6. Get stuffin’
Stuffing vegetables is a great way to give them a really different taste.
Artichokes, tomatoes, mushrooms, and bell peppers are perfect for stuffing – fill them with sautéed onions, garlic, herbs and top with wholegrain bread crumbs and a little cheese.
Alternatively, make up your own recipe with whatever you have in the kitchen.
7. Make a healthy dip
Try blending up a mix of frozen spinach, diced onion, reduced fat sour cream and a tablespoon of lemon juice, then serve with a selection of raw vegetables.
Or try out this asparagus dip recipe from Never Say Diet.
Ingredients:
24 spears fresh asparagus, trimmed, coarsely chopped and steamed until tender (5 to 7 minutes)
1/2 cup edamame beans (boiled until tender, about 7 minutes)
1 tablespoon chopped coriander
2 cloves garlic (roasted in toaster oven for 10 minutes)
1 cup reduced fat Greek yoghurt
4 green onions, sliced
Directions:
Place all ingredients in a food processor or blender and process to desired consistency. Refrigerate for about one hour before serving.
8. Go raw
In my home we eat quite a bit of our veg raw for the simple reason that we prefer it this way. If you haven’t tried more than a raw carrot before, why not give raw veggies a go?
Normally I will make a mini starter of raw veg and we eat that first, then follow with meat and carbs. I usually go for something like baby spinach leaves, raw broccoli, red peppers, tomatoes, raw cauliflower, and green beans. But the options are endless! Serve with a little natural yoghurt for dipping, or a light vinaigrette dressing.
9. Mix fruit with veg
Why not try adding a bit of zesty flavour to your vegetables by throwing in some fruit? Start off with baby spinach leaves, then add orange segments, sliced strawberries and top with some nuts and a raspberry-based vinaigrette.
Or, try this interesting recipe combination from Never Say Diet for grapefruit and avocado salad.
Ingredients:
1 cup sliced cucumber
1/2 cup thinly sliced red onion
1 large grapefruit, sectioned, reserving juice
1 fully ripened avocado, halved, pitted and sliced
1 teaspoon olive oil
2 teaspoons honey
1/4 teaspoon salt
Directions:
In a small bowl combine the cucumber and onion. In a medium bowl, place 3 tablespoons grapefruit juice with oil, honey and salt. Add cucumber mixture, then add the grapefruit sections and sliced avocado; toss gently.
10. Drink them
If eating cooked or raw vegetables is still proving troublesome for you, why not try juicing them? Do remember however, that no matter how many glasses you drink it will only count for one serving of vegetables per day.
Do you have any tips for making a veggie-hater into a veggie-lover? I’d love to hear your suggestions!
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{ 12 comments… read them below or add one }
I eat raw vegetables as well…here in NZ we can buy a small package of baby carrots which are easy to rip open and munch away on. I know there are other small packages as well including smaller cut things in self seal baggies.
But I also am a fan of frozen vegetables and the manufacturers are starting to think less of those tiny weeny diced veges and making them much more ordinary sized. The reason I like the frozen veges is not only the convenience but as a single at home, it means I can have a variety and not find some ‘soggy, saggy’ item in the vege box…
Not sure I do anything really magic with veges but I like what I do for me :-)
Cathy in NZ’s last blog post..Tasks to do:
Hi Cathy,
Good to hear from you again!! :-)
As long as you’re happy with what you make that’s the main thing! I’m a big fan of frozen veggies too, esp for singles and elderly etc who may use less- it’s horrible when you go into your fridge and discover a soggy mess of something that used to be a vegetable…yuk!
I hate veggies with a passion, but I finally figured out a way to eat them. Chipotle Tabsco sauce, I douse anything green in it and it doesn’t really matter what it tastes like because the sauce is awesome and It is way less calories than ranch dressing or anything like that.
Hi Brian,
Interesting way to get your vegetable intake!!
I like to buy fresh veggies – carrots, broccoli, cauliflower, zuchini, and cut them all up and leave them in a container fresh. Then I quickly microwave 2-3 mins a couple cups of my mixed veggies as desired. I just throw them in a ziplock with a little water. They come up a little steamed and still very fresh tasting! I don’t always get them in, so I take my greens, protein, fiber, probiotics, etc… supplement once a day also (Greentein.com)
Hi Dan,
Great ideas there, I love your tips. Just one point, are your ziplocks microwave safe?
Coming from someone who ate virtually no veggies to someone who eats lots everyday, I used all these tips! It’s all about flavor – roasting, saute, herbs, nuts – mmmmmmmm! My best health investment (next to my HR monitor) was my pyrex bowls with lids. Store them, pack them, and eat them. Thanks so much for posting.
That’s great! I also have little bowls which were the best investment EVER… Pampered Chef ones, I don’t know if you have that in the US? But, they are fab!
I have to say that seasoning is EVERYTHING when it comes to vegetables. So I agree with this article 100%. But I also suggest to anyone who has struggles mixing spices to go for asian dishes(especially thai). Forget what Panda Express taught you. Asians are quite smart in how they plate themselves. Notice how they mix rice with broccoli and soy sauce. And Indians are very good in using spices such as chat masala and black salt to spice up their food. Eating something that appears foreign really motivates you to try something new.
My mom’s an Indian and she would just mix grilled tomatoes, onions, bell peppers, and paneer(cheese) pieces and sprinkle them with black back salt. SO DELICIOUS. And soy sauce is a real good tool to make something bland like tofu into something totally different.
Hi Kailly,
Thanks for sharing some really lovely ideas… you are so right, experimenting is the key.
I have tried everything and I still can’t stomach veggies without dry heaving 1000000 times! I am nervous for my health. Are there any bother. Suggestions? Or should I just take a good multivitamin everyday?
Hi Brian,
I would certainly recommend a multivitamin if your diet is lacking. One option might be vegetable supplements, perhaps that is something you could look into? Have you every spoken to your doctor about all of this?
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