I add hidden vegetables to just about everything. When I am chopping my veg I save the bits that aren't as nice to eat straight - ie broccoli stems, Zucchini ends, carrot ends. Also any veg that is starting to go off but not quite yet. They all go in the freezer. When the day comes for a tomato sauce or soup, they all get chucked in and pureed along with any other veg I fancy - peppers, mushrooms, peas, etc. Season the sauce or soup as you like. You can have a plate full of veg without even knowing it. Also, pureed beans are a great alternative for thickening up soups and sauces. In the winter, stews and casseroles are great for hiding veg. Summer time is great for adding veg to potato and pasta salads. The trick there is to chop them up small. Large chunks are easily picked out. Small aren't work the effort.
Also, adding veg to either mash or rice is easily done and tasty. Try mashing butternut squash, turnip or carrots with your potatoes. It can be a very tasty alternative to plain mash. Shredded carrots, frozen (defrosted) spinach, and chopped Tomatoes are great mix-ins for rice. Just before the rice comes of the heat, throw in the raw veg. Stir and let it cook for a minute or two longer.
If you want to roast veg (a great way to bring out their natural sweetness and flavor), try coating them in pesto sauce or honey with seasonings. My favorite combo is honey with cumin and chili flakes (rosemary if you don't like the heat)- yum. Although a simple coating of olive oil and garlic works a treat as well.
You can spice up simply steamed veg with a glaze - although this does pile on calories as well. A great glaze is simply melting a pat of butter, honey, whatever herbs or seasoning you like, or a squeeze of OJ (bottled will work, straight from the fruit is better). Stir it around until it is a shiny , runny syrup consistency and then throw in your steamed veg. Give it all a good coating and serve. If you need extra trans-fatty acids in your diet - add a handful of sesame seed, sunflower seeds, pine nuts or the like to the glaze. If you have the time roasting the seeds of first in the oven or a dry pan really brings out their taste.
You can also make veg balls or fingers. You can simply add pureed veg to meat balls or you can make veg and rice/potato balls. You can fry them for great flavor, but insane calorie increase, or bake them in the oven. Still tasty but not as calorific. Spices are good for these - cumin, coriander, curry, paprika, all sorts of herbs, or just about anything else you fancy.
Although I am not a fan of stock cubes, if you like the flavor you can crumble one of them over steamed veg or into any of the recipes I have mentioned.
I almost forgot - for the sweeter tooth - try veg breads and cakes. zucchini, squashes, pumpkins, carrots, parsnips (yep, parsnips!)all work really easily into sweet breads and cakes. Maybe not the healthiest way of eating your five a day, but if they are going to eat cake, they might as well have veg in it.
A fantastic recipe source is www.allrecipes.com. They have 100's of 1000's of recipes. Tasty veg galore.
I know all of this, because in my family, I'm the picky eater. So if these tricks work on the cook, then they should work on unsuspecting husbands, boyfriends and toddlers!
Good luck.
RICKIEBETH 4/23/07 10:21 P
I agree with CHEFCHIP about the cooking -- a lot of people think they hate vegetables because they were brought up by well-meaning mothers who cooked the life out of them. I prefer my vegetables just barely tender, your boyfriend might be the same way.
It's not really that healthy to do in the long run, but your boyfriend might also eat new vegetables when they're smothered in some kind of sauce. Once he realizes he likes them in a sauce, he might be more willing to eat them without one.
ACTORAFFICIANDO 4/23/07 8:52 P
Vegetables can be fantastic! If he really only likes specific types of veggies, you might want to consider using the same type of vegetables, only cook them differently.
For example, my boyfriend will not eat raw broccoli. But if I saute it or steam it, he'll eat piles of it. Just keep trying new things and don't be afraid of your produce aisle!
DEEDUM 4/22/07 10:57 P
I do need to add a veggie and a milk product daily, a weak area of mine, other than that it is going well.
CHEFCHIP 4/17/07 8:36 P
Rhubarb...actually man can not live on corn alone...if you add beans you have a complete protein...although you would be missing out on a few chains of essential amino acids.
As a way to get your boyfriend into new veggies....
Buy different beans....yellow wax beans, pole beans, string beans, green wax beans, haricot verts....and then buy different "similar" things...asparagus, brussels sprouts (youre thinking yuck!) and the like...when you cook these do not cover them as they emit acids which turn the vegetables an ugly color and give off a bitter taste.
This may be a reason why he doesn't like a lot of veggies...if his mother cooked them with a lid.
And also cook with a lot of garlic...it has a way of masking the taste of a lot of vegetables.
RHUBARBPIE 4/17/07 4:08 P
I try to eat a fruit or veggie with every meal and snack to get in my five/day. I make a side veggie at dinner generally for my own benefit since my husband is picky too. He can fill his plate with the meat/protein and grains/pasta, while I take smaller portions of those and load up on the veggie(s).
And in some ways, my spouse is like my toddler. The first 10 times I serve it, neither of them tries it, but once something has become "familiar", they will both try it! So just by me buying and cooking a variety of veggies, they both have started to try more and like more. One cannot live on beans and corn alone! :-)
O2BSKINEE 4/17/07 3:44 P
My hubby is stuck on green beans & corn as well and refuses to try anything else. I just cook my veggies separate and eat my veggies on the side, that way I can have what I want.
JILLRUNS262 4/17/07 11:05 A
Im trying to make sure that I am getting all my veggies in. I love vegetables however my boyfriend doesn't like alot of them(mushrooms, brocoli, cauliflower) He eats green beans and corn. Any suggestions on how I can introduce them into our diet since we cook together alot?
