The entrée may be the main event, but sides make the meal. Bring interest to the table with these salads, grains, and vegetable dishes.
broccoli with peas and seared lemons
herbed dijon-marinated veggies
soy and chile-glazed brussels sprouts with shiitake mushrooms
tomato and pepper sweet potatoes
Tarragon has a licoricey, slightly sweet flavor similar to basil. It pairs well with chicken, fish, and vegetables. It can be an acquired taste—if you’re not a tarragon fan, fresh basil works just as well here.
Prep: 20 minutes Roast: 15 minutes at 400°F
1. Preheat oven to 400°F. In a medium bowl toss together mushrooms, wine, and 2 teaspoons tarragon; set aside.
2. Snap off and discard woody bases from asparagus. Place asparagus in a 15×10×1-inch baking pan. Drizzle with oil and sprinkle with the salt and pepper. Toss to coat.
3. Roast, uncovered, for 5 minutes. Add mushrooms to the pan; toss gently. Return to oven; roast for 10 minutes or until asparagus is crisp-tender. If desired, sprinkle with additional fresh tarragon. Makes 4 servings.
Per Serving: 64 cal., 4 g fat (1 g sat. fat), 0 mg chol., 151 mg sodium, 5 g carb., 2 g fiber, 4 g pro.
The oils of citrus fruit are contained in the peel. When the lemons are seared in the hot butter, the oils are released into it. The lemon-infused butter then flavors this nutrient-packed trio of green vegetables.
Start to Finish: 30 minutes
1. In a Dutch oven cook broccoli in salted boiling water for 2 minutes. Add Swiss chard and peas; cover and simmer for 4 minutes or until bright green; drain.
2. Meanwhile, melt butter in a large skillet over medium to medium-high heat. Add lemon slices; cook about 3 minutes per side or until lemons are soft and browned and butter is browned. (Don’t move lemons around too much to ensure a nice sear.)
3. Return broccoli, chard, and peas to the Dutch oven. Add the broth and crushed red pepper; toss gently to coat. Transfer the broccoli mixture to a serving platter. Top with the lemons, chives, and salt. Makes 12 servings.
Per Serving: 48 cal., 2 g fat (1 g sat. fat), 5 mg chol., 200 mg sodium, 6 g carb., 2 g fiber, 2 g pro.
Just a splash of bourbon infuses the carrots with warm, spicy, bold flavor. If you don’t use the bourbon, the carrots still benefit from a bath in honey, rosemary, and fresh chives.
Start to Finish: 30 minutes
1. In a large skillet cook carrots, covered, in a small amount of boiling water for 6 to 8 minutes or until crisp-tender. Remove carrots from skillet and drain any remaining water. Set aside.
2. In the same skillet combine chives, vegetable oil spread, bourbon, honey, and salt. Add carrots; cook and stir over medium heat for 1 minute or until carrots are heated through. Makes 4 servings.
Per Serving: 92 cal., 3 g fat (1 g sat. fat), 0 mg chol., 170 mg sodium, 15 g carb., 3 g fiber, 1 g pro.
cook smart High-heat cooking—in a skillet on the stove or in the oven—works wonders on hearty vegetables. The exterior gets crisp without the addition of a lot of fat, and the interior turns tender. The cooking technique for Spiced Cauliflower works on broccoli as well.
Cauliflower takes particularly well to high-heat roasting or stir frying, which caramelizes its natural sugars and gives it a deliciously crisp exterior. Here, the cauliflower browns in just a little bit of oil but finishes cooking in broth for a side that is low in calories and fat but big on flavor.
Start to Finish: 20 minutes
1. In a small bowl combine mustard, salt, turmeric, cumin, coriander, and cayenne pepper. Set aside.
2. In a wok or extra-large skillet heat oil over medium-high heat. (Add more oil if necessary during cooking.) Add cauliflower; cook and stir for 6 minutes. Add sweet pepper and green onions; cook and stir for 1 minute. Reduce heat to medium; add mustard mixture. Cook and stir for 30 seconds. Carefully stir in broth. Cook for 1 minute or until vegetables are heated through. Makes 4 servings.
Per Serving: 72 cal., 4 g fat (0 g sat. fat), 0 mg chol., 215 mg sodium, 8 g carb., 3 g fiber, 3 g pro.
A small bit of butter is all you need to give this brightly colored combination of vegetables great taste. Serve it with a simple grilled steak.
Prep: 25 minutes Cook: 8 minutes
1. In a large skillet cook yellow squash, zucchini, soybeans, sweet pepper, red onion, and garlic in melted butter over medium heat for 8 minutes or until vegetables are crisp-tender.
2. Stir in vinegar, oregano, thyme, salt, and black pepper. Makes 6 servings.
Per Serving: 61 cal., 3 g fat (1 g sat. fat), 5 mg chol., 119 mg sodium, 6 g carb., 2 g fiber, 3 g pro.
When it’s too hot to turn on the oven—for anything—grill some lean meat, fish, or chicken and make this marinated vegetable salad as a side dish.
Prep: 20 minutes Marinate: 30 minutes
1. In a large bowl whisk together wine, basil, parsley, oil, thyme, mustard, garlic, and salt. Add mushrooms, tomatoes, sweet pepper, and zucchini; toss gently to coat. Cover and marinate vegetables at room temperature for 30 to 60 minutes, stirring occasionally.
2. Using a slotted spoon, transfer vegetables to a serving bowl. Makes 6 servings.
Per Serving: 52 cal., 3 g fat (0 g sat. fat), 0 mg chol., 143 mg sodium, 5 g carb., 1 g fiber, 2 g pro.
If you’ve ever wondered what to do with eggplant, roast it. It takes on a beautiful golden-brown color, crispy exterior and creamy interior.
Prep: 15 minutes Roast: 15 minutes at 425°F Stand: 15 minutes Cook: 5 minutes
1. Preheat oven to 425°F. Arrange eggplant in a 15×10×1-inch baking pan. Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with the salt and pepper; toss to coat. Roast for 15 to 20 minutes or until tender and browned, stirring once or twice.
2. Meanwhile, place mushrooms in a small bowl. And 1 cup boiling water to bowl. Let stand for 15 minutes; drain water. Chop mushrooms.
3. In a small saucepan heat balsamic vinegar over medium heat until boiling; reduce heat. Simmer, uncovered, about 5 minutes or until reduced by half. Stir in mushrooms and thyme. Drizzle roasted eggplant with reduced balsamic vinegar.
4. In a small bowl combine grape tomatoes and basil. Sprinkle over the eggplant and mushrooms. Makes 6 servings.
Per Serving: 77 cal., 5 g fat (1 g sat. fat), 0 mg chol., 103 mg sodium, 8 g carb., 3 g fiber, 1 g pro.
Be careful. Don’t trim too much of the stem from each sprout—just a very thin slice to get rid of the dried out or less-than-fresh layer. You want to keep each tiny head intact.
Start to Finish: 40 minutes
1. Trim Brussels sprouts;* cut lengthwise into quarters. Finely chop one of the green onions; cut the remaining three green onions diagonally into 1-inch pieces. In a small bowl stir together orange peel, orange juice, soy sauce, honey, serrano pepper, and garlic. Set aside.
2. Working in a well-ventilated area, in a large skillet heat oil over medium-high heat. Add Brussels sprouts, mushrooms, and green onions. Cook and stir for 8 to 10 minutes or until sprouts are blackened in places and are nearly tender.
3. Pour orange juice mixture over sprout mixture; toss to coat. Cook and stir for 3 to 4 minutes more or until sprouts are tender. Makes 5 servings.
Per Serving: 99 cal., 5 g fat (1 g sat. fat), 0 mg chol., 233 mg sodium, 14 g carb., 4 g fiber, 4 g pro.
*tip: To trim Brussels sprouts, cut off the stems just at the spot where the leaves start to grow. Remove dark green outer leaves until the tender, light green leaves are uniformly exposed.
Use a pair of clean kitchen scissors to cut up the stewed tomatoes right in the can. It’s tidier and you can preserve the liquid, which you’ll need to add to the skillet when cooking the vegetables..
Start to Finish: 35 minutes
1. In a medium saucepan cook sweet potatoes in enough boiling water to cover for 10 to 12 minutes or until tender. Drain well.
2. Meanwhile, in a large nonstick skillet cook onion in hot oil over medium-high heat for 5 minutes. Add sweet pepper and cook for 3 minutes. Add tomatoes, brown sugar (if using), salt, and black pepper. Bring to boiling; reduce heat. Simmer, uncovered, for 5 minutes or until most of the liquid evaporates.
3. Stir sweet potatoes into tomato mixture. If desired, sprinkle with parsley leaves. Makes 6 servings.
Per Serving: 80 cal., 1 g fat (0 g sat. fat), 0 mg chol., 221 mg sodium, 16 g carb., 3 g fiber, 2 g pro.
cook smart It takes a few weeks to turn a new exercise routine or activity into a habit. It might feel awkward or too much of a challenge at first, but will gradually get easier and enjoyable.
Change your onion paradigm. This recipe turns the humble allium from a mere flavoring agent into the starring attraction—sweet, oven-roasted onions that are delicious with roast or grilled pork or beef.
Prep: 20 minutes Bake: 50 minutes at 425°F
1. Preheat oven to 425°F. In a 3-quart rectangular baking dish combine butter and olive oil. Whisk in vinegar, wine, sugar, salt, and pepper. Set aside.
2. Peel off papery outer layers of onions; do not cut off either end. Cut onions in half from stem through root end. Place onions in dish, cut sides up. Cover loosely with foil and bake for 30 minutes.
3. Remove foil. Using tongs, carefully turn onions over to cut sides down. Bake, uncovered, for 20 to 25 minutes longer or until onions are tender and balsamic mixture is thickened and caramelized. Serve cut sides up. If desired, sprinkle with fresh thyme. Makes 8 servings.
Per Serving: 81 cal., 5 g fat (2 g sat. fat), 8 mg chol., 103 mg sodium, 9 g carb., 1 g fiber, 1 g pro.
Limiting the amount of water in which you cook vegetables helps retain nutrients. While boiling leaches out vitamins (and they’re ultimately poured down the drain), steaming or microwaving preserves them.
Start to Finish: 25 minutes
1. Place a steamer basket in a large saucepan or Dutch oven with a tight-fitting lid. Add water to just below the basket. Bring water to boiling over medium-high heat. Place green beans in the steamer basket. Cover and steam for 8 to 10 minutes or until beans are crisp-tender. Remove steamer basket with beans.
2. In a large nonstick skillet cook garlic in hot oil over medium heat for 30 seconds, stirring constantly. Add lemon peel, salt, and black pepper; stir to combine. Add arugula and green beans. Cook for 1 to 2 minutes or until arugula is wilted and green beans are coated, tossing occasionally. Serve with lemon wedges. Makes 4 servings.
Per Serving: 62 cal., 4 g fat (1 g sat. fat), 0 mg chol., 153 mg sodium, 7 g carb., 2 g fiber, 2 g pro.
This crunchy slaw has to be made ahead—at least 2 hours and up to 24 hours—so it can be ready and waiting in the refrigerator when you’re ready to serve.
Prep: 20 minutes Chill: 2 hours
1. In a large bowl whisk together lemon juice, oil, sugar, mustard, and black pepper. Add coleslaw mix, carrot, cilantro, and green onion; toss gently to coat. Cover and chill for 2 to 24 hours before serving. Makes 4 servings.
Per Serving: 59 cal., 3 g fat (0 g sat. fat), 0 mg chol., 43 mg sodium, 6 g carb., 2 g fiber, 1 g pro.
Sweet corn and tomatoes—the edible essence of summer—are barely cooked in just a little bit of butter to enhance their juiciness and sweetness.
Prep: 15 minutes Cook: 5 minutes
1. If using fresh corn, cut corn from cobs; set aside. In a large skillet heat butter over medium heat. Add green onions and garlic; cook and stir about 1 minute or until onions and garlic are slightly softened. Add corn and tomatoes; cook and stir for 4 to 5 minutes or until vegetables are crisp-tender. Drizzle with vinegar and sprinkle with the salt and pepper. Makes 6 servings.
Per Serving: 81 cal., 2 g fat (1 g sat. fat), 5 mg chol., 120 mg sodium, 15 g carb., 2 g fiber, 2 g pro.
Although bacon should be a rare treat when you’re trying to lose weight (and even then, it should be turkey bacon or one of the lower-fat pork varieties), a little bit goes a long way as a condiment to add flavor. Center-cut bacon, for instance, has 25 to 30 percent less fat than regular pork bacon.
Start to Finish: 20 minutes
1. In a large nonstick skillet cook bacon over medium heat for 5 minutes or until cooked through, stirring occasionally. Remove bacon from skillet; set aside. Add cabbage, sweet pepper, onion, and the water to skillet. Cover and cook over medium heat for 5 minutes or just until vegetables are tender, stirring occasionally.
2. In a small bowl combine mayonnaise, mustard, vinegar, caraway seeds, and celery seeds. Add to cabbage mixture in skillet. Toss until well coated. Sprinkle with cooked bacon and serve warm. Makes 4 servings.
Per Serving: 82 cal., 4 g fat (1 g sat. fat), 10 mg chol., 255 mg sodium, 8 g carb., 3 g fiber, 2 g pro.
Remove the tough, fibrous stems from the shiitake mushrooms before slicing the tender caps. You can discard the stems—or save them to help flavor your next pot of homemade broth. Shiitake mushroom stems can be frozen in a tightly sealed bag or container almost indefinitely.
Start to Finish: 25 minutes
1. In an extra-large skillet heat sesame oil over medium-high heat. Add zucchini, mushrooms, and garlic; cook and stir about 4 minutes or just until vegetables are tender. Carefully add baby bok choy; cook for 2 minutes. Add oyster sauce, soy sauce, and pepper; cook and stir for 1 minute. Sprinkle with sesame seeds. Makes 4 servings.
Per Serving: 97 cal., 5 g fat (1 g sat. fat), 172 mg chol., 254 mg sodium, 13 g carb., 3 g fiber, 3 g pro.
cook smart Make a little work out of snacking to slow down your eating. Crack shelled nuts, peel an orange, or pop edamame out of the pod and into your mouth.
If you can’t find miso at your supermarket, look for it an Asian market. To remove the tough stems on the kale, simply hold each stem at the top with one hand and strip the leaf off with the other hand.
Prep: 25 minutes Cook: 10 minutes
1. Rinse and dry kale. Trim and discard tough stems. Stack leaves, then cut crosswise into ½-inch strips.
2. Place a steamer basket in a Dutch oven with a tight-fitting lid. Add water to just below the basket. Bring water to boiling over medium-high heat. Place kale in the steamer basket. Cover and steam about 10 minutes or just until tender, tossing leaves once or twice. Remove steamer basket with kale and transfer kale to a bowl.
3. For dressing, in a small bowl combine vinegar, oil, lime peel, lime juice, miso paste, ginger, and garlic; whisk to combine. Drizzle dressing over kale. Sprinkle with chopped nuts. Makes 6 servings.
Per Serving: 86 cal., 5 g fat (0 g sat. fat), 0 mg chol., 103 mg sodium, 9 g carb., 2 g fiber, 3 g pro.
tip: Kale has stormed the fresh veggie scene and for good reason—it’s mild and delicious. One cup of raw kale has only 33 calories and more than a day’s worth of vitamin A and C.
If the main dish takes a bit of effort, keep the sides as simple as possible—and vice versa. It doesn’t get much easier than this 15-minute fruit and spinach salad. Make it in the summer with a peach—and with an apple in the fall.
Start to Finish: 15 minutes
1. In a large bowl toss spinach with Honey-Mustard Vinaigrette. Divide spinach among four salad plates. Top with peach slices, feta cheese, and pine nuts. Makes 4 servings.
honey-mustard vinaigrette: In a screw-top jar combine 2 tablespoons white wine vinegar, 1 tablespoon olive oil, 1 tablespoon finely chopped shallot, 2 teaspoons water, 1 teaspoon honey mustard, and ⅛ teaspoon salt. Cover and shake well. Makes ¼ cup.
Per Serving: 99 cal., 5 g fat (1 g sat. fat), 2 mg chol., 234 mg sodium, 8 g carb., 3 g fiber, 4 g pro.
tip: Whole fruits—with the peel—provide antioxidants and fiber to your diet.
