Reply
 
Thread Tools
Old 02-22-2007, 03:47 PM   #1  
I can do this!
Thread Starter
 
beachgal's Avatar
 
Join Date: Apr 2004
Location: Upstate NY
Posts: 7,139

Height: 5'11"

Lightbulb How To Eat More Veggies When You Hate Them All!!!

A lot of Beachies have mentioned lately that they are trying to get more veggies in to get their 4 cups a day, but that they hate veggies, so it's hard. I wrote a PM to another member who mentioned this, explaining how I got to eat more veggies and even like them! (Trust me, my mother is still totally amazed! ) I'd love it if others will post their methods too...it's such an important issue!

Quote:
I HATED veggies when I started SBD. I literally (No lie!) had to pinch my nose shut and chew several times in the beginning to get them down! I had several meals where, like you, I was chasing down every bite, but not with water...with sips of yummy-flavored diet coke.

BUT! In time, I really did learn to like veggies. Here's the plan that got me there:
  • Start with veggies that aren't strong in taste or texture...zucchini, broccoli, green beans, etc.
  • Cook them in ways that involve things you like or incorporate them with other, strong flavored things. Examples: chop up broccoli really fine and put it in the taco bake. Or have green beans with almonds or broccoli in a cheese soup--there's a great recipe in the forum)
  • Try them with a lighter sauce or on their own on the side with a sauce instead of in something. At this point, you may have to hold your nose or chase it down with something to drink. It helps to make sure that meals with a veggie like this also have something you really like...I like refried beans and also like starches...so I'd have veggies with meals that had couscous or something on the side. I'd save that for last and tell myself I could have it when I finished my veggies...gave me a 'treat' to look forward to!
  • When you're ready, try them alone...steamed, with some very basic sauce. One day I had broccoli with just lemon squeezed on it...and I LIKED it! That's when I knew I'd made it. "whew!"
  • As time goes on, go through the whole process again, but with stronger-tasting veggies. Work your way up to it, but realize that there may be some veggies that you just don't like! Make sure you try them several ways before you decide you don't like them...you never know what might make them taste good to you!
Hope that helps! I think as the sugar gets out of your system, you start having a normal sense of taste again and some veggies really will taste 'sweet'! I love carrots and broccoli now and think that they taste incredibly sweet. Who knew?
beachgal is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 09-17-2007, 07:54 PM   #2  
Senior Member
 
Schmoodle's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2007
Location: East Coast US
Posts: 4,201

S/C/G: 261/252/145

Height: 5'4"

Default

I didn't hate veggies. Actually I thought I loved them, but I realized once I started SB, that I was "loving" only a few kinds and in limited amounts - cooked southern style, nuff said.
4 cups was a huge challenge for me. The first month I thought I'd scream if I ate another salad. I still sometimes don't make the 4 cups, but I do now more often than not. I don't think I ate that much one day during my first month. My tricks are:
A glass of V8 every day.
Anything I can hide chopped veggies in, I do, stews, casseroles, salads. The more the better. This is less intimidating to me than a big pile of cooked veg on my plate.
Anything wrapped in lettuce. I like tuna salad, egg salad, turkey bacon and tomato. This is now one of my favorite snacks.
I found a salad I LOVED - the one in the recipe section with goat cheese, pistachios, and dried apricots. This is now my favorite lunch, and I haven't gotten tired of it yet.
See, I even look forward to my salads now.
Schmoodle is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 11-15-2007, 11:33 AM   #3  
I can do this!
Thread Starter
 
beachgal's Avatar
 
Join Date: Apr 2004
Location: Upstate NY
Posts: 7,139

Height: 5'11"

Default

Great ideas, Schmoodle!

You know, I'm not sure if it is a good idea, SBD-wise, since pureeing might take some of the fiber out of the veggies, but did anyone see Jessica Seinfeld on Oprah? She steams and then purees veggies and adds them to tons of different dishes so her kids get the nutrients. Since we can sometimes be like little kids when it comes to veggies, maybe it would help us, too? She has a cookbook out on how to do the pureeing called Deceptively Delicious and has a website for it as well.

Even Dr. A loves Seinfeld's ideas:

Quote:
"Seinfeld makes a terrific contribution to childhood nutrition. Her approach will make meals [easy] for parents to prepare and a joy for kids to eat."

—Arthur Agatston, MD, best-selling author of The South Beach Diet and The South Beach Heart Program

Last edited by beachgal; 01-12-2009 at 10:44 AM. Reason: to change link--it expired
beachgal is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 11-15-2007, 11:46 AM   #4  
Senior Member
 
kaplods's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 2003
Location: Wausau, WI
Posts: 13,383

S/C/G: SW:394/310/180

Height: 5'6"

Default

Pureeing does nothing to the fiber content (unless you would strain it and throw away the solids).
kaplods is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 11-15-2007, 03:01 PM   #5  
I can do this!
Thread Starter
 
beachgal's Avatar
 
Join Date: Apr 2004
Location: Upstate NY
Posts: 7,139

Height: 5'11"

Default

Thanks, kaplods! I was thinking that maybe if you cut the fiber strands, they wouldn't be as hard to digest? But what you're saying makes more sense.
beachgal is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 11-15-2007, 03:43 PM   #6  
Senior Member
 
kaplods's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 2003
Location: Wausau, WI
Posts: 13,383

S/C/G: SW:394/310/180

Height: 5'6"

Default

It's a common assumption, but mostly because we don't understand what fiber really is. Fiber is cellulose, it's a plant-based carbohydrate that humans can't digest because we lack the enzymes to digest it. In fact, I think that only termites are born with the ability to digest cellulose. Other critters need certain bacteria in their gut to do the job, and they get the bacteria from their parents.

Most plants contain a good bit of cellulose. I think wood has the most cellulose of all plants. I don't know if it still occurs, but at one time wood pulp or sawdust (basically pureed wood) was often added to diet breads to make them lower in calorie.

I'm a trivia nut, if there's no immediate use to the information, I will remember it forever. Now if it's something practical, like where I put my keys, you can bet I've already forgotten it.
kaplods is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 01-12-2009, 10:16 AM   #7  
I can do this!
Thread Starter
 
beachgal's Avatar
 
Join Date: Apr 2004
Location: Upstate NY
Posts: 7,139

Height: 5'11"

Default

bump
beachgal is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 01-12-2009, 01:12 PM   #8  
Senior Member
 
heather88's Avatar
 
Join Date: Dec 2008
Location: TX
Posts: 342

S/C/G: 300/ticker/ONEDERLAND!

Height: 5'9

Default

I honestly can't stand veggies especially more than a cup . . . I've gotten to the point where I will eat 2 servings of baby carrots and 2 servings of celery in which i chew them up with water in my mouth (so i dont have to taste) and just swallow it like a pill lmao. Ugh, that is just so embarrassing to admit.
heather88 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 01-12-2009, 02:37 PM   #9  
KO
In Pursuit of Divatude!
 
KO's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 2000
Location: NJ
Posts: 4,671

Default

Heather do you like Chili?
I use a 24 oz Jar of Salsa in Mine to have an added Veggie Hit
Also you can hide all kinds of veggies and Legumes in Meatloaf
KO is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 01-15-2009, 11:01 AM   #10  
I can do this!
Thread Starter
 
beachgal's Avatar
 
Join Date: Apr 2004
Location: Upstate NY
Posts: 7,139

Height: 5'11"

Default

Heather, you're in good company! Eating veggies raw is really, really hard, IMHO. Start with cooked, and start with hiding them in things, like the Taco Bake. Try soups and also try putting veggies on pizza (or even mini pizzas on WW pita crusts). Cut them up tiny (a food processer helps) and put turkey pepperoni (or sausage) and LF cheese so you hardly taste 'em. If you're willing to go through that torture with the celery and carrots (wow!), you're able to eat them hidden in stuff.
beachgal is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 01-17-2009, 04:40 PM   #11  
Hittin' the Beach
 
ozziesgirl's Avatar
 
Join Date: Mar 2004
Location: Halifax, NS
Posts: 276

S/C/G: 225/212/130

Height: 5'0"

Default

I like vegetables and I like to see volume when I eat so I don't usually have a hard time getting my veggies in.

The best way I have found is to roast them (I am not a cook so I am not sure if the term is correct) I just put them on a baking sheet, toss mixed veggies in a bit of oil, add kosher salt and roast at 400-425 in the oven for about 1/2 hour or more. I just usually keep checking on them.

I swear it gives them a completely different taste. I can eat so many when I cook them this way. Even my picky friend loved them.

I usually roast broccoli, cauliflower, green beans, peppers, a bit of onion and recently I have gotten into brussel sprouts. Soo good.

This recipe from Kayln's Kitchen
allows you to add some veggies and they are not the prominent flavor or even texture since there are so many things going on. Omit quinoa for phase but but both ways are delish!

Last edited by ozziesgirl; 01-17-2009 at 04:43 PM. Reason: add recipe link
ozziesgirl is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 02-22-2009, 09:39 PM   #12  
Anna77
 
Anna77's Avatar
 
Join Date: Feb 2009
Location: Chicago, Illinois
Posts: 25

S/C/G: 191/185/125

Height: 5'3"

Default

Roasted vegs are tremendously better than most steamed vegs. I roasted cauliflower for the first time tonite and almost liked it.

Thanks for the other suggestions, I'll try them.
Anna77 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 03-07-2009, 11:02 AM   #13  
Senior Member
 
KimberlyHeidi's Avatar
 
Join Date: Mar 2005
Location: Virginia
Posts: 492

Default

I am not fond of veggies either so thank you for the thread.
Also how do we translate how much V8 equals how much into our minimum 4 cups of veggies daily? Thanks!

Kimberly
KimberlyHeidi is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 03-09-2009, 01:32 PM   #14  
I can do this!
Thread Starter
 
beachgal's Avatar
 
Join Date: Apr 2004
Location: Upstate NY
Posts: 7,139

Height: 5'11"

Default

Kimberly, this website has a great answer to your question. Here's the basic info:

Quote:
4 ounces of a vegetable juice cocktail like V8 is about the equivalent of a serving of vegetables.

...I am not a big fan of drinking juice instead of eating veggies or fruit. Such products as V8 are highly processed and you're better off eating 4 servings of fresh vegetables than drinking a large glass of juice. Having a tomato as one serving has as much fiber as 8 ounces of V8 for instance.
Even though V8 has the nutrients of a serving (or more) of vegetables, it doesn't have the same fiber. That fiber is what keeps you regular (gross, but important!) and makes you feel full. Having a small glass of V8 is fine, but please make sure you're getting a lot of fresh veggies throughout the rest of the day, okay? You'll be more successful with staying on plan, you'll feel better, and you'll be healthier, to boot.

Anna, I totally agree with you about roasting. It brings out the sweetness! I have an awesome roasted cauli recipe. Here it is! It's amazing. I promise you'll like it!

In the meantime, here's another way to like veggies--hide 'em! I got this great "Mozzerella Stick" recipe from Deceptively Delicious (cookbook that talks about how to hide veggies in food for little kids, but it works well for us "big kids" too! ) made with cauliflower puree.

Last edited by beachgal; 03-23-2009 at 09:37 AM.
beachgal is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 03-09-2009, 01:50 PM   #15  
Senior Member
 
kaplods's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 2003
Location: Wausau, WI
Posts: 13,383

S/C/G: SW:394/310/180

Height: 5'6"

Default

I love veggies, but I was thinking that maybe this recipe might help some (my veggie-picky hubby likes it if I dice the veggies small).

Quick soup (leftovers welcome)
1 can V-8 (single serving)
1 can chicken or other broth (or 2 cups water and a bouillon cube)
optional: 1 can diced beets (with the juice)
chopped cooked or raw veggies of any kind, as much as desired
(I also add leftover chicken or beef, if I have it on hand)

Add all ingredients and simmer until veggies are tender, and soup is hot. For a very veggie-phobic child or adult, puree soup until smooth.
kaplods is offline   Reply With Quote
Reply


Thread Tools

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Trackbacks are Off
Pingbacks are Off
Refbacks are Off



All times are GMT -4. The time now is 10:39 AM.


We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites.
Copyright © 2024 MH Sub I, LLC dba Internet Brands. All rights reserved. Use of this site indicates your consent to the Terms of Use.