Side Dish

Roasted Carrots

This post may contain affiliate links. I may receive commissions for purchases made through links in this post.

Roasted carrots might very well be one of the most boring posts I’ve ever done but really it must be done. As I’m working my way through the cooking school series I’m starting to realize all the little, mindless recipe that I make that go into a meal, recipes that you guys need to know just as much as you need to know how to make that amazing pasta dish or roast meat.

But really, I shouldn’t call roast carrots boring, because honestly if they weren’t delicious I wouldn’t cook them all the time and I do cook them quite often. Carrots are cheap, hearty, healthy and go so well with so many dishes, that they really do make the most convenient side dish.

In this particular recipe, I use chopped chives, since its spring and they are in abundance, but Just about any other herb or even many spices work also. I personally like dill, thyme, cumin, turmeric, and smoked paprika, but I definitely suggest experimenting and finding a hand full of spices that you like best. Since each spice can be so different it’s pretty easy to see how the same recipe can be applied to a number of different meals. For example, if I’m making a roast chicken I prefer thyme, or chives whereas if I’m having fajita chicken I would prefer cumin, and smoked paprika to go with barbecue, again the options are endless.

Roasted Carrots

Prep time: 10 mins

Cook time: 20 mins

Total time: 30 mins

Serves: 4 servings

Ingredients

8 large carrots
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
1 tablespoon fresh herbs (1 teaspoon dried)

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
Wash, peel and chop the carrots into 1 ½ inch thick slices.
In a large bowl toss the carrots with the olive oil, salt and pepper until well coated. Transfer to a sheet pan and roast in the oven for 20 minutes. When done the carrots should be slightly browned on the edges and tender.
Remove the carrots to a serving platter and sprinkle with herbs. Serve immediately.

Sauted Ramps

By Jessica

This post may contain affiliate links. I may receive commissions for purchases made through links in this post.

Spring is an awesome time of year if you are interested in foraging. There are so many things available that it almost makes your head spin. We’ve seen morels, fiddlehead ferns, nettles, violets, and ramps.

Ramps (also known as wild leeks) are a relative on the onion, and therefore are very reminiscent of them in both scent and taste. They have a small white bulb and usually two wide leaves protruding from it and they usually grow in large groupings. The leaves are also edible though I personally think they have more of a garlicky flavor which makes them really unique.

Lately there has been some talk that these guys are getting overharvested in the upstate New York area and run the risk of becoming extinct in the region. While I find this hard to believe since they are so prevalent I also believe that many people do not understand sustainable harvesting. With the rise in popularity of foraging, and native foods I can completely understand why these easy to find and harvest beauties have also risen in popularity. It should go without saying, but in case you weren’t already aware if you plan to harvest any wild plant please do not wipe out the entire grouping. Just take a few to thin the group and allow some of the younger plants to grow strong. I suggest taking less than 25% of any wild grouping.

Once you have harvested a few ramps it’s important to wash and trim them. While there are roughly a millions of ways to use ramps a simple sauté has always been my favorite. Already being full of flavor on their own makes them a great little side dish to any meal.

Sauted Ramps

Prep time: 5 mins

Cook time: 5 mins

Total time: 10 mins

Serves: 4 servings

Ingredients

1 tablesspoons olive oil
1 bunch (roughly 1 lb) ramps, washed & roots trimmed
2 cloves of garlic, peeled & sliced
Salt to taste

Instructions

Heat the oil in a pan over medium high heat.
Add the garlic to the pan and cook for 1 minute. The garlic should begin to brown and become fragrant.
Gently add the ramps to the pan and cook for 2 to 3 minutes, tossing lightly. Once the cooked and the greens have melted remove from heat.
Serve warm with a pinch of salt.

Confetti Bean Salad

By Jessica

This post may contain affiliate links. I may receive commissions for purchases made through links in this post.

So meal prep; do you do it?

I’ve never been that good at doing too much of it beyond meal planning and grocery shopping. I have friends who actually spend a few hours each week preparing their meals in individual containers, including snacks so they don’t even have to think about it. Personally I don’t think that is a system that works for me, but that doesn’t mean it’s not a fabulous idea if that’s what works for you.

Even though I don’t do a full on meal prep each week I like to make sure that we have some stuff ready to toss onto a salad for lunches or snack really for convenience sake, and because every now and then we end up without leftovers for lunch.

Whether you call it confetti salad, cowboy caviar or just bean salad this little dish is a great addition to your meal prep plans. I love it because it’s easy to toss together, made with unprocessed food and so good! It’s also one of the most versatile recipes in my arsenal lending itself to so many applications. I try to make this every couple of weeks just to have around the house. It’s so convenient to pull this salad out for a snack, a lunch or an addition to a meal. Knowing that it’s totally healthy is just an added bonus.

To date we have used this mixture in stuffed peppers, as a dip with chips, over French fries with cheese, to top a salad, in enchiladas or wraps or just on its own. It’s pretty easy to see how this one dish can quickly become a meal prep staple.

Confetti Bean Salad

Serves: 4 to 6 servings

Ingredients

1 (15 ounce) can black beans, rinsed and drained
1 (15 ounce) can pinto beans, rinsed and drained
1 (11 ounce) can sweet corn, drained
1 cup chopped tomatoes
½ cup chopped onion
1 jalapenos, ribs, seeds removed and chopped fine
Pinch salt
¼ cup olive oil
Juice of half a lime
2 tablespoons chopped cilantro

Instructions

Combine all ingredients in a large bowl and toss until well combined. Serve immediately.

Mark Bittman’s Dandelion Greens with Double Garlic

By Jessica

This post may contain affiliate links. I may receive commissions for purchases made through links in this post.

I’ve mentioned dandelion greens (in one of my first posts – sorry for the quality!) here in the past, but they don’t show up often because we don’t eat them often. they are incredibly bitter, and therefore not a house favorite. However I spotted them in a grocery store recently and decided to give them another shot, thinking that maybe farm grown would be less bitter. While I was very wrong in thinking that I don’t think we are going to stop trying them. There is a saying that Momma Chuck always says that goes something like “you have to try something 17 times before you know if you like it or not”. I like this because if forces us to move out of our comfort zone, keeps things interesting and adds to our health

The recipe I used this time is one that is adapted from Mark Bittman’s How to Cook Everything. I liked this recipe because it was easy and it helps mask some of the bitterness. I think next time I might serve them with a red sauce or something with something higher in acid to balance out the bitter taste.

I also tested out this recipe with a few other greens and found it lent itself well to kale, chard, and spinach, though perhaps best with spinach. I think it might be a nice method to cook broccoli rabe, which is one of my favorite vegetables. Really anything with oil and garlic is good. There is no going wrong there.

Dandelion Greens with Double Garlic

Ingredients

1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
6 cloves of garlic, sliced
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
1 pound dandelion greens with stems, washed and roughly chopped
1/2 cup vegetable stock
1 clove of garlic minced

Instructions

Heat the olive oil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the sliced garlic, pepper flakes, and some salt and black pepper and cook for about 1 minute. The garlic should soften and become fragrant.
Add the greens and stock. Cover and cook until the greens have wilted slightly, about 5 minutes.
Remove the lid, but continue to cook and stir until the liquid has all but evaporated, about 5 more minutes. Add the minced garlic and cook for 1 more minute. Adjust seasonings and serve.

Mustard Pork Chops with Beans & Greens

By Jessica

This post may contain affiliate links. I may receive commissions for purchases made through links in this post.

Having the motivation to come home and cook dinner every night is not always easy. More often than not I really just don’t feel like it. Thankfully meal planning really helps me stay motivated, since I hate to see things go to waste and I don’t have to make a last minute decision on what to make for dinner. But even when I have my week planned to a T there are times where I just don’t have the motivation. Work is draining, especially when you spend an entire day or 3 just crunching numbers in spreadsheets.

These are the days that I fall back to the simple recipes, the ones that take minutes to slap together, and while they don’t feel very exciting they get the job done. On one particular occasion last week I totally threw out my initial dinner plan and just went with a simple 2 part meal and less than 10 ingredients total. It turned out to be a big hit with both Chuck and Lady A (did I mention one of my best friend sis living with us for a while? It’s been a lot of fun having her around). I was totally surprised by this because I never expected beans and greens to really be something that was requested, like ever.

Sometimes the simplest recipes are the ones most well received.

While I know I’ve said this before it continues to surprise me that these simple, rustic, homey recipes are the ones that people really actually want to eat. These are the things that people are craving. Sure complicated and fancy can be fun, but the grass roots simple stuff is what reminds us of home.

So I guess what I’m saying is to not forget those simple recipes that your parents or grandparents made you, sometimes those are the best.

Easy Mustard Pork Chops

Cook time: 10 mins

Total time: 10 mins

Serves: 4 servings

Ingredients

4 boneless pork chops
Salt & Pepper
3 tablespoons olive oil, plus more for drizzling
1 tablespoon whole grain Dijon mustard
2 tablespoons white wine vinegar
2 teaspoons honey
1 tablespoon water or broth

Instructions

Pound pork chops between 2 layers of platic wrap to 1/2″ – 3/4” thickness. Season liberally with salt and pepper.
Heat oil in a large skillet over medium high heat. Add the pork chops to the pan and cook for until browned, about 3 to 4 minutes before flipping. Cook for another 3 to 4 minutes on the other side until browned and cooked through. Transfer to a plate and set aside.
In the same pan reduce the heat to medium low. Add the mustard, vinegar, water and broth to the skillet. Bring to a simmer and cook, stirring constantly while scraping the browned bits from the bottom of the pan. The sauce should be well blended and thickened. Remove the pan from heat.
Serve pork chops with sauce drizzled on top.

Greens & Beans

About 10 cups packed greens (such as spinach, mustard greens, kale, or broccoli rabe; about 1 pound), thick stems removed, cut into 1-inch strips

4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

3 garlic cloves, chopped

1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper

1 15-ounce can cannellini beans, rinsed, drained

1 15-ounce can red kidney beans, rinsed, drained

Salt & pepper to taste

Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add greens to the pot and cook for 1 to 2 minutes, until wilted slightly (sturdier greens will need 2 to 3 minutes). Remove from heat and drain, reserving about ½ cup of the cooking liquid.

Heat oil in large skillet over medium heat. Add garlic and crushed pepper and saute for 1 minutes, until the garlic begins to turn golden. Add the greens, tossing with tongs to coat with oil.

Add the reserved cooking liquid and beans. Simmer, stirring reqularly until beans are heated through and liquid is almost absorbed, about 2 minutes.

Season with salt and pepper to taste, and serve.

Side Dish

Similar Posts:

Footer