SUPERSTAR SIDES
When the garden’s rockin’, toss together snappy salads and veggies so good they’ll steal the spotlight from the main act.
These winning recipes may just make you forget about the main dish.
Jalapeno & Cotija Cheese Potato Stack Pie
Pie isn’t just for dessert anymore. Stacking thinly sliced potatoes with layers of minced jalapenos and crumbled cotija cheese turns ordinary potatoes into something truly spectacular— especially when served with salsa and sour cream on the side.
—Colleen Delawder, Herndon, VA
Prep: 20 min. • Bake: 50 min. Makes: 8 servings
21/2 lbs. red potatoes, peeled and thinly sliced
1/4 cup butter, melted
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper
2 jalapeno peppers, seeded and minced
11/4 cups crumbled cotija cheese or crumbled feta cheese Salsa and sour cream
1. Preheat the oven to 375°. Line a 15x10x1-in. pan with parchment paper. Remove bottom of a 9-in. springform pan and place the round outer edge in the middle of the parchment paper. (You will not be using the springform bottom for this recipe.)
2. Place the potatoes, butter, salt and pepper in a large bowl; toss to coat. Layer a third of the potatoes evenly within springform ring. Sprinkle with a third each of the jalapenos and cheese. Repeat layers. Top with the remaining potatoes and jalapenos.
3. Bake for 35 minutes. Top with the remaining cheese. Bake until potatoes are tender, 15-20 minutes. Let stand 5 minutes before removing ring.
Serve with salsa and sour cream.
Per serving: 223 cal., 12g fat (7g sat. fat), 34mg chol., 477mg sod., 23g carb. (2g sugars, 3g fiber), 7g pro.
Test Kitchen tip: If jalapenos are spicier than you’d like, toss them with a little vodka and let them sit for 15 minutes. Then drain, rinse and proceed with the recipe.
Tomato, Avocado & Grilled Corn Salad
With tomatoes, fresh basil and grilled corn, this salad tastes like summertime! —Angela Spengler, Tampa, FL
Prep: 20 min. • Grill: 10 min. + cooling Makes: 8 servings
1 medium ear sweet corn, husks removed
3 large red tomatoes, sliced 3 large yellow tomatoes, sliced 3/4 tsp. kosher salt, divided
1/2 tsp. pepper, divided 2 medium ripe avocados, peeled and sliced
1/4 cup olive oil
2 Tbsp. red wine vinegar 1 Tbsp. minced fresh basil, plus more for garnish
1/3 cup crumbled feta cheese
1. Grill corn, covered, over medium heat 10-12 minutes or until lightly browned and tender, turning occasionally. Cool slightly. Cut corn from cob.
2. Arrange tomatoes on a large serving platter. Sprinkle with 1/2 tsp. salt and
1/4 tsp. pepper. Top with avocado slices. Whisk together oil, vinegar, 1 Tbsp. basil and remaining salt and pepper; drizzle half over the tomatoes and avocado. Top with grilled corn and feta cheese; drizzle remaining dressing over the top. Garnish with additional fresh basil.
Per serving: 164 cal., 13g fat (2g sat. fat), 3mg chol., 237mg sod., 11g carb.
(4g sugars, 4g fiber), 3g pro.
Diabetic exchanges: 2 fat, 1 vegetable,
1/2 starch. Test Kitchen tips: • Use fresh heirloom tomatoes to make this dish even more spectacular. They have so much flavor, you may be able to cut back on the salt.
• For a quick, healthy dinner, top this salad with grilled chicken.
Jalapeno Popper Corn Salad
I created this recipe for a wedding I was catering. It’s a good thing I made buckets of it, because I couldn’t stop eating it! The chilled creamy salad combines all the best flavors of jalapeno poppers with the delicate sweetness of fresh corn. —Amanda Miller, Hutchinson, KS
Prep: 25 min. • Grill: 15 min. Makes: 8 servings
1 medium onion, quartered 2 jalapeno peppers 1 cup sour cream 1 cup mayonnaise 2 oz. cream cheese, softened 2 tsp. ground cumin 1 tsp. garlic powder 1 tsp. chili powder 1 tsp. smoked paprika 1/4 tsp. salt 1/4 tsp. pepper 4 cups fresh corn (about 8 ears), cooked and cooled 1 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese 1 cup shredded pepper jack cheese 1/2 cup crumbled cooked bacon, divided
1. Grill onion and jalapenos, covered, over medium-high heat or broil 4 in. from heat 3-5 minutes on each side or until lightly charred. Cool completely; chop into 1/2-in. pieces.
2. Combine the next nine ingredients. Stir in corn, cheeses, half of the bacon and the grilled vegetables. Top with remaining bacon to serve.
Per serving: 476 cal., 40g fat (14g sat. fat), 47mg chol., 616mg sod., 18g carb. (7g sugars, 2g fiber), 14g pro.
Test Kitchen tips:
• While the grill is fired up, consider grilling the corn instead of boiling or steaming it. • To make a lower-fat version, use thick plain yogurt instead of sour cream, and use reduced-fat mayo and cream cheese. • If spiciness isn’t your thing, substitute Swiss cheese for the pepper jack and a small green pepper for the jalapenos.
Cran-orange Couscous Salad
I often create salads for summertime using a variety of healthy, filling grains. This version, with tender couscous, is amped up by the bright flavors of cranberries, oranges, fresh basil and a touch of fennel.
—Kristen Heigl, Staten Island, NY
Prep: 25 min. • Cook: 15 min. Makes: 12 servings
3 cups uncooked pearl (Israeli) couscous 2 cans (14 oz. each ) garbanzo beans, rinsed and drained 2 large navel oranges, peeled and chopped 2 cups fresh baby spinach 1 cup crumbled goat cheese 1 small red onion, chopped 3/4 cup dried cranberries 1/2 cup fennel bulb, thinly sliced, fronds reserved
1/2 cup chopped pecans, toasted 8 fresh basil leaves, chopped,
plus more for garnish VINAIGRETTE
1/2 cup olive oil
1/4 cup orange juice
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
1 Tbsp. grated orange zest 2 tsp. honey
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. pepper
1. Prepare couscous according to package directions. Fluff with a fork; cool. In a bowl, combine couscous and the next nine ingredients.
2. In a small bowl, whisk together vinaigrette ingredients until blended. Pour over salad; toss to coat. Garnish with additional chopped basil and reserved fennel fronds.
Per serving: 403 cal., 16g fat (3g sat. fat), 12mg chol., 335mg sod., 57g carb. (15g sugars, 5g fiber), 10g pro.