Side Dishes


Fried Okra

I am going to cook okra for the first time in my life. I have eaten okra before as a child. The fact that I never liked it has nothing to do with my mom’s cooking (she’s an excellent cook). It was prepared in a tomato sauce, an authentic Arabic recipe, and this creates slimy [...]

Stir-Fried Green Beans

Stir-Fried Green Beans

I have to thank my friend Cheryl for inspiring some yummy food for tonight’s dinner. We got a big bag of local, naturally-grown-although-not-certified-organic green beans at the Farmer’s Market yesterday. I was going to make Loubieh (Arabic Green Bean Stew) out of them. But her simple recipe sounded so good and so simple, so [...]

Leftover Corn Skillet

Leftover Corn Skillet

Leftover steamed corn on the cob? Here’s a super easy and fabulously delicious side dish.
Heat a cast iron skilet over medium heat with a few tablespoons of oil (your choice: olive, grapeseed, coconut, red palm, butter).
While the pan and oil are heating, cut all the kernels off the ears of corn.
Transfer the corn to the [...]

Flatbread Melts

Flatbread Melts

Pinto Bean Melt

Wild Salmon Melt
gluten-free, egg-free, dairy-free (uses goat cheese)

Four Grain Flatbreads
chicken, chicken salad, wild salmon salad or pinto bean spread
Shredded Goat Cheese

Under the broiler of the oven or in a counter-top toaster oven, toast both sides of the flatbreads. Spread with desired topping(s) and then top with shredded goat cheese. Put back under the [...]

Seasoned Black Beans for Rice Bowls

Seasoned Black Beans for Rice Bowls

A great way to make a double batch of this is to cook 5 cups of dry black beans in the crockpot overnight. Use a 4- to 5-quart crockpot. In the morning, you’ll have 15 cups of cooked black beans, which will make the following recipe twice. Use half the beans for the first batch [...]