Sides

Occasionally, we need something light to add to dinner, in the form of side dishes. That's where today's post comes in. Check out the Lemon Spiked Garlic Greens, Pesto Pasta Salad with Sun Dried Tomatoes, or any of the other sides today. Enjoy!

SWEET POTATO CASSEROLE

This is from the infamous long-since-forgotten emailing list.

Ingredients

4 medium Sweet potatoes or yams (about 2 lb)

1/4 cup Packed brown sugar

1/4 cup Butter

1/2 teaspoon Salt

1 Can (8 oz) crushed pineapple

1 tablespoon Packed brown sugar

1 tablespoon Butter

1 teaspoon Water

1/2 teaspoon Ground cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon Ground nutmeg

1 1/2 cups Miniature marshmallows

1/4 cup Chopped pecans

Directions

Wash sweet potatoes. Prick each 2 or 3 times with fork to allow steam to escape. Arrange in oven at least 1 inch apart. Microwave at HIGH (100%) until fork-tender, 8 to 10 mins. Cover and let stand 5 minutes.

Peel and slice potatoes. Place in 2-quart casserole. Add 1/4 cup butter and the salt. Mash until no lumps remain. Mix in pineapple. Microwave at HIGH (100%) 2 minutes. Stir and set aside.

Place 1 tablespoon brown sugar, 1 tablespoon butter, the water, cinnamon, and nutmeg in medium bowl. Microwave at HIGH (100%) until butter is melted, 1 to 1 1/2 minutes, stirring after half the time. Add marshmallows; toss to coat. Top sweet potato mixture with marshmallows. Microwave at HIGH (100 % until the marshmallows are melted and potatoes are heated through, 2 to 4 minutes. Sprinkle with pecans.

SPICY COLESLAW

This comes from Sam Sifton in The New York Times cooking e-newsletter. Sam wrote, “This easy, crisp slaw can be made a few hours ahead of time. It goes well with ribs and a cold beer, fried chicken or whatever summer feast sparks your fancy.”

Yield: Serves 6; Time: 10 minutes, plus hours’ refrigeration

This was featured in “Lone Star”, and can be viewed online at https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1012539-spicy-coleslaw.

Ingredients

1 medium head green cabbage

2 carrots, peeled and grated

1/2 cup mayonnaise

2 tablespoons pickle relish

1 tablespoon Dijon mustard

1 tablespoon cider vinegar

2 teaspoons pepper sauce, like Frank’s, or to taste

Kosher salt

Freshly ground black pepper

Preparation:

Cut the cabbage in half and remove the core. Cut each half in half and slice each resulting quarter into thin ribbons. Mix with carrots in a large, nonreactive bowl.

In a separate bowl, whisk together the remaining ingredients.

Pour the dressing over the cabbage and toss. Season to taste.

The coleslaw may be covered with plastic wrap and refrigerated for a few hours. Toss again before serving.

LEMON SPIKED GARLIC GREENS

Recipe Yield: Yield: 4 Servings

Source: 1,001 Delicious Recipes for People with Diabetes

Book Title: 1,001 Delicious Recipes for People with Diabetes

View online at https://diabeticgourmet.com/diabetic-recipe/lemon-spiked-garlic-greens.

Ingredients

Garlic-flavored vegetable cooking spray

1/3 cup finely chopped onion

4 cloves garlic, minced

1-1/2 pounds greens, washed, stems removed, coarsely chopped

1/3 cup water

1-2 tablespoons lemon juice

Salt and pepper, to taste

Directions

Spray large saucepan with cooking spray; heat over medium heat until hot. Saute onion and garlic until tender, 3 to 4 minutes.

Add greens and water to saucepan; heat to boiling. Reduce heat and simmer, covered, until greens are wilted and tender, about 5 to 8 minutes, adding more water if necessary. Season to taste with lemon juice, salt and pepper.

Notes:

Kale, collard, turnip, or beet greens are excellent choices for this quick-and-easy healthy vegetable.

Nutritional Information Per Serving: Calories: 58; Fat: 1.7 g; Sodium: 43 mg; Cholesterol: 53.3 mg; Protein: 5.9 g; Carbohydrates: 7 g

Diabetic Exchanges: 2 Vegetable

CRANBERRY STREUSEL SWEET POTATOES

This is from that infamous long-since-forgotten emailing list, and begins, “Dotted with crimson cranberries, the streusel topping adds a crunchy touch to mashed sweet potatoes. All the sweetness comes from either the potatoes or cranberries, because no sugar is added.”

Prep Time: 15 minutes; Cooking Time: 60 minutes; Serves: 6

Ingredients

6 medium sweet potatoes, peeled

2 tablespoons butter or margarine

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup soft bread crumbs, (1 slice)

1/4 cup dried cranberries

1/4 cup coarsely chopped pecans

2 tablespoons butter or margarine, melted

Directions

Place sweet potatoes in 3-quart saucepan; add enough water to cover. Cover and heat to boiling; reduce heat. Simmer covered 20 to 25 minutes or until tender; drain. Shake potatoes in saucepan over low heat to dry.

Heat oven to 350ºF. Mash potatoes with 2 tablespoons butter and the salt until no lumps remain. Spoon into ungreased 1-quart casserole. Mix remaining ingredients; sprinkle over potatoes.

Bake uncovered about 30 minutes or until heated through and streusel mixture is golden brown.

PASTA SALAD

This also comes from the infamous long-since-forgotten emailing list, though I suspect it's a diabetic recipe, as it has the nutritional info. Yield: 6 servings (6 cups total)

Ingredients

3 cups cooked tricolor spiral pasta (1-1/2 cups dry), or 3 cups other cooked pasta

1 large ripe tomato, cored, seeded, and chopped

1 medium green bell pepper, cored, seeded, and chopped

1 cup (4 ounces) shredded reduced-fat Cheddar cheese

1/2 cup black olives, drained and sliced

1/2 cup prepared fat-free Italian or Parmesan-pepper dressing

Directions

Combine all the ingredients; toss to mix. Chill to blend the flavors. (This salad is even better the second day.)

Nutritional Information Per Serving (1 cup): Calories: 165, Fat: 4 g, Cholesterol: 10 mg, Sodium: 355 mg, Carbohydrate: 22 g, Dietary Fiber: 2 g, Sugars: 5 g, Protein: 9 g

Diabetic Exchanges: 1-1/2 Starch, 1 Vegetable, 1/2 Fat

PESTO PASTA SALAD WITH SUN DRIED TOMATOES

This is from Cara Harbstreet on Fruits & Veggies, a website I recently stumbled across. This salad can be served hot or cold, whichever strikes your fancy.

Prep Time: 5 minutes; Cook Time: 10 minutes; Servings: 8

To view this online, go to https://fruitsandveggies.org/recipes/pesto-pasta-salad-with-sun-dried-tomatoes/.

Ingredients

1 16 oz box cellentani, rotini, or bowtie pasta

1 cup pesto sauce

1 can chickpeas

1/2 cup sun-dried tomatoes chopped

1/2 cup shredded parmesan cheese

1 head broccoli florets

1 tbsp olive oil

Salt and pepper to taste

1/2 lemon (optional)

Directions

Heat the oven to 400 degrees F. Wash and dry the broccoli, then cut into small florets. Arrange in a single layer on a baking sheet and drizzle with the olive oil. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Roast 10 minutes on high heat or until the edges begin to brown and the broccoli is cooked to your preference.

While the oven is preheating, bring a large pot of water to a boil. Once boiling, add the pasta and cook until al dente, about 8-10 minutes depending on your pasta shape.

Meanwhile, chop the sun-dried tomatoes and drain and rinse the chickpeas. Set aside until ready to combine.

Once pasta is cooked, drain and add to a large mixing bowl. Remove the broccoli from the oven and allow to cool slightly. Add to the mixing bowl with the pesto sauce, sun-dried tomatoes, and chickpeas. If using lemon, squeeze over the top, being careful not to include the seeds. Gently fold together to combine all ingredients.

Top with parmesan cheese just before serving. Serve warm, or chill until ready to serve.