Hi everyone, I hope you can help me.

I'm struggling for side dish ideas for our dinners. We had been eating a lot of rice-a-roni and similar boxed meals but after I started actually paying attention to the nutritional value, I simply refuse to buy that stuff. I might as well eat a bowl of lard with lots of salt for as much nutritional value as those things have. But I'm struggling with coming up with side-dishes for dinner. I love vegetables and am happy to eat them, but my husband refuses toe at any veggies except corn (which IMO isn't a vegetable so much as a grain. We debate about that fairly often.). I've tried brown rice made with chicken broth to give it some flavor and he doesn't like it. I do red potatoes fairly often but I am sick of them. We very rarely eat red meat. Usually dinner is either chicken breasts, salmon filets, or other kinds of fish. Does anyone have any diet-friendly, veggie phobic husband-friendly, tasty side dishes you'd be willing to share?

Whole Wheat Coucous, Tabouli, Long grain rice (Uncle Ben's makes several rather tasty flavored versions, Hummus, to name a few

Also, here is a veggie recipe that I've made that has swayed several veggie HATERS. If he likes corn, he will probably like this if you can just get him to try it.

-2 parts squash
-1 part cauliflower with ALL of the stems cut off so that there is nothing left but the frothy tops
-olive oil
-Garlic Salt
-finely ground pepper

chop the squash and cauliflower into small chunks, drizzle lightly with olive oil, sprinkle seasonings, and stir so all the chunks are coated. Spread on a cookie sheet and bake at 350 for 35-45 minutes, turning once. You know it's done with the edges of the cauliflower turn brown at the edges.

He may not like it, but I've had several veggies-phobes LOVE it. It's worth a shot.

I should add that I didn't include recipes for the other things because I just make them per the instructions on the boxes I buy them in.

Thanks, Solus. That cauliflower recipe sounds GOOD. I'm going to make it for myself even if he doesn't eat it, that sounds delicious. Maybe if I put cheese on his and don't tell him it's cauliflower and squash!

I like vegis but my family doesn't. I do have good luck with them and stir-fried vegi. You can throw about anything together with a little marg or cooking spray, soy sauce or juice (orange, pineapple, apple) and garlic and it's yum. My favorites are: 1. fresh green beans, garlic, marg, soy sauce. 2. onions, zucchini, water chesnuts, garlic, marg, soy sauce. 3. broccoli, onions, carrots, orange juice, soy sauce, garlic. I also like rice pilaf: rice, chix or beef stock, sauted vegi (carrots, onion, celery).
Lynne

thanks, tchrnow DH does really like chinese food so I bet he'd go for stir fry. I'm going to try.

solus, I don't know if you'll see this or not and I haven't seen you "around" but I wanted to let you know I tried the cauliflower recipe and it was SO good. DH wouldn't try it (sigh) but I thought it was awesome and will make it again in the future. Thanks!

GEG - I have the same problem with my BF. He doesn't eat veges except potato and some other things like corn, and perhaps some things in stir frys.

How about trying some sweet potato? They make great fries oven baked. I actually do a mix of white and sweet potato so he feels like it is the norm, but sweet potato is better for you.

Also, for rice, go for the Basmati. Much lower in sugar so it is digested over a longer period of time - thus keeping you full longer. Spice it up with a bay leaf in the pot or some stock powder depending on what you are having it with.

How about legumes? Baked bean are great fibre or you could go for the cannelli or lentils . . hope some of this helps.

Ange

you should try eating veggies for the vitiamins and fiber. glen