We bought some cauliflower too- so I'm gonna try a little garlic & some butter and see if it comes out as delicious as mashed potatos- maybe a little cheese too. Just to see if I can fool myself.

Suzy - Just another thought on the asparagus...I've had success wrapping it in deli meats and then brushing the outside with olive oil before cooking. The meat really masks the flavor of the asparagus and you can use them to 'dip' too - like in low-cal ranch, as someone else suggested. I've used prosciutto and it was DEE-LISH, but if you're looking for something lighter, smoked turkey breast is good too. Good luck on your veggie challenge!

If you like veggies in cheese sauce, I think have a lower-cal alternative that you might like. My mom bought me Kernel Season's Popcorn Seasoning in White Cheddar flavor. Although it is advertised as a popcorn seasoning, it's really good on veggies tossed with a little bit of olive oil. A 1/4 teaspoon is only 2 calories and it has a minimal amount of sodium. And it is soooo tasty! You'd be surprised how flavorful a 1/4 tsp is, too. I put it on broccoli, and it is really delicious.

I'm pretty sure you can find it with the popcorn in most larger grocery stores, if not then it might be in with the seasonings.

While we're on the subject of yummy vegetables..
There's a vegetable I absolutely can't live without. Parsnip! Here's a quick rundown of my favorite way to prepare it:
You wash it, cut it into thick french-fry shapes, lightly brush small amount of carotina oil (red palm oil and canola mixture), sprinkle with some paprika and just bake on medium-high for like 15 minutes or until they're slighty crunchy on the outside.

When I lived in the US, I don't remember seeing red palm oil very often, but I did remember seeing tiny 'tester' bottles of uncommon oils in assorted Safeway's. If you like the flavour, it's great for vitamins. Contains lots of vitamin A, E and betacartotines. (Along with some other great stuff.)

If you don't like parsnip this way, you can even try the same method with sweet potato. It's just as yummy. You could probably do the same thing with other sort of root vegetables / foods of the same texture. Oh, feel free to add a light sprinkle of sea salt before you bake to add some flavour if you wish.

I also end up making a lot of 'mashed parsnip' these days. (Personally, I think potato is kind of boring, so parsnip is a great way to change things up.) The best way to serve them up is with white pepper. Sometimes I add a bit of cayenne when I mash them up as well. It just makes the taste 'pop'.

Parsnips are really versatile. You can basically prepare them any way you prepare carrots. They're a lot richer in vitamins and minerals, and have LOTS of potassium too. Plus they're yummy. :D

I'd better stop myself before I fill up this forum with mucho parsnip talk.
(*Rereads the post* I can't actually believe I just wrote that much about a root! :p)

Enjoy! <3

Vrai: I was 27 years old and living in the UK the first time I had a parsnip. It has been true love ever since! They are so DEELISH!!! Why hasn't America caught on to the delectability of the parsnip?

:D I had my first parsnip here in the UK as well.

I remember seeing them in the veggie aisle whilst growing up, but I always thought they looked weird.
I imagined they'd taste like cardboard too.
Instead, they turned out completely delicious.

Parsnip <3 for all.

What do parsnips taste like? I honestly wouldn't be able to identify one if I saw it, but I'm curious.

Since you like iceberg lettuce and romaine, I'd try to add raw cabbage (with lemon juice or a mild vinegar, a little oil, grated carrots and poppy seeds) or try jicama (basically tastes somewhere between a raw potato and an apple. --- usually in the latin section!) I also like to sneak them in crqzy places..like peas in pesto. Just add like a 3:2 ratio of pesto to peas. :)

I also wish I ate more veggies. I can tolerate iceberg lettuce and carrots (but not cooked). And of course the starchy ones like potatoes, corn, lima beans, and black-eyed peas. I just can't seem to get past the taste and texture of most veggies. My hubby will however at ANY veggie!