**”I’m trying to get healthy, however, I don’t eat fruit and very limited amounts of salad. It’s hard to get healthy when all of the healthy options in shops contain these.”
— Kate**
I question anyone who says they dislike all fruit and vegetables as the options with fresh produce are so extensive and diverse.
The bottom line is that for good health you have to eat at least some vegetables every day. The recommended amount is five serves of vegetables and two serves of fruit.
Some people have had bad experiences with vegetables not being cooked properly, for instance, overcooked Brussel sprouts are grey, slimy and smelly; but well-cooked, they are vibrant, tender, and sweet. Similarly, salads can be boring without a nice dressing.
At this time of year it’s better to eat cooked vegies rather than cold salad and the brighter the better. Greens such as broccoli and broccolini, English spinach, sweet potato, sweet corn and green beans can be either delicious or terrible, depending on how well they are prepared.
On their own you may find them a little bland, but accompanied with seasoning and a brush of olive oil they can be transformed into a very special side dish.
If you don’t know how to prepare and cook vegetables, assuming you really do want to get healthy, which you say you do, then you must make an effort to learn.
There are so many recipes online — try the Woman’s Day recipe finder for some ideas to get started.
Make sure you have the kitchen basics and give it a go. You could also sign up for a few cooking classes — believe me, I’ve met many people who claimed not to have liked vegies who, after some effort in the kitchen, are turned around and can’t imagine life without them.
Essential cookware for cooking vegies
Roasting tray — to roast veggies
Steamer — this could be a stainless steel pan with a steamer and lid that fits on the top or you could buy a bamboo steamer to fit over a pan you have at home
Colander — to drain washed and cooked vegetables
Tongs and spatula
Wok — for quick and easy stir-fries
Salad spinner — for cleaning leaves.
You may have to approach this as many mothers approach feeding their young children, by chopping up loads of vegies very small and adding them to dishes such as bolognese sauce, chilli con carne, soups and casseroles.
But be experimental and approach it positively — if you say you don’t like them, you’ll try them with an expectation that you won’t. It’s not very constructive when it’s in your best interest to like them.
Here’s a recipe to get you started:
Preheat the oven to 180°C
Wash and peel a brown onion, a few garlic cloves and a small piece of sweet potato (approx 150g)
Slice the onion and cut the sweet potato into cubes approx 2cm thick
Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a roasting tray for approx 5 minutes then throw in the vegetables with a couple of handfuls of mushrooms (approx 100g)
Season with sea salt and pepper and place the tray back in the oven for approximately 15 minutes.
Remove the tray and using your spatula or a spoon, turn the vegetables in the pan. Place them back in the oven to cook for a further 10 minutes.
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