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Healthy Living with Anita.

Sharing my love for people through my cooking.

Browsing Category FAST AND EASY SIDE DISHES

FAST AND EASY SIDE DISHES, MY CHILDREN'S FAVORITES

Anita’s Creamy-Dreamy Broccoli Soup

  • June 7
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Smooth and creamy without the heavy cream!

Ingredients

5 cups of broccoli florets

2 garlic cloves, minced

1 onion, diced

2 cups vegetable broth or chicken broth

2 potatoes, diced

1 cup sharp cheddar cheese, shredded

1 cup whole milk

2 Tablespoon butter

1/2 teaspoon nutmeg, ground

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon black pepper

Preparation

  1. Use a large pot and heat over medium high heat and melt butter. Sauté the onions until softened. Incorporate minced garlic. 
  2. Add potatoes and broccoli. 
  3. Seasoned with salt, pepper and nutmeg.
  4. Cook for 5 to 10 minutes. Add broth. 
  5. Bring it to a simmer uncovered, then place lid on pot. Lower heat and cook for about 30 minutes until broccoli and potatoes are tender.
  6. Add milk and simmer for additional 5 minutes.
  7. Turn stove off. Use a hand blender and puree until smooth.       
  8. Add cheese while hot and mix.  Ready to serve and warm your soul up. Enjoy!

 


 

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FAST AND EASY SIDE DISHES, SALADS

Anita’s Light and Delicious Tuna-Stuffed Tomato

  • May 27
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So flavorful, healthier and perfect as a summer side dish. Enjoy!

Ingredients

3 5-ounces cans white albacore tuna in water, drained

1/2 red onion, finely minced

3 celery stalks, finely minced

2 Tablespoon of caper brine

1 Tablespoon of capers, minced

1 Tablespoon of fresh lemon juice

1 Tablespoon of mayonnaise

2 Tablespoons of Plain Yogurt

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/3 teaspoon black pepper

Preparation

  1. Use a large bowl, whisk together mayonnaise, lemon juice, yogurt, caper brine, salt and pepper.
  2. Add the drained tuna, celery, capers, and red onions. Stir until well combined.
  3. Serve inside a beefy big tomato, make it in an Olive bread (see my site for recipe) sandwich, tuna melt or enjoy on its own over a healthy delicious spinach salad with balsamic glaze.

 

 

 

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FAST AND EASY SIDE DISHES, RECIPE HELPERS

Anita’s Best Vodka Sauce Ever

  • May 19
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Ingredients

2 Tablespoons Extra Virgen Olive Oil

2 Tablespoons butter

3 garlic cloves, minced

1 (16 ounces can) crushed tomato

4 Heirloom tomatoes, diced

1 Tablespoon tomato paste

12-15 fresh leaves of Oregano, chopped

2 Tablespoon Vodka

1/4 cup of heavy cream or evaporated milk

1/2 teaspoon Kosher salt

1/3 teaspoon black pepper

1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

Preparation

  1. Use a large skillet over medium heat, melt butter with olive oil. Add minced garlic. Cook for 3 to 4 minutes.
  2. Add diced tomatoes.
  3.  Add fresh oregano leaves. 3. Let them simmer and cook until softened. Incorporate crushed tomatoes and tomato paste. Seasoned with salt, pepper, and crushed red pepper flakes.4. Add vodka and stir to incorporate.  5. Lower the heat, cook for 2 to 3 minutes and add slowly heavy cream. 6. Keep stirring until sauce thickened and has turned into a salmon fish color.7. Store sauce in glass containers. Let it cool first, and place into the fridge up to 4 days to use next to fried calamari or in any of your pasta dishes. Enjoy!

 

 

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FAST AND EASY SIDE DISHES, MEDITERANIAN DISHES

Anita’s Angel Hair Pasta with Sage Butter

  • April 19
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A very satisfying and delicious family dinner cooked in no time!

Ingredients

1 Pound angel hair pasta, cooked to package directions till al dente

2 cups cherry tomatoes, cut in half

1 Tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

8 fresh leaves of Sage, minced

4 cloves of garlic, minced

1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes

zest of lemon

1 teaspoon salt

1 Tablespoon salt for pasta water

1/2 teaspoon black pepper

1/4 cup butter

Pecorino Romano cheese, grated

Preparation

  1. Cook pasta as directed on package with a Tablespoon of salt in the water. Drain, drizzle with olive oil and set aside.
  2. Add butter to a large skillet and sauté minced sage for about 2 minutes at low heat until butter gets foamy with golden brown color. Add garlic and cook for an extra two minutes.
  3. Incorporate cherry tomatoes. Seasoned with crash pepper, salt and black pepper.
  4. Add cooked pasta to the skillet and toss all ingredients together. Sprinkle with Pecorino Romano and zest of a lemon. Serve and enjoy!

 

 

 

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A HEALTHY MEAL PLAN, FAST AND EASY SIDE DISHES

Anita’s Easy and Delicious Portabella-Pesto Bowtie Pasta with Cherry Tomatoes

  • October 5
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Ingredients

1 pound Bowtie pasta, boiled according to package

2 cups of baby Portabella mushrooms, sliced

1 pint of multi-colored cherry tomato, cut in half

3 Tablespoon of extra Virgin Olive Oil

1 Tablespoon of butter

1/4 cup of Pecorino Romano Cheese, grated

1/3 cup stuffed pimento green olives, pitted and cut in half

1/2 cup Homemade Basil Pesto (see recipe on my site)

1 red onion, thinly sliced

Preparation

  1. Use a large pot with boiling salted water and cook pasta al dente. BOW PASTA BOILING2. Rinse pasta and set aside.

3. Use a large skillet and at medium-high heat with olive oil and butter  sate sliced onions till tender. BOW PASTA SATE ONIONS        4. Incorporate mushrooms. Cook till softened.BOW PASTA ADD MUSHROOMS        5. Add cherry tomatoes and stuffed green olives. Stir to combine.BOW PASTA ADD CHERRY AND OLIVES        6. Incorporate Homemade Basil Pesto.BOW PASTA ADD PESTO         7. Mix all ingredients and cook sauce for about 10 minutes.BOW PASTA ADD CHERRY TOMATO PESTO          8. Grate 1/4 cup of Pecorino Romano cheese on top of warm pasta in

the pot.BOW PASTA ADD PARMESAN          9. Pour sauce over pasta and mix to incorporate all ingredients. Garnish with some fresh basil leaves and cherry tomatoes. Serve warm or at room temperature. Enjoy!BOW PASTA NICE

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FAST AND EASY SIDE DISHES

Anita’s Homemade Labneh Cheese Balls in Thyme Olive Oil

  • September 22
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Ingredients

1 (32 ounces) Original Plain Yogurt

1 teaspoon sea salt

3 cups of Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Fresh string of thyme leaves

Preparation

  1. Place the yogurt into a mixing bowl and mix in the salt.
  2. Use a cheesecloth or clean pillowcase to transfer in the plain yogurt.
  3. Set a sieve over a large container. Place the cheese cloth or thin pillowcase bag covering the entire surface of the sieve and sides of pillowcase bag are hanging down to be able to tight it up.
  4. Transfer the whole milk yogurt into the center of cheesecloth or pillowcase bag.LABNEH BALLS IN COLANDER5. Grab pillowcase bag and suspend it over the sieve and container.LABNEH BALLS WITH WHEY OUT6. Tie up the cheesecloth or pillowcase bag. Place a plate on top of bag with some heavy cans just for weight so the whey can drip completely into the bowl.

7. Set aside in the refrigerator and leave in for three days until yogurt drip   completely through the cheesecloth.

8. The labneh has formed and ready to be made into cheese balls.LABNEH BALLS IN HAND            9. Prepare a clean container and pour in some Extra-Virgin Olive oil. Add springs of fresh thyme.LABNEH BALLS THYME              10. Shape labneh into a ball. Place over paper towel so they can release any moisture left.LABNEH BALLS TO DRY                   11. Place balls in the bottom of  container. Keep incorporating more gently.  Add rest of extra-virgin olive oil to cover the top of labneh balls. LABNEH BALLS IN JAR FROM TOP                  12. Close the lid and place your labneh cheese balls in the fridge. Olive oil will solidify but will last up to 3 months or more.

Note: Labneh cheese balls can also be kept in a cool place outside the fridge. Can  be roll into zaatar or any other spice.LABNEH BALLS ROLLED IN ZAATAR

LABNEH BALLS WITH ZAATAREnjoy! 🙂

 

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A HEALTHY MEAL PLAN, FAST AND EASY SIDE DISHES

Anita’s Creamy Butternut Squash Soup

  • August 12
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Ingredients

4 cups peeled and cubed butternut squash, boiled

3 cups water

1 cube chicken bouillon

1/2 teaspoon curry powder

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon, ground

1/3 teaspoon ginger, ground

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

2 Tablespoon fresh squeeze lemon juice

heavy cream drops (to drizzle after)

pumpkin seeds (for garnish)

Preparation

  1. Use a large pot and fill it with 3 cups of water. Add chicken bouillon. When it starts to boil add cubed butternut squash. Cook for 15 to 20 minutes or until is tender.
  2. Place tender cooked butternut squash with their broth water into a blender and pure until smooth.BUTTERNUT SQUASH BLENDING3. Return to the pot. BUTTERNUT SQUASH IN POT4. Seasoned with curry powder, cinnamon, ginger, black pepper and fresh lemon juice. Heat through and serve warm. Garnish with pumpkin seeds and some drizzles of heavy cream if you like. Enjoy!

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APPETIZERS, FAST AND EASY SIDE DISHES

Halloumi Baked Rolls

  • April 13
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Ingredients

8 Sheets of filo dough sheets,thawed

2 Tablespoons of Extra  Virgin  Olive oil

Halloumi  Cheese  cut into  14 – 16 logs

Fresh mint and parsley, finely chopped

Preparation

  1. Preheat oven to 375 grades Fahrenheit. Prepare your ingredients.HALUMI CIGARS INGREDIENTS
  2. Unfold one Filo pastry sheet on the work board surface and cut into even rectangles size. Cover the rest of the filo sheets with a damp towel to prevent drying up.HALUMI CIGARS CUT IN HALF3. Sprinkle some of the fresh mint-parsley chopped leaves in the middle of triangle. Place Halloumi log cheese over herbs.HALUMI CIGARS 2020 CHEESE INSIDE4. Roll the sheet over the log of Halloumi cheese.HALUMI CIGARS 2020 ROLLING5. Continue folding edges and roll till the top.HALUMI CIGARS 2020 FOLDING6. Repeat with the rest of the filo sheets. Place on a baking tray lined with parchment paper. HALUMI CIGARS 2020 IN TRAY7. Brush top of Halloumi filo rolls with Olive oil.HALUMI CIGARS 2020 BRUSHED WITH OLIVE OIL  8. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes until light golden. You can sprinkle some Zaatar or Zumac on top too. Enjoy!HALUMI CIGARS 2020 ZAATAR

 

 

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A HEALTHY MEAL PLAN, FAST AND EASY SIDE DISHES, SALADS

Anita’s Healthy and Delicious No-Mayo Tuna Salad Wrap

  • September 19
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Ingredients

2- 6 ounces solid white tuna canned, in water

2 Roma tomatoes, diced

1/2 avocado, diced

1/4 cup cranberries, dried

2 Tablespoons Extra Virgin Olive oil

4 Tablespoon of fresh lemon juice

zest of a lemon

5-6 Butter Lettuce Leaves, rinsed and dry

2 Tablespoon of Balsamic glaze

Salt and pepper To Taste

Preparation

1. Drain Tuna cans and place into a bowl.

2. Add diced tomatoes, diced avocado. Seasoned with salt and pepper.

3. Drizzle over olive oil and lemon juice. Add zest of a lemon. Combine all ingredients. Add dried cranberries.

4. Rinse butter lettuce and arrange them over a serving plate. Place mixed tuna in middle. Drizzle with balsamic glaze. Wrap and enjoy!

 

 

 

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A HEALTHY MEAL PLAN, APPETIZERS, FAST AND EASY SIDE DISHES

Anita’s Crispy Baked White Sweet Potato Rosemary Fries with Garlic Aioli

  • September 9
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Ingredients

2 white sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into long thin strips

1 Tablespoon of fresh rosemary leaves, finely chopped

2 Tablespoon olive oil

1 teaspoon Kosher salt

1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

1 tablespoon corn starch

water

Preparation

  1. Preheat oven to 425 grades Fahrenheit. Prepare a baking sheet lined with foil paper and set aside. Peel sweet potatoes.SWEET POTATOE RAW
  2. Soak thin strips of sweet potatoes into a large bowl with cold water for at least one hour to minimize excess of starch.SWEET POTATOE IN WATER3. Drain and pat dry potatoes using paper towels. Add corn starch and toss well.  SWEET POTATOE CORN STARCH4. Drizzle with olive oil. Add kosher salt, garlic powder, and chopped fresh rosemary. Toss all ingredients until potatoes are well coated.

5. Arrange sweet potatoes evenly into the baking pan. Bake for 15 minutes first, flipping fries using a spatula to bake evenly.

Bake for  another  5 to 8 minutes until potatoes are crispy and slightly brown.

SWEET POTATOE IN OVEN          6. Remove crispy fries from the oven. Sprinkle with salt. SWEET POTATO 2019 IN OVEN                 Enjoy next to a Rosemary Garlic Aioli Sauce !

Rosemary Garlic Aioli Sauce: Mix a cup of mayonnaise with the juice of half of a lemon. Add a teaspoon of fresh finely chopped rosemary leaves. Seasoned with salt, a dash of cayenne pepper and garlic powder. Blend all ingredients and chilled.

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Anita Dakdouk

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