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Veggie-Hating
Hubby Needs to Eat More Than Just Mushrooms
Dear
Kathleen,
My husband needs to lose weight. He likes Chinese takeout
and steak. He "hates vegetables" except for mushrooms,
which I don't consider to be very nutritious. He says they
are. Who is right, and how can I get him to eat more veggies?
Shaquita
Dear Shaquita,
You are both right, and he's a very lucky man. You're right
to be concerned about his lack of vegetable intake, and
he's very lucky to have you on his team.
Mushrooms are low in calories and contain some hard-to-get
essential nutrients. A 2/3 cup portion of mushrooms, about
2 ounces, has only 14 calories, a tiny 1/2 gram of fat,
no cholesterol and very little sodium. They're a source
of fill-you-up fiber and contain phosphorus (important for
bone health), magnesium (necessary for muscle, nerve, bone
and heart health), potassium (important for regulating blood
pressure) and selenium (which plays an important role in
the immune, thyroid and male reproductive systems). Selenium
helps to produce antioxidants, which may help prevent some
cancers and diseases associated with aging.
To get your husband to eat more vegetables, be persistent.
Consistently serve vegetables in combination with foods
he likes. Plate the entree portion of the meal in advance
of sitting down to the table and pack away the leftovers
so he can't fill up on more than he should consume in a
single sitting.
Serve the vegetables family style so he can help himself
to seconds.
If he's hungry, he'll eat.
For instance, if he likes mushrooms, combine them with green
beans and serve them with a small portion of steak and a
side salad. An 8-ounce steak serves two. Don't cook anymore
than that and he'll have to fill up on salad and veggies.
Stick to your guns. Twenty years and counting, my Dad is
still surviving my Mother's tactics. She told me, "Your
father won't eat vegetables if they seem plain, so I have
to dress them up. I vary them a little by adding a second
vegetable, an herb or some juice or vinegar. He thinks he's
getting ‘gourmet,' so he at least tries them."
Try the following two recipes.
Green Beans, Mushrooms
and Lemon
Bring
a medium soup pot of salted water to a boil over high
heat and cook 3/4 pound green beans, ends trimmed, until
al dente, about 7 to 8 minutes. Drain.
While the beans are cooking, heat 1 tablespoon olive oil
in a large nonstick pan over medium-high heat until hot,
but not smoking. Add 3/4 pound mushrooms cut into quarters
and cook, stirring often, until some are lightly golden
and all are cooked through, about 10 to 12 minutes. Add
beans, heat through, add the juice of one lemon and season
to taste with salt and pepper.
Serve immediately.
Serves 4-6.
Since he likes Chinese food, try this recipe for Chicken
and Mushroom Stir Fry served over brown rice. It's substantial
and filling and has a few ingredients you know he likes.
If you're in a super hurry or don't like to prep veggies
from scratch, use frozen vegetable medley mixes or splurge
on presliced, chopped and diced salad bar veggies.
Chicken
and Mushroom Stir Fry
Cook
1 cup of brown rice in a large pot of boiling water as
you would pasta, until done, about 25 minutes. Drain,
cover and set aside.
Meanwhile, heat 2 teaspoons of sesame oil in a large nonstick
skillet over medium-high heat until hot but not smoking.
Add 1 clove of sliced garlic and 2 tablespoons of grated
ginger and cook one minute.
Add 3/4 pound boneless skinless chicken breast, lightly
pounded and cut into thin strips. Cook, stirring often
until chicken is lightly golden, about 3-4 minutes.
Add 3 ounces of shiitake or white button mushrooms, thinly
sliced; 3/4 pound bean sprouts; and 1/2 pound snow peas,
trimmed; and cook, stirring often for 3 minutes. Add 1
cup low-sodium chicken stock, 1 teaspoon hoisin sauce
and 1 tablespoon cornstarch mixed with 1 tablespoon water.
Bring to a boil and cook until sauce has thickened slightly,
about 3 minutes. Serve.
kd@chefkathleen.com
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