Recently a friend reached out asking how to expand his diet to incorporate more vegetables. He said he was familiar with the ‘ordinary’ stuff but had no clue about most of what he encountered at farmer’s markets or produce stands.
He also has experienced some rather severe health issues as a result of allergies that took years to get diagnosed and under control. To say that he is a tad shy of trying new things is putting it mildly.
I admit I had a lot of thoughts floating through my brain. Here are a few:
Ask Questions
Believe it or not, the person behind the stand can usually answer a lot of questions or offer suggestions. What is it? How is it normally eaten? If cooked, how do they recommend that? Is it an heirloom variety? Don’t forget to take notes!
Give it a Try
Small quantities are a good bet for things you aren’t familiar with. If you like it, you can often go back and get more.
Try it Raw and Cooked
Most folks never really think about this but did you know that cucumbers and pickles like gherkins, Dill Spears, hamburger pickle chips and the like are actually the same thing only processed/cooked differently…or not at all.
Onions and pickled onions are another example. Beets, when pickled, take on an entirely different flavor and are great accompaniments to a lot of meals.
Broccoli and cauliflower might not be a favorite when cooked, but try them raw, with or without dips, and you have two entirely different tastes and textures. Frankly, I love these vegetables steamed, roasted, baked, you name it but raw is a treat.
Tomatoes are another item that changes when cooked. And the varieties of flavors and textures are amazing. Turn them into an amazing pasta sauce and you will not believe the difference. Try making some salsa.
Asparagus was something I had from a can as a child and it is no surprise that no one – no one – enjoyed it. However, when it is in season and I can get the tiny ones (the diameter or my little finger), eating it raw is amazing.
Cabbage might not be your favorite thing cooked, but I wouldn’t be surprised if you enjoy a good coleslaw. Sauerkraut is just the pickled form of cabbage.
Squash might be something new to you but if you enjoy pumpkin – as in pie or bread – you might find that you enjoy it as a savory dish, too.
Potatoes… I’ve never met one I didn’t like! Isn’t it amazing how many ways we eat them? Baked, fried, boiled, just to name a few options.
Not sure where to start? Think about the things you already eat. Salsa? What is in your favorite? Relish? Same question! When you get your favorite meal at a restaurant, ask the same question. Think about what it is that you particularly like.
And, before I forget, tastes change over time. The things we don’t like as kids might be an entirely different experience as we get older. And vice versa. Growing up my mom made relish using a variety of vegetables, including green peppers. It was perfectly balanced for our tasted and a welcome addition to our table. Now, green peppers and I don’t always get along. I’ve learned to peel them as I prep them for use.
My point is don’t get stuck in that ‘ew!’ mindset back when you were in grade school.
You don’t have to go out and buy up all the fruit and veg stands, but it could be fun to experiment with what is on offer and expand your ‘like list’ along with your cooking list. You might not like everything but I doubt you won’t like anything.
Enjoy!
