Garlic Butter Zoodles with Brussels Sprouts

I have to admit, a spiral slicer is a rather fun kitchen gadget to have. You can take just about any recipe you would normally make with pasta and make it low-carb by substituting zoodles (zucchini noodles). You can use the slicer for other things too, but I pretty much use it mostly for zoodles and these garlic butter zoodles with Brussels Sprouts are fantastic!

Garlic Butter Zoodles with Brussels Sprouts

These garlic butter zoodles with Brussels sprouts are about as easy to make as you can get, and they taste fantastic. I cook the zucchini noodles to the point where they are soft, but still have some crunch. The butter and garlic add some needed flavor. Zucchini isn’t exactly packed with flavor… it’s good, but butter and garlic make it fantastic. And nothing beats crunchy Brussels sprouts. I love them. Topped with a bit of cheese and toasted sesame seeds, this makes for a great side dish.

You can get pretty creative with this dish just by swapping a few ingredients. Use toasted pine nuts or even peanuts instead of sesame seeds. Leave off the Parmesan cheese and add French-fried jalapenos for a kicked up dish, or just add a few (big) pinches of dried red pepper flake to the zucchini when you are cooking them.

Or just add cooked crumbled bacon. Now we’re talking good!

Also try my sauteed shredded Brussels sprouts and my spiral radish salad.

Garlic Butter Zoodles with Brussels Sprouts
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4.50 from 2 votes

Garlic Butter Zoodles with Brussels Sprouts

These garlic butter zoodles with Brussels sprouts are about as easy to make as you can get, and they taste fantastic. 
Course Side
Cuisine American
Keyword Brussels sprouts, butter, creamy garlic, noodles, zucchini
Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Total Time 20 minutes
Servings 4
Calories 117kcal
Author Mike

Equipment

Ingredients

  • ½ pound Brussels sprouts tough parts of stems removed
  • 3 small zucchini cut into noodles using a spiral slicer
  • 3 tablespoons unsalted butter divided
  • 2 cloves garlic minced
  • kosher salt
  • ground black pepper
  • sesame seeds toasted (optional)
  • Parmesan cheese grated

Instructions

  • Bring a small pot of salted water to a boil.
  • Add the sprouts and boil for 4-5 minutes or until just starting to soften.
  • Drain and rinse under cool water.
  • Cut sprouts in half along the stem.
  • Meanwhile, melt 1 tablespoon of butter in a large skillet.
  • Add the zucchini noodles and cook for 2-3 minutes, stirring.
  • Let noodles rest for 3 minutes to release any liquid, then drain. Remove noodles to plate.
  • Add 1 tablespoon of butter to the skillet and melt.
  • Add the garlic and sprouts and saute for 5 minutes.
  • Add remaining butter and melt.
  • Add the zucchini noodles back to the pan, stir and warm through.
  • Season to taste with salt and pepper.
  • Serve garnished with toasted sesame seeds and freshly grated Parmesan cheese.

Nutrition

Calories: 117kcal | Carbohydrates: 8g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 9g | Saturated Fat: 6g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 23mg | Sodium: 23mg | Potassium: 460mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 867IU | Vitamin C: 65mg | Calcium: 43mg | Iron: 1mg

Nutritional values are approximate.

Roasted Beet Salad

As simple as this roasted beet salad is, it is packed full of great flavors. The roasted beets have such a wonderful sweetness to them. The balsamic vinegar and oil dressing really quiets all that sweetness. Last, the tang of Feta cheese finishes it all off perfectly. As soon as I took my first bite I grabbed my phone and added this recipe to my Thanksgiving meal to-do list. Of course, you can make this salad any time of the year, but I can definitely see it quickly becoming a holiday favorite.

Roasted Beet Salad

I keep a spreadsheet on Google docs for any menu ideas that hit me. That way, no matter where I am at, I can make a note about a recipe that might be good to make in the future. Like this roasted beet salad, which I just added to my Thanksgiving menu!

Make sure that you whisk the vinegar and oil mixture well before pouring it over the beets.

For something a little different, try smoked beets. Wow, are they also great smoked! Also make my spiralized roasted pickled beets.

Roasted Beet Salad
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5 from 1 vote

Roasted Beet Salad

As simple as this roasted beet salad is, it is packed full of great flavors. The roasted beets have such a wonderful sweetness to them. The balsamic vinegar and oil dressing really quiets all that sweetness. Last, the tang of Feta cheese finishes it all off perfectly.
Course Side
Cuisine American
Keyword beets, roasted, salad
Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour 20 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 25 minutes
Servings 6
Calories 118kcal

Ingredients

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 400 F.
  • Trim the stem ends of the beets so they can sit flat on a pan.
  • Rub beets in 2 tablespoons of olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper.
  • Place on a baking sheet in the oven for 1 hour or until just getting tender.
  • Remove from oven and let cool enough to handle.
  • Peel the beets then slice thin.
  • Line a serving platter with the lettuce.
  • Add beet slices.
  • Crumble cheese over the beets.
  • In a small bowl, whisk together the balsamic vinegar and 1/4 cup of olive oil and drizzle over the beets.
  • Sprinkle with salt and pepper and serve.

Nutrition

Calories: 118kcal | Carbohydrates: 13g | Protein: 5g | Fat: 5g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Cholesterol: 17mg | Sodium: 430mg | Potassium: 392mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 10g | Vitamin A: 150IU | Vitamin C: 6mg | Calcium: 118mg | Iron: 1mg

Nutritional values are approximate.

Creamy Cucumber Salad

I grew up on my mom’s creamy cucumber salad. I ate so much it’s a wonder that my hair isn’t green. My favorite part? The creamy dressing that’s left in the bottom of the bowl after you finish off the cucumbers. I’d drink that stuff right up. I still love my mom’s salad. I recently bought a spiralizer, so I figured that was a great opportunity to give it a whirl. In just seconds you get these different-looking cucumber noodles… or coodles… Hey, they’re fun! This is a wonderful variation on my favorite.

Creamy Cucumber Salad

Although this creamy cucumber salad is best with fresh dill, I usually use dry unless I can pick some fresh from our garden. I rarely get fresh dill from our garden because our garden stinks. Sorry, there’s just no other way to say it. I also add a bit more dill than the recipe calls for since I really like the combination of dill and mayonnaise. It’s very similar to Ranch dressing in flavor. I also make a version of this salad without the ‘creamy’.

Also try my creamy dill broccoli slaw!

Creamy Cucumber Salad
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5 from 1 vote

Creamy Cucumber Salad

I grew up on my mom’s creamy cucumber salad. I ate so much it’s a wonder that my hair isn’t green.
Course Salad
Cuisine American
Keyword creamy, cucumber, salad
Prep Time 1 hour
Total Time 1 hour
Servings 6
Calories 305kcal
Author Mike

Equipment

Ingredients

Instructions

  • In a large bowl, combine the mayonnaise, sugar, vinegar, dill and salt. Mix well.
  • Add the cucumbers and onions. Toss.
  • Cover and chill at least one hour before serving.

Nutrition

Calories: 305kcal | Carbohydrates: 12g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 28g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 16mg | Sodium: 435mg | Potassium: 207mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 11g | Vitamin A: 181IU | Vitamin C: 5mg | Calcium: 26mg | Iron: 1mg

Nutritional values are approximate.

Roasted Beet and Dill Cucumber Salad

You could’ve just knocked me over with a feather. Silly me, having low expectations for a salad with roasted beets, dill and cucumber. I couldn’t have been more wrong about what was coming. This salad is absolutely fantastic. It’s almost exactly like my favorite, my mom’s creamy cucumber salad, with the addition of roasted beets. And those beets are what take this from being a good salad to being a truly amazing one.

Roasted Beet and Dill Cucumber Salad

This roasted beet and dill cucumber salad is a great fall dish and is perfect with a Thanksgiving turkey. I love the creaminess of the dressing with the cool crisp cucumbers, followed by that great earthy beet flavor, with a hint of sweetness and smoke from roasting them. I roasted them over a grill, but you could roast them in an oven as well.

Get a good set of grill tools for these beets and anything else you grill. You won’t regret the extra few bucks they cost over the cheap ones that you’re going to have to replace in a few years. I have had several sets of Weber tools for decades and have yet to replace a single one.

Also try my roasted vegetable stuffed mushrooms.

Roasted Beet and Dill Cucumber Salad
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5 from 1 vote

Roasted Beet and Dill Cucumber Salad

You could’ve just knocked me over with a feather. Silly me, having low expectations for a salad with roasted beets, dill and cucumber. I couldn’t have been more wrong.
Course Side
Cuisine American
Keyword beets, cucumber, dill, salad
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour
Total Time 1 hour 10 minutes
Servings 8
Calories 75kcal
Author Mike

Ingredients

  • 2 pounds beets trimmed Try and get beets that are roughly all the same size. Smaller beets will cook faster.
  • ½ cup ice
  • 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
  • 1 tablespoon white vinegar plus 2 teaspoons
  • kosher salt
  • ground black pepper
  • 1 cucumber sliced thin
  • 2 tablespoons sour cream
  • 1 tablespoon dill fresh, chopped, or 2 teaspoons dried

Instructions

  • Fire up your grill for high-heat direct cooking. You want to get your grill to 450 F or higher. Alternatively, you can roast the beets in the oven set to 450 F.
  • Place the beets on a large piece of aluminum foil.
  • Add the ice and seal the foil tightly.
  • Place over direct heat and cook for 45 minutes or until the beets are fairly tender when poked with a knife or skewer.
  • Remove beets from grill and carefully open the foil.
  • Let cool slightly then remove the skin from the beets and slice.
  • Place beets in a medium bowl with the oil, 1 tablespoon of the vinegar, and salt and pepper to taste. Stir gently to combine.
  • In another bowl, gently combine the cucumber, remaining 2 teaspoons of vinegar, sour cream, dill, and salt and pepper to taste.
  • Serve by placing beets on a dish, then add the cucumbers on top.

Nutrition

Calories: 75kcal | Carbohydrates: 12g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 3g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Cholesterol: 2mg | Sodium: 92mg | Potassium: 424mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 8g | Vitamin A: 87IU | Vitamin C: 7mg | Calcium: 27mg | Iron: 1mg

Nutritional values are approximate.

Easy Spiral Zucchini Salad

I recently picked up a spiral slicer. Spiralizer, as I call it. You can take pretty much any large vegetable and turn it into something fun to eat. My favorite veggies to spiralize so far are cucumbers and zucchinis. Heck, I didn’t really even like zucchinis until now. Easy spiral zucchini salad made a believer out of me!

Easy Spiral Zucchini Salad

The slicer I bought has 3 different blades, making spiral cuts from angel hair-sized to large ribbon cuts. It’s very easy to use, just cut the ends off the vegetable you’re going to use so it fits into the slicer, insert it into the device, and get to cranking. In just seconds you convert anything into spiral cuts.
You can easily convert whatever you are cutting into a single, very, very long strand. I don’t recommend this, although I’ve done it once or twice because it is rather fun. I made a 2 foot long cucumber angel hair the other day. It was cool!

Instead, though, for bite-sized pieces, I first make a cut about 1/2″ – 1″ deep lengthwise into the vegetable. This will ensure that you get great almost-full-moon shaped cuts, perfect for salads like this easy spiral zucchini salad.

My Churchill Downs butterbean and radish salad is another great spiral salad. For another great side dish, try my garlic butter zoodles with Brussels sprouts.

Easy Spiral Zucchini Salad
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4 from 1 vote

Easy Spiral Zucchini Salad

 I didn’t really even like zucchinis until now. Easy spiral zucchini salad made a believer out of me!
Course Salad
Cuisine American
Keyword salad, spiral, zucchini
Prep Time 5 minutes
Total Time 5 minutes
Servings 4 servings
Calories 26kcal
Author Mike

Equipment

Ingredients

  • 2 medium zucchinis
  • 1 handful cherry tomatoes
  • 1 medium carrot sliced (large carrots can be cut into spirals, too!)
  • Your favorite salad dressing

Instructions

  • Cut the tips off both ends of the zucchini. Slice on the spiral slicer using the 1/8″ blade.
  • Toss zucchini with the tomatoes and carrot.
  • Serve with your favorite dressing.

Nutrition

Calories: 26kcal | Carbohydrates: 5g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 1g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Sodium: 20mg | Potassium: 345mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 2835IU | Vitamin C: 23mg | Calcium: 23mg | Iron: 1mg

Nutritional values are approximate.

Grilled Shrimp Cobb Salad

When it comes to salads, Cobb salads are by far my favorite. It’s like having a mini salad buffet, with everything I love all on one plate. This grilled shrimp Cobb salad came out tasting as fantastic as it looked. The grilled shrimp have a really nice spicy kick. The spicy avocado dressing also has a kick, but it also has a cool, creamy consistency. The rest of the ingredients are up to you, but cold artichoke hearts are always a big hit in our house.

Grilled Shrimp Cobb Salad

Since I had the grill going to cook the shrimp (I actually cooked them on cedar planks, which really adds a totally different great flavor to the shrimp), I also grilled the corn and bacon for this Cobb salad. Next time, if I have my smoker going, I’ll smoke the boiled eggs. Smoked boiled eggs are a great addition to any salad.

These little sauce dipping cups are great for serving salad dressings. They keep me from over-dressing my salads, which is something I’m prone to do since I’m a dressing-aholic. They’re easy to clean up, too. And they’re also great for dipping nuggets, tenders or even chicken wings.

Also give my delicious smoked shrimp Cobb salad a try!

Grilled Shrimp Cobb Salad
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5 from 1 vote

Grilled Shrimp Cobb Salad

Course Main or Side
Cuisine American
Keyword grilled, salad, shrimp
Prep Time 10 minutes
Total Time 10 minutes
Author Mike

Ingredients

Your favorite Cobb salad ingredients, I used

  • red and green lettuce chopped
  • artichoke hearts canned, chilled, drained, halved
  • Cherry tomatoes
  • Diced radishes
  • Boiled eggs halved
  • avocado chopped

Instructions

  • Arrange all ingredients on a platter. Serve with dressing.

Nutritional values are approximate.

Coyote Sweet Corn

Ahhhhh, fresh corn-on-the-cob. I love it. The season is winding down here, so I grabbed a few more ears and made this wonderful Coyote sweet corn dish. The corn is the star of the show, but there are a lot of other great flavors to be found too!

Coyote Sweet Corn

I was amazed on how much of a difference sun-dried tomatoes can make to this coyote sweet corn, and just as amazed about the bread and butter pickles. After all, I’d never thought of adding either to something like this, and boy, was I surprised. It’s a combination of richness and a little spiciness, just like I love. And in my opinion, this is one mighty fine looking side dish to boot! You know, you eat with your eyes first!

This is really a fantastic side dish. It looks great, smells great, and tastes beyond great. This fall and winter, when fresh corn is nowhere to be found, I’ll make it using canned  corn kernels. It won’t be quite the same but it’ll remind me of summer and that great fresh corn flavor. Sadly, I’ll miss out on the joy from peeling ear after ear of freshly-picked sweet corn!

Also try my candied sweet corn, slow cooked jalapeno corn, and my super yummy cedar planked sweet corn.

Coyote Sweet Corn
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5 from 1 vote

Coyote Sweet Corn

Ahhhhh, fresh corn-on-the-cob. I love it. The season is winding down here, so I grabbed a few more ears and made this wonderful Coyote sweet corn dish. The corn is the star of the show, but there are a lot of other great flavors to be found too!
Course Side
Cuisine American
Keyword corn, sweet
Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 5 minutes
Total Time 10 minutes
Servings 4 servings
Calories 63kcal

Ingredients

Instructions

  • Melt the butter in a medium skillet over medium-high heat.
  • Add the corn and the sun-dried tomatoes and saute for 4 minutes. Remove from heat.
  • Add the basil, onions, jalapeno and pickles.
  • Stir and season with salt and pepper to taste.
  • Serve garnished with chopped cilantro.
  • Note: For extra sun-dried tomato flavor, substitute a tablespoon of the oil the tomatoes are in for the butter.

Nutrition

Calories: 63kcal | Carbohydrates: 3g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 6g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 15mg | Sodium: 40mg | Potassium: 134mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 330IU | Vitamin C: 7mg | Calcium: 34mg | Iron: 1mg

Nutritional values are approximate.

Georgia Caviar

A salad doesn’t have to be complicated to be great. A few fresh ingredients, a few canned, with a great dressing, and you have a big batch of colorful salad that is sure to impress at your next family gathering. This Georgia caviar (sounds fancier than ‘some beans with pepper and onion and black-eyed-peas salad’) has a great crispy fresh crunch, sweetness from corn, and that great black-eyed pea flavor. The dressing has a bit of a hint of vinegar, with sweetness to offset it.

Georgia Caviar

I grew up on black-eyed peas and I still love them. My dad is (apparently) required to have them at every meal. He grew up on them too. I can’t say any more about this Georgia caviar. I just keep looking at the picture and thinking, ‘dang, that was a great salad’. It really was. So refreshing.

Also try my Cowboy caviar, Buffalo Cowboy caviar and summer corn salad recipes.

This recipe was inspired by a recipe from Kimberly Schlapman.

Georgia Caviar
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5 from 1 vote

Georgia Caviar

This Georgia caviar (sounds fancier than ‘some beans with pepper and onion and black-eyed-peas salad’) has a great crispy fresh crunch, sweetness from corn, and that great black-eyed pea flavor.
Course Salad
Cuisine American
Keyword pickled, salad
Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour
Total Time 1 hour 5 minutes
Servings 10
Calories 154kcal

Ingredients

For the dressing

For the salad

Instructions

For the dressing

  • Place sugar and vinegar in a small saucepan over medium heat.
  • Stir until the sugar is dissolved.
  • Remove from heat and whisk in the oil.

For the salad

  • Combine all ingredients except the salt and pepper in a large bowl.
  • Drizzle with the dressing and mix well.
  • Season with salt and pepper, to taste.
  • Refrigerate for at least one hour before serving.

Nutrition

Calories: 154kcal | Carbohydrates: 14g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 11g | Saturated Fat: 9g | Sodium: 4mg | Potassium: 108mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 13g | Vitamin A: 461IU | Vitamin C: 36mg | Calcium: 11mg | Iron: 1mg

Nutritional values are approximate.

Hot Dog Tomato Salad

What? Hot dogs in a fresh tomato salad? Well, that’s how my mom got me to eat tomatoes when I was a kid. I didn’t really like tomatoes then, but I was more than happy to sit down with a bowl of this hot dog tomato salad.

The key for me was to eat everything BUT the hot dogs first. This left the best part, hot dogs sitting in a great vinegary and oniony dressing. The dogs would soak up a bit of the vinegar and taste unlike any hot dog I’d ever had. Add strangely enough, I would drink up the remaining dressing. Odd, huh?

Hot Dog Tomato Salad

As much as it might sound a little odd, this is a great salad. You can leave out the hot dogs if you like, but I highly recommend adding them. Believe it or not, hot dogs and tomatoes go great together!

If you’re looking for a more grown-up tomato dish, try my cherry tomato salad.

Hot Dog Tomato Salad
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5 from 1 vote

Hot Dog Tomato Salad

What? Hot dogs in a fresh tomato salad? Well, that’s how my mom got me to eat tomatoes when I was a kid. I didn’t really like tomatoes then, but I was more than happy to sit down with a bowl of this hot dog tomato salad.
Course Salad
Cuisine American
Keyword hot dogs, salad, tomato
Prep Time 5 minutes
Total Time 5 minutes
Servings 6 servings
Calories 268kcal
Author Mike

Ingredients

Instructions

  • Combine all ingredients. Add more vinegar if you like.

Nutrition

Calories: 268kcal | Carbohydrates: 26g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 18g | Saturated Fat: 15g | Sodium: 12mg | Potassium: 407mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 23g | Vitamin A: 1196IU | Vitamin C: 22mg | Calcium: 27mg | Iron: 1mg

Nutritional values are approximate.

Spicy Avocado Salad Dressing

I grilled up a great batch of cedar-planked spicy shrimp the other day. They were perfect in a big Cobb salad. I didn’t want a wimpy dressing to tone down the kick from the shrimp. Since avocados were in season and on sale, I grabbed a few ripe ones and made this incredibly easy spicy avocado salad dressing.

Spicy Avocado Salad Dressing

This spicy avocado salad dressing is reminiscent of guacamole. In fact, it’s thick enough that you can also use it as a spread on sandwiches or wraps, or even as a dip for chips or vegetables. You can leave out the jalapeno if you like and still have a great dressing that won’t scare your non-heat-loving friends off.

These little sauce dipping cups are great for serving salad dressings. They keep me from over-dressing my salads, which is something I’m prone to do since I’m a dressing-aholic. They’re easy to clean up, too. And they’re also great for dipping nuggets, tenders or even chicken wings.

I love making and eating Cobb salads, specially in the summer when there are so many great ingredients to choose from. Check out my smoked chicken Cobb and my southwestern Cobb salads. They are all great!

Spicy Avocado Salad Dressing
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4 from 1 vote

Spicy Avocado Salad Dressing

Since avocados were in season and on sale, I grabbed a few ripe ones and made this incredibly easy spicy avocado salad dressing.
Course Salad Dressing
Cuisine American
Keyword avocado, homemade salad dressing, spicy
Prep Time 5 minutes
Total Time 5 minutes
Servings 2 cups
Calories 437kcal
Author Mike

Ingredients

  • 2 avocados chopped
  • ½ cup sour cream
  • ¼ cup fresh cilantro chopped
  • 1 jalapeno peppers seeded, chopped
  • 1 tablespoon lime juice
  • Kosher salt to taste
  • ground black pepper to taste

Instructions

  • Place all but the salt and pepper into a blender and pulse until smooth.
  • Season with salt and pepper and pulse a few more times.
  • If you have any leftover dressing place it in a container and place a piece of plastic wrap directly over it, contacting the dressing without any gaps. Refrigerate for up to two days.

Nutrition

Calories: 437kcal | Carbohydrates: 20g | Protein: 5g | Fat: 41g | Saturated Fat: 11g | Cholesterol: 30mg | Sodium: 61mg | Potassium: 1092mg | Fiber: 14g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 866IU | Vitamin C: 32mg | Calcium: 91mg | Iron: 1mg

Nutritional values are approximate.