Side Dish Recipes

A crisp, crunchy Asian-style salad with julienned radishes, cucumber, toasted sesame seeds, and a tangy soy-ginger dressing. Light, refreshing, and ready in under 30 minutes. A low-calorie side dish that packs serious flavor.

Boiled spaghetti squash for a low-carb pasta substitute. Cut, simmer 30 minutes, scrape out the noodle-like strands. Diabetic-friendly side or pasta swap.

Indonesian rujak fruit salad tosses cucumber, jicama, mango, papaya, pineapple, and Granny Smith apple in a chunky peanut, chile, palm sugar, and tamarind sauce. Sweet, sour, salty, fiery in one bite.

Steamed cabbage with a tangy caraway vinegar sauce, red bell pepper, and a touch of heat from red pepper flakes. A low-calorie, diabetic-friendly vegetarian side dish.

Grilled summer squash halves brushed with lemon, rosemary, and margarine, then charred over medium-hot coals until tender. A low-calorie, diabetic-friendly side for any cookout.

Silky chilled fennel soup, fennel simmered with shallots and garlic, pureed with lemon and dill, then blended with cool yogurt. A light, tangy, anise-kissed soup served cold as a refreshing starter.

Whole wheat herb bread with cottage cheese, scallions, dill, and V8 juice: soft yeast loaves enriched with eggs, kneaded until elastic, and baked until golden hollow-sounding.

Fruit Cheeses are closely related to jams and jellies but have a firmer texture and are usually served moulded and cut into chunks as an accompaniment to roast or cold meats. Quince really makes the best cheese and is a wonderful rich amber colour. It is a particular speciality of Spain and is traditionally eaten as a sweet snack. This recipe will keep for 2 years and makes a wonderful and unusual gift.

Southwestern corn salad: a no-cook tossed salad with sweet corn, kidney beans, bell peppers, scallions, and cilantro in a light salsa-chili dressing. Vegan, picnic-ready, and made in 10 minutes.

Aromatic dhal with soaked green lentils, fresh tomatoes, and cinnamon sticks simmered in spiced ghee for a warming vegetarian curry that pairs perfectly with naan.

Make this quick, easy and refreshing cucumber raita to go with your favorite Indian curry dish.

Savory and succulent, these braised leeks and shitake mushrooms are a delightful vegan dish that will leave you wanting more. This recipe combines the delicate flavors of leeks and shitake mushrooms with the rich taste of sherry and a hint of citrus from the orange. It's perfect for a cozy night in or to impress your guests at a dinner party.

Low-fat cheesy potatoes are the classic hash brown casserole, lightened up with reduced-fat soup, cheddar, and sour cream. Creamy, comforting, and crowned with a crunchy crushed-cereal topping.

Crunchy buttermilk coleslaw with napa cabbage, snow peas, and grated carrots in a tangy ginger-rice vinegar dressing. An Asian-leaning slaw that skips the heavy mayo load.

Low-fat scalloped potatoes with just five ingredients, no cream or cheese. Thinly sliced potatoes and onions bake in milk until tender, while the potato starch thickens it into a creamy sauce.

Chickpea and spinach soup spices a creamy chickpea base with curry, cardamom, and nutmeg, then folds in tender wilted spinach. Vegetarian, lightly creamy from skim milk and a partial puree, ready in under an hour.