flour, how tightly it sits in the measuring cup, etc. The post above explains how to get the right consistency, and how to thin out the batter if it's too thick.
Cooking Time - 10 minutes
Servings - 6
If it is summertime, you better bet you will find this in my fridge! This recipe came from Tastes of Lizzy T.
Ingredients:
3 cups Roma Tomatoes, diced
½ cup Red Onion, chopped
1½ cups Cucumber, sliced and quartered
½ cup Sliced Olives
⅓ cup Pepperoni, chopped
½ cup Onion, chopped
For the Dressing:
¼ cup Olive Oil
¼ cup Red Wine Vinegar
½ teaspoon Minced Garlic
1 Tablespoon Fresh Basil, chopped
1 Tablespoon Fresh Oregano, chopped
Instructions:
In a large bowl, combine the tomato, onion, cucumber, olives, pepperoni and mushrooms.
In a small bowl, combine the ingredients for the dressing. Mix well.
Pour the dressing over the fresh vegetables and serve immediately.
Cooking Time - 15 minutes
Servings - 12
This recipe pairs nicely with so many things! My favorite thing to do with this is, put it on top of cooked fish. I found this recipe on the famous Pioneer Woman website.
Ingredients:
½ whole Small Seedless Watermelon, diced (roughly 1587g)
½ whole Red Onion, diced (47g)
1 whole Red Bell Pepper, seeded and diced (119g)
1 whole Green Bell Pepper, seeded and finely diced (119g)
1 whole Yellow Bell Pepper, seeded and finely diced (119g)
2 whole Jalapeños, seeded and finely diced (28g)
1 whole Bunch Cilantro, chopped (206g)
Juice Of 1 To 2 Limes
½ teaspoon Salt
Instructions:
Throw all the ingredients into a large bowl and toss it together. Taste with a chip and adjust ingredients as needed.
Serve with chips or on top of grilled chicken or fish...or as a side salad!
Roasted Vegetables
Roasting vegetables actually makes them taste good. Don't laugh at me until you try it. Roasting vegetables at a high temperature until they caramelize makes them taste sweet and less "vegetably" (You like my accurate description of how vegetables taste?). This is not a recipe, as much as it is a general guideline to follow when roasting vegetables. The other fun part about this is, you can use frozen vegetables already cut up and ready to go! I'm all about saving time.
The basic steps to roast vegetables goes as follows:
Preheat the oven to 425.
Take 4 to 5 pounds of vegetables and place it on a cookie sheet.
Toss the vegetables in 2 tbsp of extra virgin coconut oil, 1 tsp sea salt, 1/2 tsp fresh ground pepper, and 2-4 garlic cloves peeled and sliced.
Roast them in the oven 20-25 minutes until the vegetables are crisp and tender and the tips are browned.
Once removed from the oven, zest a lemon over the vegetables. Squeeze the lemon juice over the vegetables as well.
Grating about 1/3 cup of parmesan over the vegetables also tastes good
Playing with different spices is always fun too!
Just give it a try! Vegetables can taste good.
Rice
I found this rice recipe that changed my life! I used to hate making rice because it always seemed to flop. Of course, I also refused to purchase any of those fancy rice dishes from the box. Then I found a recipe online that changed my opinion about cooking rice. This is an easy and fool proof recipe. I jazzed up the original recipe a little too.
Ingredients
1½ cups brown rice, wild rice, jasmine or basmati
2⅓ cups chicken, beef, or vegetable broth
2 teaspoons unsalted butter
½ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon black pepper
½ teaspoon onion powder
½ teaspoon garlic powder
½ teaspoon dill weed
Instructions
Adjust oven rack to middle position. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Rinse rice thoroughly and spread rice in an 8-inch square baking dish.
Bring broth and butter to a boil in a saucepan. Keep an eye on it and take it off the heat immediately after it starts boiling. Immediately stir in salt and pour broth over rice in baking dish. Cover baking dish tightly with 2 layers of foil. Transfer baking dish to oven and bake rice until tender, about 1 hour.
Remove baking dish from oven and uncover. Fluff rice with fork, then cover dish with towel and let rice stand for 5 minutes. Uncover and let rice stand 5 minutes longer.
Season the rice with salt, pepper, onion powder, garlic powder, and dill weed. Serve immediately.
This could be a side dish for chicken or just a vegetarian meal. I found this one on Diethood.
Ingredients
2 pounds sweet potatoes (about 3), spiralized
1 Tablespoon Butter
2 Tablespoons Olive Oil
1 Large Yellow Onion, thinly sliced
2 to 3 Garlic Cloves, minced
Pinch Salt
¼ cup water
1 bag (10-ounces) Fresh Baby Spinach
Salt and Fresh Ground Pepper, to taste
¼ cup Fresh Parsley, chopped
4 Tablespoons Grated Parmesan Cheese
Instructions
Spiralize the sweet potatoes and set aside.
Melt butter and heat olive oil in a large non-stick skillet over medium-high heat
Add sliced onions, garlic, and a pinch of salt; stirring frequently, sauté for 3 minutes, or until onions just begin to soften.
Stir in sweet potato noodles and continue to cook, stirring frequently, for 8 to 10 minutes, or until tender.
Add water; cook for 3 to 4 minutes, or until sweet potatoes are thoroughly cooked and fork tender.
Stir in spinach and add salt and pepper.
Cook for 2 more minutes, or until spinach is wilted.
Remove from heat.
Add chopped fresh parsley.
Sprinkle with cheese.
Serve!
If you haven’t tried quinoa before, hopefully my daily posts will intrigue you to try it. This is delicious with some cinnamon and stevia drops!
Ingredients
1 Tablespoon Virgin Coconut Oil
1½ cups Quinoa, rinsed well
1 (13.5 oz.) can Unsweetened Coconut Milk
1 teaspoon Kosher Salt
Instructions
Heat oil in medium saucepan over medium heat. Add quinoa and cook, stirring often, until golden, about 5 minutes. Add coconut milk, salt and 1-1/2 cups water and stir to combine. Bring to a boil; reduce heat, cover and simmer until quinoa is tender and liquid is evaporated, 20-25 minutes. Let sit for 10 minutes. Fluff with fork.
Cooking Time - 27 minutes
Servings - 4
This was found on everylastbite.com. It is Dairy free, Grain/Gluten Free, Paleo, Refined Sugar Free, Whole30.
Ingredients
500 grams Brussel Sprouts
4 Slices Bacon
1 Onion, finely diced
2 Cloves Garlic
2 Tablespoon Lemon Juice
½ cup Vegetable or Chicken Stock
Zest from 1 Lemon
⅓ cup Chopped Hazelnuts, roughly chopped
⅓ cup Fresh Parsley
Instructions
To shave the Brussel sprouts, cut each one in half lengthwise and then lay them face down on a cutting board and slice into very thin shreds. Place it in a bowl and set aside.
Cook the bacon in a skillet on medium heat until crisp, approx. 5 minutes. Roughly chop into small pieces and then set aside.
Add the diced onion and garlic to the skillet with the bacon fat. Cook until the onions soften and then add in the shaved Brussel sprouts, lemon juice and stock. Cook the Brussel sprouts for approximately 7 minutes, stirring frequently, until they have softened, and the water has evaporated.
Stir in the chopped bacon, hazelnuts, parsley and lemon zest. Serve warm.
Cooking Time - 30 minutes
Servings - 8
This was found on bowlofdelicious.com. This Rosemary Infused Potato and Cauliflower Mash is a rich, earthy, wonderfully delicious, lower carb alternative to traditional mashed potatoes.
Ingredients
4 cups Yellow or White Potatoes, washed and unpeeled, cut into two-inch pieces
4 cups Cauliflower Florets, from about 1 large head
2 cups Chicken Stock/Broth, Vegetable Broth, or Water
1 Sprig Rosemary
Kosher Salt, to taste
4 Tablespoons Butter
¾ cup Whole Milk, plus more if needed (Chicken Stock if following template)
Fresh parsley and freshly ground black pepper for serving (optional)
Instructions
Place cut potatoes (2 lbs.), cauliflower (4 cups), chicken broth (2 cups), and plenty of kosher salt to taste in a large pot, with rosemary sprig placed on top.
Bring to a boil, cover, and simmer for 20 minutes (or until potatoes are fork tender).
Remove from heat and remove and discard rosemary sprig.
Drain potatoes and cauliflower and return to pot.
Add the butter (4 tablespoons) and use a potato masher to mash the vegetables with the butter until butter is fully melted.
Add the milk (3/4 cup) and continue mashing until well combined. Use more milk if a creamier texture is desired.
Add more salt to taste.
Serve garnished with parsley and pepper, if desired.
Whole30 Tangy Coleslaw
It wouldn't be summertime without cookouts and Tangy Coleslaw! This Whole30, Dairy Free and Sugar Free recipe is a tangy twist on a creamy original. It's perfect for any gathering you attend and is sure to be a crowd favorite.
Ingredients
14 oz. Chopped Green, Red Cabbage & Carrots (or 1 Pre-Mixed Bag)
2 Tablespoons Apple Cider Vinegar
¼ cup Primal Kitchen Mayo
½ Tablespoon Dijon mustard
½ Tablespoon Minced Onion
¼ teaspoon Dill Weed
¼ teaspoon Garlic Powder
¼ teaspoon Pepper
¼ teaspoon Salt + additional to taste
Instructions
Combine cabbage mixture with apple cider vinegar, mayo and mustard.
Add in seasonings/spices and mix well.
Place in fridge until ready for eating and serve chilled.
Store leftovers in airtight container in the fridge.
Spanish Rice
This is my favorite way to eat rice. I like to mix rice with cauliflower rice. It allows for me to eat the proper portion of carbs with a meal and still get all the "feels" of pigging out on a bowlful of carbs!
Ingredients
1½ cups Cauliflower Rice
1½ cups Cooked Rice, of choice
2 tablespoons Chicken Stock
4 tablespoons Olive Oil
½ Yellow Onion, finely chopped
2-3 Cloves Garlic, finely chopped
4 teaspoons Chili Powder
2 teaspoons Ground Cumin
1 teaspoon Ground Black Pepper
1 cup Chunky Salsa, or salsa of your choice
Instructions
Heat olive oil in skillet over medium heat. Add the chicken stock, onion, garlic, and cauliflower rice and sauté until onions are translucent and cauliflower rice is crisp tender.
Add rice, chili powder, cumin, pepper and salsa. Cook and stir until your salsa is mostly reduced, 8-10 minutes more.
**You can do anything to the dish you like. I enjoy a chopped avocado in mine.
Sweet Potato Bowl
That beautiful orange color? It's thanks to the sweet potato's beta-carotene, a potent antioxidant that's converted to vitamin A in the body. Keep the skin on your sweet potatoes, as it contains lots of fiber. It's important to note that the skin is also where the pesticides can concentrate, so go organic if at all possible.
Ingredients
1 Large Sweet Potato
1 Mango, peeled and cut into 1" dice
1 Red Bell Pepper, seeded and chopped
½ Avocado, peeled, seeded, and cut into 1" dice
¼ cup Cilantro, chopped
Juice of 1 Lime
Instructions
Preheat oven to 400°.
Use the tines of a fork to prick the potato all over. Place potato on a small baking sheet to catch any drips. Place in oven and roast until a knife can easily pierce through the middle of the potato, about 45 minutes. Let potato cool to room temperature, about 30 minutes, or refrigerate until ready to use.
Peel the sweet potato, cut into 1-inch pieces, and place in a medium bowl.
Top with mango, bell pepper, avocado, and cilantro.
Drizzle lime juice over top and toss gently to combine.
Oven Onion Rings
Yes, you read the title right! These onion rings get a stamp of approval! Just swap almond flour for traditional wheat flour, ditch the fryer, and bake your rings into sweet, crunchy deliciousness! Pull up a burger and you've just reinvented an all-American classic.
Ingredients
1 Large Onion
1½ cup Almond Flour
¾ teaspoon Cayenne
¾ teaspoon Garlic Salt
¾ teaspoon Fresh Ground Pepper
1 Large Egg
2 Tablespoons Coconut Oil
Instructions
Preheat oven to 400°.
Slice the onion into 1/2-inch rings and separate.
In a small bowl whisk egg with 1 tablespoon of water.
On a flat plate or shallow dish mix the dry ingredients, almond flour, cayenne, garlic salt, and pepper.
Dip the onion rings individually into the egg, let excess run off. Then place it in the dry mixture coating both sides, shake them off slightly.
Lay all onion rings on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Lightly drizzle coconut oil onto rings, this is so you can have some crispness when baking. You may choose not to bake them with the oil if you prefer.
Bake onion rings for 15 minutes, pull baking sheet out and turn rings over and bake for an additional 15 minutes, until light brown and crispy.
Spinach Stuffed Mushrooms
Tender, juicy mushrooms filled with spinach and creamy tart cheese-unprocessing your diet just got more delicious. These stuffed mushrooms make an elegant presentation that's sure to impress!
Ingredients
1 Tablespoon Grass-Fed Butter
1/4 cup Onion, chopped
6 cups Fresh Baby Spinach
1/4 teaspoon Freshly Grated Nutmeg
1 Tablespoon Almond Flour
1/3 cup Feta Cheese, crumbled
1/4 teaspoon Himalayan Salt
1/4 teaspoon Fresh Ground Black Pepper
16 Large button mushrooms, cleaned and stem cut off
Instructions
Preheat oven to 375°.
In a medium skillet, melt butter over medium-high heat and sauté onions until translucent, about 2 minutes.
Add spinach and cook until wilted, about 2 minutes.
Remove from heat and add nutmeg, almond flour, and feta cheese. Salt and pepper to taste.
Fill the mushroom cups with spinach and cheese, mix and place on a baking sheet. Bake for 15 minutes; mushrooms should be tender.
Cooking Time - 20 minutes
Servings - 6
Sauteed cabbage is a simple side dish that's full of flavor. Sliced cabbage is tossed in garlic, butter, and onions, then caramelized into a golden brown. Recipe found on downshiftology.com.
Ingredients
1 Small Head Green Cabbage, thinly sliced
1 Onion, sliced
2 Garlic Cloves, minced
2 Tablespoons Ghee or a blend of Butter and Olive Oil
Salt and Pepper, to taste
Instructions
Cut the cabbage in half, remove the core and chop it into thin slices. Then chop the onion into slices.
Melt the ghee in a large skillet over medium high heat. Sauté the onions for a minute or until just starting to soften. Then add the minced garlic and stir again.
Add the cabbage and sauté for about 12-15 minutes. During this time, stir the cabbage occasionally until the cabbage becomes soft and caramelized.
Before serving, season with salt and pepper and toss to combine.
Pesto Potatoes & Brussel Sprouts
Cooking Time - 35 minutes
Servings - 6-8
Pesto Potatoes & Brussels Sprouts are a hearty and rich side dish (or entree) that's really big on flavor. I use my homemade Pistachio Lemon Pesto to make it dairy free. Oh, my goodness it's incredible! Recipe found on thewholecook.com.
Ingredients
1½ lbs. Baby Dutch Yellow Potatoes
16 oz Fresh Brussels Sprouts
3 Tablespoons Extra Virgin Olive Oil
½ teaspoon Salt
½ teaspoon Pepper
1 teaspoon Dried Basil
3-4 Tablespoon Pistachio Lemon Pesto
Instructions
Preheat oven to 425°.
Trim the bottom of each brussels sprout and peel away the first layer of leaves. That's usually where you see the dirt and any brown sprouts. Once this is done, you'll have beautiful little bright green sprouts.
Slice each sprout in half (unless it's already really small).
Throw your brussels sprouts on a baking sheet. You'll want a single layer. Don't pile them up on top of the other or you won't get the beautiful browning from roasting that you desire.
Slice your Dutch yellow baby potatoes in half lengthwise. Slice each half horizontally a few times to create half circles.
Drizzle with olive oil. Use your hands or spatula to move the potatoes and brussels sprouts around in the oil so they all get coated evenly.
Sprinkle with salt, pepper, and dried basil.
Bake 20-25 minutes.
Remove from oven. Place the finished brussels sprouts and potatoes in a large bowl.
Add 3 to 4 tablespoons of Pistachio Lemon Pesto. Gently stir to that everything gets covered in pesto. Serve!
Cooking Time - 50 minutes
Servings - 4
These stuffed sweet potatoes with quinoa and spinach make a delicious and colorful entree or side dish. Tender, healthy sweet potatoes are roasted and then topped with a flavorful mixture of quinoa, spinach, cranberries, pecans, and feta cheese.
Ingredients
2 Medium Sized Sweet Potatoes
6 cups of Baby Spinach, roughly chopped
1 Clove of Garlic, minced
1 Tablespoon Olive Oil
1 Tablespoon Butter
1½ cups Cooked Quinoa
¼ cup Pecan Pieces
¼ cup Dried Cranberries
1-2 ounces Feta Cheese, diced
6 twists of Black Pepper from pepper mill
A pinch of Salt
Instructions
Preheat oven to 400°.
Slice the sweet potatoes evenly in half lengthwise. Coat them with a little olive oil and place face down on a parchment lined baking sheet.
Roast sweet potatoes for 30 to 40 minutes until the sweet potatoes are tender and soft.
Prepare ½ cup dry quinoa as per the package instructions.
While the sweet potatoes are roasting, add butter to a large sauté pan and heat over medium heat. Add garlic and half the spinach and cook until wilted and then add the rest of the spinach to the pan and cook until it's wilted - about 4 minutes. Remove from heat.
Stir cooked quinoa, pecans, cranberries, black pepper, and salt into spinach mixture.
Gently toss feta into quinoa spinach mixture.
When the sweet potatoes are ready, remove them from the oven and let cool slightly. Test for doneness - they should be soft and indent slightly when squeezed. If they are not done, put them back into the oven for an extra 5-10 minutes.
Let the sweet potatoes cool slightly so they are easy to handle. With a small spoon, gently press down on the center of the sweet potatoes to create a small indentation that is the length of the potato.
Spoon quinoa spinach mixture evenly over sweet potatoes and serve.