Category: Sides

Pasta, Recipes, Sides

Sweet Asian Pasta Salad

Sarah

Planning my lunch during the week is one of biggest stresses of my day. This is mostly because I have to take a packed lunch. Since I don’t always have access to a microwave [and never have access to a fridge], I have to get creative about packing filling and tasty cold lunches. I can only eat so many sandwiches! One of the ways I’ve been able to mix up my lunches and ensure that I actually enjoy what I eat is by making creative pasta salads. I used to just pour some ranch dressing and BBQ sauce on my pasta and call it a day. But now, I’ve become a little more grown-up with my cold pasta toppings, and have found a few combinations that I absolutely love! This Sweet Asian mix is one of them.

I love the burst of flavors in every bite. Garlic and onion mixed with the sweetness of honey and peanut butter. The tang of cilantro mellowing with the spice of red chili peppers. Plus veggies for some crunch! Add some apple slices, carrots, and crackers and you have yourself one tasty lunch!

Sweet Asian Pasta Salad - a fresh 'n flavorful pasta salad that I adore

Sweet Asian Pasta Salad

  • Servings: 6
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Ingredients:

  • 8 ounces whole wheat penne pasta, uncooked
  • 1/2 cup green pepper, diced
  • 1/2 cup broccoli crowns, cut into bite-sized pieces if necessary
  • 1/4 cup red onion, chopped
  • 1/4 cup loosely packed fresh cilantro, roughly chopped
  • 1 large clove garlic, minced
  • 2 1/2 tablespoons coconut milk
  • 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
  • 2 tablespoons honey
  • 2 tablespoons soy sauce
  • 1 1/2 tablespoons natural peanut butter
  • 2 teaspoons lime juice
  • freshly ground pepper
  • red chili flakes

Directions:

Cook pasta according to package directions. While pasta is cooking, whisk together coconut milk, olive oil, honey, soy sauce, lime juice, and peanut butter. Combine green pepper, broccoli, onion, garlic, and cilantro together in a medium sized bowl (my one quart bowl was just barely big enough). When pasta is cooked to al dente, add to veggies, pour in dressing and toss with salad tongs to coat.  Serve immediately or refrigerate/ice pack until lunch time! 🙂

Do you pack your lunch? What are some of your lunchtime favorites?

Fruit, Recipes, Sides

Crock Pot Chunky Applesauce

Sarah

Happy First Day of Fall!

In my opinion, fall couldn’t come soon enough. This summer was HOT, which made running pretty miserable at times and made other outdoor activities sound not-so-attractive.  Drenched in sweat after a stroll in the neighborhood? No thanks. Though I love the bounty of summer’s produce, my favorite seasonal flavors are from the fall. Pumpkin. Apple. Squash. Cranberry. Yum.

Even though I’ve been graduated for three years now (!), fall takes me back to my alma mater, with pretty leaves on the trees, homecoming festivities, and cross country races. Oh, how I miss Wittenberg, dear Wittenberg!

I’m learning to love fall on my new campus, Indiana University. I love walking in the midst of these grand old limestone-and-brick buildings with a chill in the air and leaves crunching beneath my feet.  Fall weather, whether it comes in the first week of the semester or the sixth, just screams academics to me. Does this resonate with anyone else? I just love the line in You’ve Got Mail about this:

“Don’t you love New York in the fall? It makes me want to buy school supplies. I would send you a bouquet of newly sharpened pencils if I knew your name and address. On the other hand, this not knowing has it’s charm.”

 

Pencil and sharpener
one aspect of fall…

 

Last fall, Ben and I even got to partake in a classic fall ritual–apple picking! It was really fun, and we came back with dozens of apples–a whole peck, I do believe.

 

Sarah and Ben, apple picking.
Apple picking last fall.

 

We made many an apple recipe last fall, and since I wasn’t blogging then, I haven’t shared them yet!

In honor of the first day of fall, I made this applesauce last night to celebrate.  Since it’s a crock pot recipe, made is a loose term.  After getting home, I quickly enlisted Ben’s sous-chef skills and hopped to it!

Crock Pot Chunky Applesauce - easy, homemade, healthy, & delicious

Crock Pot Chunky Applesauce

Ingredients:

  • 8 apples, cored, peeled, chopped [I used 3 Gala apples and 5 Granny Smiths, but feel free to use whatever you like/have on hand.] — about 8-9 cups
  • 1/2 cup water
  • 1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
  • 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice

Directions:

Prepare apples, and don’t feel like you have to peel all the skin off–we like a little left on for texture! Combine all ingredients in a crock pot. Stir well, then cook on low for 8 hours or on high for 4 hours. Resist the temptation to open the lid! It adds cooking time if you do that because the air escapes. [Ask me how I know… :)] When it has finished cooking, use a potato masher to mash apples to desired texture. Eat and enjoy!

Notes:

If you don’t have a crock pot, I’m sure you can make this recipe on the stove, too, but I haven’t tried that. If you do, let me know how it goes! Also, this recipe can easily be doubled or even tripled, depending on the size of your crock pot. Feel free to adjust the amount of sugar based on the sweetness of your apples too. Or the seasonings too. Or add pears. That’s yummy also. Basically, this is a very versatile recipe. Do with it what you like!

Appetizers, Recipes, Sides, Vegetables

Baked Sweet Potato Fries with Sweet & Spicy Garlic Dip

Sarah

Sweet potato fries are all the rage lately [but is the phrase “all the rage” really all the rage? Or is it way outdated?]. We eat these as a side dish or a snack, and I even eat them as a meal sometimes [just like one of my roomies used to!]. But Ben prefers some meat with his meals… oh boys, whatcha gonna do with them! 🙂 I have seen them on the menu at so many restaurants, chains and local places alike. I’ve ordered them a few places only to be disappointed that they are actual fries–fried in a fryer–not the baked, soft, crispy, sweet potato goodness of these fries. Annnnnd since they are baked, you get all the taste [and health benefits… shhhh!] of sweet potatoes, with the crunchy satisfaction of fries, without all the grease, salt, fat, and other bad stuff. Though traditional fries do taste so good sometimes! Also, for those who are concerned and do not like Thanksgiving sweet potatoes… these bear no resemblance, so have no fear. These are goodies that should make an appearance many times a year!

Baked Sweet Potato Fries with Sweet & Spicy Garlic Dip

  • Servings: 2
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Sweet potato fries and dipping sauce.

for sweet potatoes

Ingredients:

  • 1/2 pound sweet potatoes, roughly peeled and chopped into 1/4″ sticks or wedges
  • 1 tablespoon + 1 teaspoon olive or canola oil
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground pepper
  • cooking spray

Directions:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Place prepared potatoes in a large bowl. Add oil, salt, and pepper and toss to coat. Lightly grease a baking sheet with cooking spray, and then spread potato slices in an even layer across the surface of the pan. Try to keep the slices in a single layer to regulate baking; use a second baking sheet or bake in 2 batches if necessary. Bake potatoes for 30 minutes, using a spatula to flip the fries every 10 minutes. Fries will be done when light brown and crisp to the touch.

Notes:

I often am impatient while cutting the potatoes and end up making the fries larger than 1/4″, so I have to cook them longer, for a total of about 40-50  minutes, so feel free to experiment with your oven and personal preferences. Also, this is just a basic recipe. Sometimes I will add 1/2 teaspoon of basil and 1/2 teaspoon of oregano, or other herbs and/or spices to the fries. Feel free to experiment with your favorite flavors! I do find that I prefer plainer fries with the following dip.

for dip

Ingredients:

  • 1/2 cup fat free sour cream
  • 1/2 cup Miracle Whip [I have never tried this with mayonnaise, but imagine the taste would be similar.]
  • 2 cloves garlic, chopped
  • 1 teaspoon cinnamon
  • 1/2 teaspoon Mexican-style chili powder [I prefer this one but any should work.]

Directions:

In a small bowl, mix all ingredients. Adjust spices to taste. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes for best taste. Keeps up to one week in the fridge.

Note:

If you are sensitive to spicy foods, use a milder chili powder or reduce amount. This sauce is also excellent in a panini, and I bet it would be good with pita or bagel chips, though I have yet to try it.

Recipes, Sides, Vegetables

Tasty Corn

Sarah

Corn on the cob is one of my favorite summer foods. I mean, I live in Indiana soooo it’s only natural right? However, there is more than corn in Indiana. There’s INDIANA BEACH! Okay… enough. Well, I just love summer corn. It’s so fresh, so sweet, so tasty. This is one of the best ways I have found to prepare corn. I’ve made it several times, and have discovered 2 awesome things about this recipe.
Yummy corn.

  1. It is so tasty that butter isn’t even needed on it. Just a little pepper… delish! [Though I clearly did put some on in the photo… the butter just makes it better! But is totally not necessary.]
  2. It is so tasty that it can be eaten hot off the stove… or cold. This versatility makes this a great side for cookouts, picnics, school/work lunches, and more.

Tasty Corn

  • Servings: 2
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source unknown

Ingredients:

  • 2 ears fresh shucked corn
  • 1/3 cup skim milk
  • 1 tablespoon + 2 1/2 teaspoons sugar
  • 2 tablespoons butter or margarine [I’ve used both. Use what is on hand!]

Directions:

Place corn in a large pot and add enough water to completely cover corn. Remove corn from pot. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Once water is boiling, add corn, milk, sugar, and butter/margarine. Do NOT add salt. Salt will make this corn bitter, not sweet. Cover the pot and let simmer over low heat for 10-12 minutes, depending on how tender you like your corn. Remove from pot and eat immediately or let cool and refrigerate for later. Corn can be prepared up to a day in advance.

Note:

I usually only make 2-4 ears of corn at a time for us. However, recipe can easily be doubled, tripled, etc. Just adjust ingredients accordingly! 🙂