I’ve outlined some options below that make fantastic sides. Some offer a little extra protein if you are going meatless while others are just tasty meatless sides that any guest would enjoy.

Picture courtesy of rfduck (flkr)

Laura Troyani heads up Marketing and Business Development for Plummelo. Not content with just being another behind-the-scenes pencil pusher, Laura decided to give blogging a shot and writes practical, everyday tips for the home cook (or aspiring home cook). Laura’s favorite foods are ice cream, olive oil, ice cream, parmesan cheese, ice cream, and occasionally ice cream. Laura’s favorite recipe.

Bacon has gotten a bad reputation as a greasy diner food that has no place in a healthy diet; but cooks can use bacon to add punch to otherwise boring meals without going overboard. I think the larger problem with this salt-satisfying cured pork product is that although it is easy to cook, it’s messy and sometimes painful (splatters! ouch!) with intense cleanup. And the house can smell like bacon for days.

When I have bacon on hand, I will cook a pound in the oven on a Sunday evening and then use it sparingly during the week. If the idea of cooking an entire pound is too much for you, just do one tray and freeze the other half-pound for another week. This method is simple, easy to clean up, and creates amazingly flat slices of cooked bacon. The odor dissipates more quickly, and best of all, you don’t have to stand over a hot stove nursing your splattered skin as you try to turn the slices over.

We like to make BLT’s on whole wheat bread with a side of vinaigrette-dressed slaw. This makes a quick dinner on a night when we’re all running out to meetings, practice, and coffee dates. It’s also a perfect solution to a morning playdate that spills over into lunch.

When I have cooked bacon on hand I dice and sprinkle it onto baked potatoes with light sour cream to create a restaurant-style “loaded” baked potato; crumble and top creamy soups such as chowders or potato soups for maximum crowd-appeal; and dice and add just a slice or two to big leafy salads with slices of grilled chicken, shrimp, or steak.

My personal favorite? Add the pre-cooked bacon to a quiche for a fancy lunch with friends and add a salad on the side. Once you have mastered the basic method for quiche, the variations are endless. Quiche is elegant for entertaining during the day–even if you have vegetarian guests, because it is just as easy to make two pies–one with bacon or ham, one without. When I made this heavenly Zucchini, Bacon, and Gruyere Quiche, I roasted the bacon in the oven and sauteed the veggies in olive oil. I also used a favorite brand of frozen pie crust to save time. (Cheater method: you can even use pre-cooked bacon!)

In the winter I aim for one type of soup per week. Unfortunately, my husband doesn’t see soup as a satisfying meal unless it contains fatty meat products and is accompanied by bread of some sort (sound familiar?), so I try to add things to round out our dinner. I used to stop at a bakery for fresh bread on soup day, but now that I have two busy kids I find that extra stop to be a chore. Savory Bacon and Cheddar Muffins are easy to pull together (you can make the batter the night before and scoop and bake at dinner time) and are a good complement to a soup or salad meal. Vary them by using herbs or other cheeses, or diced ham in place of the bacon if that’s what you have on hand.

And one last surprise. No, no, I am not giving you a bacon-laced fruit dish here–instead another rather unexpectedly delicious flavor combination: Maple-Laced Bacon & Chocolate Chip Cookies. Make them for a tailgate party or any other gathering that includes the meat-loving people in your life.

One. Banana Blueberry Smoothie
After peeling and cutting them up into chunks, I put them in a freezer safe Ziploc bag. They’re perfect for smoothies.

Two. Banana Coconut Walnut Muffins
These muffins are delicious. I substitute applesauce for butter to make them healthier. Adding walnuts gives them a punch of protein.

Three. Chocolate Covered Bananas
These treats are a fun and healthy snack. If you’re cooking with kids, they’ll love all the toppings (and the dipping).

Four. Grilled Banana and Peanut Butter Sandwich
No offence jelly, but for me peanut butter and bananas are the perfect pair. This sandwich makes a delicious and nutritious breakfast or lunch. And if you want it for dessert, just throw in a few chocolate chips. Use a ripe (not frozen) banana.

Five. Banana Pear Baby Puree
My daughter Olive just turned 6 months old and we’re experimenting with food. But this isn’t just for babies! Try it on yogurt. Shh, we won’t tell.

What do you do with your ripe bananas? We want to know.

Photos by Melissa Devereaux

On the rare morning that I find myself home (preferably alone while the kids are at school) with a little peace and quiet, I find nothing more relaxing than slowly sipping a cup of hot tea. My guilty pleasure is making muffins to accompany my tea. There is something about this combination, best enjoyed around 10 am, that warms me on these cold winter days.

Tea has become almost as fashionable as coffee. While there are more varieties of tea available today than I could possibly count, let alone name, I am a tea traditionalist. I prefer caffeinated black teas, such as earl grey – and especially love the taste of vanilla or almond. Chai spice also passes my test, tasty with a splash of soy milk.

I am generally a healthy eater, and at my strictest I try to reduce or eliminate snacks, especially snacks that are just carbs (but oh, how I love carbs!). So if I am going to make muffins, they have to be reasonably healthy (read: nothing with buttermilk or sour cream, though it helps that I am lactose intolerant).

Fruit-based muffins are a good choice: blueberry, banana, or lemon poppyseed are my personal favorites. They also pack in a serving of well-disguised vitamins.

On a recent below-zero-windchill morning, I made Healthy Blueberry and Banana Muffins to enjoy with my tea. Not only were they simple to make, but they were delicious. The muffin satisfied my desire for that little taste of something sweet with my tea without being overly indulgent. Not only did they pass my test, but my picky five-year-old ate not one but two of them in one sitting, asking while chewing “are these healthy?” I was happy to tell her they are.

Like many of you, one of my New Year’s resolutions includes a renewed commitment to healthy eating. One of my other resolutions is to be more organized about meal planning. If I would just take a few minutes to think more than a day ahead, I would save time in the form at least one trip to the store each week.

This same cold winter morning just after the first of the new year, I sat down with my tea and my warm-from-the-oven banana-blueberry muffin and mapped out the next four days of meals. Now off to the store… much more prepared than usual. What a way to enjoy a cold morning and feel good about my New Year’s resolutions.

Photo by Julie Hallinan