3 Ways to Trick Yourself into Liking Veggies

BO-RING!

Is that what comes to mind when you think of vegetables?

Well, it doesn’t have to be that way! Give them another chance…It could be that you just haven’t found ways to prepare them that suit your taste buds.

Trick yourself into liking them, like you’ve done with the kids. Get adventurous. They’re in season right now, which makes them extra delicious and affordable.

Making that extra effort to fit them in your diet will pay off big-time. You’ll feel better because your body will receive the nutrients it needs to stay healthy and ward off disease. If you’re trying to lose weight, veggies literally “fill you up” for less calories. Try to include produce with every meal. It’s not as difficult as you think! You may even grow to CRAVE them!

Here are three decadent recipes to get you started. You’ll be amazed they’re even veggies!

1. MASHED POTATO CAULIFLOWER

Ingredients:

1 medium head cauliflower, trimmed and cut into small florets (about 6 to 7 cups)
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
Fine sea salt and ground black pepper, to taste

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add cauliflower and cook until very tender, about 10 minutes. Reserve 1/4 cup of the cooking liquid and then drain well and transfer cauliflower to a food processor. Add oil and reserved water, 1 tablespoon at a time, and purée until smooth. (Or, mash cauliflower with a potato masher). Season with salt and pepper and serve.

roasted broccoli recipe

2. ROASTED BROCCOLI AND LEMON WITH PECORINO-ROMANO CHEESE

Makes 4 servings

Ingredients:
about 6 cups cut broccoli
2 T extra virgin olive oil
sea salt to taste
6 tsp. lemon juice
1/3 cup freshly grated Pecorino-Romano or Parmesan cheese

Preheat oven to 450F. Trim broccoli stalks so pieces are close to the same length. Toss broccoli with 2 T olive oil, and sprinkle with salt to taste. Spray a large metal baking sheet with olive oil or non-stick spray. Spread out broccoli pieces out on the baking sheet so they aren’t touching each other. Roast broccoli until pieces are bright green and starting to get browned edges. Toss broccoli with fresh lemon juice and then sprinkle with Pecorino-Romano or Parmesan cheese. Serve hot.

spaghetti squash recipe

3. HOW TO PREPARE A SPAGHETTI SQUASH That big round yellow thing isn’t as difficult to cook as you may think!

Instructions:

Wash the squash and leave it wet. Microwave it for 5 minutes to help soften the skin (it’s still really hard).
Cut squash lengthwise and remove seeds.
To Microwave: put squash halves cut side down in baking dish in 1/4 cup of water covered with plastic. Nuke it for 7-10 minutes.
To Bake: put squash halves cut side down in baking dish in 1/4 cup of water and bake for 45 minutes covered with foil. Don’t let the water cook away. Check it and add more if needed.
After it’s cooled slightly, scrape out the veggie strands with a fork and season with olive oil, salt, pepper, garlic and parmesan cheese or proceed with another spaghetti squash recipe