Loving Vegetables [for Recovering VegePhobes]

NonDebutante3dot0

If you struggle to eat your vegetables like I do, this thread's for you! I was raised Gen X in the Midwest in a meat/potato/bread household. Vegetables were an afterthought when they appeared. They generally came from a can, so for the longest time I thought green beans were gray-green.

Then I moved to a temperate part of the country where produce is colorful, available fresh all year round, and people did fascinating things with preparation and flavor. A revelation! Even so--my early relationship with vegetables predisposed me against them, and it has been a long journey that continues even today for me to embrace the promise of this class of nutrient-dense food.

Because there are so many health benefits to be gleaned from eating vegetables (vitamins! minerals! fiber! enzymes! fullness! flavor! variety!) let us make this a safe place to embrace vegetables.

Let's share our stories! If you didn't grow up eating vegetables, or if you were made to eat them as a child but hated it, or even if you always loved them--this is a safe place so yes even you too are welcome.

• What was your "gateway" vegetable, the one which--once you crossed its threshold--led you perhaps to further experimentation with stronger tasting vegetables (Brassicaceae family, you know who you are)?

• What are your preferred veggies and veggie combinations that made, or make, it easier to eat and enjoy (or tolerate) vegetables?

• Do you have a favorite recipe featuring vegetables?

Let's talk about it!

NonDebutante3dot0

I'll start us off:

• 
  Spring mix lettuce was my gateway vegetable

• I love adding fresh mint leaves to peas, carrots, green beans. Full disclosure--and I recognize this may be polarizing--I enjoy adding fat to vegetables. Peas tossed with cream and mint, carrots roasted in EVOO, green beans coated in vinaigrette.

evileyefirefly

I've always loved veggies, but my favorite has always been cauliflower. Favorite way to prepare it, or really can be done with most veggies:
1 Med head of Cauliflower cut into florets (broccoli works too), add 1/2t. of Onion powder, 1/2t. Garlic Powder, 1/4t. salt and pepper. Drizzle 1-2T. of EVOO then shake to mix up. Throw in air fryer at 400 for 5 min. (add more if you like it slightly burnt/crispy)

Traquette

I honestly can't remember eating vegetables when I was little, except potatoes... or carrots/celery/peas in sauces and soup but I don't remember them as a side dish or a snack. I was a picky eater too so... I won't blame it entirely on my parents lol

What I remember is tasting cut green beans (from a can) while dining over at a friend's house when I was around 10 maybe. And I liked it so I told my mom about it and we started buying them !

I don't like cooking, so I stick to the basic veggies now: brocoli, spinach, cauliflower, sweet potatoes, bell pepper, the occasional zucchini and asparagus or brussels sprouts.

But I'm always on the look out for easy quick recipes to eat more vegetables, so I'll keep an eye on this thread for ideas !

COGypsy

NonDebutante3dot0 wrote: »

I'll start us off:

• 
  Spring mix lettuce was my gateway vegetable

• I love adding fresh mint leaves to peas, carrots, green beans. Full disclosure--and I recognize this may be polarizing--I enjoy adding fat to vegetables. Peas tossed with cream and mint, carrots roasted in EVOO, green beans coated in vinaigrette.

I find most vegetables pretty bland and generally shop for texture over "taste" (thanks COVID!) I can hardly eat any without some kind of "flavor", which usually comes with fat, mostly dips. I like to use a balsamic vinaigrette or Caesar dressing to switch things up. Frozen vegetables I like to toss with chili crisp oil after I zap them. Fun thing to try--raw tomatillos cut up in salad, gives it a nice tang!

nossmf

Growing up in a low-income family, veggies consisted of carrots, corn and peas, sometimes apart, sometimes together, almost always from a can except for the once-a-year grilled ears of corn served on Independence Day (the one day I actually looked forward to eating a veggie). I never enjoyed the texture (too soft), always preferred the crispness of fresh fruit. On a very rare basis I had lettuce on sandwiches, but it was always tasteless and worthless in my eyes.

After getting married, my wife insisted that every night dinner would include a veggie. As the designated chef, I grudgingly obliged, and it didn't take her very long to get sick of a steady stream of (wait for it) canned carrots, corn and peas. She pushed me to spread my wings and try a variety of veggies, and most importantly, a variety of cooking methods.

It was the different cooking methods which truly opened my eyes to begin appreciating veggies. Through experimentation, I've learned some I prefer raw (carrots, red bell peppers, spinach), some I prefer steamed (broccoli, green beans) and some roasted (corn, Brussel sprouts).

Somewhere along the way my taste buds also transitioned from always demanding something sweet to now enjoying salty and savory. (Sour still revolts me.) I still enjoy a daily dose of fruit, but now I also actually enjoy the veggies served with dinner. Never with a thick sauce, usually just the veggie straight up (with or without salt) or with a little melted butter. Heck, I even prefer my side salad without any dressing.

*****

As an avid weightlifter, I place an emphasis on protein from meats in my diet, so veggies usually remain a side dish rather than the featured component of any meals I prepare. The closest veggies come to being the star attraction is in my stir fry, where the stovetop has two large pans, one cooking meat in bite sized pieces, the other sautéing a variety of veggies in a garlic butter sauce:

Mushrooms (sliced)
Diced yellow onion
Greed/Red bell peppers sliced into strips about 2-3" long by a quarter inch wide
Snow peas (the really thin, almost flat, pea pods)
Shredded carrots
Broccoli (steamed separately, only added to pan at the very end before serving)

Recipe: heat a large skillet over medium heat, melt 4-5 tbsp butter. Add mushrooms and simmer for 10 minutes, stirring frequently. Add onion, peppers, carrots and snow peas, simmer for 5 minutes, stirring frequently. Add 2 tsp garlic powder, 2 tsp seasoned salt, stir. Add steamed broccoli, quick stir to mix, remove from heat and serve.

yirara

Veg for my mom was either pasta with tomato ketchup or a tin of peas and carrots. Thus I never really liked veggies until I moved out. I don't think I had a kind of gateway veg. Possibly red peppers, spring onions, garlic and ginger for simple noodle stirfries. I do eat a good amount of veg though and don't eat a lot of meat and if I do it's never more than 100gr. I'm currently gamifying the whole thing and am trying to eat at least 30 plant based things per week, including grains, spices, good oils, veg, nuts and fruit. If I only use a small amount I count 0.25pt, and otherwise 1. I'm currently at 16.75 for today. leftover dinner I cooked yesterday, plus some fruits, seeds and nuts. I'll cook at least another dinner this week, maybe two more and should get to 30 again. Lets see.

NonDebutante3dot0

evileyefirefly wrote: »

I've always loved veggies, but my favorite has always been cauliflower. Favorite way to prepare it, or really can be done with most veggies:
1 Med head of Cauliflower cut into florets (broccoli works too), add 1/2t. of Onion powder, 1/2t. Garlic Powder, 1/4t. salt and pepper. Drizzle 1-2T. of EVOO then shake to mix up. Throw in air fryer at 400 for 5 min. (add more if you like it slightly burnt/crispy)

Sounds yum! Do the powders ever taste gritty or do they dissolve into the EVOO?

NonDebutante3dot0

I find most vegetables pretty bland and generally shop for texture over "taste" (thanks COVID!) I can hardly eat any without some kind of "flavor", which usually comes with fat, mostly dips. I like to use a balsamic vinaigrette or Caesar dressing to switch things up. Frozen vegetables I like to toss with chili crisp oil after I zap them. Fun thing to try--raw tomatillos cut up in salad, gives it a nice tang!

Nice! Never thought of using chili oils. Definitely going to try the raw tomatillos in salad.

csplatt

Great thread! My parents had limited palettes so we only had iceberg lettuce and canned green beans when I grew up. I was also picky but tried a lot of new things in college. What surprised me as an adult was air fried brussels sprouts! So crispy. They are now farmed to be less bitter than when we were kids.

NonDebutante3dot0

csplatt wrote: »

Great thread! My parents had limited palettes so we only had iceberg lettuce and canned green beans when I grew up. I was also picky but tried a lot of new things in college. What surprised me as an adult was air fried brussels sprouts! So crispy. They are now farmed to be less bitter than when we were kids.

Maybe I should try Brussels sprouts again!

NonDebutante3dot0

yirara wrote: »

…I'm currently gamifying the whole thing and am trying to eat at least 30 plant based things per week, including grains, spices, good oils, veg, nuts and fruit. If I only use a small amount I count 0.25pt, and otherwise 1. I'm currently at 16.75 for today. leftover dinner I cooked yesterday, plus some fruits, seeds and nuts. I'll cook at least another dinner this week, maybe two more and should get to 30 again. Lets see.

That’s a great goal—30 plant-based things per week! In addition to vegetables (and fruit), I’m trying to eat a 30% protein macro in order to retain lean tissue as I lose fat. It’s really hard to hit that number.

NonDebutante3dot0

nossmf wrote: »

Growing up in a low-income family, veggies consisted of carrots, corn and peas, sometimes apart, sometimes together, almost always from a can except for the once-a-year grilled ears of corn served on Independence Day (the one day I actually looked forward to eating a veggie). I never enjoyed the texture (too soft), always preferred the crispness of fresh fruit. On a very rare basis I had lettuce on sandwiches, but it was always tasteless and worthless in my eyes.

After getting married, my wife insisted that every night dinner would include a veggie. As the designated chef, I grudgingly obliged, and it didn't take her very long to get sick of a steady stream of (wait for it) canned carrots, corn and peas. She pushed me to spread my wings and try a variety of veggies, and most importantly, a variety of cooking methods…

Ha! Great story. 😊 I tried insisting to my husband that every night dinner would include a veggie. It didn’t take.

NonDebutante3dot0

Beet & Arugula Salad with Goat Cheese—my favorite quick-prep meal

Beets (try Trader Joe’s pre-steamed, pre-packaged)
Arugula
Goat Cheese
Evoo
Balsamic vinegar (I love cherry balsamic)

sunnybrook80

When I grew up my vegetables consisted of canned vegetables too. To this day I won’t eat most canned vegetables because of the texture. Though they have improved. I remember my mom making me eat slimy peas out of a can and me holding my nose and swallowing them whole. lol… I tried more veggies as an adult and prefer steamed crisp vegetables and raw vegetables. I‘ll eat raw vegetables with dip as a snack too. 😊

HHFlutist2024

The smaller the brussel sprouts are the better they taste! My father and I grew brussel sprouts one year. By the way a very cool looking plant! Anyway they were just so delicious when we just picked them off when they were about the size of the top part of your thumb, steamed very lightly. Yummy!

perryc05

I love all veggies but I'm obsessed with swedes and pumpkins. The EatingWell website has a newsletter option you can sign up to and the Plant Powered newlsetter is well worth singing up to for veggie dish inspiration:


They send you an email with recipe ideas like this on a pretty regular basis:

AdahPotatah2024

Is canned corn a vegetable or grain??? I can't remember eating very many veggies until I started watching ESPN exercise shows at 15, becoming a little obsessed, and buying my own groceries. I lived on this spinach salad I'd make every week with all kinds of veggies and sunflower seeds.

Hobartlemagne

Grilling vegetables then tossing them in a vinaigrette dressing is pretty good