need help with veggies

Blend up (as in pulverize) greens and other veggies and add them to soups, stews, smoothies, etc.

What about juicing? Check out the documentary called "Fat, Sick and Nearly Dead." It's about a guy from Australia who embarks on a 60-day juicing fast. Obviously that's pretty hard-core, but the movie gives some amazing insight on juicing in general, which I'll be embarking on within a week or two. A great way to get all of the nutrients from veggies (and fruit) in a juice. If you use a true juicer (not a blender), you only get juice and no pulp, which makes it easier to take. I'm a texture person too, and am not a fan of pulp or seeds in any way.

Oh yeah, another thing I recently discovered! Broccoli slaw and rainbow slaw. I saute them and add a little frank's red hot sauce You can cook them until they are limp and mushy or until they are crispy tender. I usually eat it with meat over it (like taco meat or buffalo ground chicken).

Everything that the girls above said. I have started doing Meatless Mondays and it forces me to try veggies in a different way. I've also started eating more veggies by mixing them into things. I am not fond of spinach but I eat it with eggs, mixed in stir-fry's or soups. I also tried Avocado the other and fell in love with it so definitely try new veggies. Remember that it can take at least 27 times to try out a food before you like it.

Here are some ways I get my picky eaters to eat their veggies:


Pasta Sauce
I peel a whole eggplant, cube it and steam it.
Next I puree it with my favorite (homemade) pasta sauce and my kids have no idea they are eating eggplant. You can do the same with zucchini too.

Omlete

Grate zucchini or chop fresh spinach and add it to your scrambled eggs

Soup

I love roasted veg soup. I roast red, yellow and orange peppers under the broiler until the skin is black and puffy. Once cool, peel. Meanwhile slice zucchini and yellow squash (about 2 or 3 each) sprinkle with olive oil, salt, pepper and dry oregano and thyme and roast in 400 degree oven until lightly browned.

Saute an onion and 4 cloves of garlic in a bit of olive oil until golden, but not too dark. Add salt & pepper and dry rubbed thyme.

Add a can of whole peeled tomatoes (or roast and peel your own) including the liquid. Add the peeled peppers and the roasted squash. Add about 4-6 cups chicken stock, (preferably homemade). Now, I use a stick blender and puree the whole thing. If you don't have one, just pop it in the blender in batches. Be careful if it's too hot, the lid will fly off! Blend until very smooth. THis soup is delicious.

If you like salad try to use it as a vehicle for adding crunchy veggies. You say you don't like mushy, so try just blanching broccoli, asparagus, green beans or others in boiling salted water for 30-50 seconds. Immediately plunge into ice water after. You will have palatable tender-crisp veggies to top your salad. Also, if you cut all your veggies and your salad up in small pieces and put your favorite dressing on it, you will like it better. Don't inspect every bite, just eat it.

I love a zucchini sandwhich

Toast whole grain bread, spread with hummus on one side, avocado on the other.
slice zucchini the long way, sprinkle with salt & pepper and pan saute quickly in a little olive oil until just heated, not mushy

Slice red onion, tomato and build your sandwich. I add sprouts, lettuce and lots of black pepper and sometimes a dash of vinegar. It's so tasty. It's crunchy. It's filling. You can add a very thin sliver of swiss cheese if you like. If you prefer you can make this sandwich into a wrap with Lavosh bread.

Cut up raw asparagus, carrots, bell peppers and dip in low fat homemade ranch (ranch packet, low fat buttermilk, non fat greek yogurt) or hummus.

Roasted veggies:

In a 13 x 9 casserole add cut up potatoes (large chunks, skin on, golden beets, brussel sprouts and yams. Drizzle with a little olive oil, salt and pepper, crushed thyme and roast on 400, mixing occasionally for about 35-40 minutes. You can experiment with dif veggies and see which ones you like. If you add red beets, add them last after you mix everything together or it will all turn red.

Drink green smoothies. Hide your veggies with sweet fruit.

I promise you if you cut down on anything processed and start eating lots of homemade stuff and fresh veggies, you will start to crave veggies and lose your cravings for anything not so healthy. Just try one of my recipes and let me know how it goes. If you don't like any of the recipes, let me know, maybe I can come up with something else : ) Best of luck to you!

I love all these ideas. Yum! You people are all awesome.

If texture is an issue blend it up in soups or smoothies - if you are comfortable cooking - try buying a hand blender and just throw some stuff in a pot, boil, season, blend - there ya have some yummy soup

OR just try other raw crunchy veg - jicima is very neutral tasting, add shredded carrots to your salads. what about raw cauliflower? raw peppers?

Also I wonder if you would really like to learn to like veggies - just keep trying new things - don't box yourself into your preconceived likes and dislikes. maybe your tastes have changed since the last time you had it? maybe your tastes will adjust after having it a few times? sometimes its mind over matter - if i told myself i hated certain things, I might start to believe it too!

Good luck, take baby steps, and just try keeping an open mind

Lot of great ideas here, thanks everyone!

Since you like them crunchy, eat more raw veggies. Carrot, celery, broccoli, cauliflower, bell peppers, etc., are all great raw. Just wash them and eat them.