Side Dishes

Well, it's still BBQ season, and I'm always on the lookout for yummy side dishes to enjoy with my Nutrisystem hamburger patty. If you read back in my posts about it, you'll see that my first reaction was, what is this gross thing? Then I tasted it and it actually wasn't bad. Now it makes up a big percentage of my auto delivery along with pizza!

But again, while I enjoy salad, I prefer to have something that tastes a little more, well, not diet when I'm having something like a hamburger. Here are two recipes that might become your new favourite side dishes- they are mine!


Vegetable Ideas:


Macaroni Salad:

2 carb servings of pasta (each ~80 calories, 15g of carbs)
1 cup dry broccoli slaw
3 egg whites, hard boiled, diced
1 tbsp sweet pickle relish
1/2 cup chopped celery
1/2 cup chopped red pepper
2 tbsp chopped onion
3 tbsp fat free mayonnaise
2 tbsp spicy Dijon mustard
2 tsp white vinegar
black pepper to taste

Prepare the pasta according to directions and set aside until cooled. Mix the mayonnaise, mustard, vinegar, and pepper until blended and set aside. Add the macaroni to the vegetables and stir in the egg whites and relish. Pour in dressing and toss to coat. Chill for at least 1 hour before serving. Makes 2 large servings (you could get away with using 1/2 carb if you made 4 servings).

Yes, this is worth giving up a carb serving for! You might like it on the side with a piece of grilled chicken (since it's weird eating a burger without the bun) but otherwise you can choose a lunch item and skip the carb, or flex a meal (enjoy something like my Lobster Stuffed Mushrooms) and save the carb for later. It does not taste diet and I plan on bringing it to BBQs in the future.


Cajun Fries:


1 large butternut squash
2 tsp olive oil
salt, pepper, paprika, and chili powder to taste

Peel the squash and either use a French fry slicer gadget (saves a lot of time!) or cut the squash into fry-like sticks. Pour them into a bowl and toss with olive oil and the spices. I like them quite spicy so I use a lot (well, easy on the salt). You can also use cayenne pepper instead of chili powder if you like. Bake them at 400 degrees for about 25 minutes, depending how thick you cut your fries. Broil them for the last 5 minutes until they are crisp. If you don't have a French fry pan, you'll need to turn them at the halfway point. Serve them with whatever you like on your fries. Tonight I used Ranch dip- fat free sour cream with a little Hidden Valley ranch powder mixed in- yummy!

The squash is so mild tasting that with the spices, it really can pass for French fries. I still enjoy my zucchini fries recipe but squash is much closer to the "real thing". This recipe is a winner!

So enjoy the rest of your BBQs this summer and don't miss out on your favourite side dishes- they don't have to be off limits anymore!