I'm eating a salad right now. It's a good salad- it has a lovely assortment of leafy greens, sliced strawberries, broccoli slaw (a nice filler), and marinated pieces of steak. And it also has a nice drizzle of olive oil vinaigrette- my new favorite dressing. This sounds like such a great salad, doesn't it? So nutritious, so delicious- yet I find myself taking at LEAST 30-45 minutes to finish it, and I cringe (ever so slightly) whenever I take a bite. Why? I hate raw vegetables. I don't know why- I know they are oh-so-good-for-me, but I have a hard time with the flavor, the texture, the chewing for 5 minutes for each bite, all of it. And this doesn't happen every time I eat raw vegetables or a salad- maybe every other time. I think cheese helps increase the depth in flavor; and anything with pomegranate seeds I can call friend... but don't get me started on broccoli, brussel sprouts, etc. (shudder).
And don't think I'm an all-or-nothing vegetable hater. I can be a very adventurous eater when I want to be, and I will give anything a chance. I can eat cooked green beans just as well as the next person.
So, I need some insight. I am making a full-hearted effort to eat healthier- that means more salads, vegetables, and fruits (which is not a problem- I love fruit) in my life. How do you get your veggies in everyday? Any special tricks or recipes that help you choke (ahem, I mean - "eat") them down?
Wednesday, January 28, 2009
For the love (or lack there-of) of vegetables
Posted by Oblad girl at 4:54 PM
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7 comments:
ah hah, my specialty. First of all, go buy this cook book: "The Vegetable Recipes I can't Live Without" by Mollie Katzen. (usually i wouldn't recommend, but you are a special case). This woman is a very good cook - and.....there are some recipes that have pomegranate seeds or juice. (:
Also, sneak them into things. sandwiches, tacos, whole grain salads, soups etc. ROAST THEM. This is always the best way to make friends with a vegetable. Even Taylor and Jill liked the roasted Brussels sprouts I served for T-day. Use garlic,olive oil, onions, fresh ground pepper, vinegars, and very flavorful cheeses.
Actually, I created a whole powerpoint on the subject last year, come to think of it! I'll email it to you.
I think the biggest thing to remember is that veggies taste different when cooked differently. You might hate them raw, but you'll love them steamed or roasted. DO NOT overcook vegetables or they are nasty. yeah, ill send that to ya.
do you like hummus? i like raw veggies with hummus, particularly bell peppers. it's a great snack.
Hey Jenn!! Thanks for inviting me to see the blog. I love food as well so this is going to be a total treat!
As far as veggies are concerned, I find that the more I eat them, the more I like them. Sometimes it just takes some getting used to - especially raw veggies. I sometimes try to add something small like seasoning/garlic (chopped tomatoes) or peanut butter (celery). My favorite way to eat any veggie is blanched and then sauteed in a little oil, garlic, onion and salt. Anyway - let me know what other ideas you come up with!
OH! And I also will steam them, puree them and put them in other meals just to get nutrients. I.E. pureed zucchini in a grilled cheese sandwich mmmmmmmmmm - I won't eat them any other way now!
Thanks for all the tips, guys! I will definitely try out your ideas.
I also find that the more I eat them the more I like them. But I also find that the more time it takes to prepare them, the less I want to eat them. So I think a big thing is to chop things up as soon after you go to the store as possible.
As a general rule, I try to buy one new thing from the store each week so I can learn how to make something I haven't tried before. You could do this with veggies. I cooked fresh green beans this week. Aside from the fact that I burned them, they were great!
This is funny - my daughter has the opposite problem - she hates cooked vegetables and will only eat them raw. Which, of course, is a pain b/c some veggies just weren't created for raw consumption. So, in order to get her to eat more veggies, I keep a big bag of carrots in the fridge at all times, and also bell peppers, and cauliflower, and always have ranch dressing and hummus on hand and then no matter what I've cooked, she always has a vegetable to go with her dinner.
Blanching is also the best thing to happen to most raw veggies...
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