As a vegetable forward home cook, I adore vegetables in all forms, in all seasons. Recently, we’ve celebrated winter soups and winter salads, so this week we are highlighting some of my favorite winter side dishes. I happen to be crazy about sides. They are relatively easy, and mastering a small repertoire of side dishes is a brilliant thing to do.

As my own @itsthelucyshow says, there’s no reason to wait until Thanksgiving to make mashed potatoes. They were a staple at my house year round when my kids were growing up, and so were green beans. I love an old school side, and I am passionate about updating the recipes to make them a bit lighter and more healthful. Making beautiful food for yourself and the people you love creates lasting memories, like the ones I have for the side dishes I’ve assembled here.

What is it about mashed potatoes that just makes life a little bit better? They are pretty much a home run with everybody I’ve ever met. Though you might tend to think of them as part of a Thanksgiving feast for a very large group, this easy everyday recipe is perfect for four people and great for weeknight eating. Lucy uses my everyday mashed potatoes recipe as the basis for their own vegan version with coconut milk.

WHOLE30 SMASHED POTATOES 
If you’re as crazy about potatoes as I am, you’ll want to have these incredible potatoes in your repertoire too. Here’s a tip good cooks know:  for a crispy potato, you have to cook it twice, so parboil before roasting. I try not to make potatoes a daily occurrence, but this dish is fantastic, whether you’re doing Whole30 or simply a fan of delicious food. Paired with my Pistachio Pesto, this dish is practically intoxicating.

CREAMED SPINACH
I absolutely love old school creamed spinach. I updated this classic to keep it Whole30, and not to brag, but my update is absolutely spectacular (as well as easy to make). It’s delicious with a steak or Sizzling Everyday Roast Chicken Breast, and wonderful for breakfast the next day with jammy eggs, so be sure to make plenty. Double the recipe because you will want more the next day.

SPICY CAULIFLOWER 
Roasted cauliflower is delicious to eat, simple to make, and offers endless variations depending on what spice profile you’re in the mood for. I absolutely adore it. I love using some of my favorite red spices, like Aleppo pepper and sumac. Roasted cauliflower keeps beautifully in the fridge, and it’s spectacular at room temperature. I always roast an extra batch because, blended with chicken or vegetable stock, it makes a truly easy and fantastic soup.

ROASTED MUSHROOMS
Don’t miss out on the glory of mushrooms, best done in the oven at a relatively high heat. They come out almost beefy and rich. Finished with a bit of coconut aminos and red pepper flakes, they are great with a Friday night steak dinner or Everyday Roasted Chicken Breast. One you realize the ease of doing them in the oven, you won’t want to go back to sautéing! 

FRENCH GREEN BEANS
This technically isn’t a winter side dish, but it’s one I make year round. After blanching the green beans, I typically sauté them in olive oil and slivered almonds to get them crunchy. My family eats them like French fries! With the garlic and almonds, they actually are just as delicious! Here, I’ve changed them up a bit by substituting pepitas, which are pumpkin seeds. My delicious Green Beans Almandine from the cookbook is also a wonderful side dish. Garlic Confit is an absolutely lovely hack to save time.

I love a dinner of vegetable sides, and many of these recipes are either already vegan or easily made vegan. This week I’ve invited a spectacular chef, a food blogger, and a recipe developer to share, and you’ll find their recipes below the podcast. 

In this episode, I was thrilled to sit down with New York Times bestselling author Luvvie Ajayi Jones for a lively, inspiring conversation. Her new book, Professional Troublemaker: The Fear-Fighter Manual, is all about trusting our voice and embodying who we are, despite the fear. We cover being a disruptor, setting boundaries, truth-telling as a muscle, and the pandemic as a reset opportunity. Her virtual book tour starts March 2: professionaltroublemakerbook.com.

This episode is in partnership with:

I love this preparation, because it's a plant-based dish with lots of flavor and integrity. Simple, bold flavors with creativity sums it up. Click here for the recipe.

Kenneth Gilbert, Chef/Owner
@chefkennygilbert
chefkennygilbert.com

Asian noodles with peanut butter (or sesame) sauce is currently having a moment in the social media food world! I grew up loving this version, which has a traditional Chinese ingredient sometimes missing in other recipes: black vinegar! Also called “Chinkiang” black vinegar, it is an inky-black vinegar that is like balsamic, but less sweet. Its beautifully complex, deep, woody flavor adds so much dimension. You may have had it as a dipping sauce with soup dumplings (xiaolongbao). If you can’t find it, substitute another vinegar such as balsamic, malt, or rice. The zip really takes this recipe to the next level! You can find the recipe here on her blog or on her instagram.

Sonia Wong, Blogger
@saltnpepperhere
saltnpepperhere.com

This stunning and delicious Indian-inspired side dish comes together with very little effort. A fresh head of Napa cabbage is cut into quarters lengthwise and marinated in warm Indian spices like turmeric, cumin, coriander, and red chili powder, along with ginger and garlic. It's roasted and broiled in the oven until it turns a vibrant, golden yellow and is slightly caramelized. Finally, drizzle the steaks with some dairy-free yogurt and garnish with cilantro. This nutrient dense yet colorful and delicious dish will please your palate. Click here for the recipe.

Shivangi Rao, Food Creative and Recipe Developer
@raodyrecipes
raodyrecipes.com

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