Plant Based Diet for Veggie Haters
July 27, 2022
There are many people that believe that they are true veggie haters. I for one didn't grow up with many vegetables on my plate, and if there were, it was mostly corn or potatoes. I really thought that I didn't like other vegetables. Maybe I had it ingrained into my brain that I wasn't suppose to like vegetables. Possibly I wasn't exposed to vegetables that I like at an early age to break the hate for veggies thoughts. For whatever reason you may have decided you don't like vegetables, it may take a little time, but I bet you will find out that there are many vegetables you will enjoy if you give them a try.
Once I got into my head that I wanted to become healthier, I knew that incorporating more vegetables into my diet would be a healthy change. My suggestion would be to start out with adding cooked vegetables dishes to your meal. If you can handle the spice, Indian dishes may be the easiest way to get some vegetables on your plate. With the wide array of seasonings, a plain vegetable can turn into a dance party for your tongue. I personally love Palak Paneer. Palak Paneer is a dish from India which is made of pureed spinach and homemade cheese. I added it to the bottom of the page incase you want to give the recipe a try.
Another great way to incorporate vegetables is to add them to a lasagna recipe. Create your lasagna like you normally would, but throw in a layer of mushrooms, zucchini, and/or spinach.
You can also search for raw vegetables. I find that I can ditch my chips with my sandwich, and adding raw vegetables. It is a great step to finding some raw vegetables you will love. You can try peppers, carrots, and sugar snap peas. I prefer mine plain, but you could also dip them in some hummus or a salad dressing. Salad dressing is another food adventure you may want to look into. I didn't like salad dressing until I figured out that I enjoy a creamy parmesan based dressing. Finding the right dressing will help you also enjoy side salads.
There are many ways to find a vegetable that you may not know that you enjoy. You will never find them unless you take the first step and start looking!
Palak Paneer
1 lbs. Spinach, frozen
2 Tbsp. Extra-Virgin Olive Oil
1 cup Tomatoes, diced
1 Tbsp. Garlic, minced
1 Tbsp. Curry Powder
1 tsp. Coriander Powder
1/2 tsp. Red Pepper Powder
1 tsp. Methi Powder
1/2 tsp. Garam Masala
1 1/2 tsp. Salt
1/8 cup Whole Milk or Yogurt
Paneer
Thaw and squeeze the water out of the spinach and set aside. (Or boil fresh spinach and drain) In a food processor puree spinach. In a heavy bottom skillet, heat canola oil, add paneer cubes and fry until lightly brown and crispy. Remove and set aside. In same pan, add 1 more tablespoon of oil. Add garlic. Add tomatoes and all the spices. Cook until oil starts to separate. Add spinach and 1/4 cup water and bring to a boil. Cover and cook for 5 minutes. Add milk and paneer.
Paneer
4 cups Whole Milk
1/4 cup Vinegar
Bring milk to a boil in a large pot. Add vinegar, and stir until the mixture separates into solids and liquid. Drain the mixture through a cheesecloth set in a large mesh sieve over a bowl. Wrap the ends of the cheesecloth around the curd and put a heavy weight on it such as a cookie jar or rice container. Place the mixture in the refrigerator. Let the water drain completely for at least one hour, or overnight for a firmer paneer.