Sometimes I feel like having a few side dish recipes are an after thought. Having a great side dish can elevate your meal to an entirely new level! I have shared some of my favourite chicken recipes that are easy to make and don’t take much time in the kitchen at all! With every great recipe comes perfectly crafted side dish recipes. Sometimes the side dishes make the meal even better! And, if you’re lucky, you can even trick a few picky eaters to add a few greens to their diet. I want to share some of my favourite side dish recipes with you! If you want even more, check this link out and get my side dish recipe book and you can get the recipe book for my favourite protein sources: beef, lamb, poultry, pork, and fish!

1. Maple Bacon Brussel Sprouts

The first time I tried Brussel sprouts was in the heart of Memphis, Tennessee, and I realised that for like 20 years, I had been missing out on these incredible veggies. I always loved cooking for my family after I started studying Food Science. One thing I thought was a challenge was making vegetables that people wanted to eat! That’s where the Maple Bacon Brussel Sprouts comes in to play. My sister told me that the bacon made is seem like a treasure hunt in the vegetables, but the maple drizzled across the sprouts made them the star of the show and a feature dish in her household! Check out the recipe here!

2. Roasted Bell Peppers with Goat Cheese

I was inspired to make this dish after I was traveling through Western Australia. During a research trip for my PhD, I had a day to explore around the coastline of Perth, Western Australia. I stopped at a restaurant on the waterfront, and they served me baby bell peppers over goat cheese. It is such an easy side dish to make and can be a great appetizer for your next dinner party. The baby peppers make these easy finger foods and the goat cheese adds a nice texture and flavour. Check out the recipe!

3. Grilled Vegetable Kabobs

There is possibly no easier recipe to make than grilled veggie skewers. If you are set to have a cookout with your friends and family or just a BBQ night, grilled veggie skewers are a great addition, the prep time and cook time is about 15 minutes total. Grilled vegetable skewers are a perfect fit for a grilled main dish. These kabobs are also easy to clean and becasue the last thing people want to do at a cookout is clean, its a perfect pair. The veggie skewers use the same utensils as the main dishes, which means the clean-up is incredibly fast! Want the recipe?

4. My Summer Salad

This is one of my favourite side dishes to make and quite often it becomes the star of the show. I made this for my family for Thanksgiving and they loved it! I make this salad throughout the summer because it is delicious, packed with nutrients, and, if I am being completely honest, takes about 5 minutes to make. You can also make it throughout the entire year, especially for big feasts like Thanksgiving. Making meals, like a Thanksgiving feast, takes a lot of time and energy. The last thing I want to do is make a bunch of sides that take another few hours. The best part about this dish is that, because of the simple ingredients, it is fresh and adaptable to whatever veggie or berry is in season! Go here for the recipe!

What’s the Takeaway

Having a great side dish can be a wonderful addition to any meal. Make sure when you are cooking, to pair a side dish that complements the main dish! If you want more recipes, cooking and nutrition tips, and so much more, join the newsletter today!