Meatless Friday: Two Sides that Go with Everything

David and Mercedes Rizzo are feeding a family with varying food preferences. For Meatless Fridays, they recommend these two versatile side dishes.

Fridays are meatless for Catholics during Lent, and for some families this observance continues throughout the year. In our family, all nights are meatless for some of us. In our house we have a full vegan, another who eats no meat but fish is okay, and several meat eaters.

Variety is the spice of life; here are two side dishes that we enjoy that can be added to your main entrée.

Brussels Sprouts and Pistachios

3 cups of Brussels sprouts
1 cup of sliced onions
3 tablespoons of olive oil (more if needed)
1 cup of raw pistachios
Spices: ½ teaspoon each of salt and pepper, ½ tablespoon each of basil, oregano, and parsley (or to taste).
1 cup of raw pistachios

Wash and slice Brussels sprouts. Slice 1 cup of onions. Toss with oil and spices. Sauté the mixture until slightly charred and tender. Add the pistachios and enjoy!

Roasted Potatoes

1 bag of petite potatoes
4 tablespoons of olive oil (more if needed)
Spices: 1 teaspoon each of sea salt, garlic powder, black pepper, sesame seeds, or any similar spices that you like.

Slice potatoes and place in dish.
Coat potatoes with olive oil and add spices.
Bake at 375 for about 45 mins or until soft, mixing potatoes occasionally and adding more olive oil if needed.