by Kristen Norton | Apr 28, 2026 | Recipes and Meal Ideas, Side
- Plantains
- 2 plantains sliced
- 3 Tbs olive oil
- salt to taste
- Mojo Verde
- 1/2 jalapeño pepper chopped
- 4 cloves garlic roughly chopped
- 1 cup cilantro roughly chopped
- 1 Tbs vinegar white
- 1/2 cup olive oil
Prep
Preheat oven to 450°F.
Peel plantain and slice a quarter-inch thick diagonally.
Make
Toss plantain slices gently in oil and salt to taste. Place flat on a sheet pan lined with parchment paper.
Bake for 10 minutes then flip and smash the plantain until flat. You can use the bottom of a clean jar to do this.
Bake for another 10 minutes until browned.
Prep
Roughly chop jalapeño, garlic, and cilantro. To control spice level, you can avoid membrane and seeds of jalapeño for a milder heat.
Make
Add all ingredients to a food processor and blend till smooth.
Nutrition Facts: Calories 499 Total Fat 38g Saturated Fat 5g Sodium 9mg Total Carbohydrates 44g Dietary Fiber 3g Total Sugars 24g Protein 2g Calcium 13mg Iron 1mg Potassium 695mg
by Kristen Norton | Apr 21, 2026 | Recipes and Meal Ideas, Side
- 4 ears corn shucked
- 1 bell pepper red, chopped
- 1 English cucumber chopped
- 1 jicama small, peeled and cubed
- 1 avocado cubed
- 1/2 onion red, chopped
- 1 pnt cherry tomatoes quartered
- 1/2 cup basil leaves chopped
- 1/3 cup olive oil
- 3 Tbs apple cider vinegar
Prep
Preheat grill to medium-high. Grease the grates.
Prepare all vegetables according to prep instructions.
Make
Brush corn with some of the olive oil while it is grilling, rotating to slightly char all sides.
Remove corn from the grill to cool. Place cob in a deep bowl and remove kernels while holding cob upright. You can also hold corn upright in a bundt pan to capture kernels as you slice them off from the cob with a paring knife.
Add prepped vegetables and corn to a large bowl and toss with remaining olive oil and vinegar.
Season with salt and pepper to taste.
Nutrition Facts: Calories 291 Total Fat 16g Saturated Fat 2g Sodium 16mg Total Carbohydrates 36g Dietary Fiber 11g
Total Sugars 8g Protein 5g Calcium 36mg Iron 202mg Potassium 769mg
by Kristen Norton | Mar 31, 2026 | Recipes and Meal Ideas, Side
- 1/2 head green cabbage shredded finely
- 2 carrots grated finely
- 6 cups water
- 1 mango cut into slivers
- 3 medium 4-1/8″ long scallions, chopped
- 1/4 cup parsley
- 3 limes juiced
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 tablespoon honey
- salt to taste
Prep
Prep ingredients according to instructions.
Make
Add cabbage and carrots to a colander. Pour boiling water over vegetables and let them drain.
Add cabbage, carrots, mango, scallions, and parsley to a large bowl and toss to combine.
Whisk together lime juice, olive oil, and honey. Salt to taste.
Massage vegetables with dressing until coated.
Serve or store in refrigerator for up to 4 days.
Nutrition Facts: Calories Total Fat 7g Saturated Fat 1g Sodium 46mg Total Carbohydrates 34g Dietary Fiber 7g
Total Sugars 22g Protein 4g Calcium 133mg Iron 1mg Potassium 610mg
by Kristen Norton | Mar 10, 2026 | Recipes and Meal Ideas, Side
- 2 cup butternut squash cubed
- 1 Tbs olive oil
- 1 1/2 cup kidney beans canned, drained and rinsed
- 1/2 cup onion sweet, chopped
- 1/2 cup corn kernels
- 1 cup cilantro fresh, chopped
- 1/2 cup pumpkin seeds
- 3 limes juiced
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 1/4 tsp chili powder
- 1/4 tsp cumin ground
- salt to taste
- black pepper to taste
Prep
Preheat oven to 400°F
Cube butternut squash or purchased pre-cut
Drain and rinse beans
Chop onion and cilantro
Juice limes
Make
Toss squash with 1 tablespoon olive oil and place on parchment-lined baking sheet. Roast in oven for 20 minutes or until squash is soft with brown edges.
Meanwhile add beans, onion, corn, cilantro, and pepitas to a large bowl.
In a mason jar, add lime juice, 1/4 cup olive oil, chili powder, and cumin. Shake vigorously to combine.
Once squash is cooked through, add to bowl and toss with dressing. Serve warm over arugula.
Nutrition Facts: Calories 322 Total Fat 25g Saturated Fat 4g Sodium 32mg Total Carbohydrates 24g
Dietary Fiber 6g Total Sugars 4g Protein 7g Calcium 69mg Iron 2mg Potassium 581mg
by Kristen Norton | Dec 8, 2025 | Recipes and Meal Ideas, Side
Ingredients
- 1 juice and zest of 1 lemon juiced
- 2 lb Brussels sprouts
- 3 Tbs olive oil
- 2 garlic cloves minced
- 1 Tbs cumin seeds
- 1 tsp pepper
- 1/4 tsp salt to taste
Prep
Add lemon juice to a large bowl.
Trim the ends of the Brussels sprouts and using a food processor with the slicing attachment, or a sharp knife, slice the Brussels sprouts into thin shreds. If using a knife, halve the sprouts lengthwise first, then thinly slice across.
As you slice, add the Brussels sprouts to the bowl with the lemon juice, tossing occasionally to coat evenly. Gently massage to soften leaves.
Make
Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat.
Add the minced garlic, cumin seeds, and black pepper sautéing until fragrant, about 1 minute.
Add the Brussels sprouts to the skillet, stirring frequently to ensure they cook evenly. Sauté for about 4-5 minutes, until the sprouts have softened slightly but are still green.
Season with salt to taste.
Turn off the heat and stir in the desired amount of grated lemon zest – more if you like lemony and less if you want a hint of lemon.
Serve warm or at room temperature.
Nutrition Facts: Calories 183 Total Fat 12g Saturated Fat 2g Sodium 196mg Total
Carbohydrates 18g Dietary Fiber 6g Total Sugars 4g Protein 6g
by Kristen Norton | Oct 16, 2025 | Recipes and Meal Ideas, Side
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 1 onion sweet, chopped
- 1 Tbs rosemary fresh, chopped
- 3 Tbs olive oil
- 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
- 5 cups chickpeas canned, drained and rinsed (~3, 15 oz. cans)
- 4 cups vegetable broth low sodium (more to thin)
- salt and pepper To Taste
Prep
Mince garlic cloves. Chop onion and rosemary.
Make
In a soup pot over medium heat, add olive oil and then onion. Sauté the onion in olive oil until soft. Add the garlic, rosemary, and crushed red pepper flakes and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute.
Add the chickpeas and vegetable broth – bring to a boil and reduce heat to simmer.
Simmer for 30 minutes. Transfer the soup to a blender and blend until smooth. Be careful when puréeing hot soup as steam can force lid of the blender. Place a kitchen towel over top and hold down the lid while processing to be extra safe.
Bring to room temperature before storing it. You may need to add additional vegetable broth when rewarming as the soup will thicken once refrigerated.
Nutrition Facts: Calories per serving 280 | Total Fat 10.2g | Saturated Fat 1.0g | Trans Fat 0.0g Cholesterol 0mg | Sodium 98mg | Total Carbohydrates 38g | Dietary Fiber 11g |Total Sugars 5g | Protein 11g | Vitamin D 0mcg | Calcium 95mg | Iron 3mg | Potassium 501mg
Pro Tip – Give it a Protein Boost to Make it a Meal
This cozy soup starts you off with about 11g of protein per serving, but if you’re active, building strength, or aiming to stay full and energized, aim for 20g+ of protein per meal.
Try one (or mix and match) of these add-ins to boost your bowl:
- Crumbled feta cheese – ¼ cup adds ~5g protein
- Mini mozzarella balls – 4–5 balls add ~6g protein
- Poached egg – 1 egg adds ~6g protein
- White beans or lentils – ½ cup adds ~8–9g protein
- Grated Parmesan – 2 tablespoons add ~4g protein
- Crispy tofu squares – ½ cup adds ~10g protein
- Shredded chicken – 3 ounces adds ~20g protein
- Toasted pumpkin seeds – 3 tablespoons add ~5g protein
Add what you love and make it your own!
