good ideas for sides that aren't vegetables???
Replies
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have you tried making the faux-cauliflower "mashed potatoes"? You can play around with it and make it to your liking. My sister has a husband similar to your boyfriend and she "hides veggies" in their meals. She will puree spinach with spaghetti sauce to hide veggies. I found this recipe online:
http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/george-stella/mock-garlic-mashed-potatoes-recipe/index.html
Ingredients
1 medium head cauliflower
1 tablespoon cream cheese, softened
1/4 cup grated Parmesan
1/2 teaspoon minced garlic
1/8 teaspoon straight chicken base or bullion (may substitute 1/2 teaspoon salt)
1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon chopped fresh or dry chives, for garnish
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
Directions
Set a stockpot of water to boil over high heat.
Clean and cut cauliflower into small pieces. Cook in boiling water for about 6 minutes, or until well done. Drain well; do not let cool and pat cooked cauliflower very dry between several layers of paper towels.
In a bowl with an immersion blender, or in a food processor, puree the hot cauliflower with the cream cheese, Parmesan, garlic, chicken base, and pepper until almost smooth.
Garnish with chives, and serve hot with pats of butter.
Hint: Try roasting the garlic and adding a little fresh
rosemary for a whole new taste.
Per Serving: Calories: 149; Total Fat: 11.5 grams; Saturated Fat: 7 grams; Protein: 5 grams; Total carbohydrates: 8 grams; Sugar: 4 gramsl; Fiber: 4 grams; Cholesterol: 31 milligrams; Sodium: 170 milligrams
Good on your sister for making the effort to get healthy food into an obstinate spouse, but I just wouldn't accept the excuses from a grown adult. If bad enough when my daughter complains about veges. If my wife tried it she'd get a healthy serving of "grow the f**k up and eat your vegetables." :laugh:
I agree. I'm glad my husband eats what I cook and is happy about it.
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Bump0
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Potato pancakes maybe? I put potatoes, onion, a bit of flour and an egg in the blender then fry it.0
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It would be nice to know because I am on a low oxilate diet because I have had 6 kidney stones all ready and they have found 3 more sitting in my left kidney waiting to cause me more pain. This cuts out most of the fruits and vegetables that I can eat on top of being a picky eater. I cant even have to potatoes. So for me this is a good question to want to know a real answer to besides just suck it up because i cant really do that with out putting myself in the hospital more than I all ready am with the kidney stones.
My sympathies. I had two stones last year and I know how much those little swines hurt.
Technically I am also on a low oxilate diet, but then I was also put on a low cholesterol diet and low salt diet. Well that made things a ridiculous pain in the behind, so I've ditched the low oxilate and I just try to drink tons and tons of water to keep my kidneys 'flushed'. I'm five months stone-free so far, so fingers crossed I've got away with it.
Not that I'd suggest anyone go against their Doctor's wishes without consulting them first. I talked to my doctor about it and he's the one that suggested just going with lots of water.0 -
Are you the one who cooks and does the shopping? If so, make whatever sides you want. IF he doesn't want to eat it than he can make his own.
Or, research healthier ways to make things. Baked potatos aren't bad... it is just what you put on them. You can make healthier mashed potatos. Use milk instead of cream, light sour cream instead of so much butter, and use half potatos and half cauliflower.0 -
Low fat cottage cheese makes an excellent side; high in protein. The only negative is the sodium content.
Not sure about all stores but I know at mine (Giant) you can buy a no-salt added kind.
I understand your desire to try and make something that he will like and it's nice of you, but in the end, he is a grown man. Make what you want and what you will eat and he will either eat it or not. I know there are ways to sneak it in but to me that makes you his mother and not a partner.0 -
Honestly, I went through the same thing with my ex boyfriend. He pretty much lived off of chicken fingers and fruit punch...culinarily speaking, I just left him in the dust. I gave him a bit of wiggle room (as in he had off-limits food that I would never make), but if he couldn't compromise, then he got to order pizza I don't think your boyfriend is a terrible person, but he certainly needs to grow up a bit, and explore different types of food! There are plenty of way to make vegetables not taste like vegetables (blending squash into macaroni, for example), but they're mostly meant for children. As a last tip..if he were really a super taster, I doubt he'd be eating nothing but starchy-buttery-salty-junk. Just a thought! 0
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Try the Broccoli and Cheese Twice Baked Potatoes from skinnytaste.com (http://www.skinnytaste.com/2013/01/broccoli-and-cheese-twice-baked-potatoes.html). The potatoes are mashed with cauilflower to add nutrition, plus the broccoli with a little cheese on top is so tasty! My husband loved them!!
Calories: 146.5 • Fat: 3.5 g • Protein: 8 g • Carb: 23 g • Fiber: 2.5 g • Sugar: 1.5 g
Sodium: 152.5 mg0 -
Try brown rice or stir fried veggies with a sweet sauce... or even throw them together!0
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How about quinoa?0
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Beans.0
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Pasta, rice, garlic bread, dinner rolls
Wow, I have a hard time believing you earned that body by eating pasta and dinner rolls!
What's wrong with pasta and dinner rols?0 -
If he's going to act like a six year old, you always treat him like a six year old. Serve up the veg, and if he doesn't eat it, he goes hungry. If he complains, let him know where the kitchen is.
Oh, and in before "just break up".
This x100.
He's mistaking the kindness of you cooking for him as something you must do. If he's not eating what you're eating then he's on his own. He is a grown man after all.0 -
I was going to post all this stuff about my opinions about your boyfriends diet and your behavior about it- but forget that ... you asked for side ideas... and I love to talk about food!
Add in rice to your variety, brown, white, short and long, fried and pilaf- it's all good! (you could throw in some very small bits of broccoli here... if it were me
Cous Cous- Near East has some good flavors.
Polenta- I'd go to foodnetwork.com for ideas for this...
Lentils, Beans... mmm the possibilities.
Eat on, and don't let his restrictions affect you, he doesn't have to eat the veggies but don't let that stop you!
Created by MyFitnessPal.com - Free Calorie Counter0 -
Try using cauliflower for mashed potatoes, tater tots and pizza crust
Also, will he eat sweet potatoes? It at least has more nutrition then the normal white ones.
Try adding cheese to the veggies?
Also, substitute pasta with spaghetti squash or use half the amount of pasta you normally would and half zucchini ribbons. You cant even taste the veggies in it.0 -
Cook anything you want and microwave a potato for him.0
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Most guys who don't like veg will still eat Cesar salad. Just a thought.
Yes. Both my brothers have never been big on veggies, but will eat Cesar salad - perhaps you can find a healthier version since I know it's not the best salad out there nutrition-wise.
- Polenta
- Slice up bell peppers and spread cream cheese on them, and bake for about 30-45min (something I've been hooked on lately)
- Hummus?0 -
I know this probably isn't helpful, but I'm a super-taster (I've been tested) and I can handle vegetables just fine.
Super-tasters have trouble with bitter, sour, and spicy for the most part which rules out a lot of citrus, coffee, and certain ethnic foods like curries, etc. Vegetables, however, don't tend to be any of these things. For what it's worth, I love corn, bell peppers, broccoli, romaine lettuce, potatoes, onions, and snap peas. I'll eat carrots, cucumber, celery, and tomatoes, but they're not my favorite. In fact, the only vegetable I can think of off the top of my head that I won't eat is radishes.
Super-tasters also tend to enjoy sweet and salty flavors, so in order to eat less-appealing vegetables, sometimes I'll steam and lightly salt or butter them. You can also add fruit or nuts to a salad to make it more palatable.
Basically, what I'm saying is that whether he's actually a super-taster or not, he's being a bit ridiculous about it. I eat stuff I don't particularly care for all the time, but I suck it up because it's good for me.0 -
Go to foodnetwork.com they have plenty of recipes for side dishes and they also have healthy alternatives. You guys can look at it together and cook together. If he's stubborn about it I'm with everyone else and he can starve if he doesn't want what you cook. I cook for my boyfriend as well and if he doesn't want healthy he cooks for himself.0
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noodles
rolls
soup
beans0 -
I know this probably isn't helpful, but I'm a super-taster (I've been tested) and I can handle vegetables just fine.
Super-tasters have trouble with bitter, sour, and spicy for the most part which rules out a lot of citrus, coffee, and certain ethnic foods like curries, etc. Vegetables, however, don't tend to be any of these things. For what it's worth, I love corn, bell peppers, broccoli, romaine lettuce, potatoes, onions, and snap peas. I'll eat carrots, cucumber, celery, and tomatoes, but they're not my favorite. In fact, the only vegetable I can think of off the top of my head that I won't eat is radishes.
Super-tasters also tend to enjoy sweet and salty flavors, so in order to eat less-appealing vegetables, sometimes I'll steam and lightly salt or butter them. You can also add fruit or nuts to a salad to make it more palatable.
Basically, what I'm saying is that whether he's actually a super-taster or not, he's being a bit ridiculous about it. I eat stuff I don't particularly care for all the time, but I suck it up because it's good for me.
Hmmmm, when you describe it like that, it sounds a lot like me. Perhaps I should get myself tested. Grapefruit, coffee, and spicy foods are all right out. I've tried, really, really tried to like them, but I just can't do it. Thankfully, there are a ton of other veges and salads that I do eat, so it's never been a problem (hence why I've never even thought that maybe I'm a super-taster).0 -
I am of the supertasters, too, but I've learned to eat and even enjoy many vegetables and other foods. I will probably never say I love most any veggie, but I find most tolerable and even enjoyable when cooked properly.
In my household, we usually have 2 sides when we are serving a "plain" protein, so I don't see why you couldn't make roasted or baked potatoes or rice or a starch + a veggie. Encourage him to continually try them with an open mind. Hopefully he is open to eating veggies because of the health benefits. If he is, then trying the veggies multiple times will hopefully help him get to the point where he can enjoy them. If he isn't, then nothing will work, but at least you've got your sides.
For me, roasted or grilled is the way to go. Most veggies that I wouldn't touch before I will eat now if they are roasted or grilled at a high heat. This changes flavor immensely. I still will not do steamed or boiled most any veggie. Green beans are the exception - if I have fresh, they have to be steamed first, then I like them sauteed with garlic and bacon.
ETA: If he really is a "supertaster" and you are going to try to help him accept eating veggies, I recommend picking something small and going from there. Sometimes, even if I try really hard, I just can't stomach some foods. Steamed broccoli or cauliflower in any form are out; as are cooked spinach and any type of cooked greens. Try as I might, I just cannot stomach them. I have been known to gag when accidently ingesting some of these foods. I can eat broccoli when it's roasted and tossed in a sweet/savory sauce (I make one similar to a General Tso's sauce). I've even discovered that I can stomach bok choy when it's sauteed in sesame oil and has a light cashew sauce. I can pretty much never eat most veggies plain, but I keep trying because I recognize the benefits of eating these foods. When my DH cooks, he takes my preferences and aversions in to consideration, as I would hope that any person in a loving relationship would. We still have fish and sea food regularly, even though I don't particularly care for them because he loves them, but he makes an effort to prepare these foods in a way that I can stomach, which usually involves a sweet Asian type of sauce.
One food that I was amazed to find that I liked was roasted asparagus. Fresh asparagus (skinny stalks are better) tossed in olive oil and kosher salt and roasted until tender is really quite good. Maybe you can start with trying him on that? I know I can't do fresh green beans, even when wrapped in bacon, unless they have been steamed within an inch of their lives.
Will he eat jalapenos or fresh peppers? My DH makes a really good cajun stuffed pepper, and I've recently discovered how delicious it can be to take fresh jalapenos, roast them slightly, stuff them with a mixture of cream cheese and cheddar cheese and wrap them in bacon. As unhealthy as that sounds, when I made them each jalapeno half only had 35 calories and a few of them can be quite filling. They weren't very spicy at all - my 6 year old loved them, too.0 -
stuffed mushrooms? for a really quick and easy one just use a little Phillidelphia garlic and herd light cream cheese with a little breadcrumbs and parmesan. I usually like mine with crab for an appetizer or dinner party but when just making a few for dinner they are just as tasty without.0
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In my house, I do 99.999% of the cooking. If anybody in the house doesn't like what I'm cooking, they're free to have at the box of emergency Ramen. Otherwise, shut up and be grateful that I'm even getting near the kitchen after making a 100 mile round trip commute to work every day, working 8-9 hours, and then finding time to cook before I hit the gym.0
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Perhaps roasted parsnips? They have a similar texture and taste to sweet potato.
My guy thought he hated vegetables when we got together. Now, he'll pretty much eat anything but cabbage and grapefruit. reasonable, I think.
I just kept putting things on his plate, and he would try little nibbles here and there. I sneaked veggies into his food too. My lasagna has peppers, zucchini, carrots, mushrooms, eggplant, etc. He had no idea because I diced them small and sauteed with the ground meat.
A year in, he had zero acne, better energy, and had magically lost 15 pounds. Funny how that works...lol. My sneaky vegetable shenanigans worked.0 -
Honestly, I would tell him to suck it up. I'm not the forgiving type anymore since I've learned to enjoy foods I used to dislike in the pursuit of health (blueberries, bell peppers, cauliflower, mushrooms, and onions to an extent). I have a friend who is the absolute worst for this. All he eats is frickin' chicken and potatoes. He claims he has to "force" himself to eat a piece of fruit a day because he knows it's good for him. Guess what? My boyfriend and I no longer ask him out to restaurants or invite him over for supper anymore because he'll just sit there and mope.
If he claims it's too "bitter", reach for sweeter veggies like carrots, sweet potatoes, bell peppers, etc. Make a stuffed pepper or tomato side loaded with all the cheese his heart desires.0 -
My hubbie's just the same. Let him eat what he likes - when we're hotties they'll be fatties. Only kidding, they're adults though - we can't force health on them.0
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My husband is the same way when it comes to most veggies.... It's not my problem. I make what I want to eat and he doesn;'t have to eat it if he doesn't ant to. I just tell him to shut up when he complains about not losing any weight. Hopefully he will eventually grow up, but I strongly doubt it.0
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My hubbie's just the same. Let him eat what he likes - when we're hotties they'll be fatties. Only kidding, they're adults though - we can't force health on them.
Completely agree! My hubby and I have been "dieting" for the same amount of time, but he hasn't lost ANY weight. It's sad to say, but he's getting left in the dust.0 -
wow this thread exploded when i got back from the supermarket!!
thanks for the lovely ideas guys!!
i however can't really go by the "don't cook for him then" mentality or "deal with it". he works 90 hours a week and honestly would be hooked up to a TPN if it wasn't for me. he works very hard and helps around the house every chance he can, which says a lot considering he wakes up at 3:45 AM and then comes home at 7:30 PM during some months. i just prefer to have something nice cooked that he will love too after a hard day at work. i've chosen to work part time (32 hours a week) so really i view it as a challenge to get him to enjoy my food and to experiment given my restrictions.
there are plenty of meals i make for myself ie: lunch that are full of delicious veggies...so perhaps that was an over-exaggeration when i made it sound like it was horribly affecting my diet.
again, thanks for the suggestions! i'll keep reading what everyone else is doing too!0
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