People all over the internet & social media make creating healthy food look incredibly easy.
It’s not until you try to create what they made that you quickly learn it’s easier to watch them do it than it is for you to do it OR it just takes way too long.
You ask yourself how is it possible to mess up a side dish that is supposed to be EASY?
I asked myself the same questions all the time after I would somehow mess up a “simple” dish.Â
Being new to the whole “cooking for myself” stage in life I either had to eat frozen veggies for the rest of my life (nothing wrong with frozen veggies) or I had to face the kitchen head-on.Â
Not only did I want to eat healthily but I also wanted to create something easy and delicious since I considered myself somewhat of a beginner in the kitchen.
At this point, I had down different main meat recipes (mainly chicken) but the meals were lacking because my sides were not very good or original.
I was stuck on a frozen corn roller coaster because I was scared to mess something up.
I began ordering Hello Fresh and boy did my confidence and inspiration in the kitchen come shortly after.Â
After canceling my subscription I felt more comfortable trying my own recipes.
And thankfully I did because now I have so many 5-star dinner sides that could not be easier to make for beginners like myself.
My meals went from a basic 5/10 to pretty damn near great.Â
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My Favorite Healthy, Simple & Delicious Dinner Sides
My 2 favorite ways to cook sides are on a sheet pan in the oven and sautéed on the stovetop.
Both extremely easy and depending on how quickly you want to make dinner, baking your sides in the oven will take a little longer.
Below are a few of my favorite healthy, simple & delicious sides that you will be craving to make every week.
The first recipe on my list is the infamous baked sweet potato!
Not only are sweet potatoes delicious and filling but also heathy and a great addition to any diet or meal.
This side pairs perfectly with any time of meat, fish or meat substitute!
Pork chops, salmon, steak, chicken, ham… the list does on and on!
There are also SO many variations of this side that you can also easily make or substitute, like adding cinnamon and better at the end instead of salt & pepper (10/10 recommend).Â
I hope you enjoy this recipe as much as I do and I can’t wait for you to try it!
Savory Sweet Potato
Equipment
- Conventional Oven
- Fork
- Aluminum Foil
- Baking Sheet
Ingredients
- 4 Sweet Potatoes
- 4 TBSP Olive Oil
- Salt & Pepper
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees
- Wash sweet potato(es)
- Poke sweet potatoes with fork about 6-10 times (this step is necessary, don't forget it!!)
- Rip large enough piece of aluminum foil to wrap potato 2.5-2x
- Place aluminum foil under sweet potatoe and drizzle olive oil overtop
- Then add salt & pepper to taste
- Wrap sweet potato in aluminum foil so no juices escape
- Follow the steps above for as many sweet potatoes as you are making
- Bake in the oven for 45-60 minutes (if you poke the sweet potato and it is tender then it means its done!)
- Let cook enough so you don't burn yourself & enjoy!!!
I’m not too sure how you top a sweet potato but this next side dish sure brings the pressure.
It’s also understandable that not everyone has over an hour to make dinner let alone just the side dish.
Lucky for you this next side dish can be made in under 10 minutes!
Just thinking about this next recipe has my mouth watering.
No doubt you will enjoy this side and how easy it is to make!
Garlic String Beans
Equipment
- Large non-stick pan
Ingredients
- 2 Handfuls fresh string beans
- 2 TBSP Olive oil
- 1 TBSP Minced garlic If you are a true garlic lover then please feel free to add more 🙂
Instructions
- Prepheat non-stick pan to medium heat
- Add olive oil
- Add minced garlic
- Sautee garlic until fragrent
- Once fragrent add in the string beans and mix around
- Keep on the stove for about 8-10 while mixing around the beans every few minutes to make sure they cook evenly
- Once tender enough for desired taste remove from heat and serve!
Next on the favorites list is Baked Cajun Carrots.
This recipe is great because of how easily customizable it can be! My favorite being to add a Cajun blend seasoning mix so it adds a little spice.
These just might be your new go-to side dish!Â
Bakes Cajun Carrots
Equipment
- Conventional Oven
- Baking Sheet
Ingredients
- 6-10 Large carrots
- Oilve oil
- Cajun blend seasoning
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425 degrees
- Wash carrots
- *optional* Peel carrots
- Cut the ends off the carrots, then in half shoort ways then in half long ways and then again- if they are still pretty thick I would cut them again. At this point they should kinda look like french fries.
- Toss cut carrots in olive oil and Cajun blend seasoning
- Add single layer of carrots to cookie sheet
- Bake in oven for 22-28 minutes or until golden brown
This next side dish I admit, I definitely make probably more often then I should!
But they are irresistible and taste like my favorite munchie…french-fries.
Except for the fact that they are much healthier and full of flavor!!
Next on the list… Old Bay potato bites!!!
Old Bay Potato Bites
Ingredients
- 10 Mini potatoes (or as many as you want)
- drizzle of Olive Oil
- 2 TBSP Old Bay Seasoning
Instructions
- Preheat oven ro 425 degrees
- Wash mini potatoes
- Cut mini potatoes in half long ways and then in half long ways again
- Coat potatoes in olive oil (I toss potatoes in small bowl)
- Spinkle with old bay seasoning
- Spread coated potatoes on baking sheet- make sure to not layer
- Place in preheated oven for 22-28 minutes or until golden brown
- Enjoy!!!
Finishing out my list of easy, healthy delicious veggie sides is the iconic sweet potato fries.
This staple is good with burgers, steak, chicken and everything in between.
These fries will make you cooking like a chef in no time and have you shocking yourself with the delicious restaurant style fries.
Sweet Potato Fries
Ingredients
- 2 Small Sweet potatoes
- Olive Oil
- Salt & Pepper
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 450 degrees
- Wash and peel sweet potatoes (this is optional but reccomended)
- Cut sweet potatoes into thin "matchsticks"
- Coat with olive oil
- Sprinkle with salt & pepper or desiered seasoning
- Spread evenly over baking sheet
- Bake for 30 minutes flipping them around hlaf way through
- Bake until desired crispiness/ golden color
