Embarking on a "new" food challenge
Options
Emily3907
Posts: 1,461 Member
My husband and I are going to try challenging ourselves this spring/summer and try some new foods that we either are "scared" of or have been unwilling to try in the past. We are born and raised midwesterners whose palates have been conditioned to meat (chicken, beef and pork), potatoes/white rice and basic cheap vegetables. My husband is way more picky than me, but I am still not super open to new things.
We have successfully put asparagus into our regular meal rotation, my husband now loves broccoli (hated it when we met) and he is warming up to mild tasting fish. We have accessibility to all the typical stores (Kroger, Meijer, Whole Foods, Fresh Thyme, etc.) We have set a rule, that if we don't like it after the first try, we have to try at least one more time but prepared in a different way before nixing it.
Below is a list of our planned food conquests, but I would love to get more suggestions or tips on making the items below delicious!
Meat
Fish - this is a big one. I love seafood (mainly shellfish), husband HATES it, but is willing to try less "fishy" tasting fish. We would love to get more fish in our diet. What would be a good "gateway" fish for him?
Vegetables- we tend to like them roasted!
Eggplant (Aubergine)
brussels sprouts (we have been slowly working on this one)
zucchini (I tried "zoodles", but my mouth and tongue felt fuzzy for 2 days after eating it?)
Artichokes (neither of us has ever had them)
mushrooms (this will be tricky, husband hates them)
kale (not in a salad though)
okra
Fruits
Mango (neither has ever tried)
We are also going to try grilling fruits this summer. We already love pineapple, peaches and bananas, so we are going to try grilling them.
Grains
Quinoa
Farro
Bulgur
Would love to hear your experiences with these foods and if you have ever tried something new and found you liked it!
We have successfully put asparagus into our regular meal rotation, my husband now loves broccoli (hated it when we met) and he is warming up to mild tasting fish. We have accessibility to all the typical stores (Kroger, Meijer, Whole Foods, Fresh Thyme, etc.) We have set a rule, that if we don't like it after the first try, we have to try at least one more time but prepared in a different way before nixing it.
Below is a list of our planned food conquests, but I would love to get more suggestions or tips on making the items below delicious!
Meat
Fish - this is a big one. I love seafood (mainly shellfish), husband HATES it, but is willing to try less "fishy" tasting fish. We would love to get more fish in our diet. What would be a good "gateway" fish for him?
Vegetables- we tend to like them roasted!
Eggplant (Aubergine)
brussels sprouts (we have been slowly working on this one)
zucchini (I tried "zoodles", but my mouth and tongue felt fuzzy for 2 days after eating it?)
Artichokes (neither of us has ever had them)
mushrooms (this will be tricky, husband hates them)
kale (not in a salad though)
okra
Fruits
Mango (neither has ever tried)
We are also going to try grilling fruits this summer. We already love pineapple, peaches and bananas, so we are going to try grilling them.
Grains
Quinoa
Farro
Bulgur
Would love to hear your experiences with these foods and if you have ever tried something new and found you liked it!
2
Replies
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My suggestion for fish is haddock. I don't typically like fish. But haddock is amazing. It's not fishy and it can be made in so many ways.
Two weeks ago I tried brussel sprouts for the first time.
And plan to make them tonight for the first time.
My best friend cut them in half and tossed them in a little olive oil and salt and pepper and fried them with the cover on the pan so they kind of steamed as well... In a weird way they reminded me of mini cabbages... They don't taste just like them but definitely similar.2 -
Also mushrooms and zucchini are good fried and steamed as well. I add zucchini to pasta and rice. Mushrooms can also be stuffed with fish.1
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Roasted brussels sprouts are one of my favorite foods. I like them with lots of garlic and pepper.
Some people who dislike mushrooms due to texture (not sure if that is the concern) like them chopped finely and used in a pasta sauce or mixed with a grain.3 -
janejellyroll wrote: »Roasted brussels sprouts are one of my favorite foods. I like them with lots of garlic and pepper.
Some people who dislike mushrooms due to texture (not sure if that is the concern) like them chopped finely and used in a pasta sauce or mixed with a grain.
I like the idea of finely chopping them in sauce. I could do that and the husband would never even know.
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I love sprouts grated and fried with bacon lardons.1
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RuNaRoUnDaFiEld wrote: »I love sprouts grated and fried with bacon lardons.
That sounds amazing.0 -
now i'm craving brussels steamed then pan fried in some sort of soy / sriracha / honey combo sauce (i honestly just make it up as i go)
eggplant can be tricky, i recommend salting it before preparing it as it gets rid of the bitterness but texture is always kind of iffy for people. i love it though.
okra is amazing too. actually i'm on board with all your listed veggies. but those are my top three there.
artichokes are fantastic steamed whole and then you can peel the leaves off and dip them in mustard sauce, you kind of scrape the 'meat' of the veg off with your teeth. or you can go straight for the artichoke hearts and skip the work with the leaves.
most leftover veg i end up with usually gets scrambled with eggs and cheese later and rolled in a tortilla for breakfast burritos.0 -
jessiferrrb wrote: »now i'm craving brussels steamed then pan fried in some sort of soy / sriracha / honey combo sauce (i honestly just make it up as i go)
eggplant can be tricky, i recommend salting it before preparing it as it gets rid of the bitterness but texture is always kind of iffy for people. i love it though.
okra is amazing too. actually i'm on board with all your listed veggies. but those are my top three there.
artichokes are fantastic steamed whole and then you can peel the leaves off and dip them in mustard sauce, you kind of scrape the 'meat' of the veg off with your teeth. or you can go straight for the artichoke hearts and skip the work with the leaves.
most leftover veg i end up with usually gets scrambled with eggs and cheese later and rolled in a tortilla for breakfast burritos.
I only really enjoy eggplant when it is mixed with lots of other things (like in a caponata sauce). Something about the texture is off-putting to me . . .0 -
My first thought with eggplant was to do almost like a lasagna and replace the noodles with eggplant ribbons or do an eggplant parmigiana. That way we get a taste for it, but also get the sauce and cheese to help ease into it.0
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janejellyroll wrote: »jessiferrrb wrote: »now i'm craving brussels steamed then pan fried in some sort of soy / sriracha / honey combo sauce (i honestly just make it up as i go)
eggplant can be tricky, i recommend salting it before preparing it as it gets rid of the bitterness but texture is always kind of iffy for people. i love it though.
okra is amazing too. actually i'm on board with all your listed veggies. but those are my top three there.
artichokes are fantastic steamed whole and then you can peel the leaves off and dip them in mustard sauce, you kind of scrape the 'meat' of the veg off with your teeth. or you can go straight for the artichoke hearts and skip the work with the leaves.
most leftover veg i end up with usually gets scrambled with eggs and cheese later and rolled in a tortilla for breakfast burritos.
I only really enjoy eggplant when it is mixed with lots of other things (like in a caponata sauce). Something about the texture is off-putting to me . . .
mushy isn't for everyone. lol.
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jessiferrrb wrote: »janejellyroll wrote: »jessiferrrb wrote: »now i'm craving brussels steamed then pan fried in some sort of soy / sriracha / honey combo sauce (i honestly just make it up as i go)
eggplant can be tricky, i recommend salting it before preparing it as it gets rid of the bitterness but texture is always kind of iffy for people. i love it though.
okra is amazing too. actually i'm on board with all your listed veggies. but those are my top three there.
artichokes are fantastic steamed whole and then you can peel the leaves off and dip them in mustard sauce, you kind of scrape the 'meat' of the veg off with your teeth. or you can go straight for the artichoke hearts and skip the work with the leaves.
most leftover veg i end up with usually gets scrambled with eggs and cheese later and rolled in a tortilla for breakfast burritos.
I only really enjoy eggplant when it is mixed with lots of other things (like in a caponata sauce). Something about the texture is off-putting to me . . .
mushy isn't for everyone. lol.
That glaze looks really tasty. I would give that eggplant a try!0 -
I hate fish that tastes like fish as well. I love Cod, Ahi and Halibut. They're meaty without being fishy in smell or taste. Ahi is great raw or seared and awesome in sushi. I like Cod lightly breaded and baked. Mangoes are my favorite fruit ever - youtube how to slice them. I used to live in Hawaii and had a local show me how. They can be slippery!0
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Inspiring!
I'm so hesitant myself, but I love it when I find a new favorite.
Fish - I've actually always loved the fishier kinds - salmon, trout, herring, mackerel. I bake salmon and trout and serve the salmon with rice and peas/green beans, the trout and mackerel with wheat noodles and cucumber salad (sliced cucumber, olive oil, vinegar, salt, pepper, sugar). I eat pickled herring for dinner with mashed potatoes and onion, and then on bread for lunch. Mackerel also on bread. Then I opened up to tuna; I eat a lot of tuna salad (canned tuna, mayo, onion) sandwiches. Now I've even started to like cod and pollock - I bake those too, but they need some oil. Boiled potatoes, curry sauce, grated carrots is great with the white fish.
Oven roasted brussel sprouts - cut them in halves, salt and pepper, butter, in the oven for 10-12 minutes.
Artichoke is great boiled, dip the leaves in melted butter and scrape off the meat with your teeth. Then find and enjoy the heart.
Mushrooms is great in casseroles, and can be blended in soup.
Kale - you need to try this: https://www.blueapron.com/recipes/trinidadian-chicken-curry-with-coconut-grits-collard-greens
Other vegs to try: Parsnips - cut into sticks, add salt, pepper, olive oil, honey, and oven roast. Great with corn on the cob and some juicy meat (beef).
Rutabaga - cut into sticks 1/2 inch wide, and boil (12 minutes). Also very nice to eat raw.
Kohlrabi - I have only eaten it raw.
Beets - avaliable in a range of colors. I eat them raw too. Makes me happy, even the red one that makes me look like I have murdered someone.
Romanesco - the fractal broccoli, needs no further introduction.
I use zucchini in stews and minestrone soup.
Mango is great, but be aware of the big difference between the two main types (and their supporters).
I would also suggest pomelo, ugli, litchi/longan/rambutan, loquats.
And try differerent varietes of the fruits you already know. You're in for a surprise.
I have never been able to make quinoa work for me, but I recently had bulgur. It was great, quite neutral, but it's wheat, after all.
I can also suggest millet, polenta, semolina - I make porridge with them.
Barley - can be used like bulgur (or rice, or couscous). Preparation times and methods may vary, read label.
Tapioca - fun to make and eat funny gooey pudding.1 -
kommodevaran wrote: »Inspiring!
I'm so hesitant myself, but I love it when I find a new favorite.
Fish - I've actually always loved the fishier kinds - salmon, trout, herring, mackerel. I bake salmon and trout and serve the salmon with rice and peas/green beans, the trout and mackerel with wheat noodles and cucumber salad (sliced cucumber, olive oil, vinegar, salt, pepper, sugar). I eat pickled herring for dinner with mashed potatoes and onion, and then on bread for lunch. Mackerel also on bread. Then I opened up to tuna; I eat a lot of tuna salad (canned tuna, mayo, onion) sandwiches. Now I've even started to like cod and pollock - I bake those too, but they need some oil. Boiled potatoes, sauce, grated carrots is great with the white fish.
Oven roasted brussel sprouts - cut them in halves, salt and pepper, butter, in the oven for 10-12 minutes.
Artichoke is great boiled, dip the leaves in melted butter and scrape off the meat with your teeth. Then find and enjoy the heart.
Mushrooms is great in casseroles, and can be blended in soup.
Kale - you need to try this: https://www.blueapron.com/recipes/trinidadian-chicken-curry-with-coconut-grits-collard-greens
Other vegs to try: Parsnips - cut into sticks, add salt, pepper, olive oil, honey, and oven roast. Great with corn on the cob and some juicy meat (beef).
Rutabaga - cut into sticks 1/2 inch wide, and boil (12 minutes). Also very nice to eat raw.
Kohlrabi - I have only eaten it raw.
Beets - avaliable in a range of colors. I eat them raw too. Makes me happy, even the red one that makes me look like I have murdered someone.
Romanesco - the fractal broccoli, needs no further introduction.
I use zucchini in stews and minestrone soup.
Mango is great, but be aware of the big difference between the two main types (and their supporters).
I would also suggest pomelo, ugli, litchi/longan/rambutan, loquats.
And try differerent varietes of the fruits you already know. You're in for a surprise.
I have never been able to make quinoa work for me, but I recently had bulgur. It was great, quite neutral, but it's wheat, after all.
I can also suggest millet, polenta, semolina - I make porridge with them.
Barley - can be used like bulgur (or rice, or couscous). Preparation times and methods may vary, read label.
Tapioca - fun to make and eat funny gooey pudding.
I love roasted kohlrabi -- it reminds me of a cross between a potato and broccoli.0 -
janejellyroll wrote: »kommodevaran wrote: »Inspiring!
I'm so hesitant myself, but I love it when I find a new favorite.
Fish - I've actually always loved the fishier kinds - salmon, trout, herring, mackerel. I bake salmon and trout and serve the salmon with rice and peas/green beans, the trout and mackerel with wheat noodles and cucumber salad (sliced cucumber, olive oil, vinegar, salt, pepper, sugar). I eat pickled herring for dinner with mashed potatoes and onion, and then on bread for lunch. Mackerel also on bread. Then I opened up to tuna; I eat a lot of tuna salad (canned tuna, mayo, onion) sandwiches. Now I've even started to like cod and pollock - I bake those too, but they need some oil. Boiled potatoes, sauce, grated carrots is great with the white fish.
Oven roasted brussel sprouts - cut them in halves, salt and pepper, butter, in the oven for 10-12 minutes.
Artichoke is great boiled, dip the leaves in melted butter and scrape off the meat with your teeth. Then find and enjoy the heart.
Mushrooms is great in casseroles, and can be blended in soup.
Kale - you need to try this: https://www.blueapron.com/recipes/trinidadian-chicken-curry-with-coconut-grits-collard-greens
Other vegs to try: Parsnips - cut into sticks, add salt, pepper, olive oil, honey, and oven roast. Great with corn on the cob and some juicy meat (beef).
Rutabaga - cut into sticks 1/2 inch wide, and boil (12 minutes). Also very nice to eat raw.
Kohlrabi - I have only eaten it raw.
Beets - avaliable in a range of colors. I eat them raw too. Makes me happy, even the red one that makes me look like I have murdered someone.
Romanesco - the fractal broccoli, needs no further introduction.
I use zucchini in stews and minestrone soup.
Mango is great, but be aware of the big difference between the two main types (and their supporters).
I would also suggest pomelo, ugli, litchi/longan/rambutan, loquats.
And try differerent varietes of the fruits you already know. You're in for a surprise.
I have never been able to make quinoa work for me, but I recently had bulgur. It was great, quite neutral, but it's wheat, after all.
I can also suggest millet, polenta, semolina - I make porridge with them.
Barley - can be used like bulgur (or rice, or couscous). Preparation times and methods may vary, read label.
Tapioca - fun to make and eat funny gooey pudding.
I love roasted kohlrabi -- it reminds me of a cross between a potato and broccoli.
I am going to add kohlrabi to my list. That sounds pretty interesting.0 -
If you don't like the 'fishy taste' of fish probably avoid bottom feeders because a fish's diet has a big impact on their flavor (ie. catfish, grouper, halibut). The species a little higher up the food chain tend to taste less 'fishy', not 100% foolproof but a decent guideline.
My mom taught me to LOVE fish with salmon cakes, and a 'mango chutney', very fancy sounding but actually pretty simple to make.
This is basically the recipe she used.
http://www.goodfood.com.au/recipes/fresh-salmon-patties-with-mango-salsa-20121001-33uzf
http://www.goodfood.com.au/recipes/spicy-mango-salsa-20140114-30snb
For veg I love a good squash/zucchini casserole, and I would 100% recommend marinating and then grilling mushrooms, will not affect the texture but it is SO GOOD.1 -
@kommodevaran - I love that idea for parsnips. That was one we were on the fence about. I had considered replacing potatoes with them in my beef stew at one time, but never did. Your idea for roasting sounds really good though!0
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It's pure heaven! It tastes just like Christmas feels@kommodevaran - I love that idea for parsnips. That was one we were on the fence about. I had considered replacing potatoes with them in my beef stew at one time, but never did. Your idea for roasting sounds really good though!
I forgot to mention the sesame seeds - sprinkle some over the parsnips just before they're done. 1 -
I'm just glad nobody has mentioned tilapia for the fish yet - that mushy, disgusting, tasteless yuck would be enough to turn me off fish for life, and I LOVE fish/seafood! For fish I'd echo the suggestions for cod, ahi and/or halibut, although I often prefer "fishier" tasting fish such as salmon, yellowtail or mackerel (especially raw, as sashimi!). I cook salmon in our outdoor smoker and it's absolutely delicious, can't get enough of it.
Vegetable suggestion - if you mash up cauliflower, it looks and tastes so much like mashed potatoes that I would defy most people to be able to tell the difference. It's not quite as thick/creamy because it lacks the starch, but IMO a very passable substitute. I draw the line at using spaghetti squash as a substitute for spaghetti noodles, though - my wife loves the stuff, but I'm....to say the least....not a huge fan.2 -
For fish, I'd stick with white, flaky fish. Stuff like cod, tilapia, swai, haddock...all are very mild and not too fishy. I like all fish, but these are pretty inoffensive. Maybe do them as a fish taco and make a cabbage and fennel slaw...then you can mark fennel off your list if you haven't tried it yet. Looks like celery and dill had a love child. Tastes kinda like fresh black licorice. I also like fennel roasted with lemon and olive oil and maybe a sprinkle of parm.
For eggplant you could throw it on the grill. I love the texture of grilled eggplant. Or make a dip like a baba ghanoush. Think hummus but with roasted eggplant instead of chickpeas.
I also recently discovered that I love some turnips. Roasted or raw. They are like potatoes and radishes had a baby0
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