5 super healthy side dishes

Healthy food doesn’t have to be boring! The next time you’re planning dinner, why not try cooking up a side dish that’s both healthy and delicious? There are so many ways to make the most out of healthy ingredients by preparing them creatively, incorporating unexpected ingredients, or adding interesting spices. Here are 5 healthy side dishes that are both delicious and full of flavor. 

1. Spinach and Quinoa Pilaf

This tasty spinach and quinoa side is both healthy and easy to make. It takes just over 20 minutes to cook and has only two main ingredients: quinoa and spinach. According to the filmer, it can be eaten hot or cold, making it the perfect side for any season. 

2. Crispy Ranch Kale Chips

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These crispy ranch kale chips are a great alternative to potato chips. The filmer makes them by tossing kale in olive oil, salt, pepper, and ranch seasoning. Then, she air fries them for 7 minutes at 325 degrees Fahrenheit until the kale has a delicious crispy consistency. 

3. Pesto Salad

This colorful salad looks beautiful and tastes even better! The filmer combines cucumbers, cherry tomatoes, red onion, avocado, and chickpeas in a bowl, then adds pesto, lemon juice, salt and pepper. The resulting salad makes a great side, although as one commenter pointed out, it can also be upgraded to a full meal by adding some chicken.

4. Bulgur Salad

This bulgur salad, also known as kisir, is so good, the filmer claims they have been eating it every day since they first made it. Its main ingredients are bulgur, parsley, tomatoes, green onions, mint, and romaine lettuce. But its seasonings—which range from Aleppo pepper to pomegranate molasses—are what make it really shine.

5. Carrot Fries

Forget french fries! These carrot fries pack a ton of flavor, and are good for you too. The filmer simply chops carrots up into the approximate size of french fries, seasons them with a mix of spices, and pops them in the oven at 425 degrees Fahrenheit for 25 minutes. Once the fries are done, you can use whatever you want as a dipping sauce, although the filmer recommends a mixture of mayonnaise and dijon mustard. 

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