Typically, when I think of gnocchi, I imagine it prepared in a traditional “pasta type” recipe. I really like it with a spicy tomato cream sauce, or even with a brown butter sauce. Considering that gnocchi is made of potatoes, I decided to try something different and make this Loaded Gnocchi Skillet. I love to top my potatoes with cheese, bacon and green onion, so I thought the same set-up might just work for gnocchi, and it sure did!
Potatoes are the ultimate side dish. I will argue that to my death. I love all kinds of other sides – veggies, rice, salad and all the other options. There aren’t many things that I won’t eat, but if I had to choose one side to have for the rest of my life, it would be POTATOES! These Easy Smashed Potatoes are a great way to make your potatoes a little different and they are absolutely irresistible. With a soft and buttery interior and a crisp and salty exterior these smashed potatoes will keep you coming back for more!
My slow cooker is absolutely one of my best friends during this busy time of year! I love being able to throw the ingredients in my crock pot, set it and forget it. It is so nice to walk in the house after a crazy day and smell a delicious dish ready to go. This Slow Cooker Mushroom Rice is an absolute dream for mushroom lovers. It takes only a couple minutes to put this together and then you just let the crock pot do its thing. Serve this with any meat or just enjoy it all by itself for a simple meal.
If you have never had shishito peppers, they are these fantastic little peppers with a mild, sweet and just slightly smoky flavor. Shishitos have a pretty thin skin, so they cook relatively quickly, and because of their convenient size, they are a great bite-sized snack. This Easy Blistered Shishito Peppers recipe will only take about 10 minutes, and it only has 5 simple ingredients. We like to enjoy these as a snack, appetizer or side dish. This recipe also has only 60 calories and 4 net carbs per serving, so it is both delicious and healthy!
What is your favorite side dish? I mean – like your VERY favorite. You know if you could only have one side dish for the rest of your life, what would it be? For me, it would be mashed potatoes – no question! As much as I love mashed potatoes, they aren’t always the most waistline friendly food. Not to worry! I have an alternative! This Easy and Healthy Mashed Cauliflower is a great low calorie (176 per serving) and low carb (5 net per serving) option, and to be honest, it tastes pretty darn good!
Is it just me, or are fresh summer tomatoes at least a million times better than the ones from the grocery store during the winter? I grabbed a bunch of beautiful tomatoes from a local farmstead the other day, so I decided to make myself a quick, healthy and simple lunch with a couple of them today. This recipe is really intended to be a side dish, but sometimes it’s really all I want for a light meal. These Baked Parmesan Tomatoes can also be an easy and delicious appetizer. Making this recipe is very easy – you will slice your tomatoes into thick slices, top them with seasonings and parmesan and drizzle them with a little oil. Then just bake them until they are hot and the cheese is melty and enjoy!
Pasta salad is one of those classic side dishes that you can find at almost any summer cook-out or get together. The traditional version is great, but I always like to do things just a little different and come up with a new version. This Creamy Southwest Pasta Salad is loaded with corn, black beans, tomatoes, red onion and a chipotle ranch. It is super quick and easy to make, loaded with flavor and is sure to be a hit with all of your friends and family! Making this is as simple as tossing the cooked pasta with the rest of the ingredients, letting it chill and then serving. It is the perfect recipe for hot summer days when you want to get in and out of the kitchen as quickly as possible.
One of the best things about summer is all of the fresh garden vegetables. This Spicy Zucchini, Corn and Tomato salad is a great way to use those vegetables in a delicious recipe. This side dish is full of flavor and easy to make. A delicious vinaigrette dressing that you will whisk together in just a few seconds will add just what these fresh veggies need to take them to the next level. Enjoy this dish hot or chilled. This would be excellent served with some simple grilled meat, as a side with tacos or double the recipe or even more and serve it at your next summer gathering.
No one ever said mashed potatoes have to be overloaded with heavy and high calorie ingredients to be delicious. These mashed red potatoes are only 305 calories per serving, and it isn’t a skimpy serving either! Although this is a lighter version, the flavor and comforting taste is definitely not lacking. You will not miss your normal mashed potatoes at all! An added bonus for this recipe is the red potato skins. These skins are thin and delicious and packed with lots of fiber, B vitamins, iron and potassium.
To me, plain white rice is something that I eat only as an accompaniment to something else. It is never something that I am excited about, and it is most definitely never the best part of any meal. I don’t like serving anything that doesn’t add a good amount of flavor to a meal, and that is why I love this Habanero Lime Rice. This rice has both habaneros and jalapeños and it also has cilantro and lime juice. This is one side dish that is anything but bland, and if you aren’t careful, it may even outshine your main dish!
