Fill up on any of the following 7 grain-free side dish recipes, which all happen to be bursting with flavor.

Whether you’re by the pool, having a barbecue, or simply enjoying the summer heat, these recipes are sure to keep you full without weighing you down.

7 Grain-Free Side Dish Recipes

1. Potato Salad with Olive and Watercress

Potato salad is a necessary outdoor summer side dish. In this potato salad recipe, olives and watercress add an additional boost of flavor and texture. Watercress is full of phytonutrients and antioxidants and gives this recipe low-key salad status.

2. Grilled Eggplant Salad with Arugula and Avocado Salad

This salad combined a few of my favorite things: eggplant, arugula, and avocado. It’s the perfect filling side dish for the summer. You can bake or grill the eggplant, and the rest is a matter of tossing and chewing!

3. Green Bean Casserole

This green bean casserole is the epitome of how lighter versions of traditional recipes can be just as delicious. All you need are a few ingredients to achieve that the warm, creamy, crowd-pleasing sensations of green bean casserole. Nutritional yeast fills in for cheese and heavy cream and mushrooms, celery root, and onion pack in delicious flavors and lust-worthy textures.

4. Gluten-Free Angel Food Cake

What’s a meal without a dessert? Angel food cake is iconically light and airy, and this recipe takes it to the next level: the gluten-free level. Enjoy a slice after a light summer’s meal and round off your taste buds with something sweet. Enjoy!

5. Sweet Corn with Miso Butter and Scallions

Its name says it all. Don’t just stick to the basics when it comes to corn – spice it up with miso, scallions, and sesame seeds! You’ll thank me later.

6. Vegan Coleslaw

This coleslaw recipe is not only naturally gluten-free it is also vegan. That means there is no mayonnaise, which is perhaps the most unhealthy ingredient when it comes to noshing on this classic outdoor salad.

7. Green Gazpacho

Cool down with this green gazpacho soup recipe. It features raw veggies and fragrant herbs that are made more filling and creamy with the addition of avocado.

Related on EcoSalon

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Summer Dinner Party Image from Shutterstock

The post 7 Scrumptious Grain-Free Side Dish Recipes appeared first on EcoSalon.

Learn how to make grilled romaine lettuce and grill any type of green leafy vegetables for a summer delicacy.

Outdoor grilling is a natural celebration of the season. Most of us, however, don’t think outside the box when it comes to the potential of the grill. It can do so much more than char a steak to smoky perfection. In fact, it performs wonders on none other than leafy green vegetables. Yes, grilled greens are a thing and are most certainly worthy of your attention. Tonight, instead of opting for a green leafy salad bowl, try grilled romaine or other greens  instead. Here’s a step-by-step guide on how to grill vegetables of the leafy persuasion without fail, each and every time.

How to Make Grilled Romaine and Other Grilled Green Leafy Veggies

1. Heat up the grill.
2. Pick a green leaf vegetable. If you are using a thicker, more stable green leaf, such as collard greens, kale, Swiss chard, or romaine, you don’t need extra tools. The leaves can be placed directly onto the grill, away from the flame. If you are grilling smaller, frailer green leaves, such as spinach or any variety that is chopped, you will need a wire rack or a colander bowl with small holes to hold them so that they don’t fall through the grill.
3. Season greens with salt, pepper, and whatever  seasoning you’d like. Drizzle very lightly with olive oil.
4. Cover the grill or the colander in which the greens may be. This will help the green leaves to retain an iconic smoky flavor. After a few minutes, open the grill or lid of the bowl and toss with tongs. Continue to cover and toss the greens until they are wilted and tender.
5. Remove the green leaf vegetables from the grill. Season with salt and pepper, drizzle olive oil, and squirt with fresh lemon juice prior to serving.

How to Eat Grilled Romaine and Other Green Leaf Veggies

There are many ways to enjoy grilled greens. They add a unique smoky flavor to your dishes and because they are cooked, offer more comfort than raw greens. Serving the grilled greens as a side dish is a great go-to way to enjoy them in all their authenticity. I like to add them as another layer in thick sandwiches, such as in this black bean and quinoa-based veggie burger. I also often add grilled greens to my dips for extra nutrition, such as to this avocado hummus recipe, these sorrel and basil and celery recipes, or this black bean dip. Grilled greens also mix well into raw salads and marinara and alfredo sauces for pasta. Enjoy!

Related on EcoSalon
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Grilled romaine image via Another Pint Please

The post How to Make Grilled Romaine (and Other Leafy Greens): When a Raw Salad Just Won’t Cut It appeared first on EcoSalon.