We all know we're supposed to eat vegetables. They should be the staple of any healthy diet -- even the majority of a healthy diet. But what if you simply don't like them? What if your kids don't? What if the very sight of an artichoke or stalk of broccoli makes you wanna holla, "Gimme a slice of cake!"
There's some good news. You can gussy up veggies so that they taste better or you barely even taste them at all. Seems bizarre to me, since I love veggies, but I get it that there are people with veggiephobia.
Here are some ways of getting those veggies down and loving it:
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Green puree. From The Sneaky Chef comes this recipe for a puree of healthy greens like spinach, broccoli, and peas. It can then be baked into lasagna.
Veggie smoothie. One surefire way to make veggies go down quick is to juice them up with some fruit to make a smoothie. This solution from Divas Who Cook has a veggie even I'm not keen on but is one of the healthiest around: Kale. But add fruit like blackberries, and the kale tastes sweet.
Glazed carrots. Nothing like adding brown sugar to your carrots to make 'em more tasty.
Caramelized broccoli. The secret to making even broccoli haters love it? Cooking it at high heat until it caramelizes. Then add some butter and cheese.
Squash pecan casserole. I get not liking squash. But not liking butter nut squash with brown sugar and pecan topping? Impossible!
Do you have any ways to make vegetables taste better?
Image via AndyRobertsPhotos/ Flickr
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Comments 9
I spread mashed yams inside grilled cheese sandwiches and add a dollop to macaroni and cheese. I also shred zuchinis and summer squash and mix with shredded cheese for pizza. And I only use half the amount of meat in my lasagna and add shredded carrots and zuchini to make up for it. People love it!
What's the point if you add all that sugar? May as well not even eat them. I say suck it up and eat your veggies.
Thank God my kids love veggies.. not all of them but on the top of their list are.. Tomatoes, peas (for my son), carots, cucumber, cabage (my daughter) and a lot of veggies..I dont even start that mess putting sugar on veggies..
I don't go for the subterfuge of hiding veggies in other foods. I wouldn't want the kids to find out, feel like I've tricked them, and be hesitant to try ANY new food. Plus, you can't do it forever. We love veggies here, but they're introduced early and often and in a variety of ways. You don't need to make vegetables taste "better." Vegetables already taste good. Most of them, anyway. I'm still not a fan of brussel sprouts. You just need to find the ones your kids like and ways to prepare them. You don't need to add all sorts of stuff to mask the flavor. A little butter and salt and pepper go a long way.
I dont mind adding veggies to food to bulk it up a little, but I don't like to hide them. Its sneaky, and doesnt teach anyone to like veggies, just to not trust the food. Try roasting veggies... it totally adds a different level to the taste. I hate brussel sprouts, but love them roasted.
I add my fresh veggies to things like Lasagna, tacos & home made mac n cheese. I don't mask the flavor by adding sugar or what have you. I enhance the meal by dicing it up small enough that you eat them with out really noticing. I also put them in last after steaming so they don't go to mush. I do agree with pureeing them and adding them to stuff to make the dish more flavorful. I mean, I use real carrot juice to make home made pasta sauce. It really makes a difference.