Category: Side Dishes

Mediterranean Quinoa Salad

You’ll enjoy Mediterranean Quinoa Salad, with traditional Greek flavors of kalamata olives, feta cheese, roasted red peppers, and a simple dressing!You'll enjoy this Mediterranean Quinoa Salad, with traditional Greek flavors of kalamata olives, feta cheese, roasted red peppers, and a simple dressing!

I’ve been enjoying cooking with quinoa recently. Did you know that quinoa is believed to have originated in the northwest part of South America?

Cooked quinoa provides healthy nutrients similar to what is typically found in rice and wheat, contains proteins and fiber, and is gluten-free. It is commonly referred to as a superfood, and is so easy to prepare!

If you enjoy quinoa, I’m confident you’ll like this delicious salad! By the way, if you’re interested in using quinoa for breakfast, be sure to check out my recipe for Apricot Almond Breakfast Quinoa! Anyways, here’s how to make this Mediterranean Quinoa Salad.

Scroll Down For A Printable Recipe Card At The Bottom Of The Page

Cook The Quinoa

To make this delicious dish, you will first need to cook the quinoa (according to package instructions) in lightly salted boiling water until done.

Fluff the cooked quinoa with a fork once done. Set it aside until it has cooled down to room temperature.

Cooked quinoa in metal saucepan

Make The Salad Dressing

While the quinoa is cooking, make the simple salad dressing for the Mediterranean quinoa salad. Add the ingredients (olive oil, red wine vinegar, oregano, salt and pepper) to a small bowl.

Mix these ingredients well using a fork, until fully combined. Set dressing aside until ready to top the salad.

Salad dressing for quinoa in small metal bowl

Assemble The Mediterranean Quinoa Salad

Place all the salad ingredients into a large mixing or serving bowl.  Isn’t it colorful? The salad has quinoa, roasted red peppers, corn, cilantro, red onion, feta cheese and kalamata olives.

Give the salad dressing a quick stir and pour over the salad ingredients.  Gently mix the Mediterranean quinoa salad together so the dressing coats everything well.

Quinoa, feta, olives, corn, etc. in salad bowl

Pouring salad dressing over veggies in salad bowl

Time To EAT!

Once the salad has been mixed, it’s ready to serve! See how easy that was? And it REALLY tastes great!

Mixing salad ingredients with a fork in a white bowl

Mediterranean Quinoa Salad is a fantastic side dish for a variety of meals. We enjoyed it with pan-seared creole salmon, and a small spinach salad, and it tasted wonderful! 

This would also be a tasty light lunch, as well, and just for the record, the leftovers were just as good the next day!

Spoonful of salad over bowl

If you enjoy quinoa, you might also enjoy my recipes for Southwest Quinoa Salad, Quinoa Enchilada Casserole (meatless), or a delicious Shrimp, Quinoa & Veggie Bowl.

Hope you will consider trying this recipe, and as always, I hope you will enjoy it! Don’t forget to check out ALL my recipes in the Recipe Index, located at the top of the page.

Take care, and may God bless you and surround you with His love today and always!

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Recipe Source: https://cooktoria.com/recipe/mediterranean-quinoa-salad/

↓↓ PRINTABLE RECIPE BELOW ↓↓

0 from 0 votes
Mediterranean Quinoa Salad
Prep Time
10 mins
Cook Time
15 mins
Total Time
25 mins
 

This simple Quinoa Salad is filled with Mediterranean flavors! Easy to prepare, this is a fantastic tasting salad or side dish to serve for lunch or dinner!

Category: Salad/Side Dish
Cuisine: Mediterranean
Keyword: Mediterranean quinoa salad
Servings: 4 Servings
Calories Per Serving: 295 kcal
Author: JB @ The Grateful Girl Cooks!
Ingredients
For Salad:
  • 1/2 cup quinoa , uncooked
  • 1 cup kalamata olives , pitted, sliced
  • 1 cup corn kernels , fresh or canned
  • 1 cup roasted red peppers , sliced
  • 2/3 cup feta cheese , fat free
  • 1/2 cup red onion , diced
  • 1/2 cup cilantro , chopped
For Salad Dressing:
  • 2 Tablespoons olive oil , extra virgin
  • 2 teaspoons red wine vinegar
  • 1 teaspoon dried oregano
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt and pepper , to taste
Instructions
  1. Cook quinoa in lightly salted water according to package instructions (approx 12-15 minutes).  When done, drain, then set aside to let quinoa cool.

  2. Mix salad dressing ingredients together in a small bowl until fully blended.

  3. Place all salad ingredients in a large mixing bowl. Pour salad dressing over the top. Mix all ingredients gently until dressing has been incorporated into salad. Serve, and enjoy!

Nutrition Facts
Mediterranean Quinoa Salad
Amount Per Serving (1 g)
Calories 295 Calories from Fat 171
% Daily Value*
Fat 19g29%
Saturated Fat 5g31%
Cholesterol 22mg7%
Sodium 1507mg66%
Potassium 267mg8%
Carbohydrates 24g8%
Fiber 3g13%
Sugar 2g2%
Protein 8g16%
Vitamin A 575IU12%
Vitamin C 17.5mg21%
Calcium 165mg17%
Iron 1.8mg10%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Here’s one more for your Pinterest boardsYou'll enjoy Mediterranean Quinoa Salad, with traditional Greek flavors of kalamata olives, feta cheese, roasted red peppers, and a simple dressing!

Asian Style Stir Fry Veggies

Asian Style Stir Fry Veggies are bursting with color and flavor, and are a simple, delicious way to serve fresh vegetables with your meals.  Even kids will like this simple side dish!You'll love these colorful, delicious, quick and easy to make Asian style stir fry veggies. They're a perfect side dish for a variety of meals.

The recipe for Asian style stir fried veggies couldn’t be simpler, but the results are sure yummy! I came up with a simple sauce years and years ago, and enjoy using it occasionally to enhance mixed fresh stir-fried vegetables! Here’s how to make this dish:

Scroll Down For A Printable Recipe Card At The Bottom Of The Page

Prep The Stir Fry Veggies

Clean veggies, dry and then prep them, by cutting them into bite sized slices or chunks.  This time, I used broccoli, yellow squash, green zucchini, red and orange bell peppers, brown onion, baby carrots, and mushrooms.

Truthfully, any combination of vegetables you have available will work well (I’ve also added bok choy, green peppers, fresh asparagus or green beans, at times). Set aside.

Chopped Stir Fry Veggies on red cutting mat

Make The Asian Style Sauce

Mix Asian-style sauce in a small cup or bowl.  I simply used a fork to mix the ingredients (water, soy sauce, ground ginger and cornstarch) together. Set aside.

Stir Fry Veggie Sauce

Stir Fry The Veggies

In a large skillet, heat oil on medium-high heat until very hot (but not smoking).  Add the vegetables all at once (except for minced garlic).

Cook, stirring often, until vegetables are cooked (about 5-6 minutes). They should be crisp-tender when done. Add the minced garlic, and stir, to prevent burning. Cook an additional minute.

Chopped Vegetables in skillet cooking

Add Sauce To The Stir Fried Veggies

Give the sauce a final stir, then pour the Asian sauce into skillet, and stir to combine. The sauce will begin to thicken almost immediately. Continue to stir. If the sauce becomes too thick, add just a touch of water to skillet and stir until all veggies are coated with sauce, and are heated through.

Pouring Asian sauce into veggies in skillet

Once the Asian style stir fry veggies are heated through, and covered with sauce, they are ready to serve. For this meal, I served them as a side dish, along with a piece of pan-seared salmon and steamed rice. YUM!

Chopped veggies stir frying with sauce

That’s it! I really hope you will consider making these Asian Style Stir Fry Veggies.  They add a LOT of color and wonderful flavor to any meal!  It’s a great way to get more vegetables onto the plate, and they really do taste great (hint, hint).

Hope you have an absolutely WONDERFUL day, and remember… be KIND to those you encounter throughout your day.  You never know what others are going through… why not be their bright beacon of hope for that day! God Bless You!

Looking For More VEGETABLE Recipes?

You can find all of my recipes in the Recipe Index, located at the top of the page. I have lots of veggie recipes for you to enjoy, including:

Interested In More Recipes?

Thank you for visiting this website. I appreciate you using some of your valuable time to do soIf you’re interested, I publish a newsletter 2 times per month (1st and 15th) with all the latest recipes, and other fun info. I would be honored to have you join our growing list of subscribers, so you never miss a great recipe!
There is a Newsletter subscription box on the top right side (or bottom) of each blog post, depending on the device you use, where you can easily submit your e-mail address (only) to be included in my mailing list.

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Asian Style Stir Fry Veggies / The Grateful Girl Cooks!

0 from 0 votes
Asian Style Stir Fry Veggies
Prep Time
10 mins
Cook Time
6 mins
Total Time
16 mins
 
You'll love these colorful, delicious, quick and easy to make Asian style stir fry veggies. They're a perfect side dish for a variety of meals.
Category: Side Dishes
Cuisine: Asian
Keyword: stir fry veggies
Servings: 2 large servings
Calories Per Serving: 221 kcal
Author: JB @ The Grateful Girl Cooks!
Ingredients
For Veggies (Use any combo or quantity you wish... this is what I used):
  • 2 Tbsp Vegetable oil
  • 1 Zucchini , I used 1/2 green and 1/2 yellow), sliced
  • 6-8 Mushrooms , sliced
  • 1/4 medium Brown onion , sliced
  • 1 cup Bell peppers , I used red and orange, sliced
  • 8 Baby Carrots , I used 8-10, sliced lengthwise
  • 1 cup Broccoli florets
  • 1 tsp Minced garlic
For Asian Style Sauce:
  • 3/4 cup water
  • 2 Tablespoons soy sauce
  • 1/8 teaspoon ground ginger
  • 1 teaspoon cornstarch , I used a heaping teaspoon
Instructions
  1. Clean veggies, dry them, then prep them, by cutting them into bite sized slices or chunks. Set aside.
  2. Mix Asian-style sauce in a small cup or bowl. I simply used a fork to mix the ingredients (water, soy sauce, ground ginger and cornstarch) together. Set aside.
  3. In a large skillet, heat oil on medium-high heat until very hot (but not smoking). Add the vegetables all at once (except for minced garlic). Cook, stirring often, until vegetables are cooked (about 5-6 minutes). They should be crisp-tender when done. Add the minced garlic, and stir to prevent burning. Cook an additional minute.
  4. Give the sauce a final stir, then pour it into skillet, and stir to combine. The sauce will begin to thicken almost immediately. Continue to stir. If sauce becomes too thick, add just a little bit more water to skillet and stir until all veggies are coated with sauce, and are heated through. Remove skillet from heat, serve, and enjoy!.
Nutrition Facts
Asian Style Stir Fry Veggies
Amount Per Serving (1 g)
Calories 221 Calories from Fat 126
% Daily Value*
Fat 14g22%
Saturated Fat 11g69%
Sodium 1071mg47%
Potassium 900mg26%
Carbohydrates 19g6%
Fiber 5g21%
Sugar 10g11%
Protein 7g14%
Vitamin A 8330IU167%
Vitamin C 157mg190%
Calcium 55mg6%
Iron 2.1mg12%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Here’s one more to pin on your Pinterest boards!You'll love these colorful, delicious, quick and easy to make Asian style stir fry veggies. They're a perfect side dish for a variety of meals.

Baked Parmesan Zucchini Fries

Baked Parmesan Zucchini Fries are a delicious side dish or appetizer! Baked until crispy, and served with dipping sauce, these “fries” will be a big hit!Baked Parmesan Zucchini Fries are a delicious side dish or appetizer! Baked until crispy, and served with dipping sauce, these "fries" will be a big hit!

Baked Parmesan Zucchini Fries are a delicious family-friendly way to get kids (and adults) to EAT THEIR VEGGIES!  Baked (not fried) to a crispy finish, and served with a cool, seasoned dipping sauce on the side, these “fries” won’t last long, as a side dish or an appetizer!

The zucchini are crispy on the outside, and have lots of flavor with the simple coating, and the PLUS is that they are BAKED, not FRIED. They are really very easy to prepare, and it’s a great way to get more veggies into the food rotation!

It’s easy to get these veggies into everyone, in a fun way (especially if the kids like French fries)!  Zucchini fries are delicious baked and eaten without any accompaniments, but I like to dip them in a tasty sauce (or ranch dressing).

Scroll Down For A Printable Recipe Card At the Bottom Of The Page

Making The Sauce/Dip For Baked Parmesan Zucchini Fries

This time I made up a quick and simple Mexican-spiced dip/sauce (with some of my favorite spices), to serve on the side. I made the sauce by combining non-fat plain Greek yogurt with a Tablespoon of mayonnaise. I then added cumin, garlic powder, chili powder, and paprika, and mixed until blended.

The dipping sauce has good Southwestern flavor, but is not too spicy, by the way! Make ahead, cover,  and refrigerate until ready to use.

Ingredients for dipping sauce for Baked Parmesan Zucchini Fries.

How To Cut Zucchini For Zucchini Fries

I used a green zucchini and a yellow zucchini to make the fries. After slicing the ends off, they were cut like this:

  • #1 Cut each in half in the middle.
  • #2 Cut each half in half lengthwise.
  • #3 Cut those pieces into 4 lengthwise slices each (so they are wedges about 1/2 an inch wide).

Zucchini is sliced into wedges to make Baked Parmesan zucchini fries.

In a small bowl, place two eggs. Lightly beat the eggs until they are fully combined. In a separate bowl, place Panko crumbs and Parmesan cheese. Add the garlic powder, salt, pepper, paprika and Italian seasoning, and stir until combined.

Beaten eggs, and panko bread crumbs are needed to coat zucchini fries before baking.

Prepping Zucchini Fries For Baking

Dip the zucchini wedges, one at a time into the egg mixture to coat. Shake off excess egg back into bowl, and then dip and roll in Panko mixture to coat all sides.

Zucchini fries are coated with panko breadcrumbs before baking.

Place each coated piece of zucchini on a baking sheet which has been lined with aluminum foil, covered with non-stick spray. Repeat until all “fries” have been coated.  Make sure to keep wedges separated on foil.

Parmesan zucchini fries are placed in single layer onto baking sheet to bake.

Cooking The Baked Parmesan Zucchini Fries

Spray the top of the zucchini with cooking spray or lightly drizzle with olive oil.  Bake in a preheated 425 degree oven for 22-25 minutes, flipping zucchini fries over,  half way through the cooking time. When done, the zucchini should be crisp on the outside and lightly browned.

Baked Parmesan Zucchini Fries are golden brown and crispy after baking.

Time To Eat!

Transfer zucchini fries to a platter, and serve with dipping sauce (if desired). They taste the very best when served hot, crispy, and fresh!

Baked Parmesan Zucchini Fries are served with dipping sauce.

Baked Parmesan Zucchini Fries on red platter, with dipping sauce.

Serve, and enjoy this yummy finger food side dish (or appetizer!).  Recipe is easily doubled for a larger crowd… as written, the recipe makes 32 “fries”. Hope you enjoy these zucchini fries – we sure did!

Looking For More APPETIZER Recipes?

You can find all of my recipes in the Recipe Index, located at the top of the page. I have some delicious appetizer recipes you might enjoy, including:

Interested In More Recipes?

Thank you for visiting this website. I appreciate you using some of your valuable time to do soIf you’re interested, I publish a newsletter 2 times per month (1st and 15th) with all the latest recipes, and other fun info. I would be honored to have you join our growing list of subscribers, so you never miss a great recipe!
There is a Newsletter subscription box on the top right side (or bottom) of each blog post, depending on the device you use, where you can easily submit your e-mail address (only) to be included in my mailing list.

You Can Also Find Me On Social Media:

Facebook page: The Grateful Girl Cooks!
Pinterest:
The Grateful Girl Cooks!
Instagram:
jbatthegratefulgirlcooks

Baked Parmesan Zucchini Fries / The Grateful Girl Cooks!

Zucchini Fries Recipe Source: Trish, at https://www.momontimeout.com/baked-parmesan-zucchini-fries-recipe/

0 from 0 votes
Baked Parmesan Zucchini Fries
Prep Time
10 mins
Cook Time
22 mins
Total Time
32 mins
 
Baked Parmesan Zucchini Fries are a delicious side dish or appetizer! Baked until crispy, and served with dipping sauce, these "fries" will be a big hit!
Category: Side Dish / Appetizer
Cuisine: American
Keyword: baked Parmesan zucchini fries
Servings: 32 fries
Calories Per Serving: 18 kcal
Author: JB @ The Grateful Girl Cooks!
Ingredients
  • 2 zucchini (medium sized- I used 1 green and 1 yellow)
  • 2 eggs , beaten lightly
  • 1/2 cup Panko bread crumbs
  • 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
  • 1/4 teaspoon Italian seasoning
  • 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
  • 1/4 teaspoon paprika
For Dipping Sauce:
  • 1/2 cup non-fat Greek yogurt (can substitute sour cream)
  • 1 Tablespoon Mayonnaise
  • 1/4 teaspoon EACH of spices (chili powder, ground cumin, garlic powder and paprika)
Instructions
To Make Dipping Sauce:
  1. Mix Greek yogurt, mayonnaise, cumin, garlic powder, chili powder, and paprika in small bowl until blended. Cover, and refrigerate until ready to use.
To Make Zucchini Fries:
  1. Cut both ends off each zucchini (discard). Cut each zucchini in half across the middle, then cut each half in half lengthwise, then cut those pieces into 4 lengthwise slices each (so they are wedges about 1/2 an inch wide). You should have 32 wedges.
  2. In a bowl, lightly beat eggs until combined. Set aside.
  3. In another bowl, mix Panko crumbs, Parmesan cheese, garlic powder, salt, pepper, paprika and Italian seasoning until combined.
  4. Dip zucchini wedges, one at a time into the egg mixture to coat. Shake excess egg back into bowl, then dip and roll zucchini slice in Panko mixture to coat all sides. Place each coated piece of zucchini on baking sheet lined with foil, and sprayed lightly with non-stick spray. Repeat until all "fries" have been coated. Keep wedges separated. Spray the top of the zucchini with cooking spray, or lightly drizzle with olive oil.
  5. Bake in preheated 425 degree oven for 22-25 minutes, turning zucchini slices over, half way through cooking time. When done, zucchini should be crisp on the outside and lightly browned. Transfer zucchini fries to a platter, and serve with dipping sauce (if desired).
Nutrition Facts
Baked Parmesan Zucchini Fries
Amount Per Serving (4 wedges)
Calories 18
% Daily Value*
Cholesterol 11mg4%
Sodium 45mg2%
Potassium 42mg1%
Carbohydrates 1g0%
Protein 1g2%
Vitamin A 55IU1%
Vitamin C 2.2mg3%
Calcium 17mg2%
Iron 0.1mg1%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Here’s one more to pin on your Pinterest boards!Baked Parmesan Zucchini Fries are a delicious side dish or appetizer! Baked until crispy, and served with dipping sauce, these "fries" will be a big hit!

Southwest Quinoa Salad

Southwest Quinoa Salad is a healthy side or vegetarian dish featuring quinoa, tomatoes, corn, beans, peppers, avocado, and a flavorful cilantro lime dressing!
Southwest Quinoa Salad is a healthy side or vegetarian dish featuring quinoa, tomatoes, corn, beans, peppers, avocado, and a flavorful cilantro lime dressing!
Happy New Year! If you’re like many others, you’ve started the year with a determination to eat healthier or lose some weight! This Southwest Quinoa Salad is a delicious, healthy recipe solution for you! It features quinoa, black beans, tomatoes, corn, bell peppers, and avocado, topped with a scrumptious cilantro lime dressing! YUM!

This is my first official blog post of 2018, and I’m so grateful to be able to share this recipe with you from our newly remodeled kitchen.  I don’t know about you, but we managed to eat quite a bit of Christmas goodies and take-out over the holidays (due to my husband and I loving sweets AND having no kitchen to cook in for the past 2 months).

Now we have begun the year determined to make wiser choices.  Say hello to this quinoa salad. It’s a flavor-filled healthy “meatless” dish is perfect as a light side dish or a quick lunch!

Scroll Down For A Printable Recipe Cad At The Bottom Of The Page

Here’s How To Make Southwest Quinoa Salad

Put the uncooked quinoa in a fine mesh strainer and rinse with water (this helps clean the  quinoa). Place the rinsed quinoa, water and salt in a saucepan; bring the mixture to a boil over high heat.

When it comes to a boil, reduce heat to medium-low and put a lid on the pan. Cook quinoa for approximately 17-20 minutes (or until all liquid has been absorbed). Remove pan from heat, set aside, and let quinoa cool down to room temperature.

Southwest Quinoa Salad / The Grateful Girl Cooks!

Place cherry tomatoes, corn, black beans, bell peppers, avocado and room temperature quinoa into a large salad bowl. Set aside. TIP: An easy tip for cubing an avocado is to cut it in half, remove pit, then use a knife to slice grid lines into avocado lengthwise, then horizontally, without cutting through peel. Once cut, slide a large spoon around the inside of the peel, and the avocado cubes should fall out!

Southwest Quinoa Salad / The Grateful Girl Cooks!

Make The Cilantro Lime Salad Dressing

To make the simple cilantro lime dressing, whisk together olive oil, light sour cream, lime zest and juice, garlic powder, cumin, salt, pepper and cilantro in a small bowl . Be sure to mix well.

Southwest Quinoa Salad / The Grateful Girl Cooks!

Pour all of the dressing over salad, and stir well, to combine all ingredients thoroughly. The quinoa will absorb all the delicious Southwestern flavors from the dressing and will really make this dish shine!

Southwest Quinoa Salad / The Grateful Girl Cooks!

Southwest Quinoa Salad Is Ready To Enjoy!

Garnish the Southwest quinoa salad with a sprig of fresh cilantro, and serve it as a side dish. Since it is so filling, this salad (even without meat), would be a quick vegetarian meal or “take to work” packed lunch! The salad tastes good served at room temperature OR chilled!

Southwest Quinoa Salad / The Grateful Girl Cooks!

Here’s a close up of some Southwest Quinoa Salad goodness. Yum!  I love the fact that it not only tastes wonderful, but is quite colorful and good for you!

Southwest Quinoa Salad / The Grateful Girl Cooks!

New Beginnings

I served this Southwest Quinoa Salad with roasted turkey breast and steamed broccoli, for a healthy New Years Day dinner! My husband and I really enjoyed it, and it was FUN to prepare my first recipe for 2018 in our newly remodeled kitchen.

This was after 2 months of not being able to cook in there! Yay for our new, updated kitchen, appliances and counter tops! We still  have some work to do, but I’ve begun cooking in my kitchen once again. Yay!

Southwest Quinoa Salad / The Grateful Girl Cooks!

I want to wish you again a Happy New Year from our home to yours!  The arrival of a new year brings with it an infinite number of opportunities to encourage and serve others. Opportunities will also arise to grow as a person, create great memories, and cook delicious meals for yourself and those you love!

Hope you will join me in rising to the occasion, and as always, thank you for visiting The Grateful Girl Cooks. I appreciate each one of you. Have a great day!

Looking For More Recipes That Use QUINOA?

You can find ALL my recipes in the Recipe Index, located at the top of the page. I have some delicious recipes that feature quinoa you might enjoy, including:

Interested In More Recipes?

Thank you for visiting this website. I appreciate you using some of your valuable time to do soIf you’re interested, I publish a newsletter 2 times per month (1st and 15th) with all the latest recipes, and other fun info. I would be honored to have you join our growing list of subscribers, so you never miss a great recipe!
There is a Newsletter subscription box on the top right side (or bottom) of each blog post, depending on the device you use, where you can easily submit your e-mail address (only) to be included in my mailing list.

You Can Also Find Me On Social Media:

Facebook page: The Grateful Girl Cooks!
Pinterest:
The Grateful Girl Cooks!
Instagram:
jbatthegratefulgirlcooks

Southwest Quinoa Salad / The Grateful Girl Cooks!

Recipe Source: http://togetherasfamily.com/2017/05/fiesta-quinoa-salad/

0 from 0 votes
Southwest Quinoa Salad
Prep Time
8 mins
Cook Time
17 mins
Total Time
25 mins
 
Southwest Quinoa Salad is a healthy side or vegetarian dish featuring quinoa, tomatoes, corn, beans, peppers, avocado, and a flavorful cilantro lime dressing!
Category: Salad
Cuisine: Southwest
Keyword: Southwest quinoa salad
Servings: 8 side servings
Calories Per Serving: 218 kcal
Author: JB @ The Grateful Girl Cooks!
Ingredients
For Salad:
  • cups uncooked quinoa
  • cups water
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1 cup halved cherry tomatoes
  • 1 can corn , drained (standard sized can)
  • 1 can black beans , drained and rinsed
  • 1 orange bell pepper , chopped (I used a combination of red, orange and green)
  • 1 avocado , peeled and cubed
For Cilantro Lime Dressing:
  • 1/4 cup olive oil
  • 1/4 cup reduced fat sour cream (can substitute plain non-fat yogurt)
  • Zest and juice from 1 lime
  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1 teaspoon ground cumin
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
  • 1/3 cup chopped cilantro
Instructions
  1. Put the uncooked quinoa in a fine mesh strainer and rinse with water (this helps clean quinoa). Place the rinsed quinoa, water and salt in a saucepan; bring the mixture to a boil over high heat. When it comes to a boil, reduce heat to medium-low and put a lid on the pan. Cook quinoa for approximately 17-20 minutes (or until all liquid has been absorbed). Remove pan from heat, set aside, and let quinoa cool down to room temperature.
  2. Place cherry tomatoes, corn, black beans, bell peppers, avocado and cooled quinoa into a large salad bowl.
  3. To make cilantro lime dressing, in a small bowl whisk together olive oil, light sour cream, lime zest and juice, garlic powder, cumin, salt, pepper and cilantro. Be sure to mix well. Pour all of the dressing over salad, and stir well to combine all ingredients thoroughly. Serve as a side dish or as a healthy meatless meal, and enjoy! (Store leftovers in a covered container in refrigerator).
Nutrition Facts
Southwest Quinoa Salad
Amount Per Serving (1 serving)
Calories 218 Calories from Fat 108
% Daily Value*
Fat 12g18%
Saturated Fat 2g13%
Cholesterol 2mg1%
Sodium 307mg13%
Potassium 367mg10%
Carbohydrates 21g7%
Fiber 4g17%
Sugar 1g1%
Protein 4g8%
Vitamin A 660IU13%
Vitamin C 25.9mg31%
Calcium 32mg3%
Iron 1.7mg9%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Here’s one more to pin on your Pinterest boards!Southwest Quinoa Salad is a healthy side or vegetarian dish featuring quinoa, tomatoes, corn, beans, peppers, avocado, and a flavorful cilantro lime dressing!

Whole Berry Cranberry Orange Sauce

This flavorful whole berry cranberry orange sauce is a wonderful side dish for Thanksgiving! It’s incredibly easy to make, with only a few ingredients!This flavorful whole berry cranberry orange sauce is a wonderful side dish for Thanksgiving! It's incredibly easy to make, with only a few ingredients!

It’s almost Thanksgiving, and I am looking forward to making one of my favorite dishes… Whole Berry Cranberry Orange Sauce! It’s sooo good, and simple to whip up!

Scroll Down For A Printable Recipe Card At The Bottom Of The Page

As a kid, I didn’t like cranberry sauce. I thought of it as the big red wiggly blob of funny tasting stuff from a can that my Mom put out on a plate at Thanksgiving.  Being the dutiful daughter that I am, I followed her example for many years in my own home. Funny thing, though… I never really liked it, because the gelatinous, wobbly texture made me cringe.

The OTHER Way I Make Cranberry Orange Sauce – My Mom’s Version

Years later my Mom began making a homemade cranberry-orange sauce, and I found I really enjoyed the fresh sweet and tartness.  It’s DELICIOUS!

Her recipe is almost more like a fresh “relish”, requires no cooking and has orange, apple and fresh cranberries in it (finely ground using a food processor).  I make her version often during the holidays. That  homemade cranberry sauce recipe is so good I can eat it right out of the bowl with a spoon! It tastes very similar to the kind sold at Trader Joes!

Whole fresh cranberries are used to make this recipe for cranberry orange sauce.

How To Make My Version Of Whole Berry Cranberry Orange Sauce

I also enjoy a whole berry cranberry orange sauce, which is cooked… with most of the cranberries “popped”, but left whole in the sauce. I slightly adapted my Mom’s original recipe to make this version, and am happy to share it with you.

This recipe does not include apples, requires a very short cooking time to enable the cranberries to “pop”, and is full of cranberry orange flavor! It tastes AMAZING! Whole berry cranberry orange sauce is so delicious, I usually have to grab a spoon and take multiple “samples”. It’s a hard job, but somebody has to do it!  I’m always happy to help!

Whole Berry Cranberry Orange Sauce is served in glass bowl with orange zest garnish.

The recipe for whole berry cranberry orange sauce is so easy to make from scratch. Basically the ingredients are placed into a large saucepan, and mixture is cooked. The ingredients are stirred frequently while the cranberries cook, until most of the cranberries have “popped”. This usually takes only 8-10 minutes.

Interesting Fact About Cooked Cranberries

Here’s an interesting side note – did you know when the cranberries are cooked at a high temperature and “pop” open, they release pectin? Yep, they do, and then the pectin turns around and slightly thickens the sauce naturally.  Who knew a sauce using these two main ingredients could be so delicious AND thicken itself?

Fresh cranberries and oranges are the two main ingredients to make whole berry cranberry orange sauce.

Anyways… I hope you will consider making your very own fresh whole berry cranberry orange sauce this Thanksgiving.  I think you will be amazed at how great it tastes! We had a guest over to share Thanksgiving with us, and he said it was the BEST cranberry sauce he had ever had!

The awesome thing is that it can be made a couple days before you serve it, so it can free up your precious time in the kitchen the day of the big feast (just keep it covered in the fridge!).

Whole Berry Cranberry Orange Sauce Is A Perfect Thanksgiving Side Dish!

Now that you know how to make your own whole berry cranberry orange sauce, you can serve it proudly with all your other delicious traditional Thanksgiving side dishes!

I love to serve Pecan Praline Yams and Brown Butter Green Beans with Toasted Almonds and Red Peppers with our Thanksgiving meal, along with Creamy Mashed Potatoes and Quick Easy Cornbread Stuffing.  YUM!

Whole berry cranberry orange sauce is served with other Thanksgiving side dishes.

From our family to yours… we wish you a memorable Thanksgiving with those family or friends dear to you. As our family gathers each Thanksgiving, we are mindful of the many blessings, large and small, that God has poured into our lives. We gladly acknowledge and thank Him for these gifts, with overflowing, grateful hearts!

We gather for Thanksgiving to give thanks to God for His many blessings.

My hope is that you, as well, would know the joy of a heart filled with gratitude this season! I also hope you will enjoy this recipe for whole berry cranberry orange sauce! Have a great day, and come back soon for more recipes.

Interested In More Recipes?

Thank you for visiting this website. I appreciate you using some of your valuable time to do soIf you’re interested, I publish a newsletter 2 times per month (1st and 15th) with all the latest recipes, and other fun info. I would be honored to have you join our growing list of subscribers, so you never miss a great recipe!
There is a Newsletter subscription box on the top right side (or bottom) of each blog post, depending on the device you use, where you can easily submit your e-mail address (only) to be included in my mailing list.

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Adapted from my recipe for Homemade Cranberry-Orange Sauce

↓↓ PRINTABLE RECIPE BELOW ↓↓

0 from 0 votes
Whole Berry Cranberry Orange Sauce
Prep Time
5 mins
Cook Time
10 mins
Total Time
15 mins
 
This flavorful whole berry cranberry orange sauce is a wonderful side dish for Thanksgiving! It's incredibly easy to make, with only a few ingredients!
Category: Sauce
Cuisine: American
Keyword: whole berry cranberry orange sauce
Servings: 8 1/4 cup servings (approx. 2 cups)
Calories Per Serving: 103 kcal
Author: JB @ The Grateful Girl Cooks!
Ingredients
  • 1 bag fresh cranberries (12-16 ounces)
  • Zest from 1 large orange (reserve just a bit for garnish)
  • 1/2 cup fresh squeezed orange juice
  • 3/4 cup granulated sugar
  • 1/4 cup water
  • Extra orange zest for garnish
Instructions
  1. In a medium saucepan, mix together orange zest, fresh squeezed orange juice, water and granulated sugar. Stir and cook on medium heat for 2-3 minutes until the sugar has dissolved.
  2. Add fresh cranberries. Bring sauce to a boil. Once mixture is boiling, turn the heat down to a low simmer. Cook (uncovered), stirring often, for 7-8 minutes, until the cranberries have "popped" open and the sauce has thickened. Once this occurs, remove the cranberry sauce from heat, and set aside. Let cranberry sauce cool completely. When ready to serve, garnish with additional orange zest, if desired. Serve this delicious sauce at room temperature or refrigerated! May be made 2-3 days in advance. Store in refrigerator in covered container.
Nutrition Facts
Whole Berry Cranberry Orange Sauce
Amount Per Serving (1 serving (1/4 cup))
Calories 103
% Daily Value*
Sodium 1mg0%
Potassium 68mg2%
Carbohydrates 26g9%
Fiber 2g8%
Sugar 22g24%
Vitamin A 60IU1%
Vitamin C 13.5mg16%
Calcium 9mg1%
Iron 0.1mg1%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Here’s one more to pin on your Pinterest boards!This flavorful whole berry cranberry orange sauce is a wonderful side dish for Thanksgiving! It's incredibly easy to make, with only a few ingredients!

 

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Toasted Orzo with Lemon and Chives

Looking for a fabulous tasting side dish? Toasted Orzo with Lemon and Chives is simple to prepare and is an absolutely delicious side dish for chicken, pork, seafood or beef!Toasted Orzo with Lemon and Chives is simple to prepare and is an absolutely delicious side dish for chicken, pork, seafood or beef! / The Grateful Girl Cooks!
Recently I bought a couple of new cookbooks with some birthday gift cards I received this summer.  I carefully read through the entire cookbook, earmarking many recipes that caught my attention.  This recipe for TOASTED orzo was the very first recipe I made from the cookbook.  It did NOT disappoint! Seriously- it’s GOOD!

Using Orzo In Other Dishes

I have used orzo in other recipes before, such as Orzo with Parmesan, One Pan Greek Chicken and Orzo, Italian Orzo and Spinach Soup, and Spinach and Orzo Salad. In our home, we have come to love this little tiny pasta!  This recipe caught my eye because the orzo is TOASTED before cooking it. Here’s how to make it:

Scroll Down For A Printable Recipe Card At The Bottom Of The Page

How Do I Make Toasted Orzo?

The prep for this side dish is very simple.  It all begins with toasting the orzo.  Place the orzo in a 10 inch “dry” skillet. Turn the heat to medium-high, and cook/toast, stirring orzo occasionally, until pasta turns golden brown.

This will take about 5-7 minutes. Really keep an eye on the toasted orzo, especially toward the end of the cooking time, because it can go from really light brown to burnt very quickly.

Orzo is lightly toasted in a dry skillet until golden brown.

Toasted Orzo turns light golden brown as it cooks.

Once the orzo has been toasted, remove it from skillet and place in a bowl to cool.

Orzo is placed in bowl to cool down after being toasted.

Cooking The Orzo

Melt butter in the skillet using medium-high heat. Add the chopped onion; stir occasionally and cook for about 5 minutes until onion is translucent and has softened considerably. Add minced garlic; stir and cook an additional 30 seconds, being careful not to let the garlic burn.

Onion and butter is cooked for toasted orzo dish.

Add the toasted orzo back into the skillet, along with the chicken broth, wine, and water.  Bring this mixture to a low simmer, then turn the heat down to medium-low heat.

Continue to cook the mixture on medium-low, for about 15 minutes, giving it a good stir every 5 minutes.  When done, the liquid should have been absorbed, and the orzo should be nice and tender.

Chicken broth and wine are added to toasted orzo in pan.

Toasted orzo begins to absorb chicken broth and wine in skillet as it cooks.

Final Step

Now it’s time for the last step! Add the lemon zest, lemon juice, and chopped chives to the orzo. Stir until combined. Cook for about one more minute, to ensure orzo is heated through. Season the orzo with salt and pepper, to suit your taste.

Lemon zest, lemon juice and chopped chives added to toasted orzo.

Orzo is seasoned with salt and pepper while it cooks.

Serve The Toasted Orzo with Lemon and Chives

One you have seasoned with salt and pepper, to taste, the orzo is ready to serve!  Transfer it to a medium sized serving dish, or serve right out of the skillet onto individual plates! If desired, you can garnish dish with additional chopped chives, and thin strips of lemon peel. It really adds a nice, finishing touch to the dish, but it totally optional.

Toasted Orzo is served, garnished with chives and lemon peel strips.

Toasted Orzo is ready to EAT!

That’s it!  See how easy it was to make this delicious side dish!!!  I served the toasted orzo with a simple mixed green salad and Honey Garlic Pork Chops.

My husband and I loved it, and the leftovers were just as good the next day.  All we had to do was fluff the orzo a bit, microwave it, and we had a great accompaniment to another meal! Sure do hope you will try this delicious side dish.  Have a fantastic day, friends.

Looking For More SIDE DISH Recipes?

You can find ALL my recipes in the Recipe Index, located at the top of the page. I have quite a few delicious side dish recipes you might enjoy, including:

Interested In More Recipes?

Thank you for visiting this website. I appreciate you using some of your valuable time to do soIf you’re interested, I publish a newsletter 2 times per month (1st and 15th) with all the latest recipes, and other fun info. I would be honored to have you join our growing list of subscribers, so you never miss a great recipe!
There is a Newsletter subscription box on the top right side (or bottom) of each blog post, depending on the device you use, where you can easily submit your e-mail address (only) to be included in my mailing list.

You Can Also Find Me On Social Media:

Facebook page: The Grateful Girl Cooks!
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The Grateful Girl Cooks!
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Author's signature

Recipe Source: “America’s Test Kitchen-The Complete Cooking For Two Cookbook”, copyright 2014 by the Editors of America’s Test Kitchen, page 320

0 from 0 votes
Toasted Orzo with Lemon and Chives
Prep Time
12 mins
Cook Time
15 mins
Total Time
27 mins
 

Toasted Orzo with Lemon and Chives is simple to prepare and is an absolutely delicious side dish for chicken, pork, seafood or beef!

Category: Side Dish
Cuisine: American
Keyword: toasted orzo
Servings: 4 servings
Calories Per Serving: 142 kcal
Author: JB @ The Grateful Girl Cooks!
Ingredients
  • 2/3 cup orzo (dry)
  • 1 Tablespoon butter
  • 1 brown onion (small), finely chopped
  • 1 garlic clove , minced
  • 2 cups chicken broth
  • 1/2 cup water
  • 2 Tablespoons dry white wine
  • Tablespoons minced fresh chives
  • 1/2 teaspoon lemon zest
  • 1 teaspoon fresh squeezed lemon juice
  • Salt and Black pepper , to taste
Instructions
  1. Place orzo in a 10 inch "dry" skillet. Turn heat to medium-high, and cook/toast, stirring orzo occasionally, until pasta turns golden brown. This takes about 5-7 minutes. Keep an eye on the orzo, especially near end of the cooking time, because it can go from really light brown to burnt very quickly. Once orzo has been toasted, remove it from skillet; place in a bowl and set aside.
  2. Melt butter in skillet using medium-high heat. Add chopped onion; stir occasionally and cook for about 5 minutes until onion is translucent and has softened considerably. Add minced garlic; stir and cook an additional 30 seconds, being careful not to let the garlic burn.
  3. Pour the toasted orzo back into the skillet, along with the chicken broth, wine, and water. Bring this mixture to a low simmering boil, then turn heat down to medium-low. Continue to cook the mixture on medium-low, for about 15 minutes, giving it a good stir every 5 minutes. When done, the liquid should have been absorbed, and the orzo should be nice and tender.
  4. Add lemon zest, lemon juice, and chopped chives to orzo. Stir until combined. Cook for about one more minute, to ensure orzo is heated through. Season orzo with salt and pepper, to taste.
  5. Garnish with additional chopped chives and thin lemon peel slices, if desired. Serve, and enjoy!
Nutrition Facts
Toasted Orzo with Lemon and Chives
Amount Per Serving (1 g)
Calories 142 Calories from Fat 27
% Daily Value*
Fat 3g5%
Saturated Fat 1g6%
Cholesterol 7mg2%
Sodium 458mg20%
Potassium 189mg5%
Carbohydrates 22g7%
Fiber 1g4%
Sugar 1g1%
Protein 4g8%
Vitamin A 135IU3%
Vitamin C 12mg15%
Calcium 19mg2%
Iron 0.6mg3%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Here’s one more to pin on your Pinterest boards!Toasted Orzo with Lemon and Chives is simple to prepare and is an absolutely delicious side dish for chicken, pork, seafood or beef!

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Piña Colada Fluff Salad

This EASY to make, sweet and delicious tropics inspired Piña Colada Fluff Salad, with pineapple and coconut, only takes 5 minutes to prepare and serves 8!This EASY to make, sweet and delicious tropics inspired Piña Colada Fluff Salad, with pineapple and coconut, only takes 5 minutes to prepare and serves 8!
I recently made a tropical inspired Piña Colada Fluff Salad, with crushed pineapple, shredded coconut, rum extract and miniature marshmallows as a side dish. My husband and I can’t stay out of it,  grabbing a spoonful here and there, because it is sooo incredibly good! Bonus? IT ONLY TAKES 5 MINUTES TO MAKE!

When I first showed this piña colada fluff salad to my husband, he didn’t seem too thrilled since he’s not much of a pineapple and coconut kind of guy.   But… after he took a taste, he took another bite, said it was “refreshing”, and another, and then another!

You get the picture!  He ended up absolutely LOVING this sweet taste of the tropics “dessert” salad, that is made in about 5 minutes!  How’s THAT for a real timesaver!? I can’t vouch for it’s “healthiness” (ha ha- who am I kidding?), but I can vouch for it’s “amazingness”!

Scroll Down For A Printable Recipe Card At the Bottom Of The Page

What Is IN This Piña Colada Fluff Salad?

Here’s the cast of characters for the piña colada fluff salad. The ingredients are crushed pineapple, miniature marshmallows, shredded coconut, whipped topping, rum extract, chopped nuts, and vanilla pudding mix.

These are the ingredients used to make this fluff salad.

Trust me, this salad is fantastic, and it’s SO EASY to make in 5 minutes. Here’s what you do:

How To Make Piña Colada Fluff Salad

Place the pudding mix and an entire can (juice included) of crushed pineapple into a large serving bowl.  Stir ingredients until they are completely mixed together.

Vanilla pudding and canned pineapple are combined to make fluff salad.

Add the marshmallows, shredded coconut, chopped nuts, and rum extract to mixture.

Marshmallows, pecans, coconut and rum extract added to fluff salad.

Top it off with the whipped topping.  Gently fold all the ingredients together until completely combined.

Whipped topping is added to Piña Colada Fluff Salad.

Refrigerate Before Serving

Once the piña colada fluff salad is thoroughly combined, cover the bowl and refrigerate until ready to serve! I recommend refrigerating it for a couple hours, at least!

Piña Colada Fluff Salad is refrigerated, then is ready to serve!

Time To EAT!

That’s it!  See how easy that was?  When ready to serve you will notice that the salad has thickened up a little bit. Scoop it up, serve, and enjoy the taste of the tropics with this simple, sweet piña colada fluff salad.

A spoonful of Piña Colada Fluff Salad, ready to eat!

I really hope you enjoy this salad.  If you like this, check out my recipe for Pistachio Pineapple Fluff Salad. YUM.  We had this with our dinner, but you could also serve this as dessert, if you wanted to.  This easy recipe is definitely going into my KEEP pile of recipes!  Enjoy!

Looking For More Tropics-Inspired Recipes?

You can find ALL my recipes in the Recipe Index, located at the top of the page. I have some delicious “tropics-inspired” recipes you might enjoy, including:

Interested In More Recipes?

Thank you for visiting this website. I appreciate you using some of your valuable time to do soIf you’re interested, I publish a newsletter 2 times per month (1st and 15th) with all the latest recipes, and other fun info. I would be honored to have you join our growing list of subscribers, so you never miss a great recipe!
There is a Newsletter subscription box on the top right side (or bottom) of each blog post, depending on the device you use, where you can easily submit your e-mail address (only) to be included in my mailing list.

You Can Also Find Me On Social Media:
Facebook page: The Grateful Girl Cooks!
Pinterest: The Grateful Girl Cooks!
Instagram: jbatthegratefulgirlcooks

Author's signature

Recipe Source:  http://www.momontimeout.com/2015/02/pina-colada-fluff/

0 from 0 votes
Piña Colada Fluff Salad
Prep Time
5 mins
Cook Time
0 mins
Total Time
5 mins
 

This EASY to make, sweet and delicious tropics inspired Piña Colada Fluff Salad, with pineapple and coconut, only takes 5 minutes to prepare and serves 8!

Category: Salad/Side Dish
Cuisine: American
Keyword: pina colada fluff salad
Servings: 8 servings
Calories Per Serving: 294 kcal
Author: JB @ The Grateful Girl Cooks!
Ingredients
  • 1 box vanilla instant pudding mix (3.4 ounces)
  • 1 can (20 ounces) crushed pineapple (do NOT drain!)
  • 1/2 cup chopped walnuts or pecans
  • 1 teaspoon rum extract
  • 2 cups miniature marshmallows
  • 1 cup shredded sweetened coconut
  • 1 tub Cool Whip (8 ounces), thawed
Instructions
  1. Place the entire can of crushed pineapple (undrained) and the pudding mix into a large serving bowl. Stir ingredients until they are fully mixed together.
  2. Add chopped nuts, rum extract, marshmallows and coconut to bowl. Top with entire tub of Cool Whip, and fold the ingredients in together until fully combined.
  3. Cover bowl with plastic wrap; refrigerate salad until completely chilled (recommend a couple hours) and you're ready to serve.
Nutrition Facts
Piña Colada Fluff Salad
Amount Per Serving (1 serving)
Calories 294 Calories from Fat 117
% Daily Value*
Fat 13g20%
Saturated Fat 7g44%
Cholesterol 4mg1%
Sodium 112mg5%
Potassium 213mg6%
Carbohydrates 43g14%
Fiber 3g13%
Sugar 32g36%
Protein 3g6%
Vitamin A 85IU2%
Vitamin C 6.8mg8%
Calcium 52mg5%
Iron 0.8mg4%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Here’s one more to pin on your Pinterest boards!This EASY to make, sweet and delicious tropics inspired Piña Colada Fluff Salad, with pineapple and coconut, only takes 5 minutes to prepare and serves 8!

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Easy Cheesy Garlic Crescent Rolls

Easy Cheesy Garlic Crescent Rolls with Italian seasoning are easy to make in about 20 minutes, and taste fantastic served with meats, soups and salads!Easy Cheesy Garlic Crescent Rolls with Italian seasoning are easy to make in about 20 minutes, and taste fantastic served with meats, soups and salads!
What’s NOT to love about Easy Cheesy Garlic Crescent Rolls?  They are super easy to prepare, are stuffed with cheese and Italian seasoning, and can be on the table in about 20 minutes!

You know what the best part is? These tasty little rolls are absolutely scrumptious! Here’s how to make them.

Scroll Down For A Printable Recipe Card At The Bottom Of The Page

How To Make Easy Cheesy Garlic Crescent Rolls

Preheat your oven to 375 degrees F. Line a 13×9 inch cookie sheet with parchment paper, and then set it aside.

Mix the melted butter, Italian seasoning, garlic, dried parsley and dried basil together, in a small bowl.  Unwrap the crescent rolls, and separate the dough at the perforations into triangles.

Using a pastry brush, brush the dough with the butter and seasoning mixture (but reserve a bit of the mixture to use later).

Crescent roll dough is unwrapped and brushed with seasonings.

Now Add The Cheese!

Place some of the grated mozzarella at the wide end of the dough (or place the string cheese half at the wide end).

Shredded mozzarella cheese is added to cheesy garlic crescent rolls before baking.

Carefully roll up the dough, and try to tuck the edges of dough in, to seal. Place dough onto parchment paper, with about 2 inches in between each one.

Brush the tops of the dough with the remaining butter/seasoning mixture. I even sprinkled just a bit more mozzarella cheese on top of the easy cheesy garlic crescent rolls!

Easy Cheesy Garlic Crescent Rolls are rolled up and are ready to bake.

Bake The Rolls

Bake the rolls at 375°F. for 10-12 minutes, until the rolls are golden brown on the outside. Remove the rolls from the oven.

If any of the cheese has leaked out, simply push it back onto the roll with a spatula while cheese is still warm!

Easy Cheesy Garlic Crescent Rolls are baked and cooling on parchment paper.

Serve The Cheesy Garlic Crescent Rolls

Serve these easy cheesy garlic crescent rolls while they are warm, and enjoy them!  They taste wonderful, and I’m willing to bet you can’t stay out of them.

Easy Cheesy Garlic Crescent Rolls, served warm, on a red platter.

We really enjoy these scrumptious cheesy garlic crescent rolls, and LOVE how EASY they are to make!  I hope you will give them a try. They really are quite delicious, and this recipe can easily be doubled to make more delicious rolls!

Thanks for stopping by, and please come back again soon for more family-friendly recipes. Take care, may God bless you, and have a GREAT day!

Looking For More BREAD Recipes?

You can find ALL of my recipes in the Recipe Index, which is located at the top of the page. I have lots of delicious bread recipes (sweet and savory) you might enjoy, including:

 

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I publish a newsletter 2 times per month (1st and 15th) with lots of recipes, tips, etc..
Would you like to join our growing list of subscribers?

There is a Newsletter subscription box on the top right (or bottom) of each blog post, depending on the device you use.
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Author's signature

Recipe Source:  https://www.thechunkychef.com/cheesy-garlic-crescent-rolls/

↓↓ PRINTABLE RECIPE BELOW ↓↓

0 from 0 votes
Easy Cheesy Garlic Crescent Rolls
Prep Time
6 mins
Cook Time
11 mins
Total Time
17 mins
 
Easy Cheesy Garlic Crescent Rolls with Italian seasoning are easy to make in about 20 minutes, and taste fantastic served with meats, soups and salads!
Category: Bread, Side Dish
Cuisine: American
Keyword: cheesy garlic crescent rolls
Servings: 8 rolls
Calories Per Serving: 180 kcal
Author: JB @ The Grateful Girl Cooks!
Ingredients
  • 1 (8 ounce) can refrigerated crescent rolls
  • 1 cup freshly grated mozzarella cheese OR 4 pieces string cheese (cut in half to make 2 short pieces)
  • 3 Tablespoons butter , melted
  • 3 cloves garlic , minced
  • 1/2 teaspoon Italian seasoning
  • 1/2 teaspoon dried parsley
  • 1/4 teaspoon dried basil
Instructions
  1. Before beginning, be sure to preheat your oven to 375 degrees F. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper, then set aside.
  2. Mix the melted butter, Italian seasoning, garlic, dried parsley and dried basil together, in a small bowl.
  3. Unwrap the crescent rolls. Separate dough into triangles. Using a pastry brush, brush the dough with the butter and seasoning mixture (but reserve a bit of the mixture to use later). Place some of the grated mozzarella at the wide end of the dough (or place the string cheese half at the wide end). Carefully roll up the dough, and try to tuck the edges of dough in, to seal. Place dough onto parchment paper, with about 2 inches in between each one.
  4. Brush the tops of the dough with the remaining butter/seasoning mixture. Bake rolls at 375 degrees for 10-12 minutes, until rolls are golden brown. Remove from oven. If any cheese has leaked out, simply push it back onto roll with a spatula while cheese is still warm! Serve, and enjoy!
Nutrition Facts
Easy Cheesy Garlic Crescent Rolls
Amount Per Serving (1 roll)
Calories 180 Calories from Fat 117
% Daily Value*
Fat 13g20%
Saturated Fat 7g44%
Cholesterol 22mg7%
Sodium 348mg15%
Potassium 15mg0%
Carbohydrates 12g4%
Sugar 2g2%
Protein 4g8%
Vitamin A 225IU5%
Vitamin C 0.3mg0%
Calcium 76mg8%
Iron 0.5mg3%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Here’s one more to pin on your Pinterest boards!Easy Cheesy Garlic Crescent Rolls with Italian seasoning are easy to make in about 20 minutes, and taste fantastic served with meats, soups and salads!

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Potato Hash with Rosemary

Potato Hash with Rosemary is easy to prepare, seasoned with salt, pepper, onion, and fresh rosemary. A simple side dish for beef, pork, and poultry!Potato Hash with Rosemary is easy to prepare, seasoned with salt, pepper, onion, and fresh rosemary, and is a simple side dish for beef, pork, and poultry.
If you are looking for a simple vegetable side dish to serve with beef, poultry or pork, may I suggest this simple yet delicious Potato Hash With Rosemary? I found the recipe for a potato hash side dish in a Southern Living cookbook I bought while on vacation in Washington state earlier this summer.

The recipe couldn’t be simpler! A baking potato, sweet potato, onion, garlic, fresh rosemary, and light seasonings are cooked together until tender, and then served. The potato hash with rosemary was a wonderful side dish for a chicken dinner I fixed recently. I want to share this easy recipe with YOU, in the hope that you will want to try it, too!

Scroll Down For A Printable Recipe Card At The bottom Of The Page

How To Make Potato Hash

Here’s how to make the potato hash:  First, prep the ingredients (truly this is easy, and it’s the “hardest” part of the whole recipe).  Peel and cube potatoes, mince garlic, chop onion and fresh rosemary.

Russet and sweet potatoes on plate with herbs.

Time To Cook!

Heat the olive oil in a non-stick skillet on medium-low heat. Add the rest of the ingredients except for the garnish. This includes the potato, sweet potato, onion, garlic, a Tablespoon of fresh rosemary, salt, and pepper. Stir these ingredients together.

Cover the skillet and cook, on medium-low heat, for 20-25 minutes, stirring and turning occasionally, until the potatoes are tender.

Potatoes, rosemary, onions and spices are cooked in skillet.

Time To Serve The Potato Hash With Rosemary!

When done, transfer potato hash to serving dish and garnish with fresh sprigs of rosemary. Serve hot, and enjoy this simple veggie side dish!

The finished potato hash is served with a sprig of fresh rosemary as garnish.

I think this potato hash with rosemary looks pretty good… and guess what? It TASTES good, also! Win-Win!

Potato Hash with Rosemary is served on white plate

I enjoy finding and trying new recipes for side dishes, and glad I found this one for potato hash. Hope you have the opportunity to try making it, as well, and trust you enjoy it. Sure do hope you have a fantastic day, friends. I am grateful today for another GORGEOUS warm summer day here in Oregon.

Looking for More Recipes Featuring POTATOES?

You can find ALL my recipes in the Recipe Index, located at the top of the page. I have some wonderful recipes using potatoes you might enjoy, including:

Interested In More Recipes?

Thank you for visiting this website. I appreciate you using some of your valuable time to do soIf you’re interested, I publish a newsletter 2 times per month (1st and 15th) with all the latest recipes, and other fun info. I would be honored to have you join our growing list of subscribers, so you never miss a great recipe!
There is a Newsletter subscription box on the top right side (or bottom) of each blog post, depending on the device you use, where you can easily submit your e-mail address (only) to be included in my mailing list.

You Can Also Find Me On Social Media:

Facebook page: The Grateful Girl Cooks!
Pinterest:
The Grateful Girl Cooks!
Instagram:
jbatthegratefulgirlcooks

Author's signatureRecipe Source: The cookbook “Southern Living – 1998 Annual Recipes”, Published 1998, Oxmoor House, Inc., Book Division of Southern Progress Corporation, page 16.

0 from 0 votes
Potato Hash with Rosemary
Prep Time
5 mins
Cook Time
20 mins
Total Time
25 mins
 
Potato Hash with Rosemary is easy to prepare, seasoned with salt, pepper, onion, and fresh rosemary, and is a simple side dish for beef, pork, and poultry.
Category: Side Dish
Cuisine: American
Keyword: potato hash
Servings: 4 servings
Calories Per Serving: 139 kcal
Author: JB @ The Grateful Girl Cooks!
Ingredients
  • 1 large baking potato , peeled and cubed
  • 1 large sweet potato , peeled and cubed
  • 1/4 cup chopped onion
  • 2 cloves garlic , minced
  • 2 Tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 Tablespoon chopped fresh rosemary
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
  • **Garnish (optional): fresh sprigs of rosemary
Instructions
  1. Heat olive oil in a non-stick skillet on medium-low heat. Add rest of ingredients except for garnish (potato, sweet potato, onion, garlic, Tablespoon of fresh rosemary, salt and pepper). Stir together.
  2. Cover skillet and cook (on medium-low) for 20-25 minutes, stirring occasionally, until potatoes are tender.
  3. When done, transfer potato hash to serving dish and garnish with fresh sprigs of rosemary.
  4. Serve hot, and enjoy this simple side dish!
Nutrition Facts
Potato Hash with Rosemary
Amount Per Serving (1 g)
Calories 139 Calories from Fat 63
% Daily Value*
Fat 7g11%
Saturated Fat 1g6%
Sodium 312mg14%
Potassium 346mg10%
Carbohydrates 17g6%
Fiber 1g4%
Sugar 2g2%
Protein 1g2%
Vitamin A 4625IU93%
Vitamin C 5mg6%
Calcium 19mg2%
Iron 0.6mg3%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Here’s one more to pin to your Pinterest boards!Potato Hash with Rosemary is easy to prepare, seasoned with salt, pepper, onion, and fresh rosemary, and is a simple side dish for beef, pork, and poultry.

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P.F. Chang’s Spicy Green Beans (copycat)

P.F. Chang’s spicy green beans are fresh green beans cooked in a flavorful Asian sauce, in this delicious restaurant copycat recipe!P.F. Chang's spicy green beans are fresh green beans cooked in a flavorful Asian sauce, in this delicious restaurant copycat recipe!

Looking for a tasty new way to serve those yummy summer green beans you get from the grocery store, Farmer’s Market or your own garden?  How about this delicious, quick and easy recipe for P.F. Chang’s Spicy Green Beans (copycat)?

I’ve grown my own green beans for years now, so I’m always on the lookout for new ways to cook and serve them.  I found this “copycat” recipe for spicy green beans on Pinterest, and decided to give it a try. You will be surprised how GOOD these green beans are!  The addition of an Asian pan sauce makes them “practically perfect in every way” (to coin a phrase from Mary Poppins).

Scroll Down For A Printable Recipe Card At The Bottom Of The Page

Are These Spicy Green Beans Difficult To Make?

Are these spicy green beans difficult to make? Absolutely NOT! All in all, the beans take only 5-6 minutes to cook… really!  The “hardest” thing you will have to do is snip the ends off the beans… ha ha! Here’s how to make delicious P.F. Chang’s Spicy Green Beans from the comfort of your own home:

Make The Asian Sauce

First make the Asian sauce by mixing the ingredients together in a small bowl, and then set aside until ready to put it in use. See how EASY that was?

An Asian inspired sauce is mixed in small bowl to add to green beans.
Pour the sesame oil into a large skillet or wok. NOTE: You can buy sesame oil in the Asian food section of most supermarkets. Turn the heat to medium high for about 30 seconds, and when the oil is hot, add the chopped green onions, minced garlic, and red pepper flakes.

Stir well, and cook for 30 seconds, stirring constantly. Be careful NOT to burn the garlic.

Sesame oil is used to add flavor to the cooked veggies in this dish.

Green onions, garlic and red pepper flakes are cooked in a skillet with sesame oil.
Time To Add The Fresh Green Beans!

Add the green beans to the skillet. Stir them constantly, and continue to cook them for 3-4 minutes, until they are almost fully cooked. The beans will turn a deeper green color as they cook.

Green beans are added to the skillet.

Add The Sauce To The Spicy Green Beans

When the green beans are done cooking, move them over to one side of the skillet. Give the Asian sauce a good stir, and then add it to the skillet. Stir well, and cook the sauce for 30 seconds (still on medium-high heat). Let the sauce come to a boil, then turn the heat to LOW. The sauce will thicken very slightly as it cooks.

Adding the Asian sauce to the spicy green beans in skillet.
Stir the sauce into the green beans to fully coat them.  Cook the spicy green beans and sauce for another 30 seconds, and then remove the skillet from the heat.

Spicy green beans finish cooking in the Asian sauce.

P.F. Chang’s Spicy Green Beans Are Ready To Serve!

Place the hot green beans and sauce onto serving plate or into a bowl, and garnish with sesame seeds (if using). Serve the spicy green beans while hot, and ENJOY!

The spicy green beans are sprinkled with sesame seeds and served.

Sesame seeds garnish the serving plate covered with P.F. Chang's Spicy Green Beans.

We enjoyed trying this recipe for spicy green beans. They are NOT too spicy at all, and have fantastic flavor!  I used only 1 pound of green beans, so if you are using 2 pounds of beans the quantity will be much larger than shown in my photos!

Hope you will consider trying this recipe. I trust you will find it just as delicious as we did! Have a great day, and please come back again soon!

Looking For More VEGETABLE SIDE DISHES?

You can find all of my vegetable dishes in the Recipe Index, located at the top of the page. A few recipes you might enjoy include:

Interested In More Recipes?

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Recipe Source: http://domesticsuperhero.com/copycat-pf-changs-spicy-green-beans/

5 from 2 votes
P.F. Chang's Spicy Green Beans
Prep Time
10 mins
Cook Time
5 mins
Total Time
15 mins
 
P.F. Chang's spicy green beans are fresh green beans cooked in a flavorful Asian sauce, in this delicious restaurant copycat recipe!
Category: Side Dish, Vegetable Dish
Cuisine: Asian
Keyword: spicy green beans
Servings: 6 servings
Calories Per Serving: 75 kcal
Author: JB @ The Grateful Girl Cooks!
Ingredients
For Beans:
  • 1-2 pounds fresh green beans , ends trimmed and beans cut into 2 inch pieces
  • 2 green onions , chopped thin
  • 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
  • 4 garlic cloves , minced
  • 2 Tablespoons sesame oil
For Asian Sauce:
  • 1/8 teaspoon salt
  • 1/8 teaspoon black pepper
  • 2 Tablespoons low sodium soy sauce
  • 1 Tablespoon rice vinegar
  • 1 teaspoon white granulated sugar
  • 1/4 cup water
  • Sesame Seeds , for garnish (optional)
Instructions
  1. Make the Asian sauce by mixing ingredients in a small bowl. Set the bowl aside until ready to use.
  2. Put sesame oil into a large skillet or wok. Turn heat to medium high for 30 seconds. To the hot oil add chopped green onions, minced garlic, and red pepper flakes. Stir well and cook for 30 seconds, stirring constantly and being careful NOT to burn the garlic.
  3. Add the green beans to the skillet. Stir constantly and cook for 3-4 minutes, until they are just about fully cooked. The beans will turn a deeper green color as they cook. When beans are done, move them over to one side of the skillet. Give the Asian sauce a good stir and add it to the skillet. Stir well, and cook the sauce for 30 seconds (still on medium-high heat); let the sauce come to a boil, then turn the heat to LOW. The sauce will thicken slightly. Stir the sauce into the green beans to coat. Cook beans and sauce for another 30 seconds, then remove skillet from heat.
  4. Place the hot green beans and sauce onto serving plate or in a bowl, and garnish with sesame seeds (if using). Serve the green beans while hot... and ENJOY!
Nutrition Facts
P.F. Chang's Spicy Green Beans
Amount Per Serving (1 serving)
Calories 75 Calories from Fat 36
% Daily Value*
Fat 4g6%
Sodium 237mg10%
Potassium 194mg6%
Carbohydrates 7g2%
Fiber 2g8%
Sugar 3g3%
Protein 1g2%
Vitamin A 660IU13%
Vitamin C 10.6mg13%
Calcium 34mg3%
Iron 1mg6%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Here’s one more to pin to your Pinterest boards!P.F. Chang's spicy green beans are fresh green beans cooked in a flavorful Asian sauce, in this delicious restaurant copycat recipe!

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