Feta Wheat-Berry Salad, which is basically a Greek salad with the addition of wheat berries, is one of my favorite summer recipes. Wheat berries are whole kernels of wheat without the hull, are an excellent source of fiber, and have a chewy texture when cooked. My folks went through a health food kick when I was growing up so Mom snuck wheat berries into a variety of foods (homemade bread, casseroles, hot cereal, etc.).

I pretty much follow the recipe for the salad except for reducing the amount of red onions to 1/4 cup, substituting 1/2 cup fresh red bell peppers for the roasted peppers, and increasing the olives to 1/3 cup (I use kalamata olives). For the veggies, I chop them into small pieces (instead of julienning), and I usually just use Italian parsley (not a blend of herbs). I always let the cooked wheat berries cool before making the salad. Enjoy!

Feta Wheat-Berry Salad
-recipe from Gourmet Magazine

Yield: Serves 4 to 6

1 cup wheat, spelt, or rye berries (available at natural foods stores)
1/2 cup diced Feta (about 2 ounces)
1/2 cup thinly sliced red onion (I use 1/4 cup)
1/2 cup julienne strips of seedless cucumber
5 tablespoons olive oil
1/4 cup julienne strips of drained bottled roasted red pepper (I use 1/2 cup fresh red bell pepper)
1/4 cup mixed minced fresh herbs such as parsley, mint, and dill plus herb sprigs for garnish
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice, or to taste
1 tablespoon red-wine vinegar
1 tablespoon chopped pitted brine-cured black olives (I use 1/3 cup chopped Kalamata olives)
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 garlic clove, minced
dried hot red pepper flakes to taste

In a kettle of boiling salted water cook the wheat berries for 1 hour, or until they are tender, and drain them. In a large bowl stir together the wheat berries, the Feta, the onion, the cucumber, the oil, the roasted pepper, the minced herbs, the lemon juice, the vinegar, the olives, the cumin, the garlic, the red pepper flakes, and salt to taste and garnish the salad with the herb sprigs.

Tags: black olives, cucumber, cumin, Feta cheese, garlic, lemon juice, parsley, red bell pepper, red onion, red wine vinegar, Salad, Side Dish, wheat berry

Here’s a fun way to eat your yellow veggies: cooked spaghetti squash drizzled with browned butter and sprinkled with Parmesan cheese. It’s simple and makes a good side dish for chicken.

Instead of boiling the whole squash, I microwaved it (saving 30 minutes of cooking time). To do this, carefully cut the top off the squash off an inch or so below the stem, split the squash in half and scoop out the seeds. Place both halves cut side down in a microwaveable dish (overlapping is fine), add about 1/4″ of water to the pan, cover with plastic wrap and microwave on high for 15 minutes (or until the squash is cooked to your liking). Now proceed with the recipe.

After browning the butter, I added a dash of ground nutmeg to it (didn’t have fresh nutmeg). I then scooped the cooked squash strands into a bowl, separating it with a fork so it looked spaghetti-like and tossed with the brown butter, Parmesan cheese, salt and pepper. For serving, I mounded the squash back into one of the squash shells and sprinkled more Parmesan on top. Yumm!

Spaghetti Squash with Brown Butter and Parmesan
-recipe from williams-sonoma.com

Spaghetti squash derives its name from the nature of its flesh: Once it is cooked and cut in half, the flesh can be separated into strands that recall the famed Italian pasta. The squash has a delicate flavor so requires only subtle enhancement.

1 spaghetti squash, 2 1/2 to 3 lb.
4 Tbs. (1/2 stick) unsalted butter
Pinch of freshly grated nutmeg
1/3 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
Salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste

Place the whole squash in a large pot and add water to cover. Bring to a boil over high heat, reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer, uncovered, until the squash can be easily pierced with a knife, about 45 minutes.

Meanwhile, in a saucepan over medium-high heat, melt the butter and cook it until it turns brown and just begins to smoke, 3 to 4 minutes. Remove immediately from the heat and stir in the nutmeg.

When the squash is done, drain and set aside until cool enough to handle. Cut the squash in half lengthwise and, using a fork, scrape out the seeds and discard. Place the squash halves, cut sides up, on a serving platter. Using the fork, scrape the flesh free of the skin, carefully separating it into the spaghetti-like strands that it naturally forms. Leave the strands mounded in the squash halves. If the butter has cooled, place over medium heat until hot.

To serve, drizzle the butter evenly over the squash. Sprinkle with the cheese and season with salt and pepper. Serve immediately. Serves 6.

Adapted from Williams-Sonoma Seasonal Celebration Series, Autumn, by Joanne Weir (Time-Life Books, 1997).

Tags: brown butter, Christmas, parmesan cheese, Side Dish, spaghetti squash, Thanksgiving

If you’re looking for a change from the traditional green bean casserole or just a new veggie side dish, look no further. This tasty recipe is sure to please! It combines crisp-tender green beans, sweet red pepper and smoky bacon, and takes only minutes to prepare.

Husband loves bacon on anythings so this recipe was definitely a slam dunk in our house. I’ve served it with turkey, chicken and beef, and it was great with all of them.

And for you vegetarians out there, you can saute onions instead of bacon and substitute vegetable broth for the chicken broth. You’ll still have a winner side dish!

Green Beans with Bacon and Red Bell Pepper
-recipe from Bon Appétit Magazine

An updated southern side dish. Makes 4 to 6 servings. 

6 bacon slices, coarsely chopped
1 pound green beans, trimmed, cut in half
1 large red bell pepper, cut lengthwise into thin strips
1/2 cup canned low-salt chicken broth

Cook bacon in heavy large skillet over medium-high heat until brown and crisp. Using slotted spoon, transfer bacon to paper towel and drain. Pour off all but 2 tablespoons drippings from skillet. Add green beans and bell pepper to skillet. Toss vegetables over medium-high heat until coated with drippings, about 1 minute. Add broth. Cover and cook until vegetables are crisp-tender, about 5 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Transfer to serving bowl. Sprinkle with bacon and serve.

Tags: bacon, Christmas, green beans, holidays, red pepper, Side Dish, Thanksgiving

This is a perfect summery side dish: crisp-tender green beans tossed with a light, lemony vinaigrette. It’s simple, tasty and very easy to make. 

Even though the vinaigrette is delicious as is, I added a small amount of Dijon mustard for a little added pizazz. To make sure that each green bean was evenly coated with the dressing, I tossed the green beans first with the vinaigrette before piling them on the plate and drizzling with more vinaigrette. I substituted thinly sliced red onions for the shallot, and finished with a sprinkle of kosher salt and some freshly ground pepper. Yumm!

Green Beans Vinaigrette
-recipe from Marthastewart.com

On their own, lettuce, radicchio, green beans, or corn might be a tad ho-hum. But toss them with Lemon Vinaigrette, and you’ve got four stellar sides to sample. Keep a jar of the dressing in the fridge, and let it upgrade all sorts of veggies.

Makes 6 servings.

Coarse salt and ground pepper
1 1/2 pounds green beans, stem ends trimmed
1 shallot, halved lengthwise, thinly sliced
1/4 cup Lemon Vinaigrette (recipe below)

Fill a medium bowl with ice water; set aside. Set a steamer basket in a large saucepan with a lid. Fill with enough salted water to come just below basket; bring to a boil. Place green beans in basket, and reduce heat to a simmer. Cover pan; steam until tender, 4 to 6 minutes. Using tongs or a slotted spoon, transfer beans to ice water to stop cooking; drain and pat dry with paper towels.

Place on a serving platter. Top with shallot, and drizzle with vinaigrette; season with salt and pepper. 

Lemon Vinaigrette
Try using this lemon vinaigrette to upgrade all sorts of veggies. Makes 1 1/2 cups.

1/4 cup fresh lemon juice (from about 2 lemons)
1/4 cup white-wine vinegar
2 teaspoons sugar
1 teaspoon coarse salt
1/4 teaspoon ground pepper
1 cup olive oil

In a medium bowl or jar, combine lemon juice, vinegar, sugar, coarse salt, and ground pepper. Whisk, or cover and shake, until salt and sugar have dissolved. Add oil; whisk or shake until thoroughly combined. Refrigerate in an airtight container up to 2 weeks.

Tags: green beans, lemon vinaigrette, Quick Cooking, Side Dish

Have you ever seen those funny-looking, elongated, slightly knobby fingerling potatoes at the grocery store? Next time you do, buy a few pounds of them. This super simple recipe is an excellent way to use this root vegetable. All you do is scatter the clean potatoes on a cookie sheet, drizzle with olive oil, sprinkle with salt and pepper, and roast until tender. For a little extra color, sprinkle the roasted potatoes with some chopped fresh parsley. And there you have it…a perfect side dish for chicken, beef or pork!

Note: This recipe originally called for crushed garlic but it turned into charred little bits in the high oven heat. Burnt garlic doesn’t do anything for me so I wiped it off the potatoes and scratched it off the recipe.

Roasted Fingerling Potatoes
- adapted from a foodnetwork.com recipe

4 servings.

2 pounds small fingerling potatoes
Extra-virgin olive oil, for drizzling, 1 to 2 tablespoons
Salt and pepper
chopped fresh parsley for garnish (optional)

Heat oven to 500 degrees F.

Spread potatoes out on a cookie sheet. Coat lightly with extra-virgin olive oil and season potatoes with salt and pepper. Roast until tender, about 20 minutes.

Tags: fingerling potatoes, roasted, Side Dish

Here’s a delicious, summery salad that is perfect for your next potluck: roasted red potatoes and crisp-tender green beans tossed in a flavorful rosemary dressing. Yumm!!!

For the dressing, I add a little Dijon mustard for extra flavor and a bit of sugar to soften up the acidity. Also, I roast the potatoes until they are nicely browned, which can take longer than 30 minutes (depending on the size of the potato chunks). I use the ice water that the onions soaked in to cool the cooked green beans. The salad is also really good with the addition of crumbled feta, blue cheese or goat cheese. Enjoy!

For other recipes, check out: Ultimate Recipe Swap hosted by Life As Mom.

Green Bean, Red Onion and Roast Potato Salad with Rosemary Vinaigrette
-recipe adapted from Gourmet Magazine

Serves 8 to 10

3 pounds red boiling potatoes
2/3 cup olive oil
1 garlic clove
1/4 cup red-wine vinegar
1 tablespoon fresh rosemary leaves or 1 teaspoon crumbled dried, plus rosemary sprigs for garnish
1 red onion, halved lengthwise and sliced thin lengthwise
2 pounds green beans, trimmed and cut into 1-inch pieces
24 Kalamata or Niçoise olives, pitted and halved

Halve the potatoes, unpeeled, and cut them into 1-inch wedges. Add 1/3 cup of oil to a large roasting pan then add the potatoes, tossing them to coat them with the oil, and roast them, stirring them every 10 minutes, for 30 minutes, or until they are tender in a preheated 425 degree oven. Let the potatoes cool in the pan.

In a blender purée the garlic, the vinegar, the rosemary leaves, and salt to taste, with the motor running add the remaining 1/3 cup oil in a stream, and blend the dressing until it is emulsified.

In a small bowl of ice and cold water let the onion soak for 5 minutes, drain it well, and pat it dry.

In a kettle of boiling salted water boil the green beans for 5 minutes, or until they are crisp-tender, and drain them in a colander. Refresh the beans under cold water and pat them dry.

In a very large bowl combine the potatoes, the onion, the green beans, and the olives, add the dressing, and toss the salad gently. Serve the salad, garnished with the rosemary sprigs, at room temperature.

Tags: green beans, kalamata olives, potato salad, potatoes, red onion, rosemary, Salad, Side Dish

I’ve been making different types of corn and bean salad for years (usually my own concoctions). I came across this particular recipe recently and thought I’d give it a try. It’s quick, easy and very tasty. Based on what I had on hand, I substituted 1 chopped canned chipotle pepper for the jalapeno and used pinto beans instead of Great Northern beans. Kidney beans would work well, too, or you can just use all black beans.  I think the recipe makes closer to 6 servings than 8. This salad would also make a good “dip” for tortilla chips (choose a sturdy chip that won’t crumble on contact).

For more recipe ideas, check out Ultimate Recipe Swap.

Two-Bean and Corn Salad
-recipe from epicurious.com

Yield: Makes 8 servings

1/3 cup olive oil
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 15 1/2-ounce can Great Northern beans, rinsed, drained
1 15 1/2-ounce can black beans, rinsed, drained
3 celery stalks, chopped
2 cups frozen corn kernels, thawed
1 medium-size red bell pepper, chopped
1 cup chopped red onion
1/3 cup chopped fresh cilantro
2 small jalapeño chilies, seeded, chopped

Whisk oil, vinegar, and cumin in large bowl to blend. Add remaining ingredients and toss to coat. Season salad with salt and pepper. Let stand at least 1 hour and up to 4 hours, tossing occasionally.

Tags: bean and corn salad, black beans, corn, Salad, Side Dish

This is a great salad…delicious, beautiful, and perfect for summer! I used leftover regrigerated cooked rice (about 3 cups), substituted 1/2 teaspoon of dried oregano for the 1 teaspoon of fresh, used both red onion and green onion, added a splash of red wine vinegar and some sliced sun-dried tomatoes in olive oil.  I used jasmine rice but basmati rice would also be really good. Be sure to scoop the seeds out of the cuke or you’ll end up with a watery salad. Also, go easy on the salt because both the feta cheese and kalamata olives are salty; mix it all together than season to taste. For a mexi version, add corn, black beans, sliced pimento-stuffed green olives, a little cumin and cilantro; omit the cuke, spinach, kalamata olives and feta. Enjoy!

Mediterranean Rice Salad
-recipe from Sunset Magazine
 
The bright flavors of this dish make it the perfect side dish for anything grilled.

Yield:  Makes 6 to 8 servings

1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1 1/2 cups long-grain rice
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 clove garlic, minced
1 teaspoon fresh oregano, minced
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/8 to 1/4 tsp. red pepper flakes
2 cups chopped spinach leaves
1 red bell pepper, finely chopped
1 small cucumber, peeled, seeded, and finely chopped
1/2 cup chopped green onion
1/2 cup chopped kalamata olives
1 cup crumbled feta cheese

In a medium saucepan, bring 2 1/2 cups water to a boil. Add 1/2 tsp. salt and the rice. Turn heat to low, cover, and simmer 15 minutes. Remove from heat and let sit 5 minutes. Uncover and fluff with a fork.

In a large bowl, whisk lemon juice, olive oil, garlic, oregano, pepper, pepper flakes, and remaining teaspoon of salt.

Add rice to dressing and toss to combine. Add spinach, toss, and let sit until no longer steaming, about 20 minutes. Add remaining ingredients and toss to combine. Serve at room temperature or cold.

Tags: cucumber, kalamata olives, Mediterranean, red pepper, rice, rice salad, Side Dish