Anybody Else 'Not Eat Their Veggies'?

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Hannah_Banana
Hannah_Banana Posts: 1,242 Member
in Food and Nutrition
I've been using MFP for about a year and in that time have successfully avoided including veggies in my diet. I've tried to pretend I didn't need them, but I know they are a vital part of a healthy lifestyle, so I've taken steps to include them by 'hiding' them in food. I got the idea while trying to get my toddler to try new things, and I figured if it can fool him - then its NOT a physical tastebud thing, its a mental thing that I must just get over!

So these are some of the ideas I've come up with:

1. When I make hamburger patties, I squish cilantro, onion and shredded carrots in there. With a tsp of BBQ sauce, I can't even taste them!
2. When I make ground turkey tacos, instead of using lettuce, I use baby spinach and shred it really fine. The spices I put in the turkey meat cover any bitterness from the spinach and it actually ads a nice 'crunch.'
3. When I make chicken alfredo, I crumble up fresh broccoli and the strong parmesan flavor again, hides the bitterness.
4. I'm experimenting with roasting veggies (which I love) in different spices, as well as subbing alternatives such as sweet potato fries for regular ones.

I would love any more ideas you guys have! You don't have to hate veggies like I do, experience with children is just as effective. :blushing:

Replies

  • blackiris49
    blackiris49 Posts: 128 Member
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    I remember seeing a programme where 'Seinfield's' (is that how it's spelt) wife does a similar thing to her family's food. Hiding veggies in cakes, brownies, cookies and well, in about everything.
    I think it was in an ep of Oprah with Doc Oz.

    Think she's also got a book- can't remember what it's called though.
  • lissmiller
    lissmiller Posts: 19
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    For some reason I can drink veggies, but I don't like to eat them. So I had found I just wasn't eating them at all - the ones I liked were too sweet or too high in carbs for my diet, and the "great greens" I just didn't like. But all ground to a liquid - with a tsp. of spirulina, a little more than a dash of raspberry balsamic vinegar, and a cup of Lifeway non-fat probiotic kefir - I really like that! It definitely tastes "green" - but not like any one vegetable.
    It's a bit of an acquired taste, perhaps - but the real key is to have a really good blender so the veggies get ground to a liquid. I did buy Montel's Healthmaster Pro - expensive for me, but it's been worth the price. Easy to clean, really does the job - and allows me smoosh just about anything. It makes great fruit smoothies, too - which I use as a treat, now that MFP has helped me see how much sugar there is in most fruits.

    Good luck to all of us who have trouble with veggies!
  • blakgarnet
    blakgarnet Posts: 343
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    I use spinach to make pesto - half basil, half spinach with garlic, just enough olive oil to make it the right consistency and a handful of parm. cheese. it easily freezes and I can use it on pasta in a pinch. When I use it, I add in green beans or broccoli with the pasta since the flavor of the pesto is strong (although I do enjoy my veggies).

    I love to add broccoli or frozen spinach to frozen pasta entrees. Easy to add during the defrost process and the sauces may mask the flavor for you.

    I do roasted root veggies all the time - turnips, sweet potatoes, carrots, all lightly tossed with oil and rosemary.

    adding veggies to lasagna is easy - spinach in the ricotta cheese and mushrooms sauteed with the meat.

    You can add spinach to ground meat for burgers or meatloaf.

    I make the no harm eggplant parm from hungry girl and if the eggplant is cut thin, it cooks well and there's not a strong flavor other than the cheese and sauce.

    I always add some extra veggies to canned soups.

    Hope some of these ideas work for you.

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