Category Archives: Side Dish

Chipotle Pumpkin Cheddar Grits & Black Bean Bowl

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This post is sponsored by Cabot Creamery, in conjunction with Healthy Aperture, as part of a blogger cooking contest. All content, opinions and enthusiasm remain my own!

I’m starting to get those fall-time feels! Cooler weather, cozy meals, seasonal flavors, and this year more family time around the dinner table. Not only are we staying home more and eating out less, we’ve also got a couple college kids who are able to extend their visits thanks to this new online learning situation. Quick, easy and affordable! This budget-friendly family favorite makes a great fall-inspired dinner on busy nights. White cheddar and pumpkin make stone ground grits so creamy, and chipotle chile powder adds just a touch of smoky heat. Add my suggested toppings to make it a balanced meat with under 400 calories and 20g protein per serving. Gluten free, lower carb and meal prep / freezer friendly. Get more quick and easy meal recipes and clean eating ideas at thefitfork.com

That being said, I’ve had to flex my creative cooking muscle to come up with budget-friendly ideas that will keep my three hungry guys filled up without breaking the bank (and interfering with my running shoe budge, lol). Cheesy, hearty meals are ALWAYS a winner with them, so I’ve relied on flavorful Cabot cheese, along with staples from my pantry) to create a Chipotle Pumpkin Cheddar Grits & Black Bean Bowl. Continue reading →

Best Ever Balsamic Mushrooms & Onions | Paleo, Vegetarian

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Balsamic Mushrooms & Onions are one of my favorite side dishes and seem to go with almost everything! If vegetables could have a little black dress, this would be it – easy but elegant and suitable for all occasions!Balsamic Mushrooms and Onions are an easy 30 minute side dish that is paleo friendly and vegetarian.

This simple sauté is a flavorful accessory to steaks, you’ll be transported to the feel of white tablecloth steakhouse dining in your own home.  Not just a steak side dish though, also pairs magnificently with seafood, chicken, pork . . . or pile up on a baked sweet potato or bowl of grits for some ahhhh-mazing comfort food feels. Read on for this best of the best sautéed mushroom recipe: Continue reading →

Grilled Watermelon with Cherry Balsamic Salsa | Paleo, Vegan, Whole30

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Got the grill going this weekend? My Grilled Watermelon with Cherry Balsamic Salsa is a simple yet stunning addition to your summer spread.

Grilled Watermelon with Cherry Balsamic Salsa

Bursting with sweet-savory flavor thanks to the season’s best produce, this creative fruit salad is a family favorite for backyard cookouts and pool parties. Plus, with simple, fresh ingredients, it fits with Paleo, Whole30, Vegetarian, Vegan and Mediterranean diets. Continue reading →

Instant Pot Tex-Mex Bean Medley | Pantry Prep

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As a lifelong Texan, most of our celebratory meals include a side of beans – typically pinto beans, that’s the Lone Star way. However, during this recent Corona Virus situation, I couldn’t find a single pinto bean or dried bean of ANY variety on the store shelves to pair with a brisket taco recipe I was delivering to Mom’s house for birthday!

Instant Pot Tex-Mex Bean Medley

That got me to thinking about the abundance of “this” and “that” that I already have piled up in my pantry — half empty bags of various food staples that “I’ll get around to finishing up sometime.” Well, “sometime” was TODAY and I created Instant Pot Tex-Mex Bean Medley using only the mish-mash of beans, canned goods and dried spices that I already had on hand! Continue reading →

Far East Broiled Blood Oranges | Paleo, Vegan

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Far East Broiled Blood Oranges are a healthy treat I was inspired to make with a few of these distinctively-colored oranges still sitting in my fruit bowl from the holidays and other simple ingredients I could rummage from the pantry. I’ve always loved broiled grapefruit, and so I figured it would probably translate well to most citrus – including blood oranges.Far East Broiled Blood Oranges

As with all broiled citrus or roasted citrus, I love how the juices mingle with the sugar that’s typically sprinkled on top to create a sweet caramelized crust. For these broiled oranges, I’ve used just a bit of date “sugar” to keep the recipe Paleo and just all around healthier. Read on to get all the unexpected flavorful ingredients and easy how-to: Continue reading →