Thanksgiving side dishes/14 recipes

We have the Italians to thank for bringing this humble soup into our kitchens. Originating in Tuscany centuries ago as a means for the poor to use up stale, leftover bread. Today, we are just grateful that we have a hearty, tasty way to use up leftover ingredients that create a deeply-satisfying meal that is not only well-balanced and healthy, but simple to throw together. While it may not have been a dish for the wealthy, we think you will be peasantly surprised.

Here is a ‘grate’ side dish for the gluten-intolerant – or a way to get kids excited about vegetables. Packed with flavour and fibre, the mixture can be made in advance, and then simply portioned and fried for 6 minutes to glorious, crispy perfection. Don’t forget to drain off that excess oil once done, nobody wants a soggy, greasy latke..

This delicious vegan dish is perfect for when you don’t have much time. It can be ready in under 30 minutes and is a great way of using up veggies. For this dish we’ve used a mix of carrots, onion, parsnips and brussel sprouts with chickpeas and quinoa, but other veggies you could try are: cauliflower, olives, tomatoes, sweet potato, spinach or kale.

Asparagus Fries For a healthy and delicious alternative to fries, you’ve got to give this easy asparagus recipe a try. They make the perfect side dish to any meal, but are also great as a light snack. If you want a slightly cheesy flavour you can also add a sprinkle of nutritional yeast to the fries along with the herbs and garlic.

This delicious omelette recipe makes the perfect healthy breakfast, lunch or dinner and is a great way of using up leftover veggies. It can be served on its own or with a side salad for a more substantial main.

This delicious warm noodle salad makes a perfect light lunch or side salad and it only takes 10 minutes to make. The tangy lime flavour is sure to impress. This simple dish is a fantastic accompaniment for leftover roast chicken and it also tastes great with fish too.

This delicious cottage pie recipe is so easy to make and it tastes fantastic. It’s topped with a scrummy kale and cauliflower mash that’s bursting with nutrition and full of comforting flavours. This classic British dish makes such a great family meal and it can be ready in under 30 minutes. What are you waiting for?

A ‘quick and easy to make’ light, tasty dish. You could add Tofu or other high protein based foods to make it a more substantial meal. If you’re interested in knowing more about the effects of the sprouting process, it actually improves many benefits that are already in the bean. The soaking/sprouting process increases the nutritional value of its’ protein, which is required for many bodily functions from building bone and muscle tissue to carrying oxygen around the body. The vitamin content also increases in some beans, the vitamin C increases as the seed germinates which provides antioxidants to combat free radicals. The fibre content also increases substantially – fibre binds to fats and toxins and quickly flushes them from our system. It has a positive overall effect to say the least. As always, please check the labels to make sure that the products you use are suitable for your specific diets or allergies.

When you’re looking for a simple, speedy and deliciously flavoursome dish, this recipe is the perfect solution. Chicken souvlakis are gorgeous Greek kebabs and these are made with chicken and a roasted pepper hummus. It’s a no-fuss chicken dish served with warm wheat tortillas that takes just 10 minutes from start to finish.

Hummus is such a simple thing to make that you could easily prepare it at home, and it also tastes much better than the shop bought options mainly due to the freshness of the ingredients. We’ve gone for a slightly different twist with this hummus dish and used split peas instead of chickpeas. It makes 6 coconut naans and a couple of pots full of delicious split pea hummus.

Peppers are always versatile with the benefit of being fat free and full of vitamin A and C, a fail safe when catering for most dietary restrictions. This pleasing simple dish can be a healthy light meal or a filling addition to a protein based meal.

A tasty, substantial dish with many health benefits. Recent studies show that eating tofu lowers the risk of a number of age related diseases. Tofu contains high levels of isoflavones, one is called Genistein, that inhibits the growth of cancer cells because of it’s antioxidant properties. Tofu is versatile as can be bought in different consistencies depending on the recipe, firm for grilling, soft for casseroles and silken for desserts.

In celebration of St Patrick’s day we’ve created this scrumptious colcannon stuffed and shamrock shaped ravioli recipe, that’s accompanied by a delectable saffron and sun-dried tomato oil to top the dish off. You’ll certainly feel like you’ve got the luck of the Irish if you try it. If you’re wondering how the shamrock originally became associated, well according to Irish legend, Saint Patrick used the three-leafed plant as a metaphor for the Holy Trinity when he was first introducing Christianity to Ireland.

A healthy vegan recipe, ideal for using up leftover Christmas day vegetables on Boxing Day. It’s a light dish perfect after the indulgences of Christmas day. Chickpea flour is naturally gluten free, chickpeas are a super source of protein, fibre and iron. The skin of vegetables and fruit are quite often a good source of nutrition in itself, the dark skin of the Zucchini/courgette is high in soluble fibre which slows digestion and stabilises sugar levels. The dark skin of the Eggplant/Aubergine is full of fibre, potassium, magnesium and antioxidants, Tomato skin is full of antioxidants too so before removing skins bear this information in mind.

A healthy flavoursome take on an Italian classic. Nutritional yeast has a nutty cheesy flavour making it a good alternative for a vegan diet, especially as it is a complete protein. Other benefits are all the B vitamins which are important for everyone’s health but more so for those on a vegan/vegetarian diet. This yeast is rich in Selenium which helps to repair cell damage therefore helping to reduce the risk of cancer. It has anti-viral and anti-bacterial properties, it improves digestion and as it is rich in folate pregnant women should include this in their diet. Just a few reasons to get familiar with this cosmopolitan dish.

These delicious sweet potato balls are a fantastic, easy and healthy starter recipe. They’re vegan, gluten free and can be frozen to be saved for another day. You could also serve these as a nutritious and delicious side dish if you’d prefer.