Am I the only picky eater here? Maybe I'm weird, but I don't really eat most of the vegetables we're allowed. I've been having to stick with cucumbers or dill pickles.

Just hope I don't get tired of them!

Yikes! That may get boring. I am fortunately not a picky eater, or unfortunately hence the reason I am on a diet!! haha
Maybe try some of the other veggies from the recipes more for the nutrients that the veggies have that we need.
I am "in love" with grated cauliflower. Use it like rice or I use 5 sprays for "I can't believe it isn't butter" Or add a little chicken broth then cook in the microwave the cauliflower takes on chicken flavor. The spray butter makes it taste like mock mashed potatoes!
Good luck and I am sure you will get lots of ideas on this forum

Nope love the veggies...some of my favs are stir fried...cabbage, bean spouts, brocolli. I also love sauteed spinach with fresh garlic and olive oil. I also steam cauliflower with a little sea salt. I love bok choy in a stir fry also (I use soy sauce or amino acids for my stir fry) At lunch usually do celery, cucumbers, and dill pickles. Good luck

I'm only in my second week and I'm in the same boat. That's how I found this site... looking for recipes. Check the recipe threads for interesting combos.

Do you like mashed potatoes? If so, try lady's suggestion, there's a recipe there for mashed cauliflower... add garlic for flavor or chicken soup mix for gravy. YUM! (I can't even tell the difference!)

there are soooo many veggies! maybe you just haven't tried them prepared the right way yet. experiment. try new ones. or cover it in curry seasoning lol.

I need help with the bok choy. I've never had it before and I bought a head of it a couple of days ago. Do I cut off and throw away the leafy part and just use the rib?

I too am a picky eater and I'm having trouble consuming my 4 cups of veggies a day!

I like green beans, broccoli, cauliflower, spinach, tomato, lettuce, romaine and mushrooms from the list of acceptable vegetables. Tomato & green beans are only twice a week.

I know I'm going to have to branch out. Any suggestions on what to try from the recipes?

Christine

Cut off the base and use the entire thing! It is excellent in lightly braised or sauteed recipes.

A simple preparation is to cut the bok choy in half lengthwise, soak it in a bowl of water for 15 minutes. Rinse carefully, especially at the base of the stalk. Place cut side down in a skillet with simmering salted water for 4 minutes or til tender. remove and season with salt and a little olive oil.

Another method is to heat a bit of oil in a skillet or wok using medium heat. add a tablespoon of fresh minced ginger to the pan and heat for about 30 seconds. Bring the heat to a med-high or high and add the bok choy. stif-fry for 1 minute. Cover and cook another 2 minutes until bok choy seems tender-crisp.

A third method is to use about a cup of chicken broth in the skillet with about a tablespoon of oil (some recipes call for more or use butter, I haven't needed it). Bring it to a simmer add the cut up bok choy or whole leaves if the pan is large enough and simmer again til tender(about 5 min). Remove the bok choy to a plate and keep warm. Then take the broth in the pan and add about a tablespoon of fresh garlic, 2 tsp of fresh ginger, 1/2 to 1 tablespoon soy sauce and some red chili (if you like it spicy). bring the mixture to a boil and reduce it to around 1/4 to 1/2 cup of liquid. Then spoon the sauce over the bok choy.

You can also cut up shiitake mushroom and/or red onion to the bok choy as it sautees.

I have used lemon instead of soy or a mixture of lemon and less soy. It is all quite good.


An alternate way to cut the bok choy is described in this recipe. I haven't tried it yet but it sounds good!

Braised Baby Bok Choy
INGREDIENTS
2 pounds baby bok choy or mature bok choy
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1/2 cup chopped red onion
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon white pepper
2 tablespoons seasoned rice vinegar (available in the Asian section of your grocery store, or from specialty Asian markets) NAKANO makes a natural one that is zero anything and can be used on plan

1. Trim the base of the bok choy, then chop off the leaves. Cut the base in half lengthwise, then cut the halves crosswise on a diagonal into 1/4-inch-thick strips. Cut the leaves crosswise on a diagonal into 1 1/2-inch-wide strips.

2. Place a large wok or a pot large enough to hold all the bok choy over medium heat. When it is hot, add the olive oil and rotate the wok or pot a bit to coat it evenly. When the oil is hot, add the onion and stir-fry until softened, 2 to 3 minutes. Add the bok choy and season with the salt and pepper. Cover and cook until tender, stirring occasionally, about 10 minutes.
Stir in the vinegar and serve hot.

Serves 4 to 6.

I use to think I was a picky eater, but I have opted to venture out of my comfort zone and try some different things...tonight for the very first time ever...brussel sprouts. Not to bad! I was told that while we are on this our tastebuds will change so hopefully that will happen for you

yes, I was a VERY picky eater when I started, and had a pretty tiny "sliver" of what I thought was "good tasting food".

But (and here is a tiny soapbox moment) if you are going to have long term success in your weight loss journey, you will need to learn to like (or love) veggies in place of the things you love now (which for me was everything from mashed potatoes to hot fudge). Soooo....do yourself a favor and start checking out the recipe threads and learning a new idea of what "tastes good" because otherwise you will do all the hard work to lose the weight, and then afterwards you will simply gain it all back. And you are worth more than that!

Lots of veggies (cauliflower, brussel sprouts, aparagus, zuchinni) are actually really sweet when you grill or roast them slowly.

Some veggies (cauliflower, celery root, chick peas, parsnips) make a great--and permanent--substitute for rice or potatoes, rice or whatever you typically think of as a "side dish".

Some veggies (broccoli, collards, mushrooms) are a whole new world when braised with a little chicken broth (try adding some red pepper flakes or some soy sauce).

And some (rhubarb) can be used in surprising ways (like microwaved then added to IP vanilla pudding and cinnamon to make "rhubarb pie dessert").

So, open your thinking to veggies as a whole new food group that you may not really have investigated yet.

My DH and I learned a new world view by pretending we had moved to a foreign country and we needed to try new foods we would never eat if we were at home. That made it a lot more fun to figure out what to do with those darn things once we brought them home. GOOD LUCK!

Thank you, Carla!

I think you can cut off leafty part (I do...just the very top) and the bottom (similar to celery)....very yummy...happy cooking