More veggies!
January 31, 2011 3:55 PM Subscribe
I was convinced I hated brussel sprouts until I gave them another chance last year. I am, as we speak, blanching broccoli rabe as part of dinner. What other veggies that are typically scorned in childhood should I be cooking up and discovering that I hated for no good reason?
I'm trying to work more veggies in my diet, but am getting a little bored of my rotation which focuses on a lot of safe stuff (spinach, broccoli, green beans, carrots). I'd like to branch out and try some stuff I maybe overlooked in the past because I tried it once or twice and thought it was weird. Recipes welcome. Vegetarian, please.
I'm trying to work more veggies in my diet, but am getting a little bored of my rotation which focuses on a lot of safe stuff (spinach, broccoli, green beans, carrots). I'd like to branch out and try some stuff I maybe overlooked in the past because I tried it once or twice and thought it was weird. Recipes welcome. Vegetarian, please.
Artichokes and their hearts. Beets. Aspragus. Cauliflower. All of them?
posted by cmoj at 3:57 PM on January 31, 2011 [1 favorite]
posted by cmoj at 3:57 PM on January 31, 2011 [1 favorite]
Oh, and I don't know if you scored asparagus during childhood or not, but it is, of course, sublime. Roasted or steamed, goes beautifully with a little lemon mayonnaise or bleu cheese dressing.
posted by scody at 3:58 PM on January 31, 2011
posted by scody at 3:58 PM on January 31, 2011
Rutabagas (my favorite vegetable), turnips or beets. I just cut them up, put a few spices on them, and roast them in the oven. All three are good combined, but I like the combo of turnips and rutabatas the best.
posted by MaryDellamorte at 3:59 PM on January 31, 2011
posted by MaryDellamorte at 3:59 PM on January 31, 2011
Greens! If you already like spinach, try switching it out for chard, kale, or collards. Those more serious greens take well to sauteing in olive oil with garlic and chili flakes, and really like to go with green olives or salty cheese.
posted by juliapangolin at 3:59 PM on January 31, 2011 [1 favorite]
posted by juliapangolin at 3:59 PM on January 31, 2011 [1 favorite]
Roasted brussel sprouts are deeelish. Beets - roasted fresh beets or pickled beets. Winter squash, again roasted, but also steamed with butter, or made into curried squash soup. Yellow summer squash, fried fast with olive oil and mushrooms, so it browns up and gets tender.
posted by theora55 at 4:01 PM on January 31, 2011
posted by theora55 at 4:01 PM on January 31, 2011
Lima beans? They are delicious when done like this.
posted by cabingirl at 4:02 PM on January 31, 2011 [2 favorites]
posted by cabingirl at 4:02 PM on January 31, 2011 [2 favorites]
I loathed eggplants when I was a kid. Like, close to throwing up if I tasted them. But recently I discovered I actually like them, especially when fried like in eggplant lasagna. I'm still not quite sure how I'd feel about straight up stir-fried eggplant, but I'm willing to give it a chance.
posted by kmz at 4:03 PM on January 31, 2011
posted by kmz at 4:03 PM on January 31, 2011
Give bell peppers (red, yellow, orange) a try. They're pretty good raw with salads, fill out taco/burrito meat/beans mixes, and are pretty good roasted.
posted by Ghidorah at 4:03 PM on January 31, 2011
posted by Ghidorah at 4:03 PM on January 31, 2011
Apparently cauliflower. I grew up loving cauliflower, but found out this weekend that I had an uncommon experience. Roasted with a little olive oil and salt--yummy!
posted by phunniemee at 4:05 PM on January 31, 2011 [3 favorites]
posted by phunniemee at 4:05 PM on January 31, 2011 [3 favorites]
Baby carrots, cooked in chicken broth and some olive oil. Bake for about an hour. sooooo sweet.
Sweet potatoes. Slice into thick fries, toss w/ olive oil. chili powder and garlic salt, bake at 350 for about an hour, tossing several times.
Many soups benefit greatly from the addition of kale.
Scody's so right about asparagus. Only recently did I learn how good it is grilled.
Cabbage. When you learn to roast veggies, which you should, because they are so tasty, roast some cabbage; it's really good. Also good sliced thin for slaw, but with different dressings, not the thick gooey slaw dressing, but try something spicy, and dress it lightly.
posted by theora55 at 4:07 PM on January 31, 2011
Sweet potatoes. Slice into thick fries, toss w/ olive oil. chili powder and garlic salt, bake at 350 for about an hour, tossing several times.
Many soups benefit greatly from the addition of kale.
Scody's so right about asparagus. Only recently did I learn how good it is grilled.
Cabbage. When you learn to roast veggies, which you should, because they are so tasty, roast some cabbage; it's really good. Also good sliced thin for slaw, but with different dressings, not the thick gooey slaw dressing, but try something spicy, and dress it lightly.
posted by theora55 at 4:07 PM on January 31, 2011
The easy answer is "everything." You've listed five vegetables that you eat, and there a hundreds of others. They're sold as food because someone, somewhere, has found a way to make them taste good. Honestly, what I'd do if I were you is commit to trying, say, one new vegetable a week. Find a recipe for some vegetable that you think you don't like or have never tried before or have never heard of, and buy that vegetable, and make that recipe. If you hate it, maybe try the same vegetable prepared a different way, or just try a different one the next week. Keep trying new vegetables until you've tried everything you can find. That way, you'll be able to figure out what you like without feeling limited by what you think you're supposed to like. It's like a fun, tasty experiment every week!
posted by decathecting at 4:08 PM on January 31, 2011 [6 favorites]
posted by decathecting at 4:08 PM on January 31, 2011 [6 favorites]
I'm not sure how HEALTHY it is, but regarding cauliflower; breaded (like a fish batter) and deep fried
posted by edgeways at 4:08 PM on January 31, 2011
posted by edgeways at 4:08 PM on January 31, 2011
Oven roasting is the key to brussel sprouts, beets, and cauliflower. They are now all my BFFs.
posted by mcstayinskool at 4:08 PM on January 31, 2011
posted by mcstayinskool at 4:08 PM on January 31, 2011
Soybeans (a.k.a. edamame).
pinch of salt after being boiled make them irresistible !
posted by theKik at 4:09 PM on January 31, 2011 [1 favorite]
pinch of salt after being boiled make them irresistible !
posted by theKik at 4:09 PM on January 31, 2011 [1 favorite]
Seconding "everything." Once I got out on my own, and began to cook, I found that there's a lot of stuff I like now that I never did before. Maybe my tastes changed. Maybe I just didn't like how it was cooked at home, and discovered a new recipe.
But seriously, if you think of everything as fair game, who knows what you'll discover?
posted by .kobayashi. at 4:15 PM on January 31, 2011 [1 favorite]
But seriously, if you think of everything as fair game, who knows what you'll discover?
posted by .kobayashi. at 4:15 PM on January 31, 2011 [1 favorite]
Jerusalem artichokes. Great in pre-boilded half-centimeter-thick slices that then are transferred into a frying pan with
a) olive oil, chopped parsley and garlic + black pepper,
or
b) butter, lots of; and at the end of the browning process, grated parmesan
Otherwise: eggplant eggplant and more eggplant. Fried; parsley-garlicked; layered with tomato slices and cheese, and baked; in any kind of yummy curry; you name it.
posted by Namlit at 4:16 PM on January 31, 2011
a) olive oil, chopped parsley and garlic + black pepper,
or
b) butter, lots of; and at the end of the browning process, grated parmesan
Otherwise: eggplant eggplant and more eggplant. Fried; parsley-garlicked; layered with tomato slices and cheese, and baked; in any kind of yummy curry; you name it.
posted by Namlit at 4:16 PM on January 31, 2011
Cauliflower, especially the varieties that show up at the farmer's market in summer - cheddar, and the fractalicious veronica. Roast until black in places.
Kale - like baked kale chips.
And bok choy - the stuff from the Chinese market is OK, but if you can get the fresh market stuff (or grow your own) it's almost a different vegetable.
Try joining a CSA if there's one in your area - I was in one last year and it's a great way to be forced to try new veggies.
posted by Gortuk at 4:19 PM on January 31, 2011 [1 favorite]
Kale - like baked kale chips.
And bok choy - the stuff from the Chinese market is OK, but if you can get the fresh market stuff (or grow your own) it's almost a different vegetable.
Try joining a CSA if there's one in your area - I was in one last year and it's a great way to be forced to try new veggies.
posted by Gortuk at 4:19 PM on January 31, 2011 [1 favorite]
Reading this reminded me of the best of all possible brussels spouts recipes that I discovered by accident.
Roast a chicken. A good fatty one and do it low and slow in a pan small enough that you get a good pool of fat at the bottom. You might stand it up/do beer can chicken for this, but not everyone likes the added element of juggling a hot chicken.
Put brussels sprouts in the bottom of the pan when there's about 45 minutes or an hour left of roasting. This would be a good time to put in your baking potatoes too.
Everything will be done at the same time. Take it all out and deal with your chicken. The brussels sprouts will have turned into a brusselsy, schmaltzy mush. Mash them into your baked potatoes.
Also, I agree with .kobayashi. My general policy on food is that as long as I'm not the first person ever to eat something, then it's food and I'll try it at least twice.
posted by cmoj at 4:21 PM on January 31, 2011 [4 favorites]
Roast a chicken. A good fatty one and do it low and slow in a pan small enough that you get a good pool of fat at the bottom. You might stand it up/do beer can chicken for this, but not everyone likes the added element of juggling a hot chicken.
Put brussels sprouts in the bottom of the pan when there's about 45 minutes or an hour left of roasting. This would be a good time to put in your baking potatoes too.
Everything will be done at the same time. Take it all out and deal with your chicken. The brussels sprouts will have turned into a brusselsy, schmaltzy mush. Mash them into your baked potatoes.
Also, I agree with .kobayashi. My general policy on food is that as long as I'm not the first person ever to eat something, then it's food and I'll try it at least twice.
posted by cmoj at 4:21 PM on January 31, 2011 [4 favorites]
cmoj, I've done that with carrots, because I didn't have a roasting rack, and they were so unbelievably good. Sprouts next, then parsnips, for this method.
posted by theora55 at 4:23 PM on January 31, 2011
posted by theora55 at 4:23 PM on January 31, 2011
Cauliflower, absolutely. I had previously hated it (same with brussels sprouts) but roasting it has been a revelation. My favourite is to toss it with a bit of olive oil, salt, pepper, cumin, turmeric and a wee bit of red pepper flakes. Amazing.
Not sure how you're doing the sprouts now, but I love to roast them with olive oil, salt, pepper, lemon juice until they're really well done and then toss in a bit of parmesan cheese. OH MY. Particularly good if you cut them up so some of the leaves peel off and they get crunchy.
posted by marylynn at 4:27 PM on January 31, 2011
Not sure how you're doing the sprouts now, but I love to roast them with olive oil, salt, pepper, lemon juice until they're really well done and then toss in a bit of parmesan cheese. OH MY. Particularly good if you cut them up so some of the leaves peel off and they get crunchy.
posted by marylynn at 4:27 PM on January 31, 2011
Kale! Tear it off the ribs, then steam it—or sauté with olive oil, chopped garlic, and a bit of salt; top with toasted almond slivers. Also good in soups. It's tasty, ridiculously nutritious, and elegant in an unpretentious, rustic way.
Beets! Chop into approximately 3/4" pieces; put in a baking dish and toss with olive oil, salt, and dried herbs or spices (coriander and clove both work well); bake at, oh, 400°F for 20–30 minutes, or until a fork slips easily through the flesh and comes out juicy. Or make this beet rösti.
Or make borscht! Serve it with small, boiled whole potatoes (with a bit of butter and parsley), pickles, black bread with mustard, and vodka.
Speaking of beets: the greens and stems of beets are perfectly edible, and quite tasty and nutritious. They're the first part to go bad, though, so eat them first when you buy beets. Here's how they're typically made (you can omit the bacon).
Yellow squash! Cut into half-moons and sauté with herbs (I like it with fresh sage) and a little salt. It doesn't take long to cook—as soon as it's tender and the flesh just starts to turn a little translucent, it's done. Don't overdo it with the seasonings—it has a delicate flavor that's best showcased on its own merits.
Sweet potatoes! Just prick with a fork, and bake at 400°F for about an hour.
Asparagus! Oh hell yes. Here is the key: don't overcook it. It will become bitter and slimy. (This is true for many vegetables. Many people grew up eating overcooked veggies, and as a result, they think they don't like vegetables.) Smaller stalks are better. Snap off and discard the woody ends, then steam, or sauté in olive oil just until tender (optionally with garlic or herbs). The color will change as it cooks—when it turns bright green, it's ready. Finish with salt and fresh black pepper, plus fresh lemon juice or balsamic vinegar. Here's another great way to make it.
Cauliflower! I like it raw, but it's good roasted, too.
Stir-fries! Onions, bell peppers (any color—red ones give a nice sweetness), snap peas, mushrooms, sprouts, bok choy, water chestnuts, carrots, broccoli, almost anything. Add tofu for some protein—press the block first to remove the liquid, cut into chunks, then marinate in something (soy sauce, flavored oils, wine, some combination) for a few minutes to soak up flavor. (Optionally, freeze the tofu first and then re-thaw—gives it a wonderful meaty texture.) Add fresh garlic, ginger, and/or chilis during cooking. Also consider fresh lime juice, fish sauce, chopped scallions (during or after cooking, as appropriate). Serve on rice (brown is healthier), cellophane noodles, soba noodles, etc.
Chickpeas! This soup is to die for—and oh so easy.
Also, learn how to make bangin' roasted potatoes—they go with everything, and are much healthier than fries. The secret is to parboil them before putting them in the oven.
posted by ixohoxi at 4:33 PM on January 31, 2011
Beets! Chop into approximately 3/4" pieces; put in a baking dish and toss with olive oil, salt, and dried herbs or spices (coriander and clove both work well); bake at, oh, 400°F for 20–30 minutes, or until a fork slips easily through the flesh and comes out juicy. Or make this beet rösti.
Or make borscht! Serve it with small, boiled whole potatoes (with a bit of butter and parsley), pickles, black bread with mustard, and vodka.
Speaking of beets: the greens and stems of beets are perfectly edible, and quite tasty and nutritious. They're the first part to go bad, though, so eat them first when you buy beets. Here's how they're typically made (you can omit the bacon).
Yellow squash! Cut into half-moons and sauté with herbs (I like it with fresh sage) and a little salt. It doesn't take long to cook—as soon as it's tender and the flesh just starts to turn a little translucent, it's done. Don't overdo it with the seasonings—it has a delicate flavor that's best showcased on its own merits.
Sweet potatoes! Just prick with a fork, and bake at 400°F for about an hour.
Asparagus! Oh hell yes. Here is the key: don't overcook it. It will become bitter and slimy. (This is true for many vegetables. Many people grew up eating overcooked veggies, and as a result, they think they don't like vegetables.) Smaller stalks are better. Snap off and discard the woody ends, then steam, or sauté in olive oil just until tender (optionally with garlic or herbs). The color will change as it cooks—when it turns bright green, it's ready. Finish with salt and fresh black pepper, plus fresh lemon juice or balsamic vinegar. Here's another great way to make it.
Cauliflower! I like it raw, but it's good roasted, too.
Stir-fries! Onions, bell peppers (any color—red ones give a nice sweetness), snap peas, mushrooms, sprouts, bok choy, water chestnuts, carrots, broccoli, almost anything. Add tofu for some protein—press the block first to remove the liquid, cut into chunks, then marinate in something (soy sauce, flavored oils, wine, some combination) for a few minutes to soak up flavor. (Optionally, freeze the tofu first and then re-thaw—gives it a wonderful meaty texture.) Add fresh garlic, ginger, and/or chilis during cooking. Also consider fresh lime juice, fish sauce, chopped scallions (during or after cooking, as appropriate). Serve on rice (brown is healthier), cellophane noodles, soba noodles, etc.
Chickpeas! This soup is to die for—and oh so easy.
Also, learn how to make bangin' roasted potatoes—they go with everything, and are much healthier than fries. The secret is to parboil them before putting them in the oven.
posted by ixohoxi at 4:33 PM on January 31, 2011
Oh, yes—mashed cauliflower is actually quite good. It became popular as a low-carb alternative to mashed potatoes, but it's a tasty dish in its own right.
posted by ixohoxi at 4:34 PM on January 31, 2011 [2 favorites]
posted by ixohoxi at 4:34 PM on January 31, 2011 [2 favorites]
I think I hated a lot of vegetables not because of the taste but because of the texture. Hate mushy steamed spinach/kale, baked parsnips. But I looooove baked kale chips, parsnip chips, and fresh spinach salads.
Also, cauliflower smothered in mayo/mustard and cheddar cheese, then baked until the mustard drips down into all the crevices. Mmmmmm.
posted by specialagentwebb at 4:35 PM on January 31, 2011
Also, cauliflower smothered in mayo/mustard and cheddar cheese, then baked until the mustard drips down into all the crevices. Mmmmmm.
posted by specialagentwebb at 4:35 PM on January 31, 2011
And, to echo what many have suggested: lemon juice is a secret culinary weapon. Turns almost any green vegetable from meh to scrumptious.
posted by ixohoxi at 4:37 PM on January 31, 2011
posted by ixohoxi at 4:37 PM on January 31, 2011
Turnips! They're great in your chicken soup, great glazed or braised, and can even be roasted. The greens can also be cooked and eaten, and they're excellent.
Another green that never gets mentioned is beet greens. They are possibly my second favorite next to chard. Of course, the beets themselves ain't too bad.
posted by Gilbert at 4:39 PM on January 31, 2011
Another green that never gets mentioned is beet greens. They are possibly my second favorite next to chard. Of course, the beets themselves ain't too bad.
posted by Gilbert at 4:39 PM on January 31, 2011
What other veggies that are typically scorned in childhood should I be cooking up and discovering that I hated for no good reason?
Don't knock yourself - you hated them for a perfectly good reason. A child's taste buds are many times more sensitive than those of an adult. You were genuinely tasting things you can't taste now! This is especially true for a lot of the vegetables kids tend to hate - broccoli, cauliflower, brussels sprouts - because they're loaded with compounds that are particularly bad-tasting in large amounts. I now look at my deeper love of vegetables as a nice perk of growing old.
posted by Dee Xtrovert at 4:40 PM on January 31, 2011 [1 favorite]
Don't knock yourself - you hated them for a perfectly good reason. A child's taste buds are many times more sensitive than those of an adult. You were genuinely tasting things you can't taste now! This is especially true for a lot of the vegetables kids tend to hate - broccoli, cauliflower, brussels sprouts - because they're loaded with compounds that are particularly bad-tasting in large amounts. I now look at my deeper love of vegetables as a nice perk of growing old.
posted by Dee Xtrovert at 4:40 PM on January 31, 2011 [1 favorite]
Roasted beets, as suggested. The canned ones are a completely different species from fresh ones roasted.
Yellow ones are sweetest, in my experience. Candy beets, which have nifty patterns inside, are pretty good and really fun to look at. Oxbloods are huge and mansome looking. I sometimes like to spritz mine with a lemon juice because I'm convinced that it makes them taste even more like candy.
posted by joyceanmachine at 4:41 PM on January 31, 2011
Yellow ones are sweetest, in my experience. Candy beets, which have nifty patterns inside, are pretty good and really fun to look at. Oxbloods are huge and mansome looking. I sometimes like to spritz mine with a lemon juice because I'm convinced that it makes them taste even more like candy.
posted by joyceanmachine at 4:41 PM on January 31, 2011
I swear this will be my last comment. (Sorry; I get excited about food—fresh veggies doubly so.)
If you're trying to work more vegetables into your diet, why not have vegetables with breakfast? The Brits like beans and pan-roasted whole tomatoes with their eggs and sausage. Asparagus is great with a brunchy breakfast. Quiche with a little green salad is a classic combo. Et cetera.
posted by ixohoxi at 4:48 PM on January 31, 2011
If you're trying to work more vegetables into your diet, why not have vegetables with breakfast? The Brits like beans and pan-roasted whole tomatoes with their eggs and sausage. Asparagus is great with a brunchy breakfast. Quiche with a little green salad is a classic combo. Et cetera.
posted by ixohoxi at 4:48 PM on January 31, 2011
Roasted cauliflower with olive oil, salt, and garlic served with a little dipping sauce of equal parts rice wine vinegar and soy sauce (a pinch of sugar is nice, too.)
Broccoli, roasted and tossed with a compound butter of mustard, lemon juice, butter, salt, pepper, and garlic. (You can then also eat that mixture in an omelet or mixed up with pasta.
You can make an open faced omelet called a trouchia (sp?) with cooked chard. You can cook it (or another green, like spinach or kale) at the beginning of a week and use it for various thing. But this omelet, which sounds almost depressing, is awesome: caramelized onions mixed with cooked chard, scattered on top of slow cooking eggs mixed with a little bit of parmesan and nutmeg. Then while it's still half watery, you throw some cheese on top and run it under the broiler. It's lots better than it has any right to be. (Caramelized onions are another thing you can cook in a big batch once a week and then throw in with other foods throughout the week.)
posted by A Terrible Llama at 4:56 PM on January 31, 2011
Broccoli, roasted and tossed with a compound butter of mustard, lemon juice, butter, salt, pepper, and garlic. (You can then also eat that mixture in an omelet or mixed up with pasta.
You can make an open faced omelet called a trouchia (sp?) with cooked chard. You can cook it (or another green, like spinach or kale) at the beginning of a week and use it for various thing. But this omelet, which sounds almost depressing, is awesome: caramelized onions mixed with cooked chard, scattered on top of slow cooking eggs mixed with a little bit of parmesan and nutmeg. Then while it's still half watery, you throw some cheese on top and run it under the broiler. It's lots better than it has any right to be. (Caramelized onions are another thing you can cook in a big batch once a week and then throw in with other foods throughout the week.)
posted by A Terrible Llama at 4:56 PM on January 31, 2011
Steamed cauliflower or romanesco broccoli tossed with sauteed breadcrumbs and butter.
I also like adding some pureed cauliflower to my mashed potatoes from time to time.
Killer roasted potatoes: use new potatoes or fingerlings and cut into 1" chunks (or leave whole if they're small enough) and put them in a big mixing bowl.
Melt a good knob of butter on the stove, and while it's melting chop up a bunch of rosemary and garlic. Once the butter's melted add the garlic and let it cook for a minute or so.
Add some good olive oil to the butter (a little less than half the amount of butter) and pour over the potatoes. Mix.
Once mixed dump in the rosemary, some kosher salt, pepper, and grate a bunch of Parmesan over everything. Mix thoroughly, dump into a roasting dish (use a rubber spatula to get out all the butter mixture and put on top of the potatoes) and roast at 350 until not quite done, remove and let cool (and finish cooking).
Eat!
posted by dolface at 5:22 PM on January 31, 2011
I also like adding some pureed cauliflower to my mashed potatoes from time to time.
Killer roasted potatoes: use new potatoes or fingerlings and cut into 1" chunks (or leave whole if they're small enough) and put them in a big mixing bowl.
Melt a good knob of butter on the stove, and while it's melting chop up a bunch of rosemary and garlic. Once the butter's melted add the garlic and let it cook for a minute or so.
Add some good olive oil to the butter (a little less than half the amount of butter) and pour over the potatoes. Mix.
Once mixed dump in the rosemary, some kosher salt, pepper, and grate a bunch of Parmesan over everything. Mix thoroughly, dump into a roasting dish (use a rubber spatula to get out all the butter mixture and put on top of the potatoes) and roast at 350 until not quite done, remove and let cool (and finish cooking).
Eat!
posted by dolface at 5:22 PM on January 31, 2011
Seconding turnips. I didn't know I loved them until later in life. Take any mashed potatoes recipe and substitue half for turnips. No one even has to know.
Seconding parsnips. Outstanding in chicken soup.
Also celeriac, which is the root of celery is just delicious. Taste just like celery but is a root.
Kale with avocado mashed together is someone's stroke of genius.
Also any Italian recipe that has spinach, replace half with chard or beet leaves. Esp Italian recipes that call for ricotta and spinach.
Love this thread. Hate brussel sprouts. Maybe I'll give em a try again this week.
posted by about_time at 5:37 PM on January 31, 2011
Seconding parsnips. Outstanding in chicken soup.
Also celeriac, which is the root of celery is just delicious. Taste just like celery but is a root.
Kale with avocado mashed together is someone's stroke of genius.
Also any Italian recipe that has spinach, replace half with chard or beet leaves. Esp Italian recipes that call for ricotta and spinach.
Love this thread. Hate brussel sprouts. Maybe I'll give em a try again this week.
posted by about_time at 5:37 PM on January 31, 2011
Maple roasted brussels sprouts (scroll down)
posted by cestmoi15 at 5:46 PM on January 31, 2011 [1 favorite]
posted by cestmoi15 at 5:46 PM on January 31, 2011 [1 favorite]
Try everything! When I was a kid, my mom took me to the doctor because I only wanted to eat raw vegetables, and that offended her somehow. Now that I'm a grown-up, I curse the good food I missed out on when I was a kid. It turns out she was a lousy cook, and food had every right to fear her.
Aside from Brussels Sprouts (which I just like sauteed in butter in the cast-iron pan, 'til the leaves at the edges are browned and the insides are just crisp):
I love beets! Not canned, jellied beets - sliced and staining my grainy mashed potatoes (which I love "smashed", with the skins included - I like them pickled, boiled and roasted!
Cucumbers! Instead of in chunks swimming in vinegar with too much salt, they're heaven thinly sliced in sandwiches with butter and cream cheese!
Radishes! Mince, and mix with butter for some excellent sandwiches on white bread (as well as crunchy snacking goodness as they are!).
Spinach! Forget frozen and wet and heated until bitter or in dips- it's lovely in salads, or sauteed in roasted garlic and olive oil! Or in soup! Or wilted, with eggs and whatever that sauce is with Eggs Benedict.
Bok Choy! In soups ! In everything!
Anything dark green and leafy - baked into chips, or in soup, or sauteed lightly with oils and butters and garlic! Or, as I love it - tossed in with roasted squash and spaghetti and some roasted garlic and olive oil. Capers - in spaghetti with roasted garlic and olive oil and spinach too!
Beans! Green - they don't have to be boiled until mushy! (Same with peas! They come in PODS! That taste good TOO!) But everything, from limas to greenie beanies - they're all good in so many ways other than from cans, boiled until slimy!
Artichokes! Oh man - either the hearts on pizza or in a grilled cheese with roasted red peppers - or the leaves dipped in mayo or a spicy butter! Who knew they didn't have to be these bitter dark things all boiled until shapeless!
Honestly, everything is better as an adult. Though I am (as is my daughter) a bit of a super taster, and things with too much iron are hard to take - the fact that I have spent years away from canned, over-salted and over-cooked foods means that I am much more likely to eat anything and try everything because I'm in control of what I'm eating and how it's prepared and because I have friends who are excellent cooks and they can teach me as peers, not as my mother. I'm even now, after too many years of boiled cabbage, learning to like plain white cabbage when handled well - though raw purple cabbage is one of my favourite daily snacks.
And...figs! And prunes! There are so many fruits I hated, because kids are mean, and they tease. I no longer have to hide my dried apricot shame.
But as I tell our daughter: Taste with your mouth, not with your eyes. If you have to close your eyes to take a bite of something, do so. You might like the flavour well enough, and just need to work on the texture or nuances. You might say "Hmmm....yams. I'd like this softer, baked with a little brown sugar and cinnamon, nutmeg and cloves - or mashed until fluffy, with pineapple. Or roasted longer until it has crispy edges with maple syrup drizzled over it. Or sliced into fries, tossed in olive oil, baked until crispy with spices and then dipped into mayo with a little lime."
posted by peagood at 6:25 PM on January 31, 2011 [4 favorites]
Aside from Brussels Sprouts (which I just like sauteed in butter in the cast-iron pan, 'til the leaves at the edges are browned and the insides are just crisp):
I love beets! Not canned, jellied beets - sliced and staining my grainy mashed potatoes (which I love "smashed", with the skins included - I like them pickled, boiled and roasted!
Cucumbers! Instead of in chunks swimming in vinegar with too much salt, they're heaven thinly sliced in sandwiches with butter and cream cheese!
Radishes! Mince, and mix with butter for some excellent sandwiches on white bread (as well as crunchy snacking goodness as they are!).
Spinach! Forget frozen and wet and heated until bitter or in dips- it's lovely in salads, or sauteed in roasted garlic and olive oil! Or in soup! Or wilted, with eggs and whatever that sauce is with Eggs Benedict.
Bok Choy! In soups ! In everything!
Anything dark green and leafy - baked into chips, or in soup, or sauteed lightly with oils and butters and garlic! Or, as I love it - tossed in with roasted squash and spaghetti and some roasted garlic and olive oil. Capers - in spaghetti with roasted garlic and olive oil and spinach too!
Beans! Green - they don't have to be boiled until mushy! (Same with peas! They come in PODS! That taste good TOO!) But everything, from limas to greenie beanies - they're all good in so many ways other than from cans, boiled until slimy!
Artichokes! Oh man - either the hearts on pizza or in a grilled cheese with roasted red peppers - or the leaves dipped in mayo or a spicy butter! Who knew they didn't have to be these bitter dark things all boiled until shapeless!
Honestly, everything is better as an adult. Though I am (as is my daughter) a bit of a super taster, and things with too much iron are hard to take - the fact that I have spent years away from canned, over-salted and over-cooked foods means that I am much more likely to eat anything and try everything because I'm in control of what I'm eating and how it's prepared and because I have friends who are excellent cooks and they can teach me as peers, not as my mother. I'm even now, after too many years of boiled cabbage, learning to like plain white cabbage when handled well - though raw purple cabbage is one of my favourite daily snacks.
And...figs! And prunes! There are so many fruits I hated, because kids are mean, and they tease. I no longer have to hide my dried apricot shame.
But as I tell our daughter: Taste with your mouth, not with your eyes. If you have to close your eyes to take a bite of something, do so. You might like the flavour well enough, and just need to work on the texture or nuances. You might say "Hmmm....yams. I'd like this softer, baked with a little brown sugar and cinnamon, nutmeg and cloves - or mashed until fluffy, with pineapple. Or roasted longer until it has crispy edges with maple syrup drizzled over it. Or sliced into fries, tossed in olive oil, baked until crispy with spices and then dipped into mayo with a little lime."
posted by peagood at 6:25 PM on January 31, 2011 [4 favorites]
Why not sign yourself up for one of those box-of-produce-delivered services? I ended up trying Organics Delivered (thanks "Groupon"), and I was surprised at how much I enjoyed having somebody else choose my produce. It helped a lot that they did an extraordinary job and pretty much all of it was miles above the usual wilted supermarket blecch, but once squash and baby bok choy arrive at your house it's easy to get excited about finding a good recipe for them instead of fixing the same-old. And there isn't a lot that doesn't taste good when you have the very nicest version of it, so, yeah -- try the box route, or find a top-notch greengrocer.
posted by kmennie at 6:30 PM on January 31, 2011
posted by kmennie at 6:30 PM on January 31, 2011
Suck-co-tash! (Prunes is also a great suggestion...)
posted by MisterMo at 6:48 PM on January 31, 2011
posted by MisterMo at 6:48 PM on January 31, 2011
I thought I hated sweet potatoes when I was a kid; it turned out that I only hated the way my family usually made them at Thanksgiving, which was too sweet.
Also, I'm starting to like asparagus, which I didn't like when I was young. (I still won't buy it when I go grocery shopping, but I'll eat it if someone puts it in front of me.)
And you might want to think of different ways to prepare vegetables. I like raw spinach but I can't stand cooked spinach; the cooked stuff is more concentrated and also slimier.
posted by madcaptenor at 7:22 PM on January 31, 2011
Also, I'm starting to like asparagus, which I didn't like when I was young. (I still won't buy it when I go grocery shopping, but I'll eat it if someone puts it in front of me.)
And you might want to think of different ways to prepare vegetables. I like raw spinach but I can't stand cooked spinach; the cooked stuff is more concentrated and also slimier.
posted by madcaptenor at 7:22 PM on January 31, 2011
Arugula (aka rocket). Lovely bitter taste!
My theory is that bitter=alkaloids; alkaloids=toxic; but adults are less sensitive to toxicity than children, and adults can derive benefit from alkaloid, thus things we dislike as kids become attractive as we grow up. But that might all be hogwash.
posted by anadem at 8:20 PM on January 31, 2011
My theory is that bitter=alkaloids; alkaloids=toxic; but adults are less sensitive to toxicity than children, and adults can derive benefit from alkaloid, thus things we dislike as kids become attractive as we grow up. But that might all be hogwash.
posted by anadem at 8:20 PM on January 31, 2011
Growing up, I thought peas were some mushy gray-green horror. Alton Brown taught me otherwise.
First, never ever use canned peas. But frozen peas are fine. Bring a pot of water (maybe 3-4 quarts for a 1lb. bag of frozen peas) to a boil. Add peas straight from the freezer to the water and cook for one minute only. (Three minutes if you're using fresh peas instead of frozen, according to Alton, but I haven't verified that myself.) That's one minute from the time you add the peas to the water, which will temporarily stop the boiling, not one minute from the time the water returns to boiling.
Drain the peas in a colander, and plunge the colander into a bowl of ice water. Once the peas have cooled, you have these beautiful bright green spheres that give a nice little pop of flavor when you bite down on them, entirely unlike the mush I knew as a child. They can be used either as the main ingredient or as an accent in salads and the like. Here's the transcript for the Good Eats episode on peas; scene 12 has one such salad recipe.
posted by DevilsAdvocate at 9:07 PM on January 31, 2011
First, never ever use canned peas. But frozen peas are fine. Bring a pot of water (maybe 3-4 quarts for a 1lb. bag of frozen peas) to a boil. Add peas straight from the freezer to the water and cook for one minute only. (Three minutes if you're using fresh peas instead of frozen, according to Alton, but I haven't verified that myself.) That's one minute from the time you add the peas to the water, which will temporarily stop the boiling, not one minute from the time the water returns to boiling.
Drain the peas in a colander, and plunge the colander into a bowl of ice water. Once the peas have cooled, you have these beautiful bright green spheres that give a nice little pop of flavor when you bite down on them, entirely unlike the mush I knew as a child. They can be used either as the main ingredient or as an accent in salads and the like. Here's the transcript for the Good Eats episode on peas; scene 12 has one such salad recipe.
posted by DevilsAdvocate at 9:07 PM on January 31, 2011
Favorite less-common vegetable that no one's mentioned yet: Fennel. Not so wonderful uncooked but slow roasted after tossing in olive oil with kosher salt and black pepper - awesome. Use it any place you might use onions. It's delicious on pizza, it's a great extra note in pasta sauce, and it makes a wonderful gratin with potatoes or zucchini. Highly recommended!
posted by OneMonkeysUncle at 9:28 PM on January 31, 2011
posted by OneMonkeysUncle at 9:28 PM on January 31, 2011
There are few vegetables I don't like, but I learned just a few years ago that just about every vegetable, good and bad, is better roasted. Brussels sprouts roasted is... it's better than pretty much anything in the world ever. Roasted cauliflower.. no, THAT is the best thing ever. Keep your chocolate and your cake and whatever else it is people eat. I could live off of roasted cauliflower. Moral: if in doubt, chop it up, drizzle the olive oil, and roast it. And keep it in the oven until it's nice and brown.
posted by Mael Oui at 9:33 PM on January 31, 2011
posted by Mael Oui at 9:33 PM on January 31, 2011
Eggplant was my first failure when I started eating vegetables, as i didn't realize that they are the exception to the general rule that veggies don't need to be cooked much. Undercooked eggplant is just terrible. Well-cooked eggplant is from another, divine planet.
Seconding that sweet potatoes are a revelation when not gooped up with sugar. I like roasting them brushed with olive oil and then tossing them with lime juice and a minced chipotle.
I still don't have much use for green cabbage, and thus have never been interested in cole slaw, but ZOMG substituting thinly sliced red cabbage! I contrast the bitterness with grated carrot and don't skimp on the acid in the dressing. (I make half of the head of cabbage like this, and then a few nights later I braise the other half in red wine until it turns into yet another vegetable.)
Yeah, yeah, spinach is nice. Kale and chard and collards are much more interesting to me, though. They keep longer in the fridge and hold their own in soups and stews.
I only liked skinny asparagus until Mark Bittman told me to use a veggie peeler on the fat stems. Ohhh. Duh.
posted by desuetude at 9:36 PM on January 31, 2011
Seconding that sweet potatoes are a revelation when not gooped up with sugar. I like roasting them brushed with olive oil and then tossing them with lime juice and a minced chipotle.
I still don't have much use for green cabbage, and thus have never been interested in cole slaw, but ZOMG substituting thinly sliced red cabbage! I contrast the bitterness with grated carrot and don't skimp on the acid in the dressing. (I make half of the head of cabbage like this, and then a few nights later I braise the other half in red wine until it turns into yet another vegetable.)
Yeah, yeah, spinach is nice. Kale and chard and collards are much more interesting to me, though. They keep longer in the fridge and hold their own in soups and stews.
I only liked skinny asparagus until Mark Bittman told me to use a veggie peeler on the fat stems. Ohhh. Duh.
posted by desuetude at 9:36 PM on January 31, 2011
Steamed asparagus ( slightly crunchie with vinegar on them and maybe some butter)
(S)mashed sweet potatoes.
Stuffed zucchini. Try green AND yellow. Also BBQd ( grilled with olive oil) with other veggies.
Corn on the cob ( boil in rapidly boiling water for about one minute ) with pepper and lots of butter dripping. Boil longer if more than one cob.
Plain old steamed brussel sprouts ( mark an X on the bottom to speed up cooking time). Again, don't forget the butter.
Stuffed peppers. Any colour stuffed with meat and tomato sauce, topped with grated cheese.
Cabbage. Either boiled, steamed ( season with butter and pepper) or cabbage rolls. Cabbage rolls can be done two different ways ( that I know of). If you try the kind with pork and sauerkraut, make sure you put vinegar and butter on them. A taste of heaven.
posted by Taurid at 11:17 PM on January 31, 2011
(S)mashed sweet potatoes.
Stuffed zucchini. Try green AND yellow. Also BBQd ( grilled with olive oil) with other veggies.
Corn on the cob ( boil in rapidly boiling water for about one minute ) with pepper and lots of butter dripping. Boil longer if more than one cob.
Plain old steamed brussel sprouts ( mark an X on the bottom to speed up cooking time). Again, don't forget the butter.
Stuffed peppers. Any colour stuffed with meat and tomato sauce, topped with grated cheese.
Cabbage. Either boiled, steamed ( season with butter and pepper) or cabbage rolls. Cabbage rolls can be done two different ways ( that I know of). If you try the kind with pork and sauerkraut, make sure you put vinegar and butter on them. A taste of heaven.
posted by Taurid at 11:17 PM on January 31, 2011
Zucchini: Wash them well, and put them in a pot of boiling, salted water. Cook about four minutes; they should still be very firm. Then remove the ends and cut the squash in quarters the long way, so you have four strips from each zucchini. Dress with oil and vinegar, maybe some chopped parsley -- or whatever dressing you prefer.
posted by wryly at 12:28 PM on February 1, 2011
posted by wryly at 12:28 PM on February 1, 2011
Celery root and jicama are my two recent discoveries. The former makes a more delicious substitute for potatoes in roasts. The latter makes a great substitute for tortilla chips when you want to eat a huge tub of spinach-avocado dip.
posted by artemisia at 12:30 PM on February 1, 2011
posted by artemisia at 12:30 PM on February 1, 2011
I think it's fun to experiment with vegetables and to find the best, freshest vegetables available. Visit the farmers' market and get to know the slow food people in your area. Grow some herbs on a window sill or balcony. Try baby carrots with ginger and a drop of honey. Taste test heirloom tomatoes from the farmers' market. See if you can find freshly picked sweet corn this summer, pull back the husks, remove the silk, tie the husks back over the ear and roast them on the barbecue grill. Or, shuck 'em and boil 'em for corn on the cob. If you can find somebody who grows sweet corn who will sell you some so you can take them home and cook them within a few hours, you will know then how corn really tastes.
See what you can do with ingredients you seldom even think about. For instance, roast some garlic. It is a completely different vegetable, sweet and docile, done this way. Caramelize onions; put lots of onion slices to saute in oil until they're wilted, then translucent, then golden, then just brown--stir and watch them so they don't scorch, just caramelize--and these are the ultimate secret ingredient for green bean casserole or many another dish.
Read Alice Waters' The Art of Simple Food or anything else of hers; she's supremely great on vegetables and her thinking about food has been leading a culinary revolution for some time.
posted by Anitanola at 4:07 PM on April 25, 2011
See what you can do with ingredients you seldom even think about. For instance, roast some garlic. It is a completely different vegetable, sweet and docile, done this way. Caramelize onions; put lots of onion slices to saute in oil until they're wilted, then translucent, then golden, then just brown--stir and watch them so they don't scorch, just caramelize--and these are the ultimate secret ingredient for green bean casserole or many another dish.
Read Alice Waters' The Art of Simple Food or anything else of hers; she's supremely great on vegetables and her thinking about food has been leading a culinary revolution for some time.
posted by Anitanola at 4:07 PM on April 25, 2011
This thread is closed to new comments.
posted by scody at 3:57 PM on January 31, 2011 [6 favorites]