Successful Sides
Below are some tried and true recipes for side dishes. I try and keep my side dishes vegetarian, so they can be enjoyed by everyone at the party.
Rainbow Quinoa Salad:
This salad is refreshing and will not get soggy sitting in the fridge or on a buffet table. Quinoa is a great choice, since it’s a protein and will satisfy the appetite of any vegetarian!
Salad:
- 16oz quinoa, rinsed and drained
- 16oz frozen or fresh corn
- 15oz can black beans, rinsed and drained
- 1 red pepper
- 1 yellow pepper
- 1 orange pepper
- 1 bunch scallions
- 1 large cucumber
Dressing:
- 1 orange
- 1/2 c lemon juice
- 1/4 c olive oil
- 1 tsp cumin
- 1 tsp Dijon mustard
- salt & black pepper
Cook quinoa according to package directions. When cooked, fluff with a fork and add to a large bowl. Add in corn and black beans and toss well. Seed and chop peppers and cucumber. Finely chop scallions. Add all to the salad and mix well.
Make the dressing:
Zest orange and squeeze juice. In a small jar combine all ingredients. Shake well until emulsified.
Put it together:
Pour dressing over salad, mix stir to combine. Taste for seasonings and add salt and pepper as needed.
Classic Crunchy Coleslaw
This coleslaw requires one bowl and one spoon. It’s a cinch to make, wont get soggy, and can be done with light mayo. Don’t overdress, as the coleslaw will shrink slightly as it sits. Make sure to read the labels on the spice containers- celery seeds are perfect, celery salt will give you a horribly salty and soggy coleslaw. For a colorful slaw, use one bag of classic slaw (cabbage and carrots), one bag of shredded carrots, and one bag of shredded purple cabbage.
In the bottom of a large mixing bowl, combine the following:
- 1 c mayo
- 1/2 c apple cider vinegar
- 2-3 tb granulated sugar
- 1 tsp celery seeds
- 1 tsp oil
- salt and pepper to taste
Add in two bags of shredded coleslaw mix. With clean hands or two salad spoons, toss well until all is coated with dressing. Wait fifteen minutes, check for seasonings, and add more salt or celery seeds if desired.
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