What about eating?

[Audsauce]

There's something about growing it yourself that seems to make anything palatable. I've seen kids who cringe at the word squash happily chow down on some when their hard work made it possible. Personally, I can be quite picky about food. When I go to the grocery store, I buy tomatoes and cucumbers, lettuce, onions...all the safe stuff. But when I'm working in the communal garden in my neighborhood, I'll happily take home a few heads of Kale and Chinese Cabbage, excited to find recipes for these lovely veggies that I helped to make happen. Growing things is weird like that.

 

[ChanellG]

I absolutely will not eat Brussels sprouts or cooked carrots, raw carrots are fine. I was forced to eat those two quite a bit when I was a kid and I refuse to even allow Brussels sprouts in my home. They are very cool looking when they are growing in a field but no way will I eat them. I'm fine with most anything else including raw carrots.

I love Brussels sprouts. I cut them into quarters and roast them in the toaster oven with olive oil and pecans. They are very yummy! I may have tried doing them in a pan on the stove as well, but I can't remember now. I love carrots; I could eat them almost every day.

There's something about growing it yourself that seems to make anything palatable. I've seen kids who cringe at the word squash happily chow down on some when their hard work made it possible. Personally, I can be quite picky about food. When I go to the grocery store, I buy tomatoes and cucumbers, lettuce, onions...all the safe stuff. But when I'm working in the communal garden in my neighborhood, I'll happily take home a few heads of Kale and Chinese Cabbage, excited to find recipes for these lovely veggies that I helped to make happen. Growing things is weird like that.

I am constantly being introduced to new things in the produce share "box" from my local farmer's market. I then have to get online and research thee foods to figure out how to cook them. It's a nice adventure and it's played a big part in my food renaissance.

I used to teach at a school that had an urban farm and the kids loved growing and preparing their own food. I think a big part of the problem for most people is that when they are served vegetables they are often overcooked and/or drowned in some kind of flavoring that disguises the taste so when they finally taste the actual food they are amazed.

 

[Kansas Terri]

I think a big part of the problem for most people is that when they are served vegetables they are often overcooked and/or drowned in some kind of flavoring that disguises the taste so when they finally taste the actual food they are amazed.

I think that you are right! I tried for years to get my husband to eat broccoli but he never would taste it! Then, at a friends house he took a bite just to be polite and now he just loves it. He likes it topped with either a cheese sauce or butter, and he simply loves it in a Chinese stir-fry.

He finally told me that his Mother had never fixed it but the school cafeteria did. And, the broccoli that was cooked at school was served with a slotted spoon because it had been cooked until it was so mushy that it had all fallen apart.

When my husband eats broccoli he only likes it when he can spear it with his fork, not scoop it up with his spoon!

 

[EmberxDoll]

I like anything that I can throw into a blender and not taste! I love using anything for a smoothie, especially spinach. I tried Kale once for it and it wasn't as nice.

 

[cmckinney01]

We've been talking about our favorite things to grow, but what about eating? Between Zigs' aversion to cucumbers and Claudine's disdain for - well all the things she doesn't like - I am now wondering who likes what and how diverse everyone's diets are.

If I could manage it, I would grow some of just about everything I like to eat - which would require quite a lot of space. Ideally if I could grow my favorites to eat I would have and endless supply of avocado, squash (multi varieties), spinach, garlic, onions, pineapple, eggplant, carrots, cucumbers, almonds, beets, chard, kale, cantaloupe, grapes, every imaginable herb...

I'm trying to expand slowly so I keep things manageable, but I can't wait to be able to get more of my food from the backyard with the growing spaced out so I can have longer harvest times.

I like to eat almost everything I grow. I'm a big fan of tomatoes, onions, garlic, carrots, cucumbers and lettuce. About the only thing I don't like to eat are beets. My husband likes beets, though. So he eats the beets while I just grow them.

 

[EmberxDoll]

I absolutely will not eat Brussels sprouts or cooked carrots, raw carrots are fine. I was forced to eat those two quite a bit when I was a kid and I refuse to even allow Brussels sprouts in my home. They are very cool looking when they are growing in a field but no way will I eat them. I'm fine with most anything else including raw carrots.

I know how you feel. It's the same for me.

 

[ChanellG]

I like to eat almost everything I grow. I'm a big fan of tomatoes, onions, garlic, carrots, cucumbers and lettuce. About the only thing I don't like to eat are beets. My husband likes beets, though. So he eats the beets while I just grow them.

Oh, I love beets! I wash them, rub olive oil over them and then roast them whole. I have them as a side dish or in my salad. I had some steamed beets once at the deli at whole foods and they were quite good. I had some sliced grilled beets once that weren't too special, but for the most part I like beets, and they are really good for you.

 

[ChanellG]

I think that you are right! I tried for years to get my husband to eat broccoli...

... And, the broccoli that was cooked at school was served with a slotted spoon because it had been cooked until it was so mushy that it had all fallen apart.

When my husband eats broccoli he only likes it when he can spear it with his fork, not scoop it up with his spoon!

LOL, I agree with your husband! I steam my broccoli until the fork goes through easily and it's still dark green. Once it changes changes color to that dull green, you know it's overcooked. Every now and then I might melt a bit of cheddar over it, but that is more about me wanting cheese than flavoring the broccoli.

 

[Becky]

Every now and then I might melt a bit of cheddar over it, but that is more about me wanting cheese than flavoring the broccoli.

I get this feeling quite a lot, I'm glad I'm not alone!