Side Dishes :: Leslie Durso

Archive for Side Dishes

Harvest Grains Pilaf

By Leslie · Comments (6) · February 25th, 2013

I make dishes like this all the time, but I hardly ever write about them because sometimes I think they are too simple to even post… But my sister in-law was over last night for dinner when I made this and she convinced me to post it It’s simple, but it really packs a flavor punch! This dish also only takes about 15- 20 minutes to make so it’s an easy side dish or toss in a few more of your favorite veggies and make it a main dish. I used one of my favorite items from Trader Joe’s: the harvest grain blend. You can find it by the rices and pastas. It’s just a good hearty blend of pasta and grains and is easy to work with. Def feel free to sub out if you don’t have a TJ’s near by!

Harvest Grains Pilaf

1 lb. Trader Joe’s harvest grain blend (but you are welcome to use any plain grain or pasta you like)

2 1/2 cups plus a few tbsps. vegetable broth

2 tbsp. Earth Balance (vegan butter or real), separated

1 medium onion, diced

2 portobello mushrooms, diced into bite size pieces

4 cloves of garlic, chopped

3 cups of spinach, sliced

salt to taste

In a pot, boil 2 1/2 cups vegetable broth and add in the grains and 1 tbsp. of Earth Balance. Bring back to a boil and then reduce heat to a simmer. Cook 10 minutes until liquid is absorbed.

While that’s cooking….

In a large frying pan, on medium heat, melt 1 tbsp Earth Balance with about 2 tbsp of olive oil and stir in the onions and mushrooms with a pinch of salt. After about 1 minute add in the garlic. Saute until the onions and mushrooms are soft. Add in the grain mixture and the spinach. Toss until mixed well and the spinach starts to wilt. Add in a few tablespoons of vegetable broth if it’s too dry.

Serve warm and enjoy!

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Categories : featured, Quinoa, recipes, Side Dishes, Vegan

Wild Mushroom Gravy

By Leslie · Comments (1) · November 6th, 2012

Mashed potatoes without gravy is like me without my puppy Pepe. Not the same! Coming up with an equally yummy vegan version of this rich and deep wild mushroom gravy that’s been a fave on my family’s Thanksgiving table for years was not so easy. But this gravy will have vegans and meaties alike calling ‘pass the gravy’ all dinner long!

Wild Mushroom Gravy

Serves 4 – 6

What you’ll need:

1 small to medium onion, halved and diced

2 cloves of garlic, minced

2 tbsp. butter substitute like Earth Balance

1 medium portobello mushroom, chopped

4 oz. wild mushrooms, sliced (these could be crimini, shitake, oyster or whatever you like)

2 tbsp. flour (for gluten free, just use more cornstarch)

1 tbsp. cornstarch

1 1/2 cups vegetable broth

2 tbsp. soy sauce

salt and pepper to taste

What you’ll do:

In a large frying pan, on medium low heat, melt the butter and add in the onions, portobello mushrooms and garlic. Add a pinch of salt. Saute for about 2 minutes. Add the wild mushrooms and saute for another couple minutes. Add the flour and mix until dissolved.

Add in the vegetable broth and cornstarch. Stir to dissolve all the cornstarch. Let cook for another couple minutes and add the soy sauce. Taste and season.

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Categories : featured, recipes, Side Dishes, Thanksgiving, Vegan, Vegetables: Mushrooms

Creamy Mashed Potatoes

By Leslie · Comments (1) · October 30th, 2012

Thanksgiving is on it’s way! I’ve been cooking up a storm of new recipes and when I thought about which one to post first, I thought I’d start with one of the ultimate staples that will probably appear on every American table. Mashed potatoes. You have to love them, they are the foundation on which you can pile just about everything lol! So here is how I make mine

Creamy Mashed Potatoes

Serves 4

1 lb. potatoes (I like a 50/50 combo of yukon gold and red potatoes)

4 tbsp. butter alternative (like Earth Balance)

1/4-3/4 cup plain soy milk

salt and pepper to taste

What you’ll do:

Boil the potatoes with the skin on in salted water until fork tender, about 25 minutes depending on the size of your potatoes. Drain and peel if you are not fond of the skins. I personally peel about half of them cause I like a little skin Place the potatoes back in the pot or a large bowl with the “butter”. Mash with a potato masher and add the soy milk a 1/4 cup at a time until you get your desired consistency. Today it took about 1/2 cup. Add salt and pepper to taste and serve immediately.

Helpful tips & ideas:

- If you like your potatoes extra smooth, you can use a hand mixer. Just be sure to not raise the power above medium. If you whip them on high the potatoes will become “gluey” and gross.

- Feel free to stir in ingredients! Mashed potatoes are delicious with sauteed leeks stirred in or chopped green onions.

- One of my favorite things is using half sweet potatoes and half yukon gold potatoes, they turn out amaaaazing! Def give it a try!

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xoxo

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Categories : featured, gluten free, recipes, Side Dishes, Thanksgiving, Vegan, Vegetables: Potatoes

Cucumber Salad

By Leslie · Comments (2) · August 31st, 2012

On a warm Summer day like today, a salad like this is refreshing, healthy, and perfect! If you follow me on Facebook or Twitter you know I’ve been in NYC the last few weeks. I heard about a new Whole Foods opening on 57th st. and I headed over to check it out. I found two things… a beautiful new store and all the produce to make this simple salad.

Cucumber Salad

Serves 6

2 cucumbers

6 oz. cherry or grape tomatoes, halved or quartered

about 1/4 cup chopped fresh dill

1 tbsp. sugar

1/2 tbsp. salt

1/8 cup white wine vinegar

Peel the cucumbers and slice in half lengthwise. With a spoon scoop out the seeds down the center of the cucumber. Slice the cucumber and place in a bowl. Add in all the rest of the ingredients and stir. Chill for a few hours and serve chilled.

Comments (2)

Categories : featured, recipes, Salad, Side Dishes, Vegan

Red, White, & Blue Potato Salad

By Leslie · Comments (2) · June 29th, 2012

What is more patriotic than a red, white, and blue potato salad for the 4th of July!? Sooooo, what makes this a patriotic salad? I use red potatoes, white potatoes, and blue potatoes Make sure to watch my video on The Dasani Facebook page to see all I’ll be cooking for Independence day!

Red White & Blue Potato Salad

Serves 8-10

What you’ll need:

16-18 small red, white, and blue potatoes

1/2 purple onion, finely diced

1 tbsp. red wine vinegar

2 tbsp. olive oil

a big pinch of salt

1 cup plus some of vegenaise

chopped chives to garnish

What you’ll do:

Boil the potatoes in a large pot. While they are boiling, in a large bowl, add the 1/2 finely diced purple onion, a big pinch of salt, mix. Add in the red wine vinegar and about a cup of vegenaise. Add a few drizzles of tasty olive oil and mix.

When the potatoes are fork tender (they slide in and out easily, but don’t fall apart) drain them into a strainer. Immediately start quartering or eighthing them and dropping them into the liquid mix. You can leave the skin on or take it off. (I leave it) Stir every couple minutes to cover them. Add more veganaise as you go till you get it to the right consistency. Salt and pepper to taste. If they are still a little too vinegary, try adding a little sweet pickle juice or salt. Refrigerate a few hours or overnight. I serve them with chopped chives on top.

The key here is to toss the hot potatoes in the mixture. The potatoes will absorb the flavors and cook the onions a little.

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Categories : featured, recipes, Side Dishes, Vegan, Vegetables: Potatoes

Springtime Mash

By Leslie · Comments (1) · March 7th, 2012

Yesterday when I was making soup (a complete disaster and a whole other story!) I looked at some ingredients I had on the counter and thought… these could be really good together. With a wing and a prayer, I whipped up this mash in a matter of minutes and it turned out to be pretty darn tasty! I would recommend serving as a side dish or maybe with some sauteed veggies over it. Enjoy!

Springtime Mash

Serves 2-4

What you’ll need:

3-4 large red potatoes, peeled (I like to leave some of the skin on if you do too that’s fine)

1 celery root, peeled and quartered

2 tbsp. vegan butter (like Earth Balance)

1/4 cup chopped watercress

salt and pepper

What you’ll do:

Boil the potatoes and celery root in a pot. When fork tender, strain and return to the warm pot. Add in the vegan butter and mash with a fork or potato masher. For a smoother mash you can use an electric hand mixer. When the right consistency, stir in the watercress and season with salt and pepper. Serve warm.

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Categories : featured, gluten free, recipes, Side Dishes, Vegan, Vegetables: Potatoes

Carrot and Beet Salad

By Leslie · Comments (1) · July 7th, 2011

I hope you all enjoyed the Fourth of July weekend as much as I did! I spent it just how I like: out on the beach with my family enjoying the sun, water and food of South Hampton. Coming from a large Italian family, there is never a shortage of food and this trip was no exception. Some of the culinary highlights included my (incredibly talented!) cousin Joe making homemade beer and just about the best bread I've ever tasted in my life! It's also tradition for all the men in the family to go out clamming in the clam beds. It's always a competition to see who comes back with the most. Again, my cousin Joe dominated. I think he has officially de-throned my Grandfather of being the best clammer in the family (don't tell him I told you though!) Of course I don't eat clams, but I can appreciate the excitement over them. They are always enjoyed three ways: raw on the half-shell, baked or linguini and clams.

So what can I contribute to a meal of clams? Well, I brought a whole box of vegetables from my garden and with the help of my Grandma, this is what we came up with:

These are heirloom carrots and red and golden beets. We gently steamed them, sliced them while still warm and tossed them with olive oil, salt and some fresh parsley. Delish! So easy, it seems silly to write out the recipe, but here goes:

Carrot and Beet Salad

What you'll need:

a couple beets, doesn't matter which color

a few carrots, cut into sticks

olive oil

salt

a handful of fresh parsley

What you'll do:

Steam the carrots and the beets separately. When still firm, but fork tender, remove from the heat and drain. While still warm, remove the skin from the beets and slice. In a medium bowl, toss together all the ingredients and serve warm.

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Categories : Salad, Side Dishes, Vegetables: Beets, Vegetables: Carrots

My Favorite Potato Salad

By Leslie · Comments (2) · June 13th, 2011

Potato salad seems like it would be a really simple dish, but I find there are all sorts of different ways to make it. After lots of trial and error, this is how I like making it. I learned from my Aunt Patty that the key to a really good potato salad is cutting up the hot potatoes and tossing them immediately in the “dressing”. I hope you enjoy as much as I do!

Vegan Potato Salad

Serves 8-10

What you’ll need:

16-18 small red potatoes

1/2 purple onion, finely diced

1 tbsp. red wine vinegar

2 tbsp. olive oil

a big pinch of salt

1 cup plus some of veganaise

chopped chives to garnish

What you’ll do:

Boil the red potatoes in a large pot. While they are boiling, in a large bowl, add the 1/2 finely diced purple onion, a big pinch of salt, mix. Add in the red wine vinegar and about a cup of veganaise. (the veganaise gives it way more flavor and less fat than mayo) Add a few drizzles of tasty olive oil and mix.

The key here is to toss the hot potatoes in the mixture. The potatoes will absorb the flavors and cook the onions a little.

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Categories : Side Dishes, Vegetables: Potatoes

Moroccan Inspired Couscous

By Leslie · Comments (2) · June 10th, 2011

As you saw in my last garden post, I've got a lot of cauliflower growing. I harvested the first one and it took me forever to figure out what to make with it. I have been craving this sudo moroccan flavor profile, so I thought cauliflower would go nicely under that umbrella. The parsley is also from the garden : ) I can't stress enough how satisfying it is to grow your own food, I highly encourage you to grow something this year even if it's just one pot with one herb in it. You'll still get so much excitement every time you use it!

Moroccan Inspired Couscous

Serves 4-6

What you'll need:

1 1/3 cup Israeli couscous

1/2 purple onion, chopped (help is here)

a dash of ground cinnamon

1 3/4 cup vegetable broth

a small handful of pine nuts, toasted

a handful of fresh parsley, chopped

a small handful of golden raisins

a small handful of dried cranberries

1/2 head of cauliflower, steamed till fork tender

salt to taste

What you'll do:

In a medium pot over medium heat, drizzle a swirl of olive oil and add the couscous and onion. Toss to coat in the olive oil. Add in a sprinkle of salt and a dash of cinnamon. In a separate small pot, bring the vegetable broth to a boil. When the couscous is just starting to toast, slowly add in the broth. Stir, bring to a boil, reduce heat, cover and let sit for about 10-12 minutes or until the liquid is absorbed. This is a good time to steam your cauliflower. (I hate over cooked vegetables so I cook mine until just fork tender, but you can cook them to however you fancy)

When the couscous is done, remove from the heat and stir in the golden raisins, dried cranberries, pine nuts and parsley. Taste and adjust salt if necessary. Add in the cauliflower and gently toss.

Serve warm and enjoy!

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Categories : Side Dishes, Vegetables: Cauliflower

Summer Corn Salad

By Leslie · Comments (3) · June 9th, 2011

I love making this side dish! It is seriously one of the quickest, yummiest salads ever! I'm a big fan of vegetable salads (obviously). Growing up in a family of meat eaters that love to have cookouts, I used to love coming up with sides that I got to eat and that my whole family could enjoy. I still enjoy coming up with fun salads. This dish just screams the fresh tasty flavors of Summer! I made it one day after discovering I had three ingredients in my fridge: corn, mushrooms and a red pepper. Turned out to be a delicious salad and one of my favorites to bring to cookouts.

Summer Corn Salad

Serves 4

What you'll need:

3 ears of uncooked corn, zippped (cut the kernels off)

3-4 large crimini or button mushrooms, finely diced

1/4 red bell pepper, finely diced

1/2 cup veganaise

a handful of cilantro, chopped

a handful of chives, chopped

salt to taste

What you'll do:

Mix all the ingredients in a large bowl, season to taste and chill. Enjoy!

That's it, for reals…

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Categories : Side Dishes, Vegetables: Corn, Vegetables: Mushrooms

Archive for Side Dishes

Harvest Grains Pilaf

Wild Mushroom Gravy

Creamy Mashed Potatoes

Cucumber Salad

Red, White, & Blue Potato Salad

Springtime Mash

Carrot and Beet Salad

My Favorite Potato Salad

Moroccan Inspired Couscous

Summer Corn Salad

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