How to make certain veggies taste better?
hippygirl325
Posts: 223 Member
Since starting keto, I have tried a couple of veggies as sides that in the past I have not liked eating by themselves (broccoli and Brussels sprouts). When I made the Brussels sprouts I pan cooked them from frozen, rinsed, cut in half with olive oil and butter and used salt, pepper, and a little garlic salt, but I don't think they were cooked enough because most of them weren't very soft at all, and they still tasted pretty yucky even though I tried adding cheese and sour cream. When I made the broccoli I boiled/steamed it from frozen and added butter, salt, pepper, garlic salt, and sprinkled some parmesan on top, which made them tolerable, but I still didn't like the taste of the actual broccoli. I really want to get some of these types of veggies in my diet but in the past the only sure way to get them to taste good to me has been to mix them in with some type of casserole, soup, or salad. There's gotta be a way to make them taste good as a side, but despite trying to add good flavor to them I can't seem to work it out. Help???
0
Replies
-
Have you tried using seasonal fresh veggies as opposed to frozen? right now, greens and root veggies are in season, and squash. My daughter and I belong to a CSA (consumer supported agriculture), so every week we get veggies from a local farm. I have gotten some pretty weird stuff. tat-soy. rutabaga. I've seen rutabaga in the grocery...but never bought one...now i get them in my CSA. Google "what to do with your CSA". You will find tons of hits for different ways to cook different kinds of veggies.
One of my favorite ways to cook veggies in the winter is simply to toss them in some fat....i.e., olive oil, coconut oil or duck fat (did you know duck fat was a monounsaturated fat like olive oil? I just found that out the other day) and roast them in the oven with complimentary seasonings. sea salt and cracked pepper. smoked salt. lemon zest. nutmeg with greens. I also like to do them in combinations...say roasting parsnips with fennel bulb, brussels sprouts and some onion. That way I'm not just digging through green. Variety is good. Taste them while raw...and then sample while cooking so you know how the flavors will change. If you are going to try and sauté something....try doing it in bacon fat...i.e., sauté some greens (spinach, kale, or collards...yum).
Make a veggie gratin. Pick a veggie and do a pinterest search. You wouldn't believe whats out there for cauliflower alone. lol. Experiment and have fun.0 -
Thank you. That's actually really helpful. I have heard people talking a lot about CSAs. I'm absolutely sure there is one here in Colorado Springs. lol Do you find the pricing to be considerably more than the store or comparable?0
-
I find that many vegetables taste great sauteed in bacon fat and seasoned with salt and pepper. After cooking add blue cheese or goat cheese crumbles, sliced almonds, and crumbled bacon. Both fresh green beans and brussels sprouts taste great this way.
I hate broccoli so I just smother it with alfredo sauce.0 -
Eating something you don't like...yikes! lol
Me, too, with the Liver...<shudders>
I have to overpower it with a LCHF
savory sauce with full flavor and proper
bite...a teeth-clenching bite, too.
My current article of choice is
a mustard butter sauce.
One of my fav places to find such
recipes or receipts as they used to
be called in my gram and grampa's
day is at googleBooks,
If you enjoy reading old cookbooks:
http://tinyurl.com/lu78t7w
/tq
0 -
Shoot, not only is there 1 with a pickup location here, there are 11! lol0
-
I like broccoli and Brussels sprouts roasted in the oven (also cauliflower). They become so sweet! Preheat oven to 400F; Toss chopped veggie pieces in olive oil, bacon fat or ? Coconut oil (haven't tried that one for roasting). Place on a 1/2 sheet pan or other rimmed baking sheet, lined with parchment or foil for easy cleanup; Roast, shaking pan occasionally for 20-25 minutes for broccoli/cauli; 40 min for Brussels sprouts. Cook until nicely caramelized (deep brown but not burnt).
Salt liberally before serving (a squeeze of lemon is also nice)0 -
Thats great that you have so many choices for CSA hippy! CSAs can be pricey...I will admit that, but you have to weigh benefit/value to cost. I pay yearly. Its approximately 1500.00/year for a "medium" share. That is more than enough to feed 4-5 people veggies weekly - and it is for 51 weeks. My daughter and I split the cost, so it works out to just under 15.00/week each, and we get to see each other every week, and go to the market together to get our veggies.
We pick up our share at the farm market, so its very easy for us to supplement with whatever they have on hand...i.e., onion, lemon, other stuff. Ours also has raw whole milk, goat milk, cheeses, fresh farm eggs and the like, along with grass fed meats from another local farmer. To me, its worth the price. I rarely have to get produce at the grocery anymore....and it has really expanded the variety of vegetables/produce that we consume, and its kind of fun, really. "Hmm...what did we get this week...WHAT am I going to do with THAT!?"...lol.
You also have the added warm fuzzy of supporting your local economy / farmers, and knowing that your veggies were loved and cared for while they grew up....rather than punched out via industrialization.
Strangest item we got this year was olive leaves. From olive trees. I steep them with / as tea. They are supposed to have antioxidant and other health benefits. The irony there is that my sister sent me an olive tree for my birthday. Now that its winter, i have olive leaves falling all over my floor at home.0 -
Eating something you don't like...yikes! lol
Me, too, with the Liver...<shudders>
I have to overpower it with a LCHF
savory sauce with full flavor and proper
bite...a teeth-clenching bite, too.
My current article of choice is
a mustard butter sauce.
One of my fav places to find such
recipes or receipts as they used to
be called in my gram and grampa's
day is at googleBooks,
If you enjoy reading old cookbooks:
http://tinyurl.com/lu78t7w
/tq
I did a meat share last year....and got liver once. I had to call and ask them for no more. I can't do it. I just can't eat something that makes me shudder...lol. I guess thats one of the cool things about being a grown up. I don't have to.0 -
I LOVE broccoli and cauliflower, but get burned out quickly from eating them so much. I've made cheese sauces for them, very simply too and the seasonings can really change it up. The cheese sauce is just butter, cheese of choice, and heavy whipping cream.0
-
Frozen almost never tastes as good as fresh, but if there's something you really don't like there probably isn't going to be much you can do to it to make it taste good to you. I can't stand eggplant and most mushrooms, so we just don't have them. Take the veggies you do like and find new ways to prepare them. I have to agree with the roasting thing though. Roasted cauliflower may be a new favorite around here! It's so simple and easy to prepare and yet taste so so good! But I also like to do a cauliflower mash, or loaded cauliflower (topped with chopped bacon, shredded cheese, and green onions), steam it with broccoli, etc. Just salt and pepper go a long way to improving flavor if you find they are just too bland!0
-
my wife doesn't like vegetables. i make an easy 5 minute keto cheese sauce to cover them:
on medium-low heat in a small pot:
melt 1 tablespoon butter (2 minutes). add a dash of salt, pepper to taste.
add 1/4 cup heavy cream, heat for 2 minutes.
slowly add 2 ounces by weight your favorite grated cheese.
stir for one minute until melted. reduce heat to low until ready to serve.
0 -
I agree with others who have said don't eat what you don't like. I used to always try to force myself to eat salads but really, I just don't like salads and that's ok. Find veggies that you DO like and eat those instead. If you like green beans, try sauteing them in bacon grease or olive oil. Also, bacon wrapped asparagus is my all time favorite!0
-
Roast your Brussels sprouts. Will change your life.
0 -
<snip>
One of my favorite ways to cook veggies in the winter is simply to toss them in some fat....i.e., olive oil, coconut oil or duck fat (did you know duck fat was a monounsaturated fat like olive oil? <snip> out there for cauliflower alone. lol. Experiment and have fun.
Nill,
I didn't know that about duck. Good to know. I ate duck at Thanksgiving and it was great! The taste was kinda like "Liver Light". Tastes like chicken with a hint of liver. I love liver, so it was really good for me. And you know duck is nice and fatty
. The bad part is that its a little pricey, but doable. And its a nice size for a single person like me. At Thanksgiving, our company gave everyone a 25 lbs turkey. I ended up giving it away, too big. Ducks are 5 lbs.
My latest love with cauliflower is "smashed" cauliflower ~ I recently ate at the restaurant: Chicago Uno's. It was so good! A great replacement for mashed potatoes! Tons of butter in it. I'll have to make some and add butter AND sour cream to it.
I'm getting hungry just talking about it now...gotta go find some recipes...
Dan the Man form Michigan
0 -
My latest love with cauliflower is "smashed" cauliflower ~ I recently ate at the restaurant: Chicago Uno's. It was so good! A great replacement for mashed potatoes! Tons of butter in it. I'll have to make some and add butter AND sour cream to it.
I'm getting hungry just talking about it now...gotta go find some recipes...
Dan the Man form Michigan
Found a Keto friendly recipe that has a few ingredients and very simple to make:
Smashed Cauliflower
I'll try it hopefully this week and get back with ya...
I hope this helps,
Dan the Man from Michigan
0 -
I like to roast broccoli and cauliflower with olive oil (20-25 min in the oven at 400) and garlic, then put parmesan on them while still hot.
Also, brussel sprouts steamed lightly then sauteed in bacon fat with a little bit of onion.
I also make a keto cheese sauce that is 1/2 cup hwc, 30g cream cheese, 28g of any nice sharp cheddar (or any other cheese you like, I love cheddar), and 1tsp dijon mustard to give it a little interest. This is very good over broc/cauli that is even just steamed.
Also, I make a cauliflower casserole with cream/cream cheese/dijon and cheddar as well.0 -
I caramelize brussels sprouts in a cast iron skillet.
Here's what you do:
buy fresh brussels sprouts
wash them
cut the ends off and then slice them in half. if really large, cut in thirds so they have a flat side.
put them in a big ziploc and add liquid fat (butter, coconut oil, beef fat, lard, bacon grease, whatever you like)
add salt and whatever other seasons you like
toss in bag to coat
put in heated, greased skillet with the flat sides down
cook until they start to caramelize (the heat level depends upon your stove..gas vs. electric, etc)
once they are getting sort of softish, flip them around in the pan and cook the rounded sides.
these are very, very good when done right. you do not want them mushy. they should be a tad al dente like pasta.0 -
Thanks, all! Great advice! I think I'm gonna have to start making a cheese sauce similar to what you guys are describing, or make them au gratin, or try the roasting thing. Probably will do all three. I agree with you guys about "if you don't like it don't eat it" but I think I have the potential to like them more prepared the right way.
0 -
I enjoy cooking brussels in a pan with oil until brown, then adding bacon (that was cooked beforehand) and cream and simmering it down to a creamy sauce. SO GOOD.0
-
jgreen0524 wrote: »I enjoy cooking brussels in a pan with oil until brown, then adding bacon (that was cooked beforehand) and cream and simmering it down to a creamy sauce. SO GOOD.
I have a wonderful brussel sprout and bacon recipe but id have to say jsut about any veggie cooked/fried/baked in bacon fat with or with out bacon itself is amazing. Bacon makes everything amazing.
0 -
jgreen0524 wrote: »I enjoy cooking brussels in a pan with oil until brown, then adding bacon (that was cooked beforehand) and cream and simmering it down to a creamy sauce. SO GOOD.
I have a wonderful brussel sprout and bacon recipe but id have to say jsut about any veggie cooked/fried/baked in bacon fat with or with out bacon itself is amazing. Bacon makes everything amazing.
And this is why I have a mason jar of filtered bacon fat in my refrigerator!
0 -
nicsflyingcircus wrote: »jgreen0524 wrote: »I enjoy cooking brussels in a pan with oil until brown, then adding bacon (that was cooked beforehand) and cream and simmering it down to a creamy sauce. SO GOOD.
I have a wonderful brussel sprout and bacon recipe but id have to say jsut about any veggie cooked/fried/baked in bacon fat with or with out bacon itself is amazing. Bacon makes everything amazing.
And this is why I have a mason jar of filtered bacon fat in my refrigerator!
LOL hubby puts the bacon fat run off into an old clean crisco container and keeps it in the fridge. We use that stuff all the time.
But we've found that in order to get bacon fat, we need store bought bacon. Our own pigs we raise and butcher are so lean they dont have enough fat in the bacon to make excess bacon fat
0 -
I absolutely love veggies, it'd be easier to list which veggies I don't like lol (turnips and beets, that's just about it - gross!)
That said, I am sure I am not posting anything anyone else hasn't said, but in any event, here is what I do to enhance stuff.
1. Try pan frying your veggies in various types of oils or leftover grease (e.g. bacon grease, or maybe grease left over from cooking a delicious steak.) As far as oil goes, sunflower seed oil is one of my personal favorites (good for pork too!)
Also, if you're cooking protein at the same time, most certainly let the veggies share the pan
2. Use fresh veggies - seriously, once you go fresh you'll never go back. Canned is mushy and tasteless; frozen is also meh (not as bad as canned though.)
3. I know you didn't mention Kale, but you could always take some fresh leafy kale, break into medium pieces, lightly dust with olive oil, and sprinkle with a bit of salt, then pop them in the oven to make crispy kale chips (they're awesome, but careful - easy to burn.)
4. Hot sauce is awesome, and so is mayo (Dukes mayo is one of the few brands without any sugar and what not btw.)0 -
I didn't read this entire thread, so I apologize if someone already suggested this. I highly recommend FlavorGod seasonings. They are amazing. If you've seen that old lady on the Frank's Red Hot Sauce commercial saying "I put that s*it on everything"....that's exactly how I feel about flavorgod. Plus the guy makes it from scratch, fresh, and you're supporting a small business. The price is worth every penny and the size of containers are way bigger than Ms. Dash or other comparisons. flavorgod.com0
This discussion has been closed.