Help with VEGGIES!

BodyRockerVT
BodyRockerVT Posts: 323 Member
edited September 24 in Food and Nutrition
I am a picky person. I admit it.

I need help with suggestions/ideas for what veggies to try and what to DO with them.

I *know* I don't like most of them raw (carrots/celery/etc).

I know that I like: peas, corn, potatoes, sweet potatoes, tomatoes (in stuff rissotto etc), red peppers....

I know I *hate* onions. Eww gross, get them away. BLAH.

What else would you suggest? How should I cook it?

Replies

  • kacarter1017
    kacarter1017 Posts: 651 Member
    Unfortunately, most of the "veggies" you listed are actually starches and count as carbs. The only 2 that count as veggies are tomatoes and red pepper.
  • NoAdditives
    NoAdditives Posts: 4,251 Member
    Unfortunately, most of the "veggies" you listed are actually starches and count as carbs. The only 2 that count as veggies are tomatoes and red pepper.

    Technically tomatoes and peppers are fruits.
  • mishmash73
    mishmash73 Posts: 166 Member
    correct. corn is a starch not a vegetable...

    costco sells a bag of stir fry veggies that are a big hit in my house and we make shrimp, chicken or pork stir fry. or use vegetables w/chicken to make a wrap
  • heathersmilez
    heathersmilez Posts: 2,579 Member
    Brush lightly with olive oil (healthy fat) sprinkle with garlic powder and black pepper and grill i.e. peppers or bake at 400 degrees for 15-20 minutes.

    Red peppers are the sweetest so the easiest transition as are sweet potatoes of course (but watch your carbs), asparagus is excellent, broccoli is ok once you get used to it but don't make it your v-card (ha ha, v-card really works here, Virgin Vegetable Card!) I only add a tiny bit of onions to stir-fry and they are diced fine, long strands are gross IMO. Corn is high in cals/sugar so I stay away. Spinach can be blended into a smoothie with fruit and trust me, you will NOT taste it! Especially if you use mango, very high in sugar.
  • bobspdx
    bobspdx Posts: 198 Member
    Do you like broccoli? You could roast broccoli in the oven. Take a head of it and break into bite size pieces then drizzle with olive oil. Bake in a 400 degree oven for 13 minutes.
  • NoAdditives
    NoAdditives Posts: 4,251 Member
    Honestly, you need to suck it up and try new things. An easy way to do it is to choose one new vegetable each week. Find recipes online or in cookbooks that use that vegetable and try a new one every day. That way you'll get to try the new vegetable in different ways before you decide whether or not you like it. Remember that it can take up to 10-12 times of trying a new food before you like it, so don't give up.
  • heathersmilez
    heathersmilez Posts: 2,579 Member
    Unfortunately, most of the "veggies" you listed are actually starches and count as carbs. The only 2 that count as veggies are tomatoes and red pepper.

    Technically tomatoes and peppers are fruits.

    Yup, anything with seeds so cucumber too and squashes. Thank you Polk-a-dot Door circa ummmm 1987 or so. Bananas have fine seeds.
  • cheshirequeen
    cheshirequeen Posts: 1,324 Member
    what i usually do is if theres a certain pasta or something to that effect, i just throw them all in there. i use pesto sauce and other spices and if you dont like the things, that will personally cover up things you dont like.
  • danibabs
    danibabs Posts: 298 Member
    Asparagus!! Rolled with olive oil, sprinkled with salt, then broiled in the oven till tender and crispy. Yummmm.

    Do you like broccoli? Good in so much stuff, especially just roasted with some garlic and olive oil. Same goes for cauliflower.

    What about spinach? I prefer it raw in salads but you might like it cooked. Mushrooms? There's a lot you can do with mushrooms, especially portobellos as a substitute for recipes you'd otherwise use meat in. Eggplant too, they're great off of the grill. One of my favorite ways to prepare eggplant is to brush 1/2" slices with olive oil, broil it on both sides till slightly browned, then take it out, put a tbsp of goat cheese in the middle of each slice, roll it up like a canneloni and top with tomato sauce. Delicious and very few cals!

    Homemade pizza is a great way to incorporate veggies, including a lot of the ones you named. Ex sweet potatos with goat cheese and tomato sauce on whole wheat crust! It's an easy way to get creative with veggies.

    Btw peas are great when slow cooked with a couple of slices of chopped up prosciutto.

    Brussel sprouts, while they seem to have a bad rep, are also a good earthy vegetable that are good as a side after boiling and lightly salting or with a vinaigrette.

    Beans are also considered vegetables and have a ton of options for cooking them. Homemade vegetarian chili?

    Good luck :)
  • rodegghero
    rodegghero Posts: 212 Member
    Asparagus: roast in oven with olive oil salt and pepper or grill
    squash of any kind mash like potatoes or make soup
    you can also take most any veggie and fake fry it( okra,green beans,etc) dip veg in a little bit of whisked egg/ egg white then dip in corn meal. Spritz with a little olive oil and bake at 350 for 10 minutes or so

    It also might be helpful for you to get acquainted with your local farmers market. In season veg tastes better!
  • anastasiapai
    anastasiapai Posts: 12
    Kale is wonderful leafy green. My favorite thing in the world is the simple recipe for kale chips. Crispy like potato chips and still very low calorie.

    http://smittenkitchen.com/2010/03/baked-kale-chips/

    do you happen to like hummus? I know a lot of people have texture preferences, but it has good fats and protein. Maybe try dipping carrots, cucumbers, tomatoes, or even apples. It's simply delicious.
  • CharlieJimenez
    CharlieJimenez Posts: 4 Member
    My best recommendation for you is to overcome your "being picky" especially with vegetables. Learn to savor natural foods. We sometimes train our bodies to perform strenuous exercise, learn new skills, well let me tell you: you can train your pallet too! I was the same way.

    I was picky, I was fat. I tried all these vegetables and hated them. Then continued to eat them until I started to like them. I learned to value them more for their nutrient value first and then texture and flavor. My health is more important.

    Being "picky" is really a limiting factor in reaching your health and fitness goals and it can be cured if you really want to reach your goals. It's all a matter of how important your health is to you.

    In good health,
    Charlie

    Certified Personal Fitness Trainer
    Certified Strength & Conditioning Specialist
  • anastasiapai
    anastasiapai Posts: 12
    Unfortunately, most of the "veggies" you listed are actually starches and count as carbs. The only 2 that count as veggies are tomatoes and red pepper.

    Technically tomatoes and peppers are fruits.

    so if tomatoes are fruits, then technically ketchup is a smoothie, right?
  • oceanrose78
    oceanrose78 Posts: 133 Member
    Homemade meatloaf, lasagna and pasta dishes are an easy way to get veggies in without 'thinking' about the veggies.

    Though I find most people who 'hate' veggies simply haven't had good veggies. The two simplest methods for cooking veggies are to either bake them in the oven with a drizzle of olive oil and some salt and pepper, bake at 400 till just tender, or to saute in olive oil on the stove, cooking till the colors of green veggies brighten. No more, you don't want to turn them to mush.

    Veggies are so good for you, really try to learn to like them!
  • NoExcuseTina
    NoExcuseTina Posts: 506 Member
    I make mashed cauliflower...steam it, then I put it in the food processor with a touch of butter and milk...YUM

    Since you like tomatoes...you can hide a ton of veggies in tomato sauce...like peas (watch the carbs), spinach, celery, etc

    Green beans are usually something most people like!
  • mainey65
    mainey65 Posts: 343 Member
    When I was a kid, the only veggies I would eat were corn and potatoes - nothing else. Lucky for me, over the years, I learned to love them. One of my favs is spagetti squash. I just cut it in half and steam it in the microwave. When it is done, I just scrape it out with a fork (it comes out in strands giving the appearance of spagetti - hence the name). Then I just drizzle it with a tiny bit of olive oil and season with salt and pepper. YUM!
  • mainey65
    mainey65 Posts: 343 Member
    When my kids were little they only liked certain veggies. Here are a couple of ways I got them to eat more veggies: Boil cauliflower and mash it in with your potatoes. Drizle a little bit of maple syrup over cooked carrots and and a dash of nutmeg. Mash some cooked turnip in with some cooked mashed squash or sweet potato.
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