Veggie help

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bkscott5
bkscott5 Posts: 53 Member
in Food and Nutrition
I need help finding more veggies to eat. I'm a picky eater but I know I need to improve on my eating. Currently I eat raw carrots (but now when I eat them they are getting stuck in my throat and causing me to choke), celery (2-3stalks. W/1teas p.b.), bite size tomatoes, cucumbers, and zero calorie full pickles. I love homemade salsa or from a restaurant but I eat it with chips, nachos, or casadillas so I'm pretty sure this is not real positive. I will eat salad but have to have dressing, I'll use light and I don't make a soup out of the dressing like my husband but I do want to taste it. I also like to add cheese and bacon bits, when I do this is a meal but again not sure how good it is for me. I will eat can corn, green beans, and peas but I do know canned us not good, but I don't like fresh or from the bag frozen unless it's the corn (I think I could eat fresh corn on the cob everyday). I will eat a baked potato but must have butter (or marg), the sprays don't work and again I can add cheese and bacon bits to make a meal but I know again not a great option. I will eat onions raw in tacos or cooked with bell pepper in fajitas. That is all I can think of righ now . So if u think I might like the taste of something please help expand my vegetable intake. Tks.

Replies

  • LiddyBit
    LiddyBit Posts: 447 Member
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    You should not think of corn or potatoes as veg. Those are more like starch. Peas are pretty sugary, too. Also, those canned veggies can have a lot of sodium so just be aware of that.

    Also, while it's great that you get your veg in where you can, it sounds like you have to fancy them up with things that could get unhealthy if not done in moderation.

    I would suggest that, if possible, you check out a farmer's market. They will be in season soon, if not already. Fresh veggies are amazing but they are best when in-season, so that could help you ease into eating more fresh veg. Talk to the farmers there and find out what's good, what's fresh, what's in season. They will probably have some great tips for you, or else come home and Google for recipes. Vegetarian websites often have really creative ways to cook with veggies.

    Also, you might want to consider cutting back on the add-ons like cheese and bacon.

    That's a lot of "also." I'm sorry about that. Probably you want to take things slowly with veggies. I know it's hard when you aren't raised to think of them as yummy or satisfying.

    Another fantastic way to get your veggies is in soups. Use low-sodium stock and beans or lean ground meat and tons of veggies.

    Can I ask why you won't eat fresh veggies?

    Edited to add - If it's really bad, you can always try the Mango Veggie or Berry Veggie drinks from Naked Juice. You can't taste the veg.
  • mccarol1956
    mccarol1956 Posts: 422 Member
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    I am a lover of most veggies. I routinely eat a stirfry of zucchini, mushrooms, bell pepper, onions, and grape tomatoes. I love steamed broccoli, cauliflower, asparagus, and carrots (separately) Frozen mixed veggies are wonderful too. Any of these are good for you. I use light butter with canola oil on my taters. There are lots of good low calorie/fat salad dressings out there for your salads! Most any veggie can go on a salad. My normal salad has lettuce, carrots, cabbage, spinach, broccoli, cauliflower, tomatoes, red bell peppers, cucumbers, and mushrooms on them. I occasionaly throw in fruit such as apples, grapes, or strawberries. Cranberries or oranges are great in it too. Fresh or frozen peas, garbanzo beans, kidney beans, and dry roasted edamame are wonderful on salads too! The sky is the limit when it comes to veggies and salads!
  • moodyfeesh14
    moodyfeesh14 Posts: 811 Member
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    try jicama its my new replacement for potato chips and try a baked sweet potatoe with some light margarine instead of your typical baked potato
  • jencornelius
    jencornelius Posts: 24
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    What about a cucumber salad? The one my mom always made (and I do also) had sliced cucumbers, onion, vinegar, sugar (I use Equal), water and celery seed. Very low in calories and it's a nice change of pace from a regular salad with a meal.


    This one is almost exactly what I make:
    http://allrecipes.com/recipe/moms-cucumbers/detail.aspx
  • SergeantSunshine_reused
    SergeantSunshine_reused Posts: 5,382 Member
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    Have you tried squash?

    I LOVE all squash :D Pumpkin, spaghetti, butternut, acorn :D
    And I love roasted veggies (a tbsp of olive oil and garlic) usually with onions, zucchini, carrots, and bell peppers.

    And I eat a russet potato almost every night :] sometimes with cheese and bacon bits too :]
  • IamL
    IamL Posts: 69 Member
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    Instead of dressing on the salad, use salsa. It's good. :D And it gets you to eat salsa without chips and salad without dressing.
  • CaroSeraMince
    CaroSeraMince Posts: 51
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    Instead of dressing on the salad, use salsa. It's good. :D And it gets you to eat salsa without chips and salad without dressing.

    I do this all the time! It's great.
  • SergeantSunshine_reused
    SergeantSunshine_reused Posts: 5,382 Member
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    http://www.myrecipes.com/recipe/roasted-vegetables-10000001842424/

    Is what i really like to do ^^
  • Beezil
    Beezil Posts: 1,677 Member
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    I personally love red radishes. I mince them in my food processor and add them into tuna salad or slice them and eat them with a bit of dip or dressing, or even plain. :) Spinach is a good one too, I eat it on sandwiches or mix it in the blender with protein shakes and can't even taste it then. (But I actually like the taste on sandwiches.) There are a lot of canned veggies that are available in "no salt added" versions I've noticed at my grocery store - maybe you could look into those too! :) Hope that's helpful, I know I don't have a ton of suggestions, sorry!
  • ChasingSweatandTears
    ChasingSweatandTears Posts: 504 Member
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    I personally love red radishes. I mince them in my food processor and add them into tuna salad or slice them and eat them with a bit of dip or dressing, or even plain. :) Spinach is a good one too, I eat it on sandwiches or mix it in the blender with protein shakes and can't even taste it then. (But I actually like the taste on sandwiches.) There are a lot of canned veggies that are available in "no salt added" versions I've noticed at my grocery store - maybe you could look into those too! :) Hope that's helpful, I know I don't have a ton of suggestions, sorry!

    Radishes are also great roasted! :)
    Actually almost all veggies are awesome and take on a different flavor when roasted.
    OP: try tossing some chopped vegetables like cauliflower, zucchini, peppers in olive oil and then roasting in an oven at 425 until they get golden brown... they taste amazing that way, and many iffy veggie people I have known have loved them :)
  • ChasingSweatandTears
    ChasingSweatandTears Posts: 504 Member
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    http://www.myrecipes.com/recipe/roasted-vegetables-10000001842424/

    Is what i really like to do ^^

    Yep! Roasted veggies are awesome! :)
  • jessgrey2
    jessgrey2 Posts: 88 Member
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    Ive come to the conclusion that all fresh veggies taste good in a short stir fry (or roasted) with a nice balsamic vinegar and 1 tbsp of olive oil. Raw also!

    My favorites are kale, cabbage, carrots, and tomatoes.
  • bkscott5
    bkscott5 Posts: 53 Member
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    I will eat some fresh veggies, I listed them as raw though, carrots, celery, salad, tomatoes... Growing up I was only exposed to iceberg lettuce, celery, potatoes, tomatoes, carrots, corn and green beans. So I've added just a few over the years but my husband wasn't raised on much more, he likes asparagus which I've tried and don't like. So I'm tying to find some to add that people think I might like. I really like ur idea of trying to get them in the soups. I have really only been thinking about them uncooked, but cooked is good too. I'm willing to try the drinks too, I did try v-8 before and liked it, but I thought it was't good for me either cuz if the high sodium. I appreciate ur thoughts.
  • bkscott5
    bkscott5 Posts: 53 Member
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    Thank u all for ur thoughts, my oldest tries to eat healthy so she doesn't end up like most her family, so I know she will be willing to try roasting some veggies for us to try. Although all my kids are 18 - 22, luckily they are not over weight, but I know because I grew up with bad eating habits (my mom said I could eat ice cream for breakfast, just as long as I would eat something) just because they are skinny doesn't mean they are truly healthy. So while they are still living with me it would be nice if we could learn to eat better. MFP to the rescue!
  • FlaxMilk
    FlaxMilk Posts: 3,452 Member
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    I like to melt a little butter (I use a light vegan one for 50 calories for one tablespoon) with some garlic powder. Then shake up (and possibly heat more) whatever veggie I am craving. Today I'm going to try Dandelion greens and Watercress. You can also try baking whatever veggie you use with this method.

    A butter and lemon plus seasonings of choice (sumac, basil, garlic) works great with asparagus, and I personally hate artichokes but apparently works great baking the artichokes. A little fat won't hurt you and actually helps absorb the nutrients. Just keep it portion controlled.
  • shelbyfrootcake
    shelbyfrootcake Posts: 965 Member
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    The only way to really do this is to just suck it up and try more fresh veg. If you've only been exposed to limited veg so far just go to a supermarket/grocers/farmer's market and decide to try something new. Google recipes for the thing you've decided to try and go from there. If you don't like it, move on. If you do like it, win for you.
  • Mommy_Time
    Mommy_Time Posts: 256 Member
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    I am glad to say I love just about all veggies out there. I love cabbage and bock choi (might not of spelled it right but it is chinese cabbage and so good), broccoli, cauliflower, snowpeas, bell peppers (the yellow, orange and red have the best taste), carrots, spinach is great raw in a salad or sandwich.

    You never know you might like more than you know :)

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