To be honest, the only time I ever tried eggplant and zucchini was when they were served to me cooked to a mush, and I can’t stand mushy vegetables. I think the reason I like Asian vegetables better is that they don’t cook them to death.
I need to get motivated to just make vegetables a part of my routine – if I wait until I’m in the mood, it could be weeks!
I do like the idea of mashing some vegetables like zucchini into other dishes, so they disappear. The only way I can eat vegetable soup is if I swallow the vegetables without chewing. But I know they do contribute to the flavor of the broth.
I can also relate my own mother stories – she tried to get me to eat things by making me stay at the table. Well, come 10 PM, 11 PM, 12 PM, and she finally gave up. I could be a stubborn little cuss, but there are some things I just cannot bring near my mouth.
I’m really appreciating everyone’s experiences – those of you who can cook have a definite advantage! So maybe I should make improving my cooking skills a part of my goal too! I don’t have a crock pot or a food processor, because I’m not a cook but maybe should make the investment. (I don’t have a TV or a radio, either, for that matter – and I’m just getting used to carrying a cell-phone. The computer is my greatest technological achievement!)
Cauliflower does not smell horrid if you add lemon juice to the water when you cook it. I like my cauliflower slightly crunchy so would never cook it so long it can be used as substitute mashed potato. Brussel sprouts are lovely if you cook them first and then add to stirfry, quarter and cook until browned on the cut sides, they taste quite different and are delicious. Well, I like them anyway, but they do taste so different stirfried. I always liquidise vegetable soup, that way you don’t know the veggies are there.
The other thing I do to help meat taste different is to make burgers using bran instead of breadcrumbs, so my burgers consist of chicken, turkey, beef or pork and veal mince, a good amount of bran and an egg, chopped onion, plus whatever flavouring I want, could be grated carrot, chopped capsicum (red) , sweet chilli sauce. Form mix into burgers, dip in bran to cover and cook. I cook before I freeze the ones I don’t want to eat then I just have to heat in the microwave for a quick meal.
My mom was the same as Kelly’s. She wouldn’t make us eat anything we didn’t like, and usually wouldn’t serve it to us if she knew we wouldn’t like it. But seeing things now, I realize that that’s because she’s a pickier eater than I am!!! There were a whole lot of things that took time for me to start eating as an adult because we didn’t eat them growing up (beans for one).
I have Celiac Disease, so I have to pick out gluten free foods. I remember growing up that my father would only eat meals with three items: meat, potatoes and either green beans or peas. No combination foods, i.e. casseroles. Nobody knew about Celiac then; at least nobody that I knew talked about it. Now I realize that he must have had Celiac also (why not, I’ve genetically got all his other autoimmune diseases). He naturally gravitated to foods that agreed with his gut. Casseroles or combination dishes often use wheat/barley gluten in some form for sauces or gravies. It’s a cautionary tale for anyone whose children are picky eaters–in some cases, there may be a good reason involving some food intolerance(s). As for my diet now, I include most fruits and vegetables. My Dad made an exception for apple or pumpkin pie–I make my pies without crust so that cuts out the gluten and a lot of the carbs. He didn’t drink alcohol, but I have my wine with dinner. It could be worse!
Al dente is the only way I eat veggies. The crisper the better!
Also, Ive got one for you. I was 9 at my grandmothers house on the east coast, She had preped some bitter veggie to death. I think it was overdone broccoli. I wouldnt eat it. The thought of eating it made me want to vomit. I really believed I would too. She had me sit at the table till 10pm, then walked me into the bathroom, pulled my head back and proceeded to shove the broccoli into my mouth. Needless to say, I spit most of it up and was sent to bed. Funny thing is now, I love al dented broccoli. =^)
LOL, no corned beef and cabbage for me! St Patty’s day growing up was my least favorite…a smelly house from the corned beef and cabbage…and don’t even get me started on the hash the next day:)
As a child I would only eat veggies if it had ketchup on them, gross I know. But as I got older I realized that I actually love veggies, I dont like eat canned veggies or boiled (stove top other than cabbage and greens). I only like veggies raw, steamed or grilled. I agree its all in how you eat them.
Hi Trudy! My Dad and my sister both have Celiac’s, and I am T1. I never thought about this until you mentioned it. My sister has always been a picky eater. She wasn’t diagnosed with Celiac’s until last year, but looking back, it all makes sense to me because she was always the pickiest!
When I cook for my family, I usually just cut out all carbs because that way it’s “friendlier” for us all. But they rave about gluten-free bisquick mix. Have you ever tried it? You can make all kinds of stuff with it- anything from pizza crust to muffins to bread. You can make yummy pie crusts, for example. Unfortunately, the gluten-free mixes are usually made with rice flour, so they’re loaded with carbs, obviously. But if you ever want to make a GF pie for a special occasion, I definitely recommend it! I usually eat very low-carb, with lots of lean protein and veggies. But if I splurge on some carbs, they’re usually gluten-free!
In honor of you guys (and St. Pattys day) I made a low carb reuben with corn beef and sauerkraut for dinner. Thank God for corned beef and fermented cabbage! =^)
Hi Alice–I did just recently discover gluten-free bisquick mix. Thanks for the idea of a pie crust! My one experiment with it was to make buckwheat pancakes using the recipe on the box. For one recipe I added 2 Tbls buckwheat and fiddled around with the rest of the ingredients to get the consistency I like.
I try to keep a lid on the desserts, so to speak, but just have to have a piece of pie and occasional pancake now and again! (Well, and Dove dark chocolate with coffee, skim milk and Splenda for my morning mocha latte.) When I occasionally make muffins it’s been from scratch, and I try to add a little teff for fiber and to improve the glycemic index. Adding teff to the bisquick for muffins might also work, when I’m looking for something to serve both myself and folks who eat gluten. I get the impression they think my from-scratch-muffins are a bit much!
i like corned beef but loathe cabbage. I have a bottle of Jameson’s and some Guinness (9G of carb/ “draft can”) lying around though! I ran my fastest 5K of all time to The Pogues the other day but only used my insulin pump for a timer as I’d forgotten to charge my Garmin. We’ll see how it goes today?
lol i hate saurkraut even more than corned beef! I remember my dad making us eat corned beef one time on St Patty’s day and I drenched it with so much mustard that i couldn’t taste anything else. And now I’m addicted to mustard…
To be more accurate about the pancake recipe, I substituted 2 Tbls of buckwheat for the bisquick, and then adjusted the rest of the ingredients. Now I’m off to make some injera with teff for dipping with (green) guacamole. Happy St. Patrick’s Day!
Alice, your diet sounds like high protein / veggie, do you run into a lot of carbs from the veggies?
Also, try nut flours for pie crusts / baked goods. Almond flour with butter and an egg makes a mean (and quite yummy) pie crust. I think GF and super low carb as well.
The only corned beef I had as a kid was hashed and that was pretty good. Although I was brought up on red cabbage, sauerkraut, and wurst. So, I guess it just an easy meal for me.
Mustard addiction, check. When I went low carb, cutting out my Bavarian sweet mustard was the hardest part. Well that and red cabbage!
Off topic, but today’s my 12th pumpiversary! Shoulda gotten a green pump but they weren’t available. And I’m not Irish either, but let’s celebrate anyway!
