side – Page 5 – Strong Roots Nutrition

January 27, 2014

Mushroom soba miso soup

Miso is fermented soybean paste made from mashed soybeans that have been mixed with salt and a mold culture and aged for 6-36 months. Yum? It may not sound appetizing, but fermentation is a natural process that simply involves bacteria breaking down and "digesting" carbohydrates. And bacteria aren't that scary. If you don't believe me, some fermented foods that you may regularly enjoy include sauerkraut, pickles, sourdough bread, beer, wine, and yogurt. Miso is used to give a rich depth of flavor to many foods, and it is a common base for soups[...]

fall, side, vegetable, vegetarian, winter

January 13, 2014

Roasted rainbow carrots with creamed honey and yogurt dressing

This time of year can generally be a tough time for creative recipes, but this week, creamed honey made its first appearance in my life. Sometimes it's a creative restaurant chef that transforms an ordinary dish into something exciting and new. Sometimes it's a beautifully-illustrated cookbook. Other times it's good company that makes all the difference. Inspiration can come from a vast array of sources, but when it shows up, it needs to be savored. It's usually delicious. Here's to finding new recipes to keep meals fun through the winter. Did you know t[...]

appetizer, bread, condiment, side

December 17, 2013

Tzatziki (cucumber-yogurt dip) and whole wheat pita bread

Multiple Greek food recipes in one week is my Christmas gift to you! Tzatziki, if you've never had it, is a garlicky yogurt-cucumber dip that's both surprisingly pungent and outrageously refreshing. It might sound strange, but it's one of those things that just works. Do yourself a favor and don't stop with pita bread - put it on chicken, salmon, beef, or roasted vegetables. This whole wheat pita bread gets two thumbs up, too. They puff up beautifully in the oven, and the dough will last in the fridge for a couple of days so your enjoyment of fresh-b[...]

appetizer, fall, side

August 8, 2012

Welcome to Denver: Oregano-roasted fingerling potatoes with garlic aioli

I've moved to Denver! Due to the busyness of moving and getting settled, cooking projects have been on the back burner, but some beautiful fingerling potatoes changed that. Fingerling potatoes are small, narrow, finger-shaped potatoes. This nice medley came with a mix of Russian banana (yellow skin), French (red skin), and purple Peruvian (bluish-purple skin). What a pretty combination! Aioli is not as scary as it sounds. It's basically mayonnaise, and it has only 5 ingredients. And, most importantly, it is[...]

salad, side, vegetable, vegetarian

June 2, 2012

Roasted broccoli and quinoa salad

Comfort food is simply a food that we attach sentimental value to, often from childhood experiences. Your mom's spaghetti or grandma's chicken pot pie. But broccoli? Don't lie - I know you stood those little trees up on your plate as a child and pretended to be a huge dinosaur, devouring them in a single bite. See? Memories. Even if sentimental value hasn't kept you longing for broccoli over the years, it's still a darn tasty veggie to eat. And oven-roasted and tossed with quinoa and salty Parmesan? Delish. The great thing abou[...]