Does anyone else not like veggies? I like lettuce (romaine and leaf), but am not a big fan of other vegetables. We grew up on canned corn, canned peas, and canned string beans--yuck.. And I wish I liked V-8...
Has anyone else had this problem and conquered it? Or does anyone know of any resources or tricks or very simple recipes that can help me ease more vegetables painlessly into my diet? Thanks very much!
There are hundreds (maybe even thousands) of different veggies out there and dozens of ways to prepare each of them. How can you say as a blanket statement that you don't like veggies unless you've tried all the veggies in all the ways possible.
Canned veggies, fresh veggies, and frozen veggies all have different tastes and textures. Veggies can be steamed, boiled, roasted, grilled, baked, mashed, pureed, added into smoothies and muffins, eaten in salads, baked into pot-pies.
Maybe narrowing down what you DON'T like and why - texture, bitterness, whatever - will help you find things you DO like and can enjoy eating.
I used to despise most veggies, too. I also grew up on all that salty canned stuff. I learned that I don't like veggies to be crispy when they're cooked, I like them soft. I steam string beans til they're soft and if you REALLY hate them you can alway start out by putting a HINT of butter and seasonings on it like garlic, salt, and pepper. I also LOATHED spinach until I had a spinach and artichoke dip, then I was in heaven. I slowly started to add spinach to things (sandwiches, etc) and eventually moved to spinach in my salads instead of lettuce. It really doesn't have much taste to it and is SUPER good for you. Those are really my two green veggie staples. If all else fails try adding a little of the veggies to your regular meals, mix them in with a stir fry or something until you get used to them. You really can acquire the taste. And god, I hate V8 with a passion. Yuck! Hope this helps a little!
I used to think I didn't like veggies either - until I started trying new ones and playing with different ways of fixing ones I'd tried before. All of a sudden I would rather have a fresh tomato and spinach salad with a little tuna and feta cheese than a slice of pizza.
For me, it makes a huge difference if they are fresh. I can handle frozen if I have to but canned...? ick Six months ago I would have to force myself to gag down a bite or two of the requisite "sweet potato casserole" that always shows up at holiday dinner tables - now I buy fresh sweet potatos all the time and love them baked with a dab of plain yogurt; or diced, drizzled with a little olive oil and roasted in the same pan with a chicken breast and a few chopped green onions. (but the first time I bought one, I had to come to 3FC to ask what the heck to do with it )
You don't have to go out and buy a whole bunch of something you've never even heard of, but try a few things that you can buy in small quantities and take a little taste raw then play with different seasonings. (Which sounds like really odd advice coming from me because I also used to not like to cook and always claimed I had no time to do it )
You might be surprised to discover you really do like veggies after all
I "can"(eeewww - how punny) see where your aversion to veggies comes from...whenever we were served asparagus when I was growing up, my mother cooked canned asparagus for 10 full minutes - eeeyuck! However, at the "tender" age of 45, I discovered the wonders of grilling veggies. Grilling fresh 'sparagus (after tossing with olive oil, S&P, and garlic powder) until barely tender and hot turns it into a totally different veg. It's also a great way to cook sweet red pepper (green is too bitter, IMHO), zucchini, yellow squash. Just remember - hot and barely tender (a bit of crunch left in the center)- don't overcook. Additional seasonings can be added after cooking (lemon juice, additional pepper, whatever).
Fresh snow peas, fresh sugarsnap peas, grape tomatoes, baby carrots - all very mild and sweet, and easy, 'cause you eat them raw. Ease into it by using fatfree salad dressing as dip.
Sweet potatoes are great, too - Slice 1/2" slices, lay on a lightly greased baking sheet - spray with olive oil spray, season any way you'd like - sweet-n-spicy:cinnamon and a bit of ground cloves; zingy: a light sprinkling of chili powder, onion powder, a wee bit of salt. Bake at 375 degrees until edges start to brown(watch the bottoms - with the natural sugars, they'll scorch if you forget).
Try other types of lettuces - the grocery stores carry some great and colorful mixes that are a terrific way to try out new ones.
Do you like pickles? A simple vegetable is the cucumber - mild flavor, and if you do like pickles, you can make your own - thinly sliced, sprinkle on a bit of your preferred vinegar, a few green onion slices, and (if your diet permits) a scant bit of salt - toss together, refridgerate for a little bit to chill - crunchy.
While it is new territory for you, remember, there are yummy options out there - just gotta keep trying until you find the ones that work for you!
I'm not sure how I survived childhood. We rarely ate any veggies other than tomatoes (and those on pizza, in spaghetti sauce, etc.). What we did eat was canned. I don't recall once buying any fresh veggies or fruits. And, the canned stuff was mostly limited to green beans. (I still prefer the softness of the canned green beans!)
I'm forcing more and more veggies into my life, learning to enjoy them. I've had a lot of luck sneaking veggies into my main dishes. I make a lovely curry with a jarred mix and various frozen veggies and a little bit of chicken. I think I have about four or five parts veggies to one part chicken. The whole family loves it. It includes chopped broccoli, chopped cauliflower and petite peas, as well as a little onion. I put chopped spinach into calzones and pizzas, as well as mac 'n cheese. Peas also hide well in Caribbean meat pies that my family loves. Chopped or sliced zucchini goes well in tomato sauces. Mixed veggies go well in various casseroles. Pureed veggies can be hidden in a variety of dishes. Pasta salads, including those with couscous, can be a tasty way to serve up veggies. Check out The Sneaky Chef (http://www.thesneakychef.com/) and Deceptively Delicious (http://www.deceptivelydelicious.com/site/) for more such ideas.
Last edited by LessEveryDay; 07-13-2008 at 07:24 PM.
Lots of good advice already. I abhor canned veggies too (childhood thing as well).
What types of flavors to you like? What types of textures?
I love stir fried veggies, and grilled veggies, and baked veggies. Mixing the veggies with a bit of olive oil and my favorite spices and baking them in the oven brings out their sweetness. I would rather have that than dessert - honestly!
Just keep trying different things - I'm betting that you will find some you like
My husband is like you in that he hates most vegetables.
Aside from salads, he really likes cucumbers with italian salad dressing, tomato with a little bit of skim mozzerella cheese and oregano on top. He gets a serving of veggies when I make chicken fajitas:
Chicken breast cooked in a little olive oil, montreal chicken seasoning, mrs. dash's, onions, green peppers, red peppers, salsa on 2 6" tortilla rounds. He loves it bc he can't taste the peppers.
That's how I sneak it to em
Better than doing what I did with the milk when I started putting 1% in the 2% container until he got used to it... then i told him he was drinking 1% and convinced him to try skim. Now we both drink skim
Better than doing what I did with the milk when I started putting 1% in the 2% container until he got used to it... then i told him he was drinking 1% and convinced him to try skim. Now we both drink skim
Might sound like a commercial but that new V8 which tastes like fruit juice but has a full serving of veggies in it is quite tasty! I mix it with vanilla soy milk and it is like a great smoothie. Yum yum.
I'm not a huge vegetable fan either. I like corn on the cob, sometimes I like asparagus, I like broccoli and cauliflower but they make me terribly gassy so I save those for weekends! But a while back Oprah had Jerry Seinfield's wife on about her book, Deceptively Delicious. It's a cookbook that she wrote. She purees different vegetables and incorporates them into things like chicken nuggets, spaghetti sauce and so on. I've not tried it but think that that might be a good way to get vegetables in my meals without having to actually cook them as a side... Just a thought...
Never a veggie fan...I have found great delight in discovering the amazing flavors of ORGANIC veggies vs. non-organic!! Yes, it is more expensive...but if it means the difference of eating veggies or not...the cost is worth to me. Not to mention the fact that they are better for you!
Thank you all so much for the info.. I've been away from a computer for a week and so I'm really happy with all the great suggestions. I'm really going to give these a try--although I will take it slow--if I try to force myself, I'll go right back to cake and soda!! Thanks again!
Eat Your Vegetables? Ick!!
And god, I hate V8 with a passion. Yuck! Hope this helps a little!
Six months ago I would have to force myself to gag down a bite or two of the requisite "sweet potato casserole" that always shows up at holiday dinner tables - now I buy fresh sweet potatos all the time and love them baked with a dab of plain yogurt; or diced, drizzled with a little olive oil and roasted in the same pan with a chicken breast and a few chopped green onions. 
(but the first time I bought one, I had to come to 3FC to ask what the heck to do with it 
)
)
) see where your aversion to veggies comes from...whenever we were served asparagus when I was growing up, my mother cooked canned asparagus for 10 full minutes - eeeyuck! However, at the "tender" age of 45, I discovered the wonders of grilling veggies. Grilling fresh 'sparagus (after tossing with olive oil, S&P, and garlic powder) until barely tender and hot turns it into a totally different veg. It's also a great way to cook sweet red pepper (green is too bitter, IMHO), zucchini, yellow squash. Just remember - hot and barely tender (a bit of crunch left in the center)- don't overcook. Additional seasonings can be added after cooking (lemon juice, additional pepper, whatever).
