Side

A basic tossed salad is transformed into a crunchy sandwich by wrapping it up. This makes a great side dish for grain, bean, pasta, and soy entrées.

Here’s a deceptively rich-tasting version of scalloped potatoes. It gives you the benefits of soy, minus the bother of making a flour-thickened white sauce.

If you like leeks, you’re sure to enjoy this dressed-up version of hash browns. Use firm-textured potatoes, such as red-skinned or Yukon gold, rather than mealy ones, for best results. Serve with sautéed soy “sausage,” allowing 2 links per serving, and a salad of mixed baby greens with tomatoes and carrots.

These tasty patties can be sandwiched into rolls with lettuce and sliced tomatoes or served on their own as a side dish for grain, potato, or pasta dishes.

The sweet flavor of sautéed peppers contrasts delectably with crisp polenta. Try serving this with Rice and Peas (page 100) and a simple tossed salad.

These tasty treats resemble miniature pizzas and are an offbeat pairing with light pasta dishes, as in the suggested menu.

Lentils and spinach both marry well with curry spices. Each complements the other’s flavor, too.

Black-eyed peas and nourishing greens, two foods well-loved in Southern and “soul” cookery, have flavors that team companionably. Serve with baked sweet potatoes, fresh corn bread, and sliced tomatoes.

Rice and lentils make perfect pilaf partners because they can be cooked together and are done simultaneously.

Here’s a zesty bean dish that’s practically ready when you are.

Black-eyed peas and bulgur create a pleasant synergy in this easy and hearty dish.

A casserole of beans baking in the oven is one of my favorite cold-weather comforts.

Serve this as a side dish in shallow bowls, or over rice as a main dish.

There’s something enticing about simmering beans for hours until they begin to “melt” into soupiness. This is a superb activity (or nonactivity, more accurately) for a snow-bound day.

The word borracho was a nineteenth-century north-of-the-border term for a drunkard, and so the name of this recipe literally means “drunken pinto beans.” Simmering the pintos in beer and fresh cilantro gives them a unique flavor.

Here’s a hearty stew made entirely of convenient ingredients (unless you opt to cook the beans from scratch). Serve with simple grain dishes or tortilla specialties that don’t include beans, such as Mushroom and Bell Pepper Quesadillas or Soft Tacos (page 172).

Serve over rice or wrapped in a tortilla (see Black Bean Burritos, page 167). You can serve them both ways in the same meal, as in the menu here. That way, everyone can decide for themselves how they’d like to enjoy this tasty dish.

Black beans are delicious with lots of garlic. This is one of my favorite ways to serve them.

The contrast of whole grain and pasta makes for a very satisfying side dish. You can also make this by substituting whole grain couscous or quinoa for the bulgur. Serve this with Baked Barbecue Tofu and Peppers (page 141) and a tossed salad for an easy, hearty meal.

This mild side dish complements vegetable curries as well as recipes made with hearty winter vegetables, as in the accompanying menu.