Texture issues?

luckymeeks · 01-28-2011, 10:32 PM

I'm so glad I found this thread!!!! I've hated veggies my entire life, only liking a few canned veggies. But in the last 2 weeks since I've gotten serious about my healthy eating I've learned cauliflower and broccoli are not as evil as I once thought they were

I especially like the cauliflower/mashed potatoes recipe. Yumm and you can't even tell your sneaking in a healthy veggie.

My issue with veggies are the texture. I have an enlarged thyroid which means I have problems swallowing, which means I chew things till they are tiny. So lettuce is my biggest enemy

But I'm working on it. Anyone else have this problem?

tommy · 01-28-2011, 10:41 PM

I can't help with the issue but congrats on trying to work with veggies, and please do not think lettuce = all that. Some veggies actually release more nutrients when they are cooked. Pureed carrots or winter squashes as in soups are super nutrient packed for example. Here is a great example of broccoli http://thefoodinista.wordpress.com/2...oked-broccoli/

dcapulet · 01-29-2011, 12:37 AM

I have texture issues with different foods -those that are completely smooth, but meant to be firm - like egg whites and long white carb spaghetti. They literally make me gag. Everyone thought I was just being dramatic until my daughter ended up with the same thing (and I don't keep those foods in my house) so go figure!

Congrats on getting those veggies in!

luckymeeks · 01-29-2011, 05:00 PM

Thanks guys! It's great to have support even when it comes to just eating veggies. My husband was gone all day so I went grocery shopping today and decided you know what, I'm going to buy a salad and try it with no audience. Normally when lettuce "accidently" gets in my mouth I gag it out, but today I ate 4 whole bites without gagging. Then I decided that was enough for one day

Baby steps! I really want to like lettuce/salads though, they always look so delish. Next time I'll eat 8 bites.

CuteNcurls · 07-12-2011, 12:39 PM

Congratulations. I hate the texture of lettuce as well...and a lot of other foods. Somehow, I've been able to substitute spinach as I find the texture less slimey when it's chewed into little bits. Lately, I've been trying to sneak veggies into things I normally eat. I can pack a lot of peppers, onions and mushrooms into an omelet

Try a smoothie receipe that allows you to hide pureed veggies without tasting them. I also have tried to find tolerable differences in food cooked vs. raw and have found that some foods are a little easier one way or the other.

I feel your pain...good luck and congratulations on the baby steps.

Esofia · 07-13-2011, 04:43 AM

Why on earth are so many people persisting with slimy lettuce if they hate it? I love vegetables, and I don't like slimy lettuce! So I keep it out of mixed salads, and occasionally make it up into a salad where it's the only vegetable (just dressing and a few pine nuts), since it doesn't go soggy prepared that way. If you're having trouble with a vegetable's texture, don't force yourself to eat it, try preparing it in another way so that the texture will be different. I have yet to meet a vegetable which isn't capable of many different textures depending on how it's prepared.

swtbttrfly23 · 07-13-2011, 04:47 AM

I agree, don't feel like you need to force yourself! I personally can't deal with oatmeal. I can eat maybe 3 bites by itself, maybe a few more if it's combined with some fresh fruit, but in general I find it to be not good. Don't even get me started on oatmeal with peanut butter mixed in, lol

JohnorTammy · 07-15-2011, 03:15 PM

I also hate the texture of most veggies. Lately I've been throwing a few tomatos along with celery, carrots and whatever else is in that veggie drawer in the blender and letting er rip,result?......not bad. Put in a pinch of Mrs. Dash and a little pepper and I've got a homemade V8. Well maybe a V4 but it gets veggies in me.

......John

amyleigh · 07-15-2011, 03:26 PM

i'm so happy i'm not alone! i've hated veggies since i was a kid when the texture used to make me gag...and it hasn't stopped. there are very few that i eat. because my mom always made me "try just a bite" every time she made them, i've now associated the taste with the texture so even if there is a certain veggie mixed in to where you can't feel it but can still taste it (like when people puree them in sauces and such) it still makes me gag. everyone always thinks i'm being overly dramatic, but at times i'll even get nauseous from veggies. needless to say, this girl will never be able to survive as a vegetarian

eyre13 · 07-29-2011, 11:55 PM

I'm with you on this one as well. My roomate doesn't get it at all (or my mom. Dad and I are on the same page tho.) it hasn't got anything to do with taste. Its all about how it feels in your mouth. I love OJ, but I hate the texture of an orange. It think its just somehting you have to work on. (I'm headed to the store tomorrow to buy a bunch of fruits/veggies to try and find some I'll eat).

PhatBeth · 09-12-2011, 05:57 AM

Have you tried going the green smoothie route? When you blend them up there's not much texture to complain about. Tons of recipes online. Worth a try.

What about sneaking them into a quiche or frittata? Spinach comes to mind. Bake a bag of spinach with some eggs and spice and again there's not much veggie texture left to complain about.

You know a lot of Mom's puree veggies and sneak them into other foods to hide them from the kids. I have pureed veggies and used them in meatloaf and that worked well. I know Jerry Seinfeld's wife published a book with all the tricks on how to do this. Might be worth a look to see which tricks she could incorporate into her paleo diet.