Guest Post by Linda from Chef Needs!

Chef Needs has a wonderful blog with great tips on buying and caring for restaurant equipment and supplies. They also have a website where you can purchase anything and everything from graters to refrigerated bakery display cases! It's really fun just to look at all the restaurant supply products. I don't have room for anything, but it's nice to window shop.

You can find Linda's blog at http://chefneeds.com/blog

They also have a fan page on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Chefneedsrestaurantequipment

Below you will find Linda's fantastic recipes for healthy side dishes! Enjoy!


Side Dishes For The Healthy Diet

A full course meal always has a side dish. You can use your leftovers to make your side dish for your dinner tonight. A little extra will not hurt a bit especially if it is done in a healthy manner.

Mashed Potatoes With Kale And Spinach 

Mashed potatoes are fairly common. This healthier version is just as tasty. These are the items you need:

• Eight pieces of small potatoes
• Two tablespoons of olive oil
• Five cloves of garlic
• A half bunch of kale
• Three spinach leaves
• A half cup of mushroom
• A small onion
• A cup of almond milk
• Salt
• Pepper

What to do:

Slice the potatoes into tiny cubes. Mince the onion. Remove the stems of both kale and spinach and roughly chop the leaves. Cut the mushrooms into smaller pieces.

Heat a pot and place the potatoes inside. Cover and wait for it to boil over. Let it cook until the potatoes are easy to mash. It usually takes around twenty minutes. 

In a pan, heat the olive oil. Cook the onions and garlic just until the onions soften and the garlic turns to golden brown. Add the kale and mushrooms. Let it cook until the mushrooms are soft and the kale turns to a brighter shade of green.

Remove the potatoes from the water. Pour some milk to help easily mash the potatoes. You can add more until the potatoes are fully mashed and are creamy.

Add the vegetable mixture with the potatoes. Slowly stir it in too avoid turning the potatoes green. Add some salt and pepper. If you want you can add some cheese on top. Serve and enjoy.  

Roasted Squash Apples and Pears

This is not your ordinary roasted mixture. The flavors are all different and yet they complement each other. The nutritional value of each ingredient is great for your daily needs. It has sufficient amount of vitamins that will boost your health in a lot of ways.

This recipe is highly recommended. It is good enough to be the main course or as a side dish. It is good for four servings. 

Here is the list of ingredients you will need:

• A small squash
• Two small pieces of pears
• An apple
• An onion
• Two tablespoons of olive oil or any vegetable oil
• A tablespoon of honey mustard
• A tablespoon of apple cider vinegar
• Rosemary
• Salt 
• Pepper butternut squash, cubed

What you need to do:

Ground the rosemary. Chop and remove the seeds of apples, pears and squash. Cut them into cubes.

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Place the apple, squash and pears in a roasting pan. Place in the onions, as well. In a bowl, mix the vinegar, olive oil and honey mustard. Pour it on top of the squash, pears and apples. Sprinkle with rosemary and salt and pepper. Leave it in the oven for an hour and a half. Make sure that the squash, apples and pears are a bit brown on the edges. 

Transfer in a presentable bowl and serve!

Linda Rosario is a food enthusiast from Chef Needs “The Kitchen that Every Chef Needs”.  Aside from  that Linda loves writing, dancing and works as an Engineer.