It was so good that I had seconds for dinner, and then gobbled up all the leftovers for my lunch the next day.
It's probably been close to 20 years since my husband had a salad, but he's been making wonderful changes to his diet since we've been expecting our baby. And in Chris's own words, you can read how he's approaching a foreign territory:
So we're supposed to be having at least seven servings of fruit and vegetables a day, right? That's a pretty tall order for someone who, for the past fifteen years, has hardly let a fruit or vegetable pass his lips. How do you go from zero to seven? The slow way. You don't exactly go from eating chicken fried steak to ratatouille over night. So in case there are any others out there like me who have this huge obstacle to climb in terms of their fruits and veggies, here's how I'm dealing with it right now.
First, start with a smaller goal. Don't scare yourself out of it by going for the max right away. My goal for the month is three servings per day. From now till the end of the month, I want to try and get three fruits or veggies in per day. If I get more, great. But three is what we are shooting for. So with each major meal of the day, incorporate some kind of fruit or veggies. Or if you can't fit one into a meal, make it a goal to have one as a snack. Like right now for me... I have a banana for a mid-morning snack, an apple with my lunch, and some kind of veggie with dinner. Then next month we can up the ante. Try for four servings, or five. But these smaller, manageable goals help keep you on track without demoralizing you that you aren't getting everything that you "should."
Second, don't try and convince yourself that you will love eggplant and asparagus overnight. Just like with all other foods, you will find fruits and veggies that you like, and others that you will not. Don't beat yourself up when you find one that you don't, and don't assume that you have to love them all simply because they are good for you. Incorporate the "staples" that you enjoy as much as is practical without getting tired of them. I love corn, peas, carrots, apples, bananas, and berries. So these are my "go to" items. If I can't find a veggie to go with dinner, pop in some frozen corn or peas and you're done. Don't stress because you passed on the broccoli. Celebrate the fact that you found a veggie at all. And then slowly try and find new items to bring into your diet. This past month I've tried two kinds of squash, sweet potatoes, broccoli, parsnips, and asparagus. I rather liked the broccoli and parsnips. The asparagus was ok. But I didn't care for the squash or sweet potatoes. So now I have at least two more veggies I can add to my menu.
Third and finally, seasoning makes all the difference. Learning how to cook and season properly is an important part of all cooking. But for me, I find it even more vital with veggies. Make them taste good, and even the most unpalatable item can be lip-smacking good. So just like you can't be afraid to try new fruits and veggies in the first place, don't be afraid to try new cooking techniques or seasonings. For example, I have never liked green beans. But last week, I did a beef stir fry with green beans. I made an Asian style sauce with hoisin, sesame, garlic, and a pinch of red pepper, tossed the beef and beans in the sauce, and cooked it all in a little bit of olive oil. Those were the best green beans I had ever eaten. So a little creativity in the preparation and the seasoning can go a LONG way in helping you get to your goals of eating more fruits and veggies.
So if any of you are in the same boat as me, maybe some of these ideas will help. And we can all get to seven a day, the slow way. :)
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