Veggies

Corn, Zucchini and Feta Bake

January 16, 2013 By sharib 2 Comments

Are you in search of good vegetarian side dishes for your dinner?

I easily get bored with our weekly veggie rotation of broccoli, cauliflower and carrots.

I’m always on a mission to spruce up our meals by combining different colors and textures and flavors in our side dishes.

My kids love the Brussels sprouts with Bacon and Maple Syrup side. The juxtaposition of the crunchy bacon with the soft steam Brussels sprouts and the sweet syrup renders perfect harmony.

The grilled Kale with Ricotta cheese and Plums blends the soft tartness of the plums with the crunch of the kale and the light, airy cheese.

Last night I tried a Corn, Zucchini, Feta bake as side dish to our Slow Cooked Pork Chops. While the Pork Chops needed some tweaking, the veggie bake received thumbs up all around. It’s quite easy to make and requires little culinary skill (that’s always a plus when you’re in a bind to get a meal on the table). The zucchinis are simply cut down and soften as they sauté. Frozen sweet corn defrosts in the skillet and then both are combined with some feta crumbles and set to bake for just a couple minutes.

The result is a sweet, pungent, colorful, crunchy side dish that easily compliments any main course.

Enjoy.

Corn, Zucchini Feta Bake

Ingredients:

2 zucchini, sliced
1 12 ounce bag frozen sweet corn kernels
1 cup feta crumbles
3 green onions, chopped
4 Tbsp olive oil, divided
sea salt and pepper to taste

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 350.
Place zucchini slices in oiled skillet and saute with green onion approx. 5 minutes or until softened and lightly browned.
Cook frozen sweet corn in skillet with 2 tablespoons of olive oil until cooked through.
In baking dish mix zucchini mixture with corn, salt and feta.
Bake for 20 minutes until cheese is melted.

Filed Under: Recipes, Sides, Veggies Tagged With: baking, corn, feta cheese, vegetable dishes, zucchini dishes, Zucchini Feta Bake 2 Comments

Shredded Brussels Sprouts Salad

December 19, 2012 By sharib Leave a Comment

How many times have you been stumped, trying to figure out a vegetable side to your dinner?

I was so tired of steaming and sauteeing broccoli (and so were my kids). When I discovered Brussels sprouts (note proper spelling) I felt as if I had truly turned a corner and opened up a whole new realm of veggie possibilities.

I introduced the first Brussels sprouts recipe sautéed with some chunks of bacon and hot maple syrup. I had hoped the salty and sweet toppings would draw the attention away from the fact that is was labeled a “mystery vegetable” by my kids. It did.

Once I got the two thumbs up rating from both kids, I took that as an opportunity to continue to experiment with Brussels sprouts.

My next discovery was HUGE. I found bags of shredded Brussels from Trader Joe’s. With some olive oil and sea salt, I simply sautéed the Brussels in a skillet and served them the next week at dinner. Another resounding two thumbs up. My kids loved them so much, they even willingly ate hem three days in a row.

My latest hit accidentally came last night at dinner. Since we’re headed out of town on Friday for some much-needed vacation, I’m trying to clean out my fridge. I had one last bag of shredded Brussels sprouts. I decided to make a salad with the Brussels and started adding every random ingredient over I could find: shaved Romano Pecorino, pistachio nuts, lemons, golden raisins. I threw them all together in a bowl and voila! I proudly served it for dinner!

Pistachio nuts – the salad’s secret weapon

My first few spoonfuls tasted just right. The lemon with the shaved cheese provided a nice subtle bitter taste alongside the crunch of the pistachios. My son was definitely skeptical about the pistachio nuts. He demanded he didn’t like them but I reminded him of his love for the Pistachio-Crusted Chicken I served this summer. He gave me two thumbs. My daughter tried a tiny portion but still admitted the plain sautéed Brussels were her favorite dish – she’s not a lemon or nut fan.

My risk taking in the kitchen is what has prompted my kids to widen their palate. Only a few months ago, they kids had never heard of nor had they tried Brussels sprouts. Now it’s a staple vegetable with which I always try new variations.

Next up…Brussels sprouts casserole? We’ll see.

Remember, take risks in your kitchen. You might discover something everyone will love!

Enjoy.

Shredded Brussels Sprouts Salad

Ingredients:

1 package Trader Joe’s Shredded Brussels Sprouts (or 4 cups shredded Brussels sprouts)
1/2 cup chopped pistachios
1 cup shaved Pecorino Romana cheese
4 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons lemon juice (use more or less accordingly)
1/4 cup raisins
1 teaspoon salt
pepper to taste

Instructions:

Sautee Brussels sprouts in skillet with 2 table spoons of olive oil about 4-5 minutes.
Transfer to a large salad bowl and toss with pistachios, cheese, oil, lemon juice, raisins, salt, and pepper.
Enjoy!

Filed Under: Recipes, Veggies Tagged With: Brussels sprouts, Brussels sprouts recipe, Cooking, vegetables Leave a Comment

Shaved Brussels sprouts with Olive Oil and Sea Salt

October 17, 2012 By sharib 1 Comment

Something very strange has happened the past two nights for dinner: my son has demanded vegetables! I swear. I thought I was having an out of body experience. And, this morning for breakfast, he asked for vegetables, again: Brussels sprouts. The past two days, all he’s eaten for the past two dinners is Brussels sprouts.

If you’re scratching your head, I had the same thought: this is extremely uncharacteristic for a seven year old boy!

And, I wasn’t intentionally trying to get him to eat his veggies either. I simply made a new side dish of Brussels sprouts that were so delicious they’ve catapulted to the top of his “Favorite Vegetables” list. In fact, I’ve even caught myself making the recipe at odd times because it’s just that good, and easy. I’m writing this post after having eaten a full bowl of Brussels post early morning work out.

So, what’s the secret?

Nothing.

I didn’t even retrieve this recipe from Mom’s archives. In fact, when I sifted through her hundreds of recipes, not one included Brussels sprouts.

Honestly, I got tipped off for this idea on the back of a Trader Joe’s Shaved Brussels Sprouts bag.

The key to this recipe is using shaved Brussels sprouts, not whole. If you can’t find them already shaved, or you don’t have a Trader Joe’s anywhere near you, just use a sturdy cheese grater to shred your whole sprouts (and make sure to buy the larger ones).

Then simply cook the Brussels sprouts on the stove top in some olive oil and sea salt. That’s it. Five minutes later and you’ve made a tasty vegetable side dish. It’s the perfect remedy when you’re trying to get a quick veggie dish on the table and want a break from your everyday routine.

The bitterness of the Brussels sprouts blends seamlessly with the smoothness the olive oil and crunch of sea salt. As noted by my son, this recipe is much “lighter tasting” than the warm sweetness of our other Brussels fave: Brussels sprouts with Maple Syrup and bacon.

Once you’ve got your cooked pile of greens, you can add whatever you want: shaved Parmesan, bacon, nuts, balsamic vinegar.

We like ours plain and simple.

And that’s what I’m constantly learning in the kitchen (and in life):

Sometimes, it’s when you prepare your food by the most basic method- without all the hassles of sauces and cheeses and bread crumbs- you’ll appreciate their truest taste.

Enjoy!