Side Dishes | It's Cooking with Magda

Easter Deviled Eggs

March 24, 2016 by It's Cooking With Magda

Possibilities for deviled eggs are endless and here are my two picks for Easter brunch.Easter in Poland is always a two-day holiday with several days of preparation leading to it. From the Catholic Church’s point of view, Easter is more important than Christmas because of the resurrection of Jesus Christ. To prepare for Easter many people observe Lent, a 40 days period of fasting, reflection and prayer. Lent starts on Ash Wednesday, where priests make a cross sign on people’s foreheads […]

Categories: Easter, Side Dishes • Tags: brunch, Easter, eggs, tradition

broccoli rabe with orange pieces and spicy red onion dressing

Broccoli Rabe with Oranges and Sweet and Spicy Dressing

February 23, 2016 by It's Cooking With Magda

Try this seasonal salad while it’s still available. Slightly nutty and bitter broccoli rabe pairs beautifully with oranges and sweet and spicy dressing. Is it spring yet? It certainly feels like it here in the Bay Area. But the spring would mean the end of Cara Cara and blood oranges as they are available for only a few winter months. And they are my favorites! I’m always mesmerized by the beauty of Nature: the vibrant colors, the shapes, textures and […]

Categories: Salads, Side Dishes • Tags: broccoli rabe, dressing, healthy, oranges, salad, spicy

french lentils, cara cara orange, fennel salad with arugula and tahini dressing

Lentil, Fennel and Orange Salad with Tahini Dressing

February 2, 2016 by It's Cooking With Magda

Still sticking to your New Year’s resolution to eat healthier? Try my delicious and healthy salad of lentils, fennel and oranges served on a bed of arugula with a creamy tahini dressing. Recently, I celebrated my birthday, the last one in this decade. Usually, especially as I get (ahem…) older, I don’t like to celebrate it in a big way. I’m quite happy if I can spend a couple of hours just with my husband, doing something fun and of […]

Categories: Salads, Side Dishes • Tags: cara cara, fennel, food photography, healthy, lentils, orange, salad, tahini, vegetarian

Beet Hummus

January 28, 2016 by It's Cooking With Magda

Make this gorgeous Beet Hummus to wow your friends at the next party. It only requires about 20 minutes of active work. It’s slightly sweet and tart, with a hint of spicy and a tad garlicky. Eat it with vegetables or spread on your pita bread. The first time I made this Beet Hummus I was really blown away. I mean, look at this rich, vibrant and gorgeous color! Unreal. Almost too pretty to be snacked away. The flavor is […]

Categories: Side Dishes, Snack Time • Tags: beets, chickpeas, garbanzo beans, garlic, hummus, pomegranate, tahini

Mustard Greens Salad with Pear, Pomegranate and Goat Cheese

January 19, 2016 by It's Cooking With Magda

Make this delicious and super healthy salad soon, while mustard greens are in season. Mustard greens! Have you tried them? They look like a combination between curly kale and arugula. The taste is quite spicy, peppery and slightly bitter. I always sneak a nibble before buying to make sure the greens aren’t overly bitter. When buying, look for the bright green leaves as the darker ones tend to be more bitter. It is a winter crop meaning the mustard greens […]

Categories: Salads, Side Dishes • Tags: food photography, healthy, mustard greens, pomegranate, salad

Corn Pudding

November 22, 2015 by It's Cooking With Magda

Here is a recipe that can be used as a side dish or dessert. Corn Pudding is sweet and creamy with a hint of nutmeg. It complements savory dishes really well. As the holidays get closer and most people focus on food, gifts and decorating the house, I would like to pause for a moment. I want to make sure we take the time to see how blessed we are, especially given the recent tragedies in Paris, Mali and Syria. I […]

Categories: Side Dishes, Thanksgiving • Tags: corn, eggs, nutmeg, pudding, Thanksgiving

halved butternut squash, Brussels sprouts, pecans

Roasted Brussels Sprouts and Butternut Squash with Pecans

November 17, 2015 by It's Cooking With Magda

Enjoy this tasty and simple dish as a part of your Thanksgiving dinner or any other time of the year. This dish is one of our family’s all-time-favorites! I make it often as it is a great side dish for chicken and pork. I believe this recipe comes from the New York Times’ Cooking section and I saw it several years ago when watching Live! With Regis and Kelly. It was their Thanksgiving week and Kelly was cooking it in her […]

Categories: Side Dishes, Thanksgiving • Tags: Brussels Sprouts, butternut squash, pecans, roasted, side dish, Thanksgiving, thyme, vegetables

bread salad with tomatoes, olives, greens

Panzanella, the Tomato and Bread Salad

September 18, 2015 by It's Cooking With Magda

Keep the summer a bit longer with this classic salad. There is something so special about the combination of ripe tomatoes, fresh herbs and crunchy bread brought together by a sweet and tangy dressing. It will become your favorite, too!School is in a full swing here but I still feel like I’m behind with many things. Now that both my boys go to the same school (3rd grade and Kindergarten) it should be easier. But it’s not. Getting everyone ready […]

Categories: Salads, Side Dishes • Tags: basil, bread, dressing, easy, kids, lunchbox, summer, tomatoes

Spanish Rice

May 21, 2015 by It's Cooking With Magda

Simple, yet flavorful Spanish Rice goes well with every Mexican dish.The end of school year is approaching rapidly and there are many things happening between now and then. Like an open house at the school. And Science Fair Project. My soon to be 3rd grader has been playing Minecraft for almost 2 years now and he chose to do a science project about it. He called it “Minecraft Circuits vs. Real Life Circuits” and it turned out pretty cool. Not […]

Categories: Side Dishes • Tags: brown rice, side dish, Spanish rice, tomato paste, vegetarian