Healthy recipes for someone who hates veg!

[EventRider1]

I'm looking for some healthy recipes but the only problem I'm a very fussy eater and I hate pretty much all veg in varying ways! I am a new mum and it has dawned on me that when my daughter is older and I am trying to get her to eat her veg, I will be having to eat it too to set a good example but I can currently list the veg I will eat on two hands.
Examples of my weird eating habits include I can manage tomatoes in a pasta sauce or chilli but not raw or in a salad. I like raw carrots but not cooked, I will eat lettuce in a sandwich but can't stomach an actual salad bowl and I really don't like it when things touch on my plate...you get the idea!
I do periodically try to eat veg that I don't like to see if my taste buds have changed but so far they haven't.

So have you got any healthy recipes that include veg that you can't taste or that taste really good?

would adding grated carrot or courgette to tomato sauce work for you?
courgettini as part of your pasta dish?
how are you with frozen veg? frozen peas are delicious as snack.

Does the veg pasta actually taste like veg? If it doesn't then that could be a good gateway for me to eat more!
I haven't tried adding other veg to tomato sauce but again, maybe that would work if I can't taste it.
I do have frozen peas in the freezer for my husband but they scare me. I will literally sit and spend a good 10 minutes picking the peas out of egg fried rice before I will eat it

try one pea - straight from the freezer.
cougettini don't taste like pasta, but thry don't have much if an own taste.

do you like beans or lentils?
red lentils in a pasta sauce will 'melt' and give the sauce a thicker texture.

Have you tried roasting veg op?

Roasted butternut squash, parsnips and carrots are delicious. The roasting brings out the sweetness and changes their texture.

You can roast halves of butternut squash in the oven , add to sweated onions and stock and make a good soup, maybe with red pepper and/or chilli?

Or try chopping red peppers, onions, courgettes, fennel in to 3 cm chunks, toss in a little olive oil , in a roasting tin, season with s&p, and roast... you can add a little chilli if you like heat ... or thyme ...kr a few spices, to add more flavour. Eat with rice and a grating of parmesan.

Annabel Karmel does a good "hidden" veg bolognese sauce too.

Yesterday I made a big tray of roasted veg for my lunch.

Roasted sweet potatoes, aubergine, red onion and Sun dried tomatoes, drizzle with olive oil and a little balsamic...I topped it with feta towards the end of the cooking time.

@bluefoxmug which are better, garden peas or petit pois? Or does it not matter?

tbh to me they taste the same.

I haven't tried roasted veg in a while but I do remember as a child, my mum would cut the parsnips to look like the roast potatoes and put them all in the same bowl to try and fool me but it never worked!
I will give it another go though. Do you add anything to them while they are roasting to make them taste better?

What you need to do is basically research hidden veg recipes, like you would do for babies, then try to increase the amount of veg each time you have it so you may start to get a taste for it? There's plenty of things I used to hate (olives and feta for example) but having a Greek family meant I was constant exposed to them, after eating small amounts regularly I began to actually enjoy it. It sounds like it's more habit and textural issues rather than taste for you, so try to find different ways of preparing them. If you list the things you do like we may be able to make suggestions of similar fruits / veg that you may also enjoy?

I add garlic, chill flakes, always olive oil and a,squeeze of lemon or drizzle of balsamic...once cooked, I top with cheese and put back in oven for 5-10 minutes...either feta or mozzarella.

Roast some sweet potato, peppers and onions and then once they’re done stir through some fresh pesto, it’s usually in the fridges beside the fresh pasta.

@mrsmummy111 good point.

The veg I do like:
Potatoes
Onions
Raw carrots
Tomatoes (in pasta sauces)
Sweetcorn
Celery (with squirty cheese )
Kidney Beans / Baked beans
Leeks (in leek and potato soup)

I think that is pretty much it. I will eat coleslaw too.

Is it the taste or the texture of the veg that bothers you more? If the taste maybe try putting veg into strong flavoured dishes like curry, stir fry with a teriyaki or ginger and garlic sauce, chilli? Also keep trying different veg as different varieties have very different tastes, root veg tender to be sweeter for instance?

Or if its the texture do as others have suggested and blend into sauces, or have soups?

Examples of my weird eating habits include I can manage tomatoes in a pasta sauce or chilli but not raw or in a salad. I like raw carrots but not cooked, I will eat lettuce in a sandwich but can't stomach an actual salad bowl and I really don't like it when things touch on my plate...you get the idea!

Are you me?! I could have written this, although I have got used to lettuce now, provided there is salad dressing on it. Oh, and I've discovered that petit pois are ok so long as they're by themselves.

I think I'm probably older than you though, as I went through exactly the same thought process when my kids were little, so 10-15 years ago. I even ate broccoli for a while, to set a good example, but stopped once I realised they could tell I wasn't enjoying it.

I will watch this thread with interest.

Do you like fruit? I chuck a cup of kale in with a berry smoothie- can't taste it.

Oh yes, if taste is an issue liberal use of sauces and condiments is to be encouraged while you accustom yourself to the new taste. I know it's probably not the healthiest thing in the world but surely if it helps you get more veg in then it's a good thing -ketchup, BBQ sauce, salad cream, salad dressing, mayo, chutney, mustard, pesto, whatever you enjoy! No idea if this is proper dietary advice, but with picky children I find it helps give them a sense of security when trying new things, they know the 'main' taste is going to be ketchup if they slaver the broccoli or whatever in it, and they then only get a tiny hint of the 'veg' flavour, but then next time they maybe need to use slightly less sauce and the ratio of veg: ketchup can diminish over time!

You can make fritters...they're delicious.

Grate courgette and mix with chopped spring onion, egg, flour, a dash of milk and some grated cheese....fry in little patties. Serve with ketchup or sweet chilli sauce

Do you add anything to them while they are roasting to make them taste better

I use mainly thyme, rosemary and oregano with a good olive oil.and rock salt.

We also add chilli occasionally and a sprinkling of a blended spice mix like ras el hanout.

Top tips: don't let veg overlap and flip over half way through cooking.

I read somewhere you have to taste something nine times to get accustomed to it.

Do you like sweet cornichons by any chance or pickled veg in vinegar? Try balsamic on a little cucumber or lettuce and see how that goes down. That might be another way "in"?

The list of veg you like is not too bad at all! How about trying something like a veggie burger or a tortilla omelette with added veg?

Or if you like potatoes, add carrot or celeriac to mash?

The overriding taste in coleslaw for me is cabbage. Why don't you make your own coleslaw if you like onions and carrots, then you can add extra bits (like celery?) and it's a hell of a lot healthier than shop bought. Doesn't taste the same (IMO it tastes better!) but worth a try?

Or try sautéing cabbage in butter with salt & pepper. Not the most healthy way of preparing it, sure, but absolutely delicious! Petit pois for me are preferable to garden peas as I sometimes find garden peas a bit gritty. Random but true.

You should try making your own pasta sauces and make the veg chunkier and see how you find it. That's what I'd do with little ones if you're struggling to get veg down them. Or what is a dish you really enjoy? Try adding veg to things you already feel comfortable eating and try to increase the ratio of veg each time. Even if it sounds like the most ridiculous combo, we aren't trying to hide veg here we're trying to get you familiar with the taste and texture of veg so that familiarity may eventually become enjoyment. One of my all time favourites is roasted cauliflower. Do you like curries? There's a fantastic roasted cauli and coconut milk curry which my husband even loves and he was an avid cauliflower hated for his whole life beforehand. You're an adult and you clearly want to like veg so it's more a case of finding ways that you enjoy it. If that means introducing it in weird and wonderful ways, so be it.

What's a typical dinner in your house?

I too could have written this post, even down to the no raw tomatoes!
I made a decision when I had my little boy that I really didn't want him growing up to be a fussy eater like me. So when we started weaning him, I would have some veg that he was having to 😂.
We started roasting veg and this was definitely a game changer for us, I love how crispy broccoli is with salt or parmesan on. I could eat it every day! So my advice is to cook it different ways, and add seasoning and herbs.

Yes @Curlyhairedbrummie charred roasted broccoli is a daily staple here too! With a drizzle of olive oil and salt and roasted until crisp. The best in a salad. Yum yum yum

I got this book when my kids were little and there are some good recipes. We loved the cauliflower popcorn especially!

www.amazon.co.uk/Great-Big-Veg-Challenge-vegetables/dp/009192359X/ref=nodl_

Slaw. Start by making your own but a standard slaw. Then try with a vinaigrette instead of creamy dressing. Hopefully you’ll enjoy both. Then maybe vary the veg in the dressing - I really like fennel slaw but spouts, broccoli, Or beetroot are all good too.

Roasted veg are almost always nicer than boiled.

Stir fry might be a good option to try too.

If you like cabbage you could try something like bok Choi. Then garlic greens with cabbage, kale, or spring greens.

Have you tried any veggie burgers? I mean the ones with actual vegnot meat substitutes? Maybe try making some, Jack Monroe’s carrot, kidney bean and cumin burgers are lovely.
Agree with others about hidden veg. Do you have a blender or food processor?
Have you tried sweet potatoes? Even as fries, at least they introduce a new flavour.
Can you give some examples of your usual meals at the moment, might help with ideas for ways to make things healthier.

I made this tonight

www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/burnt-aubergine-veggie-chilli

Is absolutely delicious and you don’t miss the meat.