Category: side

Grilled Asparagus & Wild Ramps

columbiafoods, grilling, healthy, keto, paleo, side, weeknight

This weekend was the first time we’ve visited our local farmer’s market since the beginning of this maddening pandemic. It was absolutely amazing to be reminded of the vibrant local food culture we have here in Columbia and that it is still alive and well after all this craziness. We picked up some beautiful veggies – please see the gorgeous purple asparagus below! We also had the good fortune to catch a booth with some wild-foraged ramps. The first thing we wanted to do with these veggies was keep it simple and throw them on the grill with just some simple seasonings so we could just taste the veggies themselves. This recipe for Grilled Asparagus and Wild Ramps is the product!

A note on ramps! Ramps are a wild allium, related to the leek and the shallot. They are very picky about where and when they grow, and are available for a very short time in the spring in the regions they grown in at all! If you’re not lucky enough to have ramps available to you at the moment, leeks can be substituted.

Ingredients

  • 1 – 2 bunches wild ramps (or 2 large leeks)
  • 1 lb asparagus
  • 2 – 3 tbs olive oil
  • salt and pepper

Instructions

  1. Fire up the grill! Bring it up to medium high heat
  2. Clean the roots from the end of the ramps (but leave most of the white part!). Chop the tough ends off the asparagus
  3. Drizzle the ramps (including the leaves!) and asparagus with olive oil, and toss lightly with your hands to coat. Season generously with salt and black pepper.
  4. Put the ramps and asparagus out on the grill in a single layer, allowing to char on each side for 1 – 2 minutes (the crispy blackened ramp leaves we got out of our batch were my favorite part)
  5. Serve immediately with grilled chicken, a light pasta dish, or next to a juicy steak
  6. That’s it, you’re done, you made the easiest most delicious side dish ever!

Spicy Gochugaru Bacon & Brussels Sprouts

healthy, keto, paleo, side, weeknight

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This recipe is an Alex special! One of our favorite restaurants in Columbia has turned this guy from a brussel sprouts hater to a brussels sprouts lover! Their brussels sprouts side features thick cut bacon and roasted garlic – Alex got in the kitchen the other day and decided to take that thought to the next level. Gochugaru Bacon and Brussels Sprouts may be our new favorite homecooked side dish.

What’s gochugaru you ask? Gochugaru is Korean chili powder or chili flakes. They are a little more mild than the typical crushed red pepper flake, but can still pack a bit of a punch! You can substitute crushed red chili flakes or (be careful with this one) cayenne instead of gochugaru.

Ingredients

  • 1 lb large brussel sprouts, cut in halves or quarters
  • 6 – 7 slices thick cut bacon (we used Wright’s!)
  • 4-5 cloves fresh garlic (more to taste or if available lol)
  • 1 – 2 tsp onion powder
  • 1 – 2 tsp korean chili flakes (gochugaru – can substitute crushed red chili flakes)
  • salt and black pepper to taste
  • 2-3 tbs Irish salted or unsalted butter (we used Kerrigold)
  • 2 tbs lemon juice

Instructions

  1. Trim then chop brussel sprouts several different ways for different sizes and textures e.g. halves, diced, chopped, sliced and halfed, etc. for whatever combo suits you. Place in colander to wash and then set aside.
  2. Roughly chop the garlic. No need to go super fine or garlic smasher them you want them to show up in the mix.
  3. Stack a few pieces of bacon (or all of them if you have a good enough knife) and slice in to small strips. Separate by hand a bit before setting aside.
  4. Set a large cast iron skillet over medium heat to bring to temperature
  5. Add bacon to pre-heated skillet and keep heat medium to low while stirring bacon often.
  6. Add garlic to cooking bacon and continue to stir occasionally for 1-2 minutes. Return heat to medium and allow to sit until bacon has rendered a bit of fat but before the bacon gets too crispy.
  7. Add brussel sprouts to skillet and stir until covered with the bacon grease.
  8. Then, stir in onion powder and gochugaru. No matter what type of chili you’re using here, start small if you’re not sure about spicy stuff, and add more if you find it needs it.
  9. Add salt and black pepper to taste, keeping in mind whether your butter is salted or not.
  10. Preheat your oven’s broiler at this point and set your rack to one of the higher positions.
  11. Lower skillet heat to medium-low and add butter and lemon juice. Stir the ingredients and allow brussels sprouts to just begin to get tender.
  12. Finally, add cast iron to broiler in oven. Broil until bacon begins to crisp and brussel sprouts are cooked through to your liking!
  13. Remove from oven and serve immediately.

Serving Suggestions

Ginger Garlic Brown Rice & Peas

healthy, side, weeknight

Ginger Garlic Brown Rice & Peas is a great side for soupy mains, like the wonderful Instant Pot Coconut Butter Chicken or just on its own with a fried egg on top! It has enough subtle flavor to give a flavorful dish a little something extra. I had peas in the freezer when we made this but you could definitely toss in pretty much any veggie or green – whatever you have on hand!

Ginger Garlic Brown Rice & Peas Ingredients

  • 2 cups chicken broth (my favorite is the College Inn brand!)
  • 2 tbs fresh ginger, sliced
  • 4 – 5 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 tbs ghee, butter, or olive oil
  • 1 cup brown rice
  • 1 cup frozen peas
  • Salt and pepper, to taste

Ginger Garlic Brown Rice & Peas Instructions

  1. Add the chicken broth, garlic, ginger, and ghee to a medium pot and bring to just boiling
  2. Add the brown rice, reduce the heat to low and cover. Cook the rice for 45 minutes or until tender. If the rice looks like it doesn’t have enough liquied, add more chicken broth a tablespoon at a time.
  3. Once the rice is cooked, remove the lid and remove the ginger slices. Add the peas, stirring them in and allowing to cook until the veggies are heated through
  4. Taste for salt and add some if needed. Add a dash of black pepper
  5. Enjoy! This rice is great with a fried egg and some chili oil on top, or as a side to curries or saucy dishes
ginger garlic brown rice and peas