Sides | Simple By Cindy

Couscous with Chickpeas and Almonds

Mar. 14
2016

I am a big couscous fan. It is a fast, easy, healthy alternative to pasta and is just as satisfying.

There are several noteworthy facts about couscous. Firstly, it is made from two different sizes of the husked, unground semolina of hard wheat. Its taste is nuttier and sweeter than rice. In addition, it incorporates the flavor of any food that is cooked with it.

Because it is very small it cooks much faster than pasta. And finally, you can throw it into a cold salad with parsley, mint, tomatoes and olive oil, which will give the salad extra depth and texture.

This recipe piqued my interest because it has a little bit of a mediterranean flare. I am always looking for a good couscous recipe. This one made my list, and is courtesy of Finecooking.com.

I found this recipe to be simply delicious!

Ingredients for the Couscous

1/4 cup slivered almonds
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 red bell pepper (about 10 oz.), cut into 1/4 inch dice
10 oz can (1 2/3 cups) couscous
3 cups of chicken broth
1 tbsp. kosher salt, plus 1/2 tsp. set aside
1/2 tsp. pepper
2/3 cup cooked or canned chickpeas, drained and rinsed well
3-4 drops Tabasco or other hot sauce

Pre-heat oven to 325.

On a baking sheet, toast the almonds until golden brown, 12-15 minutes.

In a small sauté pan, heat 2 tbsp. of the olive oil and sauté the red pepper until slightly soft, 3-4 minutes.

In a medium pan, bring 3 cups of chicken broth to a boil. Add 1 tbsp. of salt and the remaining 2 tbsp. of olive oil.

Pour in the couscous, turn off the heat, cover, and set aside for 5-7 minutes.

Add the red pepper, almonds, chickpeas and Tabasco to the couscous and fluff it with a fork.

Season with remaining salt and pepper.

It’s that simple!

Vegetarian Carbonara with Peas

Mar. 11
2016

This pasta dish has a very long intimidating name. It is really just linguini with aioli and eggs on top.

That’s right! Pretty easy.

Take a break from your diets for this one! It is a scrumptious, delectable side dish that is worth every minute you take off from your diet.

This recipe is courtesy of Giada DeLaurentis. I am so glad I took a chance and made it. It is worth every yummy bite.

Normally, I am not a fan of pesto, but this one had me licking my fork!

I know my eggs did not look as appetizing as the picture Giada used, but I am sure this dish tasted just as good as hers.

I chose not to include the mint, but if you choose to, add 1 tablespoon of fresh mint leaves to the aioli.

Whatever you do – make this recipe!

Today’s hint: When making pasta, you need to add a fair amount of salt to the boiling water to ensure the pasta picks up the taste of the salt. It may seem like a lot, but it is necessary for the pasta to absorb the salt. At least a handful.

Ingredients for the Basil Aioli

1 garlic clove, minced
2 large egg yolks
2 tsp. dijon mustard
1 tsp. freshly squeezed lemon juice
1/4 cup finely chopped fresh mint leaves
1/2 tsp. kosher salt
1/4 tsp. pepper
1/2 cup grapes oil
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil

Combine the garlic, egg yolks, mustard, lemon juice salt and pepper (and mint, if using) in a food processor and process to a smooth consistency, about 20 seconds.

With the machine running, slowly drizzle in the grapes and olive oils. This can be kept, covered for up to 3 days in the refrigerator.

Linguini carbonara pesto sauce

Ingredients for the Pasta Carbonara

1 lb. linguini
2 cups fresh or frozen peas
1 cup pecorino cheese (or parmesan)
1/2 tsp salt (plus 2 tbsp. salt for pasta water)
1/2 tsp. pepper
4 tbsp. butter
2-4 large eggs

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat.

Add the linguini and cook until tender but still firm to the bite. Stir occasionally, about 8-10 minutes.

Reserve 1 cup of the pasta water.

Drain the pasta water and transfer to a large bowl.

Add 1 cup of the aioli, the peas,cheese and salt and pepper. Toss to combine, using the reserved pasta water to loosen the aioli as needed.

Liguini carbonara with linguine and pesto mixed

Place pasta on a serving dish. Cover to keep warm.

Place the butter in a medium skillet over low heat until it melts.

Change heat to medium-high.

Add eggs carefully, do not break the yolks and sprinkle with salt and pepper.

Place eggs on top of the pasta and serve immediately.

It’s that simple!

Sweet and Spicy Sweet Potaoes

Mar. 7
2016

This recipe captured my attention because of the combination the sweet and spicy ingredients. I was curious how well they would blend together.

It was different from the usual sweet potato recipe, so I decided to experiment and see if it was “blog worthy”.

This is definitely worth a try. The fusion of the sweet and spicy turned out to be a savory, delectable delight! It had just the right amount of “heat” and “sweet”. Of course, you can always change the amounts to accommodate your preference.

I used 2 cloves of fresh minced garlic instead of the garlic powder. Half of a chopped fresh onion would also work well in place of the onion powder.

This recipe is courtesy of “All Recipes”.

It was well worth it! Easy to make and a “keeper” for me. How about you?

Ingredients for Sweet and Spicy Sweet Potatoes

2 large sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into cubes
3 tbsp. olive oil
2 tsp. light brown sugar
1 1/2 tbsp. paprika
1/2 tsp. pepper
1/2 tsp. onion powder
1/2 tsp. garlic powder
1/2 tsp. poultry seasoning (such as Chef Paul Prudhomme “poultry magic”)
1/2 tsp. chili powder
1 pinch cayenne pepper

Preheat oven to 425.

Place the cubed sweet potatoes into a large mixing bowl.

Sweet and spicey sweet potaoes whole and cubed

Drizzle with the olive oil.

Sprinkle in the brown sugar, paprika, black pepper, onion powder, garlic powder, poultry seasoning, chili powder and cayenne pepper. Toss until the sweet potatoes are evenly coated with the seasoning.

Spread onto a baking sheet.

Bake for 15 minutes, (set your timer!), then toss the potatoes with a spoon.

Continue baking until the sweet potatoes are golden and tender, about 10-15 more minutes.

It’s that simple!

Oven Roasted Broccoli with Panko

Mar. 4
2016

This dish is really delicious and so easy to make. It has minimal prep time and exudes flavor.

The panko adds a crunchy texture which makes it taste more complex than it really is. It is a nice healthy alternative to breadcrumbs.

If you love broccoli, especially crispy, this will make you crave it!

It is also good with cauliflower, brussels sprouts or a combination of them all.

This recipe is adapted from The Food Network, originated by Alton Brown. I made some changes. I used more garlic than they suggested (you can always reduce the amount) and I did not use the cheese. Why? Because I simply forgot!

Whether you use the cheese or not, this recipe is a “keeper” .

Definitely a must-try!

Ingredients for the Roasted Broccoli

1 lb. broccoli, rinsed and trimmed
2 tbsp. olive oil
4 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 tsp. kosher salt
1/4 tsp. pepper
1/3 cup panko breadcrumbs
1/4 cup grated Parmesan or sharp cheddar cheese (optional)

Preheat oven to 425.

Cut the broccoli florets into bite size pieces.

If you would like to use the stalks, peel and cut into 1/8-inch thick, round slices.

Place the broccoli into a mixing bowl and toss with the olive oil, garlic, kosher salt and pepper and set aside.

Spread the panko into a 13 by 9 inch pan and place into the oven for 2-4 minutes or until lightly toasted. Remember to set your timer, the panko will easily burn if you leave it in too long.

Remove the panko from the oven and add to the broccoli mixture. Toss to combine.

Place mixture into a baking pan. Put it into the oven and roast, just until the broccoli is tender, about 8-10 minutes.

Remove from the oven, toss with the cheese (if you are using it) and serve immediately.

It’s that simple!

Rice Pilaf

Feb. 29
2016

Looking for a great side dish is always a challenge, especially for picky eaters like my son.

Recently, I came across this recipe in the Kosher Palette, written by Susan Fishbein.

I immediately knew that this was a recipe he would enjoy. It was simple, with fresh ingredients.

The original recipe included mushrooms, (which I knew he doesn’t like). It also had another version that included slivered almonds. I chose to toast the almonds and it was a “winner”.

This was an easy, delicious dish that I will definitely make again.

It is probably just as appetizing with the mushrooms. If you would like to include the mushrooms, add 8 ounces of mushrooms when you add the rice and chicken broth.

This is a “must try” for all and I hope that you do!

Ingredients for the Rice Pilaf

8 tbsp. (1 Stick) of margarine or butter
1 medium onion, chopped
1 shallot, finely chopped
1 (or 2) garlic clove, minced
1 cup of fine egg noodles, uncooked
2 cups long-grained white rice, uncooked
4 cups of chicken broth
1 cup of slivered almonds, toasted
1 tsp. kosher salt
1/2 tsp. pepper
1/4 cup of fresh parsley for garnish

To toast the almond slivers

Preheat oven to 400.

Lay almond slivers out in baking pan.

Place in oven. SET YOUR TIMER for 7-8 minutes.

When timer sounds, immediately take the almonds out of the oven.

Set aside.

In a large skillet, melt the margarine (or butter) over medium-low heat.

Turn the heat up to medium and add the onions and the shallots.

Sauté for 5-7 minutes or until golden, but not brown.

Add the garlic and cook for 1 more minute.

Stir in the noodles and sauté until lightly brown.

Add in the rice and chicken broth.

Cover the pan tightly and turn the flame down to low.

Let it cook for 30-40 minutes until all the liquid is absorbed.

Season with the salt and pepper.

Add the almonds.

Garnish with the parsley.

It’s that simple!