If you’ve been cutting back on your carb intake, it can be easy to get stuck in a rut where you feel limited about your food selections. If substituting potatoes with cauliflower has lost its novelty, let’s explore some other exciting side options for tonight’s dinner.
Rutabaga
If you dream of things whipped and buttery, but find yourself tired of mashed cauliflower, mashed rutabaga might be the root vegetable you’re searching for. A one cup serving of this buttery plant has 52 calories and 12 carbs, in contrast to the 209 calories and 28 carbs in a roasted potato. Plus, according to Shereen Lehman at VeryWellFit, it’s also rich in vitamin C and potassium. You may like to try this simple, mouthwatering recipe from Martha Stewart to get you started. Pro tip, you can even turn this rotund root into a French fry fake out.
Endive
For something unexpected and out of the ordinary, treat yourself to some roasted endive. These little heads of lettuce are known to be a bit bitter when eaten raw but become sweet and a little nutty when cooked. Malia Frey at VeryWellFit notes that endive has just 8.5 calories and 1.7 carbs per cup, also saying, “Endive contains a powerful flavonoid called kaempferol. Preliminary, but promising studies have shown that kaempferol inhibits the worst or most common cancers of the breast, brain, liver, colon, prostate, lung, pancreas, and more.” This recipe for garlic roasted endive bakes up in just ten minutes and may end up the star of your table.
Savoy cabbage
Savoy looks a lot like an ordinary head of cabbage, but the leaves are darker green, and the taste is more mild. So, even if you’ve never fancied yourself a fan of cabbage, you may want to try this variety. Savoy cabbage has 19 calories and 4 carbohydrates per cup, and is packed with vitamins C and K. If your grandma threw you off cabbage as a child by boiling it to death, try this crispy roasted cabbage recipe.
Iceberg Lettuce
How long has it been since you treated yourself to a fun dinner out at a steakhouse? If it wasn’t that long ago, maybe you remember the delicious wedge salad you had that day. Even if you’re enjoying that salad alongside a hotdog supper instead of a trio of filet medallions, there’s no reason you can’t have it at home. Iceberg lettuce only has 10 calories and 2 carbs per cup, and has a good punch of vitamin A. This recipe for a traditional wedge salad is delicious, but if you’re looking to keep your calorie count down, check out this tasty variation.
Just because you’re cutting out the starch doesn’t mean you have to skimp on flavor or have the same sides every night. There’s a whole word of veggies out there to try.
