veggie help

la8ydi

Alright - at the risk of sounding like an idiot, I need help with vegetables. I have an "I don't like them" mental block - but I'm wondering if it's just the way they've been presented to me. I could use some help with preparation - how do you cook/made/serve things? I'm talking down to the basics - if I buy asparagus or squash - what do I do with it??? Thanks, in advance.

amandaj1966

I had butternut squash last night, I just cut it into chunks and roasted it for about an hour and had it with goats cheese on a bed of salad. In the salad I also had asparagus which I steamed first and then let it cool slightly before adding to the salad.

Look on line, there's some fabulous ideas for vegetables. x

aliann30

asparagus or fresh green beans (even squash, zucchini, tons of veggies actually) are DELICIOUS steamed with some onion (or onion powder), garlic, and fresh pepper.

I also like to sautee green beans and asparagus in a little bit of olive oil with the same spices.

I get a lot of my veggies in by eating fresh greek salad. I don't usually use lettuce, just cut up some bell peppers (green mostly but also red and yellow), raw onion in strips, cucumber, tomato, and then drizzle some olive oil over the top and crumble some feta cheese on it then sprinkle lightly with lemon pepper. I could eat it everyday!!!

AleciaG724

You can't beat grilling or roasting veggies - just about any kind. Leave them whole, just cut the ends off (just the bottom of the asparagus, not the pointy tip). Drizzle with a tiny bit of olive or, or spray with cooking spray, toss with a little crushed garlic & fresh herbs, or garlic powder & dried herb. Then cook in an oven at about 425 degrees until slightly softened and starting to brown a little. Moved them around with a spatula to get all the sides cooked. If grilling, lay them across the grill turning carefully to get all sides, but don't let them fall through the grate! Don't overcook or they will get mushy! I like to grill or roast a bunch of veggies like onion, peppers, zucchini, asparagus, mushrooms, etc & use them all week long for sandwiches, omelets, salads, soups, etc. You can also chop them into bite-size pieces and cook them in a skillet over medium/high heat until just starting to brown. A little salt & pepper sprinkled on top is also great! Have fun & don't be intimidated!

MinatoandClover

Personally, I'm not crazy about vegetables, either. They're so bland. I mostly get my vegetables from salad. That's something I'm able to do. And it's easy to make. Chop everything and toss in a bowl. Try a light dressing, and it'll make your veggies more palatable. Lately, I've been into vinegar or lemon juice on my salads. That might just be me, though.

I like to incorporate vegetables into things so I can get my vegetables without really tasting them. I throw onions in just about every time I cook beef or chicken. I've opted for a vegetarian pasta sauce, these days, over meat sauce. I chop up some eggplant, onions and spinach (sometimes peppers,) cook them in a fry pan, throw in some tomato sauce and spices, and boom. Serving of vegetables. Or if I'm making other sauces for meats (sloppy joes, tacos, etc,) I'll throw in a few vegetables sometimes. Makes a fuller sauce. Soups, too. Just some carrots, celery and chicken.

If we're talking simply vegetable intake, you could try dipping raw veggies in something you like. Like ranch dressing or peanut butter (though, these tend to be high in calories. Just an example, not necessarily a suggestion.)

You could also try for sweeter tasting vegetables like carrots, corn or pumpkin. And if you have a blender or juicer, lots of veggies can go well in juices.

I'm no master chef or anything, but I think you can throw vegetables into just about anything and it'll probably be fine. Stick to safer ones, if you're concerned, like carrots, onions, celery or spinach. Those go with just about anything.

Also, as stated above, recipe sites can be a great resource. My personal favorite is allrecipes.com

SJVZEE

Green smoothies! Such an easy way to get in the leafy, dark veggies (those cruciferous ones that are so good for you), without actually tasting them :bigsmile: I have one every day and they take less than 5 minutes to make. My base recipe is:
fresh kale-big handful
fresh spinach-big handful
strawberries-usually 4 of them
blueberries-1/2cup
banana-I used to do one but now I do two, to make the smoothies sweeter so my kids will drink them
some form of liquid or yogurt-I started out using plain yogurt but I've just switched to unsweetened almond milk (I'm eliminating dairy from my diet). Any kind of milk or fresh squeezed oj would work too.
2/3cup water and a handful of ice cubes

and then I usually add one more veggie (right now it's fresh collard greens because they're in season) and one more fruit (right now it's peaches or raspberries).

Super easy to make and you do NOT taste the veggies-it tastes like a banana strawberry smoothie

aliann30

I like to incorporate vegetables into things so I can get my vegetables without really tasting them. I throw onions in just about every time I cook beef or chicken. I've opted for a vegetarian pasta sauce, these days, over meat sauce. I chop up some eggplant, onions and spinach (sometimes peppers,) cook them in a fry pan, throw in some tomato sauce and spices, and boom. Serving of vegetables. Or if I'm making other sauces for meats (sloppy joes, tacos, etc,) I'll throw in a few vegetables sometimes. Makes a fuller sauce. Soups, too. Just some carrots, celery and chicken.

I'm no master chef or anything, but I think you can throw vegetables into just about anything and it'll probably be fine. Stick to safer ones, if you're concerned, like carrots, onions, celery or spinach. Those go with just about anything.

THIS too!!! I have been known to hide broccoli and carrots in spaghetti sauce and spinach in grilled cheese sandwiches (actually my daughters started asking for spinach in their grilled cheese!!!). Also omelets are the PERFECT base for adding veggies to (my favorites are spinach, bell peppers, onions, and tomatoes!).