Quinoa with Asparagus and Mushrooms

Quinoa is a great side dish. By itself it can be pretty bland, so I seasoned it using vegetable stock and added asparagus spears and beech mushrooms. The dish pairs wonderfully with chicken or tofu. I could eat several plates of it without worrying about calories!



It's a great, healthy alternative to pasta or rice. Quinoa is incredibly versatile, and you can pair it with pretty much any combination of protein and vegetables. Plus, it's gluten free!

Savory Apple Side Dish Recipe (Baked Stuffed Apples)

Apples are the quintessential fall fruit. They're a great substitute for boring vegetable side dishes or potatoes. Granny Smith apples work wonders in savory dishes because they have a crunchy, crip texture with a hint of acidity.

This particular side dish is ultra-easy to prepare. I stuffed the apples with a combination of freshly cracked walnuts and hazelnuts, red onions, pure cane sorghum (you could also use maple syrup) and a few spices. To add a little tenderness and sweetness to the dish without overwhelming it, I alternated a few slices of McIntosh red apples and stuffed the apples with Kentucky pure cane sorghum from Bourbon Barrel (check out the tip section), which has a texture similar to corn syrup but is so much more flavorful. I placed a little apple cider at the bottom of  an oven-safe baking dish, added the savory stuffed apples and baked them for about 30 minutes. Et voilà!

Fried Polenta with Raw Beet Sauce

Polenta is a great alternative when you’re bored with pasta, rice or bread. It works well as a side dish but could also be served as a main course. As an added bonus it's gluten-free, which is very convenient if you're serving it to someone with allergies.

I got a little lazy so I did not cook and form logs of polenta myself; I used store-bought instead. The taste doesn't differ that much, except when I make my own, I usually add a bit of butter , cream and Parmesan cheese for extra flavor. The pre-cooked version is much healthier.

To ensure the success of this dish, the key is to make plenty of sauce to enhance the flavor of the polenta. This time around I made pesto, but with a twist. I made it with raw beets, then sautéed some button mushrooms and melted goat cheese. The combination of both mixtures made the perfect sauce for this polenta.

White Asparagus Salad Recipe (Goi Mang)

Traditional Vietnamese cooking is widely known for its healthy properties and for the freshness of the ingredients. The food is simply prepared with very easy cooking techniques, which is great if you’re in a rush.

Gơi măng tây (which literally translates to "French bamboo shoots" in Vietnamese) is a typical Vietnamese salad that embodies these qualities. What are French bamboo shoots you ask? Asparagus! Fresh white asparagus are available at my local market, so I decided to use them in this dish. They provide a different texture for this type of raw salad. It's a bit more work than cooking green ones, as white asparagus have to be carefully peeled for optimum tenderness. 

Brown Butter Glazed Carrots with Toasted Hazelnuts

Here's a unique carrot and hazelnut side dish that is both simple and delicious. Carrots and hazelnuts pair wonderfully well. The natural sweetness of the carrots complements the nutty and crunchy nature of the hazelnuts.

For extra flavor, I also added rosemary in brown butter for an earthier taste.