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Thursday, March 29, 2012

The Great Veggie Experiment, Day 1......

The other day while I was at Kroger, I noticed that there were at least 8 vegtables that I had never eaten before.  I decided that it was time to branch out, to try new things.  Since the begininng of the year I have been slowly, and most of the time secretly, trying to change my families eating habits.  Trying to get us all to eat healthier, and have more portion control.  So, I decided that at least once a week we are going to try a veggie or fruit we have never had.  Hubby is okay with it, though he and Little Monkey are reserving the right to only eat one bite. (smiles)  I'm okay with that, I may only eat one bite myself. 

My first veggie to try was Kale.  I had no idea how to cook it, or if you could eat it raw.  I did a search on the net and the first recipe I found, that looked interesting anyway, was from Oui Chef.  It was for Creamed Kale. 
photo from Oui Chef
This was a fabulous recipe, and pretty quick too.  I think it has two secret ingredients that make it awesome, the first being nutmeg, the second crushed red pepper.  Now, the only changes I made, I didn't use cream, cause I didn't have it, I used 2% milk and it work fine.  Next time I would cut the red pepper in half, it was too spicy for Little Monkey and a little too much for me too.  The flavor was great, and I will definitely be making it again!  So, a great start to my veggie experiment!  Next we will be trying beets, if you have any recipes you love, I would love to give them a try!  I already know that I do not like canned beets, you know the kind you put on salads.  They taste like dirt. 
What do you do to try to encourage your family to eat better?  I'd love to hear from you!
Melissa

8 comments:

  1. Umm, not to discourage you, but I have tried to find a way to eat beets, and haven't been successful. They still taste like dirt to me. If you find a way to make them taste good, let me know!! Beets are supposed to be VERY good for you! Good luck on your experiment!

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  2. I have been getting baby kale and putting in our salads, along with romaine. I haven't cooked it. Beets- I get the roots, scrub them good, quarter them and simmer. It takes a while, but after they get tender, I kinda peel them and then I cut them into bit size pieces and put butter and salt and pepper on them. Dave loves them, but they are a little strong on your system. But then, a little color never hurts anyone ;~) We have also tried rutabagas, parsnips and turnips. Turnips are probably our least favorite. Cold, these would all be good in salad to add a little something different.

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  3. Helen, Melissa, etc... you have to visit Newfoundland to like turnip :) Many people that eat our turnip up here say they never liked it till they had it here.
    Sonja

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  4. Did you know...Kale is one of the top five good for you foods? Good for you for branching out. I'm still in the rut of squash, broccoli, green beans etc. Oh well...

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  5. A close friend told me that home-baked kale chips are scrumptious.

    Sonja

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  6. I love beets, but the beets in Newfoundland are so good. (actually all the root veggies in Newfoundland are very good) I don't know if it's the soil or the colder weather that makes them so good.
    What Newfoundlanders call turnip , is in fact, rutabagas and also delicious.
    When I fix Kale (or any other greens, such as collards, swiss chard, spinach...) I saute some onion in a little oil in a large pan and add the sliced leaves and saute/stir until they are wilted and heated through. I also like a little sprinkling of apple cider vinegar over it.
    Looking forward to hearing what else you try.

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  7. I have never had kale either- nor have I ever seen it available here either- which is probably why I have never eaten it!

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  8. Well I like beets steamed. I slice them up from stem to stern and cook it all together... And each year I look at the wonderful selection of greens (kale, collards, chard etc) and wish I knew of delicious ways to prepare these inexpensive, loaded with nutrient vegetables. I am not a fan of the southern style of flavoring with bacon.

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