Cooking with Ellen

Yet another favorite way to cook broccoli, cauliflower, green beans, and vegetable blends is to steam them. I, thanks to wedding gifts (and a find at Dirt Cheap), I have 3 ways to steam my veggies.
- Electric Vegetable Steamer/Rice Cooker – this was my Dirt Cheap $6 find! My steamer cooks rice to perfection and [...]

If you haven’t noticed from reading this newsletter, I have become a huge fan of frozen vegetables. With just Ryan and I in the house, I have nearly cried throwing away several different fresh vegetables that we just couldn’t eat up fast enough!
Buying frozen or freezing vegetables has worked great for us. As soon as [...]

1 (16-ounce) bag frozen mixed vegetables
Salt & Pepper to taste
1 cup fat-free sour cream
1/2 cup low-fat cheddar cheese
1/2 cup low-fat mozzarella cheese
Crushed Baked Chips to cover
Place mixed vegetables in 8″ square casserole dish. Sprinkle with salt & pepper. Spread sour cream and cheeses over the top and gently toss with vegetables. Top with baked chips.
Bake [...]

2 teaspoons olive oil
1 clove garlic, minced
1 tablespoon onion, minced (optional)
1 bag (16-ounce) frozen green beans
2 tablespoons sliced almonds
Salt & Pepper to taste
Heat olive oil and garlic in a medium-sized skillet. Add green beans, onion, almonds, salt, and pepper. Cook until green beans are heated through, but slightly crisp.
NOTE: Ryan & I have really enjoyed [...]

This week I am highlighting healthy vegetable side dishes to add to your favorite meal. Time and again, it seems that the side dishes are the parts of the meal that people report are “left wanting” or even “absent.”
Ryan and I have enjoyed the following sides as quick additions to our dinners.