Tag: side dish

What’s For Dinner? Colorful Couscous

You know how you have your go-to recipes for quick dishes that are always reliably delicious. This one is one of mine. It is couscous with lots of veggies and flavor and it is SO easy, and healthy. Wanna give it a try? Here’s the recipe.

Recipe Video


Ingredients
-1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
-4 bell peppers (use as many colors as you can)
-3 medium shallots
-2 tablespoons minced garlic (2 large cloves)
-1 cup chicken or vegetable stock
-1 egg (optional)
-1 cup couscous
-1 teaspoon salt
-1 teaspoon pepper

Directions
1. Finely chop your bell peppers, shallots, and garlic.
2. On medium heat, put your extra virgin olive oil in a sautee pan. Add your chopped bell peppers and shallots and stir occasionally for about 2-3 minutes.
3. Add your minced garlic and stir occasionally for another 2-3 minutes.
4. Add your salt and pepper while veggies are sauteeing.
5. After 2-3 minutes, add your stock and turn the heat up to medium high until
boiling.
6. Add your couscous and turn the heat off. Stir to make sure the couscous is
evenly covered in the stock. Put a lid on, and let sit for 5-6 minutes.
7. Use a fork to fluff up the finished product and enjoy!
Bonus: Add a fried egg to the top to make it extra decadent. 

Colorful Couscous

Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Course Salad, Side Dish
Cuisine Mediterranean

Ingredients
  

  • 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
  • 4 bell peppers use as many colors as you can
  • 3 medium shallots
  • 2 garlic cloves, minced or 2 tbsps minced garlic
  • 1 cup chicken or vegetable stock
  • 1 egg (optional)
  • 1 cup couscous
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1 tsp black pepper

Instructions
 

  • Finely chop your bell peppers, shallots, and garlic.
  • On medium heat, put your extra virgin olive oil in a sautee pan. Add your chopped bell peppers and shallots and stir occasionally for about 2-3 minutes.
  • Add your minced garlic and stir occasionally for another 2-3 minutes.
  • Add your salt and pepper while veggies are sauteeing.
  • After 2-3 minutes, add your stock and turn the heat up to medium high until boiling.
  • Add your couscous and turn the heat off. Stir to make sure the couscous is evenly covered in the stock. Put a lid on, and let sit for 5-6 minutes.
  • Use a fork to fluff up the finished product and enjoy! Bonus: Add a fried egg to the top to make it extra decadent. 
Keyword colorful couscous, couscous, vegetables, recipe, amy westerman,

Recipe: Spicy Succotash

A frequently-requested side dish for potlucks or dinner parties is my creamy, spicy succotash.  It is easy, but very flavorful and goes with just about anything.

Recipe Video:

Ingredients

-4 tablespoons butter
-28 oz package frozen baby lima beans
-2  15 oz cans whole kernel corn (or frozen corn)
-1/2 large yellow onion, chopped
-1 red bell pepper, chopped
-1 orange bell pepper, chopped
-1 tablespoon minced garlic (1-2 cloves)
-1 teaspoon ground paprika
-1 teaspoon ground cayenne pepper
-2 teaspoons cajun seasoning
-4 tablespoons flour
-1 cup heavy whipping cream (half and half works ok)
-salt and pepper, to taste

Directions

1.  Heat butter in a saucepan over medium heat.
2. Place frozen lima beans (and frozen corn, if you use frozen over canned) in
the butter and heat for a couple minutes.
3. Place onion, bell pepper, corn, and garlic in the pan and let sautee for 7-8
minutes.
4.  Add paprika, cayenne, and cajun seasoning and stir.
5. Add flour, stir, and let cook for another 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
6. Add cream and turn heat down to medium- low.  Let cook another 10
minutes, stirring occasionally.
7. Taste and add salt, pepper, or any other spices it needs. Then, enjoy!

If you try this out, let me know how it goes!

Spicy Succotash

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Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Course Side Dish
Cuisine American

Ingredients
  

  • 4 tbsps butter
  • 28 oz frozen baby lima beans
  • 2 15 oz cans whole kernel corn (or frozen corn)
  • 1/2 large yellow onion, chopped
  • 2 bell peppers, chopped I use red and orange for color
  • 1 clove garlic, minced or 1 tbsp minced garlic
  • 1 tsp ground paprika
  • 1 tsp ground cayenne pepper
  • 2 tsp cajun seasoning
  • 4 tbsps flour
  • 1 cup heavy whipping cream half and half works alright if you're watching your calories/fat
  • salt and pepper, to taste

Instructions
 

  • Heat butter in a saucepan over medium heat.
  • Place frozen lima beans (and frozen corn, if you use frozen over canned) inthe butter and heat for a couple minutes.
  • Place onion, bell pepper, corn, and garlic in the pan and let sautee for 7-8 minutes.
  • Add paprika, cayenne, and cajun seasoning and stir.
  • Add flour, stir, and let cook for another 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
  • Add cream and turn heat down to medium- low.  Let cook another 10minutes, stirring occasionally.
  • Taste and add salt, pepper, or any other spices it needs. Then, enjoy!
Keyword spicy succotash, vegetable dish, succotash, recipe, amy westerman,