Easy Side Dishes | Wholefully https://wholefully.com/easy-family-dinners/easy-side-dishes/ Fresh Family Meals - Made for Everyday Life Fri, 19 Jul 2024 15:57:55 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wholefully.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/favicon-150x150.png Easy Side Dishes | Wholefully https://wholefully.com/easy-family-dinners/easy-side-dishes/ 32 32 Mexican Street Corn Salad https://wholefully.com/mexican-street-corn-salad/ https://wholefully.com/mexican-street-corn-salad/#respond Fri, 19 Jul 2024 15:57:50 +0000 https://wholefully.com/?p=64128 This Mexican street corn salad can be whipped up in no time. It’s a quick summer side dish with a satisfying balance of spicy, savory, and sweet. A serving bowl of finished mexican street corn salad garnished with cilantro leaves and a lime wedge. Mexican street corn salad is the perfect summer side dish! With the creamy mayonnaise, crunchy sweet corn, spicy chili powder, and tart lime juice, this corn salad is an explosion of tastes and textures. It’s a quick and easy barbequed side that brightens up picnics and adds some zest to both indoor and outdoor summer get-togethers. Read the post »]]> https://wholefully.com/mexican-street-corn-salad/feed/ 0 Watermelon Basil Salad https://wholefully.com/watermelon-feta-salad/ https://wholefully.com/watermelon-feta-salad/#comments Mon, 10 Jun 2024 06:03:00 +0000 http://backtoherroots.com/?p=13127 Topped with homemade balsamic vinaigrette, this Watermelon Basil Salad is bursting with flavor and color! It’s perfect for a potluck or as an everyday side dish.
Overhead of a large serving bowl of watermelon basil salad on a light counter with a kitchen linen and wooden serving spoon beside it.
Watermelon basil salad is like summer on your plate! The tangy zip of the vinaigrette is perfect with the creamy goat cheese and shredded basil. This salad is so refreshing, especially on hot days. And the best part? It's super easy to make! Watermelon basil salad with balsamic dressing is a crowd-pleaser that's sure to impress your guests while keeping your prep time to a minimum. So why not add a little summer flair to your BBQ spread with this delightful salad? Read the post »]]> https://wholefully.com/watermelon-feta-salad/feed/ 6 Crispy Baked Sweet Potato Fries https://wholefully.com/crispy-sweet-potato-fries-baked/ https://wholefully.com/crispy-sweet-potato-fries-baked/#comments Wed, 05 Jun 2024 14:24:47 +0000 https://wholefully.com/?p=49090 There is nothing worse than soggy, floppy, limp sweet potato fries. And that’s exactly the result I got the first few times I tried to make sweet potato fries in the oven. I was trying to replicate the crispy, dippable, deep-fried sweet potato fries I had recently eaten from a local restaurant, and I was sorely disappointed with what came out of my oven! So I took it as my personal charge to perfect making crispy sweet potato fries in the oven. I tested different pan types. I tested different pan coverings. I tested different size fries. I tested different temperatures. I tested when to add the salt. I tested soaking versus not soaking. I tested different mix-ins. And I finally landed on the no-fail, perfect-every-time formula for crispy baked sweet potato fries! We make these crispy fries in our house at least once a week, and everyone in the fam gobbles them happily. Baked fries sit on a baking sheet next to a small ramekin of dipping sauce.

First up, let’s talk about the problem: Why do sweet potato fries get so soggy in the oven?

A lot of us think of sweet potatoes as just a sweeter, more orange version of regular potatoes, but in fact, they are a completely different vegetable with completely different composition. Because of that, sweet potatoes just don’t behave the same way regular potatoes do when baked. Regular potatoes have a much lower water content, meaning they can crisp up nicely in the oven. When you pop sweet potatoes in the oven, that higher water content tends to steam the sweet potatoes instead of roasting and caramelizing them. You know what steamed sweet potatoes are? They are soggy, floppy, and way too soft to dip in ketchup! Read the post »]]> https://wholefully.com/crispy-sweet-potato-fries-baked/feed/ 1 Simple Steamed Asparagus Recipe https://wholefully.com/steamed-asparagus-recipe/ https://wholefully.com/steamed-asparagus-recipe/#respond Fri, 19 Apr 2024 15:16:56 +0000 https://wholefully.com/?p=63777 A simple recipe for steamed asparagus that gives you maximum flavor and tenderness. This classic side dish is easy to prepare and goes with almost any meal. Close view of seasoned, plump asparagus on a round white plate with two lemon wheels.   Steamed asparagus is a simple, yet elegant side dish that pairs well with almost every meal. Steaming the asparagus helps you to maximize flavor while keeping the crisp, juicy texture asparagus is famous for. This steamed asparagus recipe is a must-have for your list of favorite side dishes and it’s sure to please even the pickiest of eaters! Read the post »]]> https://wholefully.com/steamed-asparagus-recipe/feed/ 0 Homemade Sauerkraut https://wholefully.com/homemade-sauerkraut-recipe/ https://wholefully.com/homemade-sauerkraut-recipe/#comments Fri, 12 Apr 2024 15:19:05 +0000 https://wholefully.com/?p=48573 I used to be 1000% against sauerkraut. I blame it entirely on my Dad, who regularly pulled out jars of store-bought kraut to have with his dinner when I was a kid. The smell alone was enough to make me boycott even trying the stuff for decades! Then, a few years back, I grew a few too many cabbages in the garden and needed a way to preserve the harvest. I decided it was time to get over my sauerkraut aversion and learn this food preservation technique of my ancestors. My first few attempts were lackluster—there was a mold situation—but I finally nailed down the proper technique, and I haven’t looked back since. Turns out I LOVE sauerkraut. Well, I love my homemade sauerkraut recipe that is tangy, crunchy, and chock-full of gut-friendly probiotics. And I know you’ll love it, too! A brat drizzled with mustard sits on a bed of red sauerkraut on top of a bun. Potato chips and a sliced pickle surround the brat.

What is sauerkraut, anyway?

If you didn’t grow up with a kraut-loving dad, you might not realize that sauerkraut is just cabbage mixed with salt and fermented. That’s really it! Of course, you can fancy it up however you like (and I provide some suggestions in a bit), but you really only need those two ingredients to make homemade sauerkraut.

Is fermented sauerkraut good for you?

Yes, my friends! Fermented homemade sauerkraut is packed full of gut-healthy probiotics. Having a healthy gut biome (the name for the population of bacteria and yeast that live in our digestive system) is linked to obvious benefits like better food digestion and and helping you poop regularly, but also things you might not think of—like lowered risk of mental health issues and a healthier immune system. Our ancestors didn’t take a probiotic pill each day, but they ate a bevy of fermented foods daily like kefir, yogurt, and sauerkraut!

Is all sauerkraut fermented? Even the store-bought stuff?

Yes, fermentation is what gives sauerkraut its distinct sour, tangy flavor (just like with fermenting yogurt) and a hefty dose of gut-friendly probiotics. HOWEVER (and this is a big caveat!), shelf-stable sauerkraut—often found in either a can or jar at the grocery store—has been heated to high temperatures during the pasteurization and canning process, thereby killing the probiotics. You still get some of the sour, tangy flavor, but the major health benefit is gone. And the process also makes for some seriously limp kraut—another reason I MUCH prefer homemade sauerkraut! In the past few years, we’ve seen a resurgence of fermented sauerkraut in stores that is not shelf-stable. They still have all of their probiotics intact, but unfortunately, they are pretty pricey! I’ve seen it cost as much as $7-$8 a jar! Which is really crazy when you realize you can make that size jar for pennies at home. Read the post »]]> https://wholefully.com/homemade-sauerkraut-recipe/feed/ 4 Perfectly Roasted Brussel Sprouts https://wholefully.com/perfect-roasted-brussels-sprouts-11/ https://wholefully.com/perfect-roasted-brussels-sprouts-11/#comments Tue, 02 Apr 2024 06:50:00 +0000 http://backtoherroots.com/?p=28152 Perfectly Roasted Brussel Sprouts will convert even the most adamant sprouts-hater. Stinky, mushy veggies need not apply! How to Make Perfect Roasted Brussels Sprouts Don't believe the negative hype—I promise I can make you like Brussels sprouts. Yes, I realize that Bsprouts are so universally hated they've become a cliché that sitcoms use to torture kids at the dinner table. But even if you've tried them before and thought they were not-so-delicious, please read on, I have faith in your relationship with sprouts! Read the post »]]> https://wholefully.com/perfect-roasted-brussels-sprouts-11/feed/ 19 How to Make the Best Ever Slow Cooker Mashed Potatoes https://wholefully.com/the-best-ever-slow-cooker-mashed-potatoes/ https://wholefully.com/the-best-ever-slow-cooker-mashed-potatoes/#comments Fri, 17 Nov 2023 16:00:00 +0000 http://backtoherroots.com/?p=27875 With these easy crockpot mashed potatoes, you get creamy, flavorful potatoes for any major holiday, with barely any effort at all. Are you hosting Thanksgiving dinner this year? If so, the slow cooker is your best friend. If you've never done the whole massive turkey dinner thing, you might not realize it, but one of the most difficult things about getting that awesome yumminess on the table is timing. It may seem like a silly thing to worry about—who cares if dinner is 15 minutes late—but it becomes problematic when dishes start coming off at different times. No one wants cold mashed potatoes! This is where the Crock-Pot can rock your holiday. Will you be able to fit your 20-pound turkey into your slow cooker? No, but the slow cooker can take the always-important mashed potatoes off your to-do list while you work on everything else. Read the post »]]> https://wholefully.com/the-best-ever-slow-cooker-mashed-potatoes/feed/ 30 Mashed Sweet Potatoes with Brown Butter https://wholefully.com/brown-butter-mashed-sweet-potatoes-6/ https://wholefully.com/brown-butter-mashed-sweet-potatoes-6/#comments Thu, 16 Nov 2023 07:40:00 +0000 http://backtoherroots.com/?p=24923 Brown butter adds a touch of nuttiness to sweet potatoes. And that pairing makes for very tasty Mashed Sweet Potatoes—in only 4 ingredients! Might I suggest a different way to serve sweet potatoes this Turkey Day? Skip the mashed white potatoes. Skip the sweet potato casserole. And instead, knock out two birds with one delicious stone, and make yourself a beautiful bowl of mashed sweet potatoes! Easy, delicious, and still super festive. Mashed sweet potatoes with brown butter and vanilla is not just a side dish; it's a comforting and flavorful twist on a classic favorite. This delightful combination elevates the humble sweet potato to a whole new level. Get the recipe »]]> https://wholefully.com/brown-butter-mashed-sweet-potatoes-6/feed/ 9 Instant Pot Mashed Potatoes Recipe https://wholefully.com/instant-pot-mashed-potatoes/ https://wholefully.com/instant-pot-mashed-potatoes/#respond Wed, 25 Oct 2023 06:31:00 +0000 https://wholefully.com/?p=75997 Get rich, creamy, delectable mashed potatoes in an instant with our family favorite Instant Pot mashed potatoes recipe. Perfect for saving time on Thanksgiving!
A spoon dips into a creamy potato side dish served family-style in a large white bowl.
Instant Pot Mashed potatoes are our absolute favorite Thanksgiving hack! These bad boys are made in literal minutes in your electric pressure cooker—no more babysitting boiling potatoes on the stove. No more trying to time it to where your mashed potatoes are still hot when it's time to serve. These mashed potatoes are just as creamy, dreamy, and decadent as your favorite stovetop recipes, but they take a fraction of the time and stay warm while you finish up other dishes! Let us show you how. Read the post »]]> https://wholefully.com/instant-pot-mashed-potatoes/feed/ 0 Quick And Easy Sautéed Zucchini Recipe https://wholefully.com/sauteed-zucchini/ https://wholefully.com/sauteed-zucchini/#respond Thu, 03 Aug 2023 06:04:00 +0000 https://wholefully.com/?p=74841 Zucchini makes a great side dish that goes well with almost any meal. Learn how to make sauteed zucchini in no time! If you've ever perused a farmers' market or grown your own vegetables, you know how abundant zucchini can be in late summer. While we have lots of ways to enjoy this summer veggie, the simplest preparations can sometimes be the best. We are quick to sauté zucchini and summer squash on any given weeknight for a fast and easy side dish. Let's get sautéing!
Top view of sauteed zucchini and garlic in an enameled cast iron skillet.
INTRO Read the post »]]> https://wholefully.com/sauteed-zucchini/feed/ 0