After a particularly painful physical therapy session today, followed by a follow-up appointment with the orthopedist, I was ready to come home and relax--but first, I went grocery shopping since I've been out of town for Christmas. I bought two new (to me) veggies and need your counsel on how best to cook them:
Baby Bok Choy Golden Beets
For those who don't know, I am a VERY picky eater and hate most veggies, so you can imagine that healthy eating is quite a challenge for me. It is very rare that I try a new vegetable so this is big. I want to know how you think I should prepare these veggies in order to put their best foot forward--i.e., to give me the best chance of liking them.
Whether it's a recipe from KD's books (I know she has a lot of beet ones) or your favorite family method, I would love to hear your ideas! I would prefer to keep things simple; after all, I am The Lazy Chef!
Looking forward to your ideas! Thanks in advance. Sheri
Goals: 1. Exercise-Cardio: 2-3 walking or DVD cardio workouts per week. 2. Exercise-Weights/Toning: 1-2 weight plus 1 toning workout per week. 3. Food: Increase veggie servings back to where they were. 4. Behavior: Reduce sweets.
Posts: 7237 | Location: Rehoboth Beach, DE | Registered: March 12, 2004
Originally posted by johnbol: Sheri, You are awesome for trying new. We have seen such positive development in you concerning your relationship with veggies and trying new.
This seems the right place to ask a question of my own. Since I started Super Wal*Mart walking this week, dh asked me to bring home an item for supper. While I was in produce getting that, I saw tomatillos. What are they? How are they used? What do they taste like? Anybody know?
I won't eat brussel sprouts or anything that tastes like licorce.
Linda
Linda, Tomatillas are used in mexican foods....generally they are part of a salsa or sauce for pork or chicken. They are quite often cooked. I've never seen raw applications for them in anything other than salsa. I've never had them straight up (and actually have never bought them raw, only in cans to use in soups and sauces) and only in sauces, soups and salsas....but I think they are rather tart.
Blessings,
Lori
Re-committing myself to a healthy lifestyle that will include regular (and increasing) exercise, and following the baby steps rule on food. 6/17/08
Posts: 3141 | Location: California | Registered: March 11, 2004
Sheri, You are awesome for trying new. We have seen such positive development in you concerning your relationship with veggies and trying new.
This seems the right place to ask a question of my own. Since I started Super Wal*Mart walking this week, dh asked me to bring home an item for supper. While I was in produce getting that, I saw tomatillos. What are they? How are they used? What do they taste like? Anybody know?
I won't eat brussel sprouts or anything that tastes like licorce.
Something to consider in your new tasting adventures...
I have read in several different places that it takes about 8 times for your taste buds to become accustomed to a new taste and texture. By the 9th time you try it, you will most likely like it.
Believe it or not it works. I used to be the pickiest eater ever. No onions, no tomatos, no mushrooms, no shrimp, no slimy green things, and zuchinni was my arch nemesis.
One year I made it my New Year's Resolution to try new things. (After having read the article about taste buds.) Much to my suprise it worked. There are still a few things I don't like, but my tastes have widened greatly.
I even like zuchinni now!
The only common food that I just can't seem to like is tomatos. And for me that is totally a texture thing. I don't mind them in sauces or tomato based soups but straight up, forget it.
The other thing that this experiment did for me was to make me more open. Now I will try stuff that I "think" I don't like. It's not so scary.
Good luck with your new food adventures.
On the squash front, the Zuchinni and Parmesan Quesidilla in KD's blue? book is a super fast supper.
fyi on the 'fried veggies' you could try an egg wash and then put in panko bread crumbs and bake in hot oven. I HATE zucchini. got sick on it once and rarely eat it. but this is a good way to cook the ..and anything else you can slice.
Way to go Sheri! I'm proud of you. You have "come a long way baby!" as the saying goes.
Now that you've tried them, I will tell you that while I'm not a picky eater and I like most veggies I hate beets. I have tried thema a variety of ways and I just don't really care for them. Fresh beets are edible, but given the choice I choose not to.
Dawn
Posts: 4284 | Location: Indianapolis, IN | Registered: March 15, 2004
Glad you bumped this thread up, Amy! I was just coming here to search for it and you made it easy for me! hehe
I forgot to report the other day that I finally tried baby bok choi. I wasn't sure if the one in my fridge was still good so I bought another. I chopped it up and stir-fried it on Monday with red bell peppers, snow peas, yellow squash and shallots for the veggie portion of my lunches this week.
I ate a few little pieces of baby bok choi by themselves yesterday when I had my lunch to see their flavor (also ate a small piece raw just to see). I was amazed how mild the flavor was. I abhor nearly all greens and thought this would taste strong and bitter or cabbagey. It doesn't. Then again, it's mixed in with other veggies, garlic, pepper, etc.
I would definitely buy it again for a stir-fry mixed in with other veggies. I don't know about having it just by itself...that may take me a while longer.
I was proud of myself for stretching with not only one but two veggies this week. Squash is the other. I am not a fan of the squash and zucchini family. But I used to eat fried squash as a kid an loved it so I thought I'd throw some in my stir-fry--not bad at all! Again, not sure I'd eat it alone but mixed in with other veggies and seasonings, it's fine!
P.S. My lunches this week are "the bomb"--probably my favorite meal that I cook for lunches. Grilled pork tenderloin (described in detail in the recipe swap folder), lowfat mashed sweet potatoes and the above stirfry. YUM!
Goals: 1. Exercise-Cardio: 2-3 walking or DVD cardio workouts per week. 2. Exercise-Weights/Toning: 1-2 weight plus 1 toning workout per week. 3. Food: Increase veggie servings back to where they were. 4. Behavior: Reduce sweets.
Posts: 7237 | Location: Rehoboth Beach, DE | Registered: March 12, 2004
i'm doing week 11 of the daybook (started in July...hahaha) and there is a recipe for roasted sw pot and beet salad. if you didn't like them the 1st time around perhaps you would like it prepared this way???
sorry you didn't like the beets. but good for you for trying!!! I think beets are a love em or hate em. I actually buy cans and eat the entire thing when I have a carb craving and don't want to 'chip out.' on the other hand--- yogurt and pudding is totally disgusting to me. the texture reminds me of meds I took when I was a kid.. amy
I roasted the golden beets in the oven yesterday and ate half of one. Certainly wasn't close to the most disgusting thing I've ever had but it didn't thrill me either.
Goals: 1. Exercise-Cardio: 2-3 walking or DVD cardio workouts per week. 2. Exercise-Weights/Toning: 1-2 weight plus 1 toning workout per week. 3. Food: Increase veggie servings back to where they were. 4. Behavior: Reduce sweets.
Posts: 7237 | Location: Rehoboth Beach, DE | Registered: March 12, 2004
i was justlooking through a mayo clinic cookbook and there was a good looking beet recipe. Basically it is cooked beets and carrots...then add a dressing of 1tbs evoo and 1 1/2tsp lemon juice and fresh dill. easy. the picture sure looks good. amy
Sheri, I love the beet dip recipe in KD's second book. Tasty and REALLY easy. I've served it as a side dish and my family loves it. It's very pretty with red beets, but I'm sure golden beets would work, too. However, since goldens have a milder flavor usually, you may want to cut down on the amounts of oil and vinegar and taste as you go.
i have to say, lebanese food is pretty courageous for a picky eater--you were really awesome to stretch that far!
Goals: 1. Stop thinking like a chronic dieter and start living to inspire. 2. HALT (hungry, anxious, lonely, tired) I will stop and tune in with myself should I experience these things, and respond with something healthy. 3. One word 2008: courage 4. Eat slow and mindfully.
Originally posted by johnbol: SIL showed me how to eat one. Delish!
I posted a couple of weeks ago about trying both a Lebanese and Afghani restaurant in the same week--which is even more rare for me than trying new veggies! LOL Anyhow, at the Lebanese restaurant, they served pomegranate seeds on some appetizer tray that we got so I got to try them for the first time too. I don't know that I'd go so far as saying "Delish!" but they were interesting.
Goals: 1. Exercise-Cardio: 2-3 walking or DVD cardio workouts per week. 2. Exercise-Weights/Toning: 1-2 weight plus 1 toning workout per week. 3. Food: Increase veggie servings back to where they were. 4. Behavior: Reduce sweets.
Posts: 7237 | Location: Rehoboth Beach, DE | Registered: March 12, 2004
At the wedding we went to today, there was a fruit and cheese hor d'oevre table which had pomegranites on it. SIL showed me how to eat one. Delish! I've been drinking pomegranite juice for awhile now, nice to know how to eat the fruit.
