Wellness Mama Side Dish Recipes

I don’t know about you, but I love roasted veggies. A drizzle of oil, some seasoning, and a roast in the oven just seems to bring out so much flavor! I’ve made a roasted vegetable salad, roasted beet and arugula salad, and even roasted cabbage slices. This recipe for garlic roasted romanesco is so simple to make …

This summer has been a delicate blend of heat wave and monsoon. I’ve had to come up with some creative family activities to keep the children (and us grownups!) from going stir crazy. Thankfully, while the summer heat and humidity has not been good for my desire to leave the comfort of air conditioning, it has …

In my mind, mushroom risotto is real-food comfort food! It’s warm, creamy, and filling, and an amazing side dish with almost any meal. I also have an Italian husband who always appreciates when I make an Italian dish (like my authentic pasta sauce). Risotto is a little time consuming and labor intensive though, so it’s not …

My family loves sweet potatoes. We grow and eat a lot of them (read about my first sweet potato growing experience) and I’m always excited to try new ways to use them. Bacon and lime are always a great combination and are delicious with the sweetness of the roasted sweet potatoes. Bacon Lime Sweet Potato Salad …

Summer is by far the most popular season for grilling, but the grill isn’t only for meat. This grilled vegetables recipe is one of my favorites. Grilling brings out the natural sweetness of the onions and provides a nice change from sauteed zucchini. I love how this super simple “recipe” lets the natural goodness of …

Have a vegetable hater in the house? Then you need to try roasted carrot coulis. Seriously. If there ever was a recipe that shows off all the glory of healthy veggies (besides a salad), it’s this one. A quick rough chop of sweet carrots, savory red bell peppers, and spicy sweet sliced onion — roasted …

If you’re like most people, you probably grew up snacking on crackers as a kid. Thankfully, there’s no need to give up this popular snack while on a grain-free diet. These grain-free crackers feature a few simple ingredients and they’re a snap to whip up. The kids love them for an on-the-go snack and I love …

Did you know that when prepared correctly, mashed cauliflower has a very similar texture to mashed potatoes, not to mention a sweet and buttery taste? I happen to love potatoes, but most of us in the U.S. are getting way too many starchy white foods in our diet anyway. (Fries anyone?) This cauliflower mashed potatoes recipe …

I may not have as much time to make things from scratch as I once did (six kids, homeschooling, and a business will do that!), but when apples are in season we always find time to make homemade applesauce. Unlike some other canning adventures of mine, I always feel like homemade applesauce is well worth …

Fermenting is an age-old way of preserving foods and increasing their nutritional value. Turning cabbage into sauerkraut is one of the easiest fermented foods to master. Why is this sauerkraut better for you? During fermentation, billions of beneficial bacteria are produced. Because it’s homemade (and not pasteurized like in the store), this bacteria is still present …

Broccolini is one of my favorite veggies this time of year, and this is a simple and delicious way to make it! You’ll love the flavors in this sesame garlic broccolini recipe! What is Broccolini? This yummy veggie often gets the nickname “baby broccoli,” however, it is anything but! Often mistaken for young, tender broccoli stalks, broccolini …

I always look forward to springtime, as the warm weather, gardening season, and fresh produce make me happy and get us out of doors. Though I garden each year, I don’t have the greenest of green thumbs and typically end up with a lot of easy-to-grow veggies like cucumbers, tomatoes, and zucchini or yellow squash. Delicious and …

Our garden produced a ton of sweet potatoes last year, so I had to get creative to find ways to use them. We fried them in tallow, baked them in the oven, and even grilled them on low heat on the grill. We even used them as the “noodles” in homemade lasagna (it was delicious!) and made …

In my opinion, lemon pepper makes everything better. I make my own seasonings in bulk, and lemon pepper is one that often gets added to everything from omelets to meats to roasted vegetables, and it happens to be delicious on cushaw squash. If you aren’t already a fan of the amazing cushaw squash, this recipe …

Now that warm weather is here (finally!), I’m working on making summer items like homemade sunscreen and bug spray.  I’ve also been working on some new veggie-based recipes that can be served cold so I don’t have to cook as much. Our local farmer had some gorgeous carrots a few weeks ago and I was looking for …

I absolutely love creating seasonal real food recipes that are simple to make, and this is one of my recent favorites. Acorn squash is just starting to show up at our local farmer’s market and it is an inexpensive and nutrient rich winter squash. I wanted to find a recipe that would be simple and …

My dad’s side of the family always had cooked carrots in some form for most holidays and they are a favorite vegetable with that group. This year, I hosted Thanksgiving and while I felt obligated to serve some form or cooked carrots, I was bored with the simple steamed recipe. This recipe was an accidental …

I’ll admit, I used to eat rice all the time. Even these days, if I’m going to eat a grain, it is going to be rice (usually in sushi). Rice isn’t a regular food for us though, so I was looking for some healthier substitutes that would include more veggies, and vegetable fried “rice” made …

My kids really, really like sweet potatoes. My oldest would eat several in a meal easily, and he loves them with some healthy fats like butter or coconut oil, and bit of salt. One of our favorite recipes is stuffed sweet potatoes, because it’s so easy to make and is very filling. For Any Meal of the Day …