This was another one of those impromptu sides I managed to come up with in my head and on the fly. I don't do much with beans, but these turned out so good!

Ingredients:

1 can of white kidney beans (canellini beans) 

1/3 cup of white wine

1 medium-sized tomato, diced

1/4 red onion, diced

2 Tablespoons of pesto

1 Tablespoon chopped oregano

1 Tablespoon olive oil

Salt and Pepper, to taste

Directions:

In a skillet, on medium heat, sautee the onions in the olive oil until softened, about 3 minutes.   

Add the tomatoes and sautee another 3 minutes. 

Add the beans, pesto, and oregano. Sautee another 1-2 minutes to encorporate the pesto.

Add the wine. Simmer until the wine has reduced to about half and the sauce has thickened. Season with salt and pepper and serve. 

Optional: Sprinkle with your favorite cheese (parmigiano-reggiano, feta, etc.)

Air Fries

I really hate making french fries. The fat, the grease, the mess. Plus I never buy those frozen fries that you can just throw in the oven...who knows what's in those things, plus they're usually pretty bland. Here is my recipe for "Air Fries".

4-5 medium sized Yukon gold potatoes
olive oil
salt
pepper
Old Bay Seasoning

Cut up the potatoes into strips, as thick or as thin as you like. Toss them in the olive oil, salt, pepper, and Old Bay seasoning. Place a cooling rack on top of a baking sheet and place the fries on the cooling rack, to allow the fries to cook on all sides without having to turn them. Bake at 400 degrees for 25-30 minues.

Cheesy Potatoes Au Gratin

I wasn't happy with any of the recipes I found online, so I made up my own! I would like to try this with different cheeses like asiago, but this is what I had on hand.

6 Yukon gold potatoes, sliced thin
1/2 cup of cheddar cheese, shredded
1/2 cup of Velveeta Light, shredded
1/2 cup of fat free sour cream
1 cup of milk
1 small onion, diced
2 tablespoons of butter
1 tablespoon of Dijon mustard
1 tablespoon of flour
salt/pepper

Melt the butter in a skillet. Saute the onion until transparent. Whisk in the flour. Stir constantly until the roux is a light golden brown.

Whisk in the Dijon mustard, sour cream, and milk.

Add the cheeses and melt almost completely. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Add the potatoes and stir gently.

Transfer to a baking dish and bake for approximately 35-40 minutes at 325.

Portabello and Parmesan Risotto

I made this with the balsamic chicken drummettes. I think it was a nice, complementing side. I think I'll use a more flavorful cheese next time as the parmesan didn't give it enough oomph. Although, it was still pretty darn tasty!

2 cups water
1 (14 1/2-ounce) can vegetable broth
4 teaspoons olive oil, divided
2 cups chopped cremini mushrooms (about 6 ounces)
1/2 cup chopped onion
1 1/2 cups Arborio rice
1 cup marsala wine
1/2 cup (2 ounces) grated fresh Parmesan cheese
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil
1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper

Bring water and broth to a simmer in a saucepan (do not boil). Keep warm over low heat.
Heat 2 teaspoons oil in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Add mushrooms; saute 5 minutes or until tender. Remove mushrooms from pan.

Heat 2 teaspoons oil in pan over medium-high heat. Add onion; saute 2 minutes or until tender. Add rice; cook 1 minute, stirring constantly. Stir in wine; cook 2 minutes or until liquid is nearly absorbed, stirring constantly.

Add broth mixture, 1/2 cup at a time, stirring constantly until each portion of broth mixture is absorbed before adding the next (about 20 minutes). Stir in mushrooms, cheese, and remaining ingredients.

Quinoa, Corn, and Tomato Salad with Chive Infused Oil

This recipe is from Cooking Light August 2007. This looked so refreshing and filling that I had to try it. It's so good! Light yet fulfilling!

Ingredients
1 1/2 cups water

1 cup uncooked quinoa

1 cup fresh corn kernels (about 2 ears)

1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved

1/4 cup finely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

2 tablespoons Chive-Infused Oil

2 tablespoons fresh lime juice

2 tablespoons white wine vinegar

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 garlic clove, minced

Preparation

Combine 1 1/2 cups water and quinoa in a medium saucepan; bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer 10 minutes or until liquid is absorbed. Remove from heat; let stand 10 minutes. Fluff with a fork.
Combine quinoa, corn, tomatoes, and parsley in a medium bowl. Combine Chive-Infused Oil and remaining ingredients, stirring with a whisk. Drizzle over salad; toss well to coat. Let stand 10 minutes before serving.

Deviled Eggs

This recipe was taken from Cooking Light 2001. I added my own twist and they turned out great! My changes are in purple.

Ingredients
12 large eggs

1/3 cup plain fat-free yogurt

3 tablespoons low-fat mayonnaise (I used Light Miracle Whip)

1/2 tablespoon Dijon mustard

1/2 tablespoon Raspberry-Wasabi Mustard

1 to 2 teaspoons hot pepper sauce (I used Frank's Hot Sauce)

1/8 teaspoon salt

1/8 teaspoon paprika

1/8 teaspoon black pepper

2 tablespoons chopped green onions (optional)

Preparation

Place the eggs in a large saucepan. Cover with water to 1 inch above eggs; bring just to a boil. Remove from heat; cover and let stand 15 minutes. Drain and rinse with cold running water until cool. Peel eggs. Slice eggs in half lengthwise, and remove yolks. Discard 3 yolks.

Combine yogurt and next 4 ingredients (yogurt through salt) in a medium bowl. Add remaining yolks; beat with a mixer at high speed until smooth. Spoon about 1 tablespoon yolk mixture into each egg white half. Cover and chill 1 hour. Sprinkle with paprika and black pepper. Garnish with green onions, if desired.