I hate vegetables.
OK, maybe that statement is too harsh. Correction: I strongly dislike vegetables. I think it goes back to when I was a kid. My mother forbid me from leaving the dinner table until I ate the remaining leafy greens–boiled and doused with butter, salt and pepper–that were on my plate . . . yuck! Just thinking about cooked, frozen spinach makes my stomach curl. I remember how I used to pretend that I was going to barf just so I could be excused from the table. (I really hope my mother isn’t reading this). I totally should have won an Oscar for those performances!
But, as you know vegetables are incredibly essential to maintaining a healthy diet. So what is a vegetable-hater supposed to do? Here are a few ways that I’ve learned to enjoy vegetables. I hope this works for my fellow “haters” out there!
1 – Juice them: Get yourself a moderately priced juicer. We have a Champion Juicer which is on the higher end, but there are other options. I just started using the Nutribullet which is great for a quick blend of fruits and veggies–it keeps the fiber within the drink. Blending the flavors of sweeter fruits such as apples and sweeter veggies such as carrots and beets with leafy greens, masks the oftentimes bitter taste of the vegetables. If I have it handy, I find that a pinch of ginger root gives me a boost of energy too.
(This is from Healthy Garden Cafe located in Voorhees and Moorestown, NJ)
2 – Eat them raw: To clarify, I don’t like cooked vegetables. But surprisingly, I can eat just about any vegetable if it’s raw. Spinach, kale, broccoli, romaine lettuce, red bell peppers, baby carrots, you name it I like it. If I feel that I need to add something extra to enhance the taste, I’ll dip the raw veggies in a little dressing as well (just watch the calorie/fat count).
3 – Add them to everything: This may not sound very sophisticated, but I’ve found that if I “smush” my vegetables around with everything else on my plate–chicken, rice, beans, etc.–I can stomach them! Just call it a stir-fry dish if anyone questions you about it.
I found this article helpful for ways to add more vegetables to your diet. So, for all of my fellow vegetable-haters out there it’s time to embrace the greens–who’s with me?!