And Jilly, you could NEVER get me to eat raw broccoli or cauliflower. I remember the word torture being thrown around here in this thread. Well the raw stuff kind of makes me want to use that word. It really is all a matter of each of us finding what works best for ourselves. :)

plates of brocolli and cauliflower - yum. Plates of brussel sprouts - I'm in heaven :-)

strange, I know.

Originally Posted by rockinrobin:
And Jilly, you could NEVER get me to eat raw broccoli or cauliflower.

You couldn't get me to eat RAW broccoli or cauliflower either. It's really hard on my digestive system :^: Cooked? I'm with Finn...throw in some Brussels sprouts and I will eat a huge plate full!

Originally Posted by rockinrobin:
And Jilly, you could NEVER get me to eat raw broccoli or cauliflower.

Oh, I'll eat it cooked, too--if it's drowning in a heavy melted cheese sauce ;) Oh, wait, this section is typically about LOW calorie foods, right? :p

Something else I do love to have is smoothies. I make my own at home with my Magic Bullet, which I LOVE because it limits me to only making as much as will fit in the cup, so no going overboard in a blender. My favorites are:

• a frozen banana, a blob of natural peanut butter, and skim milk
• a frozen banana, 2 scoops of vanilla protein powder, and skim milk
• a banana, frozen strawberries, and skim milk (if I'm going really crazy, I'll also add a splash of vanilla, a sprinkle of Splenda, and some fat free Cool Whip)

Originally Posted by jillybean720:
[COLOR=#4b0082]Something else I do love to have is smoothies. I make my own at home with my Magic Bullet, which I LOVE because it limits me to only making as much as will fit in the cup, so no going overboard in a blender.

Lordy, for a second I thought you were going to talk about throwing cauliflower or brussel sprouts into your smoothies! I was moments away from swooning in horror! :)

I just finished eating a huge bowl of steamed broccoli. I like to mix a little dijon mustard with lemon juice and a drizzle of olive oil. I shake it up and drizzle it over.

Robin, I'm still curious as to how you typically prepare your cauliflower? Steamed is the most common way I eat it, but I like to hear how others prepare foods... gets me more interested.

Smoothies... yum! Not the broccoli kind... lol!!! I make them for DH a few times a week and sneak his probiotics in (he's got lots of digestive problems and doesn't like to take probiotics straight up). I usually pour a small one (less than a cup) for myself because I've calculated that they are quite high in calorie -- though, yes, they are very nutritious.

Send along suggestions for cauliflower or other veggie preparation... I'm looking for a little inspiration right now (I gained 3 lbs. in the last 2 weeks being off plan!).

I roast my cauliflower...mmmm. Wrap a head in foil with some salt/pepper and stick it in the oven for an hour or so until its really tender. Mmmm.

Claire, I usually just cook it in a little chicken broth. I like it firm, not mushy. Maybe it takes 6 or 7 minutes or so. I know some people like to make it mushy and then mash it up, kind of like faux mashed potatoes.

Like Mandalinn says, roasting is another option. I roast lots of different veggeis, green beans are my current roasted favorite. They taste completely different roasted then any other method. Almost like you're eating french fries. Aspargagus works very well roasted also, right along side the green beans in fact. Mushrooms, peppers, zuchinni, carrots, brussel sprouts are also fantastic using this method.

Thanks, Robin and Mandalinn! I usually steam, but I think I'll try to roast more often.