Summer is the perfect time to indulge in fresh, vibrant, and healthy dishes, and nothing screams summer more than a refreshing fruit salad. Add a pop of bold color to your table with a red fruit salad, made up of the summer’s best season – watermelon, strawberries, cherries and raspberries.
Not only is a salad of red fruit visually stunning, it’s also packed with vitamins, antioxidants, and a burst of natural sweetness. The easy Lime-Honey-Mint Dressing enhances the sweetness with a bright tang of citrus – no need to dirty another dish, I just mix it up in the bottom of my serving dish and then toss around after adding fruit before serving.
A fun way to prep the salad is in a large, wide-mouth mason jar – keep in the fridge until ready to serve. Then dump into a bowl before serving, the dressing on the bottom ends up on top!! Perfect for a summer patio meal, pool party or pot luck!
This beautiful fruit salad — featuring red raspberries, strawberries, watermelon and cherries – will be the star of your summer celebration. Super easy to make, so also perfect for lazy days or busy night meals.
Course:
Dessert, entree salad, Side Dish, Snack
Keyword:
cherries, fruit salad, raspberries, strawberries, watermelon
Servings: 4servings
Ingredients
Dressing:
2Tbsp.honey
1 ½Tbsplime juice
2tspchopped fresh mint leaves
Fruit4 cups total, can vary a bit
¾cupraspberries
¾cuphalved and pitted cherries
1cupsliced strawberries
1 ½cupwatermelon cubes1/2” cut
Instructions
In bottom of glass jar that holds 4 cups or a medium serving bowl, whisk together the honey, lime juice and chopping fresh mint.
When ready to add raspberries, halved and pitted cherries, sliced strawberries, and chopped watermelon to bowl and gently toss to coat with dressing.
Store leftovers, covered, in the fridge for up to two days.
Although I prioritize fitness and healthy eating, I still find myself susceptible to cravings for delicious, crispy “fried” treats. Thankfully, my air-fryer has emerged as my guilt-free solution, transforming indulgent side dishes into wholesome alternatives – these are some of the best vegetables in the air fryer! Explore these low carb air fryer side dish recipes to elevate tonight’s dinner to a new level of satisfaction – even when time is tight!
Cheddar Zucchini Chips in the Air Fryer stay low carb, thanks to a coating made from crushed cheddar crisps and almond meal, instead of breadcrumbs and flour. Dunk in your favorite dipping sauce, so addictive!
Crispy Low Carb Onion Rings in Air Fryer are a clever way to avoid eating carbs or staying gluten-free. The onions are coated in topping made with crushed pork rinds – a smart and flavorful way to use this old-school snack!
Hatch Green Chili Fried in Air Fryer make mage with this popular, milder New Mexico pepper. Of course, you can use any type pepper (even hot ones, if you dare) and even bell pepper strips!
Granola Honey Sweet Potato Fries hit the spot – crunch on the outside, soft on the interior and drizzled with honey, sprinkled with sea salt and upgraded with a lightly spicy granola. Upgraded comfort food to pair up with almost any main dish protein.
TIPS FOR CRISPY AIR FRYER SIDE DISHES
Type of Air Fryer: You can use whatever air fryer you prefer – a smaller “drawer” style one may require you to make some of these recipes in two batches. I prefer a larger oven-style air fryer with a door that pulls downward. That makes it easy for me to check on food, flip it, see what’s going on through the door winder, and also typically cook up the whole batch at once to serve my hungry family.
Can I Use an Oven? Yes, but it will take a little longer. Preheat the oven temperature to the same temperature and increase cooking time by about 33% longer, flipping halfway through. So if an air-fryer recipe says 10 minutes, bake in oven for 15 minutes. Also, it is preferable to use a mesh rack or over the baking sheet or a crispingtray sheet to help promote crispiness.
How do I Reheat Leftovers? It’s best to reheat leftovers in a pre-heated air-fryer (375F) for just a few minutes until crisped up and warmed. Reheating in a microwave is not recommended, as it will made the food soggy.
Good news for cheese lovers! You can have your queso and eat it too! High Protein Green Chile Queso is easy, delicious AND nutritious and will become your new favorite not dip for snacking and meals. Heck, you’ll want to pour it on everything!
Most queso (as we know it in the Southern US) is based on processed American cheese, ewwww – kinda a mystery substance. But my recipe high protein queso shared below features cottage cheese as the hero ingredient.
Cottage cheese in queso might sound strange – but it is cheese, right?! It’s blended smooth for a creamy texture and is incorporated with a bit of grated Pepper Jack for a slightly spicy and richer cheese vibe. You stay away artificial ingredients, preservatives and who knows what – plus, there’s lots of protein and not much fat.
Shredded Pepper Jack melts into blended cottage cheese for the perfect medley! Or, try white cheddar!
And, cottage cheese queso is easy to make, with just four ingredients, an approximate 24-oz microwave-safe dish (or a little larger), and a microwave. So, 1) tastes great, 2) lots of protein, 3) less fat and no fake stuff – WIN-WIN-WIN!
Roast and chop your own green chile peppers, or for convenience, use pre-prepped like frozen, jar or canned.
This would be a great appetizer or snack for football game season – bowl games are coming up! Make it at score big compliments!
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Lower in fat, but stillooey-gooey, this high protein green chili queso features blended cottage cheeseas the hero. Simple to make in the microwave, only 4 ingredients – delicious andnutritious! 100 calories per serving with 11g protein. A healthy appetizer or topping for your Mexican-inspiredmeal.
Ingredients
2cups2% milkfat cottage cheesenot drained
2tspgarlic powder
4ozchopped green chilesfrom can or fresh roasted
4ozfresh grated Pepper Jack cheese
Optional: Pico de Gallo for garnish
Instructions
Add cottage cheese to blender and process until smooth, a minute or so.
By hand, stir in the garlic powder and chopped green chilies. If using chiles from a can, pour off and discard and ½ the juices so dip doesn’t become too watery.
Add mixture to a microwave-bowl.
Heat in microwave for about 2 minutes. Remove and stir in the pepper jack cheese, ½ at a time.
Return to microwave and heat an additional 1-2 minutes until heated through and bubbling. Stir again to make sure the pepper jack cheese is incorporated.
If desired, garnish with Pico de Gallo.
Serve warm with chips or baguette slices to dip in. Or, use a drizzle on fajitas, burrito bowls, nachos, etch.
Store leftovers, covered, in fridge for up to 5 days. To reheat, microwave on half-power for 2-3 minutes until able to stir it up. Then, heat again on high for 1-2 minutes until hot and bubbling.
Gouda Mac and Cheese with Brussels Sprouts and Mushrooms offers a tasty and on-trend twist to one of America’s most comforting pasta dishes. The rich, earthy flavors of Brussels sprouts and mushrooms seemingly melt into the creamy goodness of Gouda cheese – combine all that with the pasta of your choice, and it’s noodle nirvana!
Plus, veggies – don’t forget you sneaked vegetables into each and every serving of this gouda mac and cheese! It’s a great way to convince kids to eat more of the good stuff. As for the pasta, you can use the flour variety (eg: traditional durum wheat or a gluten-free alternative (I like ZenB Pasta made from 100% yellow peas to offer LOTS of fiber and protein)
Brussels sprouts and mushrooms roast in the oven for a caramalized, rich flavor that elevates gouda mac.
This Brussels sprout mac and cheese is an easy 9” x 13” side dish and makes a great take-along offering to a pot luck or holiday feast at a friend’s house – keep it warm in this awesome casserole cozy. I know It will be one of our most popular and best thanksgiving side dishes of this year.
These cheese sauce comes together easily and is the “yum” that binds this baked pasta together.
TIPS FOR GOUDA MAC & CHEESE WITH BRUSSELS SPROUTS
Cheese Swap: You can swap out the Gouda for an equal amount of sharp cheddar (or really any similar cheese) for a bold change.
Don’t Like Mushrooms?: Just leave them out, no other modification needed.
Don’t Like Brussels Sprouts?: Swap with fresh broccoli florets and roast as directed for Brussel sprouts in recipe.
Pasta Shape: I prefer an elbow macaroni, penne, cavatappi or rotini for Mac and Cheese recipes. These have lots of twists and/or tunnels to catch the cheesy sauce.
Pasta Alternatives: I’ve used both traditional and gluten-free pastas to make this Brussel Sprouts Mac & Cheese, so go with your preference. It’s best when pre-cooking the noodles to take them off al dente (very slightly “to the tooth” or firm) because they will cook a second time as a mac and cheese casserole in the oven.
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This delicious, hearty mac and cheese can be made ahead and baked as a side dish for Thanksgiving or other family meals! It's a 9×13 casserole crowd pleaser!
Course:
Pasta, Side Dish
Keyword:
9×13, brussels sprouts, comfort food, mac and cheese, pasta
Servings: 8servings
Ingredients
8ouncesbrussels sprouts; tough outer leaves removedtrimmed and halved (or quartered, if large)
8ounceswhite button mushroomsquartered
2tbspolive oildivided
½tspsaltplus a dash more for pasta water
½teaspoonground black pepper
1 8-ouncebox of uncooked pastaelbows, rotini, penne or similar
6ouncesgouda cheesegrated
¼cupbutter
¼cupflour
2tspDijon mustard
1tspminced garlic
1/2tsppaprika
18ounceswhole milk
1ouncefresh-grated Parmesan cheeseabout ½ cup
Instructions
Pre-heat oven to 425F.
Trim Brussels sprouts and pull off tough outer leaves. Half smaller sprouts, and quarter large ones. Do the same for mushrooms.
In 9” x 13” glass baking dish, add Brussels sprouts. Drizzle with 1 tbsp of olive oil, and sprinkle with about half of the salt and pepper to season.
Roast in oven for a total of 20-25 minutes. After 10 minutes, pull out and add mushrooms to the dish, along with the remaining olive oil, salt and pepper. Return to oven to roast for 10 more minutes (so 10 minutes total for mushrooms, 20-ish for sprouts).
While vegetables are roasting, bring water to boil in pasta pot and prepare pasta per package instructions for “al dente”. After cooking, drain in colander and set aside.
In same pot that pasta was cooked in (now empty), melt butter over medium-high heat. Sir in mustard and garlic and stir for about 1 minute. Next add in flour a little at a time, using a whisk to incorporate. Whisk constantly, making a roux that turns deep golden brown, in about 3 to 4 minutes.
With heat turned to medium, pour in milk a little at a time, whisking until combined and smooth. Next add cheese a little at a time, whisking until smooth.
Add cooked pasta to cheese sauce and mix until coated. Then pour into 9×13” dish with roasted veggies; stir. Top with 1 ounce of fresh grated Parmesan cheese.
Place in oven now heated to 350F. Bake for 15 minutes, or until cheese bubbling and lightly browning on top.
Microwave Pumpkin Risotto, so seasonally scrumptious! My “secret” shortcut allows me to get this rich and creamy dish on the table in 20 minutes without standing over a pot stirring non-stop. Today, I’m going to share this easy pumpkin side dish with you along with all my tips on how to make microwave risotto!
This pumpkin rice recipe will make a complementary side dish to all sorts of fall-inspired meals including turkey at Thanksgiving, a beef roast for Christmas or as part of other celebratory feasts. The simple fact is, it’s just so easy and quick to make, it’s ideal for weeknight dinners too – love to serve it with sauteed shrimp on top or slices of leftover steak.
Use Arborio rice! Or, in a pinch, any other short or medium grain rice will yield a good result.
To garnish, I used fresh snipped Sage, a robust herb that shines in hearty, rich dishes. Also, I drizzled just a bit of sweet-tangy balsamic syrup to complement the savory and play up the pumpkin. You can reduce balsamic vinegar by boiling it for some time to make a balsamic syrup, but I find it much more convenient to buy the syrup. BTW, these garnishes are optional.
Microwave Pumpkin Risotto Tips
Type of Rice:Arborio rice is the is the go-to rice for making risotto. It’s a short-grain rice that can absorb lots of liquid and yields a creamy, hearty texture. In a pinch, you can substitute any type of medium- or short-grain rice with a good result. Just never use a long grain or instant rice.
Cooking Container: Ensure that you are using a large enough microwave-safe container so that the ingredients don’t boil over and make a mess. I suggest an 8-cup capacity glass measuring cup with handle. It’s safe for the microwave, reduces the amount of measuring cups dirtied, and the handle is the safest way remove/return the microwave between stirring sessions.
Vegan: It’s easy to swap the chicken stock for vegetable broth to keep the recipe plant-based. Also, instead of Parmesan cheese, use a vegan parm substitute
Fresh Herbs: Go with what floats your boat, or skip all together. I thought fresh sage, with its earthy and bold profile, was a nice complement to this richer pumpkin dish.
The dish looks watery at first, but the Arborio rice soaks up all that goodness during cooking and releases a creamy texture.
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Microwave Pumpkin Risotto, so seasonally scrumptious! A “secret” shortcut gets this rich and creamy dish on the table in 20 minutes without standing over a pot stirring non-stop. A complementary side dish to fall-inspired meals including Thanksgiving turkey, Holiday beef roast, or fast and easy with salmon or shrimp for a weeknight meal!
Course:
Side Dish
Cuisine:
Italian
Keyword:
fall, pumpkin, rice, thanksgiving
Servings: 4servings
Calories: 195kcal
Ingredients
1/2cupchopped onion
2.5tbspbutter or olive oil
1/2tbspminced garlic
3/4cuparborio rice
2cupschicken or vegetable stock
1/2cuppumpkin from can
1/2teaspoonground black pepper
¼teaspoonsalt
¼teaspoonground nutmeg
½cupfresh grated Parmesan cheeseplus 1-2 tbsp more for topping
Garnishoptional fresh snipped sage and balsamic syrup.
Instructions
In a 2-quart microwave-safe glass bowl, add chopped onion, butter, and garlic. Microwave on high for 3 minutes.
Stir in rice to onion mixture and microwave on high for another 3 minutes.
Mix in stock, canned pumpkin, pepper, salt and nutmeg. Microwave this mixture on high for a total of 16 minutes, removing every 4 minutes to stir for 30 seconds (don’t skip stirring each time, this is what releases the starches for “creaminess”).
Remove and while still hot stir in cheese. Drizzle with balsamic syrup, and top with snipped fresh sage. Serve immediately.
Recipe Notes
Makes 4 servings, each with: 195 cal, 30g carb, 7g fat, 3g protein.
