Healthy sides for your BBQ!
Try this
Butternut squash salad with soy balsamic dressing
Ingredients (serves 4):
1 large 3-4lb butternut squash, peeled, deseeded and chopped into 2cm cubes.
1 tbs olive oil
100g/4oz Puy lentils (or cheat with Eden Organic tinned lentils)
4 handfuls arugula
1 tsp toasted sesame seeds
6 salad onions, sliced
Dressing
2 tbs olive oil
2 tbs balsamic vinegar
1 tbs soy sauce (tamari if GF)
1 red chilli, seeded and chopped
1 garlic clove, finely chopped
1 tsp agave syrup
Method
1. Heat the oven to 400F.
2. Put the squash on a baking sheet in one layer, drizzle with 1 tbs olive oil and season.
Roast for approximately 30 minutes or until tender, tossing once or shaking the tray a couple of times to keep it from sticking.
3. If using dry lentils, simmer for about 15 minutes or until al dente, then drain.
If using the Eden Organic tinned lentils, rinse thoroughly and set to one side.
4. Whisk together the dressing ingredients.
5. Put the arugula in a large, shallow serving bowl and arrange the lentils and squash on top.
Pour the dressing over and top and sprinkle with the sesame seeds and salad onion.
Rigatoni with broccolini and fresh chilli
Ingredients (serves 4):
4 servings whole-wheat or GF rigatoni
4 extra large handfuls broccolini (trimmed and cut into long florets)
2 red chillies, deseeded and finely diced
2 tbs EV olive oil
1 tbs lemon juice
Fresh black pepper
Method
1. Cook the pasta as directed
2. Steam the broccolini until tender
3. Drain the pasta and toss with the broccolini, chillies, lemon juice, oil and black pepper. Serve immediately!
Warm white bean salad
Ingredients (serves 4):
1 tbs olive oil
½ small red onion, diced
2 medium carrots, halved lengthways and thinly sliced
1 medium red bell pepper, ribs and seeds removed, diced
1 garlic clove, minced
1 can Eden organic cannellini beans, drained and rinsed well
1 tsp grated lemon zest
2 tsp fresh lemon juice
Method
1. In a small pan, heat the olive oil over a medium heat.
2. Add the onion and carrots, stirring frequently until the onion is translucent and the carrots tender.
3. Add bell pepper and garlic, stirring for another three minutes until the pepper is tender.
4. Stir in the beans, lemon zest and 1 cup water — season with a little salt and pepper if you wish.
Cover and cook for approximately ten minutes over a gentle heat until the beans have absorbed most of the liquid.
5. Stir in the lemon juice and serve!
Healthy sides for your BBQ!
I need a guide to the Bellish language. Does anyone happen to have one?
Our littlest is now almost two and her conversation is gathering momentum.
Unfortunately, I have absolutely no idea what she is saying. This comes with a few exceptions.
Belle has perfected “No singing mummy!” which is upsetting as I actually thought I was quite good.
And yet despite this one gem of a three-word sentence, much of her other chatter is mystifying.
Although deeply suspicious of the LH for a while, I eventually worked out that “pissit” means “bracelet”.
And after a mildly embarrassing time in Lindo's, I discovered that “cock cock” means “chocolate”.
Having decoded those I am now working on others. She says “boxyock” a lot. Any ideas?
Fortunately Naughty Nana has just flown in. No one does chatter quite like Nana so I am relying on her for some insight.
That's if she is still talking to me after frisking her for unsuitable gifts at the airport. I know that sounds mean but remember this is the woman that gave my husband an apron that read “health food makes me sick”.
On the upside, it was entertaining to see the LH in a pinny. On the downside, he is threatening to wear it for the whole of BBQ season.
There is no messing with the LH and his grill. Although perfectly happy to eat kale one night and lentils the next, it's on the unspoken understanding that there will be zero interference when it comes to the ribs.
He has a closely guarded recipe that involves at least four hours of careful basting. It's not healthy.
At all. But at least I do get full reign when it comes to the sides.
Side dishes can either make or break you when it comes to healthy eating.
Pairing a steak with some mac n'cheese and a Caesar salad isn't exactly sensible.
So if you are going with higher fat, red meat options on the grill, have a look at these recipes for some healthy side-dish inspiration.
Each one of these is super tasty and holds its own in terms of flavour.
By choosing squash, beans or whole-wheat pasta instead of potatoes or rice, you are picking something that is lighter on the carbs but fibre-, vitamin- and mineral-rich.
Try serving up your main with one of these and a large green salad, and feel all the better for it!
Butternut squash salad with soy balsamic dressing
Ingredients (serves 4):
1 large 3-4lb butternut squash, peeled, deseeded and chopped into 2cm cubes.
1 tbs olive oil
100g/4oz Puy lentils (or cheat with Eden Organic tinned lentils)
4 handfuls arugula
1 tsp toasted sesame seeds
6 salad onions, sliced
Dressing
2 tbs olive oil
2 tbs balsamic vinegar
1 tbs soy sauce (tamari if GF)
1 red chilli, seeded and chopped
1 garlic clove, finely chopped
1 tsp agave syrup
Method
1. Heat the oven to 400F.
2. Put the squash on a baking sheet in one layer, drizzle with 1 tbs olive oil and season. Roast for approximately 30 minutes or until tender, tossing once or shaking the tray a couple of times to keep it from sticking.
3. If using dry lentils, simmer for about 15 minutes or until al dente, then drain. If using the Eden Organic tinned lentils, rinse thoroughly and set to one side.
4. Whisk together the dressing ingredients.
5. Put the arugula in a large, shallow serving bowl and arrange the lentils and squash on top. Pour the dressing over and top and sprinkle with the sesame seeds and salad onion.
Rigatoni with broccolini and fresh chilli
Ingredients (serves 4):
4 servings whole-wheat or GF rigatoni
4 extra large handfuls broccolini (trimmed and cut into long florets)
2 red chillies, deseeded and finely diced
2 tbs EV olive oil
1 tbs lemon juice
Fresh black pepper
Method
1. Cook the pasta as directed
2. Steam the broccolini until tender
3. Drain the pasta and toss with the broccolini, chillies, lemon juice, oil and black pepper. Serve immediately!
Warm white bean salad
Ingredients (serves 4):
1 tbs olive oil
½ small red onion, diced
2 medium carrots, halved lengthways and thinly sliced
1 medium red bell pepper, ribs and seeds removed, diced
1 garlic clove, minced
1 can Eden organic cannellini beans, drained and rinsed well
1 tsp grated lemon zest
2 tsp fresh lemon juice
Method
1. In a small pan, heat the olive oil over a medium heat.
2. Add the onion and carrots, stirring frequently until the onion is translucent and the carrots tender.
3. Add bell pepper and garlic, stirring for another three minutes until the pepper is tender.
4. Stir in the beans, lemon zest and 1 cup water — season with a little salt and pepper if you wish. Cover and cook for approximately ten minutes over a gentle heat until the beans have absorbed most of the liquid.
5. Stir in the lemon juice and serve!
The advice given in this article is not intended to replace medical advice, but to complement it. Always consult your GP if you have any health concerns. Catherine Burns BA Hons, Dip ION is the managing director of Natural Ltd and a fully qualified nutritional therapist trained by the Institute for Optimum Nutrition in the UK. Please note that she is not a registered dietitian. For details visit www.natural.bm or call 236-7511.
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Published Jun 1, 2012 at 8:00 am (Updated Jun 1, 2012 at 8:12 am)