Sides:
Fried green tomatoes is a very popular southern dish made from unripe green tomatoes coated with cornmeal and then fried. If you don’t have green tomatoes you can also use red tomatoes that are not over ripe. SEE RECIPE
Red beans and rice is a traditional staple side dish in Louisiana and many other Southern states. There are so many variations of red beans and rice, many that are handed down from one generation to the next. As such, there really is no official recipe for red beans and rice, whether cajun, creole, New Orleans or South Louisiana. SEE RECIPE
Main Dishes:
Creole jambalaya is a rice main dish that can be prepared with meat, chicken or even seafood, and sometimes some combination of these ingredients. It’s a great way to serve bits of leftover meats combined with onions, seasonings and peppers. SEE RECIPE
Gumbo is arguable the most famous, and very likely the most popular dish from Louisiana. This dish is prepared by people from well to do backgrounds to those that are less well off. The ingredients can vary from person to person, you can enjoy gumbo and still have a healthy meal that’s as emblematic of Louisiana and Mardi Gras as chili is of Texas. SEE RECIPE
Dessert:
No Mardi Gras celebration is complete without the traditional King Cake. But did you know that the King Cake was a traditional Christmas treat in many European countries? Of course now, it’s become more associated with Mardi Gras and Carnival in America. Here is a low-fat version of the New Orleans sweet bread that won’t break your diet. SEE RECIPE
