If you’re scrambling for a quick, delicious, and healthy dish to fill out your menu, look no further. Here are 12 side dishes, salads, and desserts that go together quickly and easily, so you can spend more time enjoying the company of family and friends.
Edamame with cranberries, feta, and basil
This simple, colorful salad marries heart-healthy edamame with antioxidant-rich dried cranberries. Perfect as a simple side with nearly any meal; or serve it on a bed of greens as a starter salad. View recipe.
Native American squash soup with maple syrup
Many of the first Europeans to come to America were city dwellers; few knew how to grow and hunt for food. The Native Americans taught them how to grow foods such as squash and pumpkins , how to forage for herbs and edible plants, and how to tap the sweet sap from maple trees. This recipe is adapted from one by Native American scholar E. Barrie Kavasch. View recipe.
Butter lettuce and endive with pomegranate jewels
In this wintery salad, the amount of lettuce should come to about 5 cups total. Look for prepackaged pomegranate seeds in the refrigerated produce section of your natural market. View recipe.
Arugula, pear, and toasted hazelnut salad
Hazelnuts add a richness to peppery arugula and fresh pear, in this health, festive salad. View recipe.
Ruby grapefruit, apple, and star fruit salad
A lovely and simple showcase salad featuring winter fruits. To save time, use bottled or canned grapefruit sections. View recipe.
Tarragon-scented cranberry sauce
“Everyone has cranberry sauce at Thanksgiving,” says chef Fred Brightman of Capitale Restaurant in New York City, “but here you’re utilizing tarragon, so it’s a whole different, and amazing, flavor profile.” Plus it’s easy to make: “It looks as if a lot of time was put into it, but it’s the simplest thing in the world.” View recipe.
Stir-fried brussels sprouts with shallots
Loaded with vitamin C and phytonutrients and linked to reduced cancer risk, brussels sprouts become mild and sweet when cooked. View recipe.
Kale with sesame-seed dressing
This dish is rich in texture and flavor. Japanese people often make this with spinach, too. To chop sesame seeds, pulse about five times in a spice grinder-gently, so the mix doesn't turn to paste. View recipe.
Honey-glazed baby carrots
Widely used during fall's High Holy Days, honey is a Jewish symbol of sweetness. This easy dish is also a common staple for Friday night Shabbat meals. If you use small baby carrots, there's no need to slice them; if using whole carrots, peel and slice into coins. View recipe.
Orange-and-spiced mashed sweet potatoes
Ingredient tip: Look for orange-fleshed sweet potatoes with dark skins, often labeled as garnet yams. They are sweeter and have a higher moisture content than pale-fleshed sweet potatoes. View recipe.
Cinnamon-walnut cookies
Hurrying for a holiday treat? Throw all of the ingredients into the food processor and bake up a batch of these amazing little cookies for your next party. Full of fiber-rich dates, walnuts with omega-3s, and delightfully powerful cinnamon, they offer a clean, satisfying taste, sans a post-dessert hangover. View recipe.
Wild blueberry and pear crisp
A delicious dessert (or breakfast) filled with antioxidants from wild blueberries and seasonal fruit. Prep tips: Increase the flaxseed in the topping if you wish, or add more walnuts for extra omega-3s. View recipe.
