Enjoy four Zone-approved recipes: Quick Spinach Side Dish, Low-Calorie Vegetable Soup, Garlic Rosemary Roasted Mushrooms, and Squash, Onion and Mushrooms.
Obviously, turkey will probably be the protein choice during the holidays. But what about the sides? Zoners must say good-bye to stuffing and mashed potatoes. Here are some Zoneful sides. Prepare these, and the others won't be missed.
Quick Spinach Side Dish
Yield: 4 servings; Total time: 15 minutes.
Ingredients:
- 1 tbsp — olive oil
- 2 Onions - chopped
- 3 (10 oz) bags fresh baby spinach — wash
- 2 cloves garlic — pressed
Directions:
- In a large pan like a Dutch oven sautee onions in olive oil until translucent, then add Spinach and garlic. Cover.
- There will be enough moisture left on the spinach leaves, Cook 5 minutes and then stir until wilted. Serve.
Each serving has 4 grams of fat and 7 grams of carbs.
Low-Calorie Vegetable Soup
Yield: 12 servings; Total time: 1 1/2 hours.
Ingredients:
- 2 1/2 tbsps olive oil
- 1 onion — diced
- 3 carrots — diced or shredded
- 4 stalks celery — diced
- 8 cups Kitchen Basics unsalted vegetable stock
- 2 leeks — thinly sliced and rinsed well
- 1 head broccoli — diced, use everything
- 1 (15-oz) can cannellini beans
- 1-2 bay leaves
- ground black pepper — to taste
- water — as needed
Directions:
- In a large stockpot, sautee onion, carrots, and celery in hot oil until onion is soft and nearly translucent.
- Add stock, leeks, broccoli, beans, bay leaves, and pepper.
- Bring to a boil; then simmer for at least 45 minutes or longer until broccoli and carrots are soft.
- Remove bay leaves, turn off the heat and let cool enough to process in food processor until smooth and velvety. If you like it thinner, whisk in some water.
- Bring back up to temperature.
Each serving has 3 grams of fat and 9 grams of carbs.
Garlic Rosemary Roasted Mushrooms
Yield: 6 servings; Total time: 35 minutes.
Mushroom appetizer or first course? That is the question. Don't forget toothpicks.
Ingredients:
- 1 lb baby bella mushrooms
- 1 lb oyster mushrooms
- 1 lb crimini mushrooms
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 2 tbsps Kitchen Basics unsalted vegetable stock
- 3 cloves garlic — minced
- 3 tbsps low sodium soy sauce
- 1 bunch fresh rosemary — 1 to 2 sprigs for the mix, use remainder for garnish
- parsley for garnish
- cooking spray — olive oil
- salt and pepper — to taste
Directions:
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Cut the stems off the mushrooms.
- Combine in a mixing bowl with the remaining ingredients and toss together.
- Bake uncovered for 30 minutes on a oil-sprayed large cookie sheet.
- Transfer to a serving platter and garnish the edge of the platter with fresh rosemary and parsley sprigs.
Squash, Onion and Mushrooms
Yield: 4 servings; Total time: 20 minutes.
Ingredients:
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 3 tbsps Kitchen Basics unsalted vegetable stock — as needed
- 2 cups zucchini — sliced
- 2 cups summer squash — sliced
- 1 cup onions — chopped
- 8 oz mushrooms — sliced
- 1/2 tbsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- ground black pepper — to taste
Directions:
- Heat pan large enough to toss all ingredients.
- When hot, add olive oil, stock and vegetables, stirring occasionally to prevent sticking and over browning. Add a little more stock if needed.
- Sautee until vegetables are crisp tender, about 10 minutes.
- Add seasoning and stir to combine well. Serve.
Each serving has 3 grams of fat and 6 grams of carbs.
Enjoy!