Complete Carnivore

Exhalt
Exhalt Posts: 41
in Food and Nutrition
I was raised in a meet and potato family. Mainly because my father would never eat any vegetables. So my meals growing up were meat, mac & cheese, and a potato of sort. Now that I am in college, I try to eat healthy and the cafe' we have has different things, but I only find myself getting a salad when I force myself to. When I eat salad it used to be packed with bacon bits, cheese, ranch, and other condiments that make a salad unhealthy. I feel bad eating a salad with so much on it, but I can't bring myself to eat it if it is not on there. There is something about it that when I chew my throat closes up and it is hard to swallow, not like an allergic reaction, but like my body telling me; what are you doing, this is not right, go find something else.

I don't like eating like I do, and I try to get the few veggies that I will eat. I like Broccoli stems only (On a good day), carrots, corn, green beans, ann that is about it. (I love carrots) I need to broaden my horizon, But I don't know how. I did good yesterday and put tomatoes on a taco I ate. But that was only once, and I do't know if I can do it again.

I know there are more veggies out there i have not tasted, what are some way you guys put veggies into your daily diet?

Replies

  • dimpls98
    dimpls98 Posts: 4 Member
    Exhalt, I'm right there with you! I was raised on steak, deep fried chicken nuggets, calzones with way more dough than necessary...everything was so tasty and so fattening! Anyway, I'm new to the weightloss world and slowly finding things that I love. I am a french fry fiend. So...I found out how easy it was to make sweet potato fries! SO EASY! (just cut them into fry shape, or cubes, scatter them on a baking sheet, use a little EVOO to coat them, the sprinkle them with your favorite seasoning. Bake at 400 for 20 minutes and chow down!!) My daughter and I love lawry's seasoning salt on them, but many seasonings work!! We also started to swap out pasta with spaghetti squash. Super easy to make and really low calories!! Hope this helps a bit!
    GOOD LUCK!
  • blackcoffeeandcherrypie
    blackcoffeeandcherrypie Posts: 486 Member
    Make things like spaghetti bolognaise with chopped onions, peppers and tomatoes in it. If you're squeemish, chop them up really fine so that you just get the flavour rather than the texture. Make a beef stew with steak and potatoes and add carrots, onions and tomatoes. Chilli con carne put tomatoes, chillis, onion and kidney beans in it. You can get a lot of veggies by adding them to meals in this way.
  • v70t5m
    v70t5m Posts: 186 Member
    Hm, being the exact opposite, I do not know how much help I can give.

    Kudos to you for adding vegetables into your diet, it can be really hard to break away from the parental diet. Keep at it and you will figure out the path that works for you.


    Research green smoothies, they are generally berry based with spinach, kale, or chard added to "hide" the vegetables.

    Add mashed sweet potatoes to mashed white potatoes.

    Chop up the "new" vegetables really tiny and leave your favorites in larger chunks.

    Try hummus dip with carrot slices for chips.

    Avocados are creamy and tastey sliced in sandwiches, salads, or as a dip in guacamole.

    Do you like salsa? Use it as a dressing instead of ranch ... shudder ... ;)

    It will take time to "reset" your taste buds since they expect high sodium, high fat meals.
  • deksgrl
    deksgrl Posts: 7,237 Member
    I was going to suggest switching regular potato for sweet potato. They are very good for you and they are sweet so you won't feel like you are eating something "healthy". Try guacamole (avocado) and a some salsa on the salad instead of the bacon bits and cheese and ranch.

    Chick peas (aka garbanzo beans) are good in salads and soups and are good for you. If you mash up the chick peas in the soup, that can be used as a thickener instead of flour or cornstarch for a cream soup. Hummus is a thick spread that is made from chick peas and spices. Try some on any raw vegetables. Or instead of mayo on a chicken sandwich. Tatziki sauce is also a good substitute for mayo and is very healthy. (that's not a veggie though)

    Spinach.... very good for you.... you may have had some raw spinach leaf in salads before. It can be an acquired taste to eat it cooked by itself..... but it is very good in soups or in omelets, quiche or any kind of egg dish.

    Pasta salad, ever had the twisty pasta or ziti cold salad with like an oil and vinegar dressing sort of thing? Usually a lot of veggies in it. Black olives, artichokes, peppers, onions. Usually the grocery store deli has something like that. Artichokes can also be an acquired taste, I like to make a mushroom and artichoke omelet.

    Hope this gives you some ideas.
  • theginnyray
    theginnyray Posts: 208 Member
    I ate pretty crappy growing up also, but have changed my ways.
    First, awesome that you recognize that you need to eat your fruits and veggies!

    Next, lets recognize that maybe eating a salad isn't your healthiest option in the cafeteria. Is there meat? And a side veggie instead? Rather than slather cheese, bacon bits and ranch on a bed of iceberg lettuce, can you grab a chicken breast or hamburger (plain) with a side of green beans, or corn?

    If you can make your own meals, then here is my other suggestion: Try different things. You don't have to eat something raw - try steaming or roasting in the oven with EVOO. Mix new things into meals you already eat (steamed cauliflower into your mashed potatoes, broccoli in your mac&cheese).
  • PaulaCash79
    PaulaCash79 Posts: 9 Member
    I agree with the "hiding veggies" in foods that you already eat, and chopping them really fine. Something that has worked for me and I use with my kids is to every time you are eating out or with someone and you come across a fruit or veggie that you haven't tried or don't like make yourself try just one small bite. Also don't judge something by the first taste because one when you try something for the first time you most likely have a mind set like "this is going to be gross" and second everyone prepares things differently give somethings a second or even a third chance. Sounds corny but it works and you would be amazed at the tastes you will find and fall in love with.
  • kd_mazur
    kd_mazur Posts: 569 Member
    Check out the book "Deceptively Delicious" by Jessica Sinfield. This book provides a system and recipies for getting fruits and veggies into your diet without realizing it using purees in normal "meat and potatoes" type meals:)
    Good Luck
  • Marksman21
    Marksman21 Posts: 126 Member
    Look up a proper Santa-Fe Chili! Its mostly beans and Tomatoes (a healthy staple in a lot of foods), with a pound of beef and seasoning. Ain't bad eating, and great to try out.

    Likewise, though, I came from a Steak & Potatoe family, but once I started to learn to cook for myself, I found out Veggies make a damn good meal too. Steamed broccoli with a dip? I'm sold.
  • chinatbag
    chinatbag Posts: 249 Member
    Nothing wrong with bacon, cheese, and ranch in a salad. Just don't go overboard with it. I eat bacon, ranch, and cheese, and am still losing weight :)
  • Akimajuktuq
    Akimajuktuq Posts: 3,037 Member
    I love meat and I love veggies. It's not necessarily "bad" to eat condiments with your salads. Since I believe that eating lots of fat and proteins is HEALTHY, I almost always add fat and protein to my salads; such as, meat, eggs, cheese, full fat dressings (going to start making them from scratch to avoid canola and soy), avocado, nuts, seeds. I put butter or cheese on cooked veggies too. If I make meat sauce for my veggies (I don't eat pasta) I always add fat (coconut oil, olive oil, macadamia nut oil, etc) even above fat from the meat. Healthy fat will make your veggies taste great AND you will feel great and lose weight (remaining within your calorie goal). Just my opinion.
  • Exhalt
    Exhalt Posts: 41

    Do you like salsa? Use it as a dressing instead of ranch ... shudder ... ;)

    I never thought about salsa as a dressing. I am going to have to try that. Thank you. =}
  • Softrbreeze
    Softrbreeze Posts: 156 Member
    I've seen many great suggestions on here! You might also want to watch a very motivational film for healthy eating. If you've got access to Netflix you can watch Forks Over Knives for free. Otherwise you can probably get it at your local video rental place. Good luck! You're taking a great step! And in time, you will find that it is self-rewarding :)
  • Exhalt
    Exhalt Posts: 41


    Chick peas (aka garbanzo beans) are good in salads and soups and are good for you. If you mash up the chick peas in the soup, that can be used as a thickener instead of flour or cornstarch for a cream soup. Hummus is a thick spread that is made from chick peas and spices. Try some on any raw vegetables. Or instead of mayo on a chicken sandwich. Tatziki sauce is also a good substitute for mayo and is very healthy. (that's not a veggie though)


    Pasta salad, ever had the twisty pasta or ziti cold salad with like an oil and vinegar dressing sort of thing? Usually a lot of veggies in it. Black olives, artichokes, peppers, onions. Usually the grocery store deli has something like that. Artichokes can also be an acquired taste, I like to make a mushroom and artichoke omelet.

    Thank you so much, I never knew what humus was, and i was a little scared to try them, I will be trying it now. I have never heard of Tatziki.


    I have found a few pasta salads I like, but more are the bad ones. THe ones you add oil r mayo to.

    I love artichoke tea, I have never actually eating one though. My roommate and I brew our own artichoke tea.

    Thank you for your response
  • Exhalt
    Exhalt Posts: 41
    I want to give a huge THANK YOU to all of you.
    Everyone of you have giving me great ideas to further make myself healthy.
  • deksgrl
    deksgrl Posts: 7,237 Member
    Tatziki tastes sort of like sour cream. I spelled it wrong, it is actually tzatziki. It's a bit thicker though. It is made from greek yogurt. You can use that as a dip for veggies or as a sandwich spread. If you go to a diner and see "gyro" on the menu, that is a meat tomato onion sandwich on a thick flat bread with tzatziki sauce. Do a google search. I love those.
  • Exhalt
    Exhalt Posts: 41
    Tatziki tastes sort of like sour cream. I spelled it wrong, it is actually tzatziki. It's a bit thicker though. It is made from greek yogurt. You can use that as a dip for veggies or as a sandwich spread. If you go to a diner and see "gyro" on the menu, that is a meat tomato onion sandwich on a thick flat bread with tzatziki sauce. Do a google search. I love those.
    Oooh, That sounds amazing! Thank you.
  • LoraF83
    LoraF83 Posts: 15,694 Member


    Chick peas (aka garbanzo beans) are good in salads and soups and are good for you. If you mash up the chick peas in the soup, that can be used as a thickener instead of flour or cornstarch for a cream soup. Hummus is a thick spread that is made from chick peas and spices. Try some on any raw vegetables. Or instead of mayo on a chicken sandwich. Tatziki sauce is also a good substitute for mayo and is very healthy. (that's not a veggie though)


    Pasta salad, ever had the twisty pasta or ziti cold salad with like an oil and vinegar dressing sort of thing? Usually a lot of veggies in it. Black olives, artichokes, peppers, onions. Usually the grocery store deli has something like that. Artichokes can also be an acquired taste, I like to make a mushroom and artichoke omelet.

    Thank you so much, I never knew what humus was, and i was a little scared to try them, I will be trying it now. I have never heard of Tatziki.


    I have found a few pasta salads I like, but more are the bad ones. THe ones you add oil r mayo to.

    I love artichoke tea, I have never actually eating one though. My roommate and I brew our own artichoke tea.

    Thank you for your response

    Oil isn't bad.....olive oil is actually considered a healthy fat and you need those in your diet (they support organ/brain function). If you make your own pasta salad with whole wheat pasta, olive oil, seasoning and veggies, it would actually be pretty healthy.

    As far as the veggie problem goes, I completely understand. I'm not a huge veggie eater, and wasn't raised to be one. I just try to eat lots of the things I do like and sneak them in where I can. I'm not ever going to munch on raw carrots, but that's ok.

    I put spinach on everything. I use it in place of lettuce (gross! and no nutritional value!) in salads, sandwiches, on tacos, in eggs, etc. When fresh, spinach has a mild texture and flavor. It only gets gross when cooked in vinegar or dumped out of the Popeye can! I also try to put peppers in almost everything I cook. I use a lot of onion too. And I really like to roast veggies.....toss some fresh veggies with a little olive oil and sprinkle with seasoning and cook at 400 degrees for 25 minutes. Oh yum!

    Just keep trying to make better choices and know that you aren't alone! :)
  • Danied13
    Danied13 Posts: 117 Member
    For me to eat vegetables, they need to taste good. I know that sounds simple, but so many people feel like if they're enjoying their food they're doing something wrong. I'll eat a pan of roasted cauliflower, but the raw stuff...never. One of the easiest ways for me to eat vegetables is in an omelette. Onions, mushrooms, and wilted kale with aged cheddar omelette makes a great breakfast (with a side of bacon lol). Also, I like dressing vegetables with bold flavors -- that way not as much of the ingredient is needed.

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