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I ate Candy for dinner

Do you know someone who “hates” vegetables?

I’ve always had a sneaky suspicion that people who claim they “don’t like vegetables” simply don’t know how to properly cook them. Honestly, would you like vegetables if your veggie repertoire consisted of canned peas, overcooked broccoli, and ketchup?

But, if given my dinner from last night, I’m betting there’d be quite a few converts to the dark veggie-lover’s side!

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Veg 1 is my peppers, cooked using the healthy sauté method.

For this particular batch of peppers, I cooked up a big batch the day before, ensuring lots of leftovers. Plus, anything with garlic seems to get more flavorful as time goes by. I’ve learned the hard way to not let chopped garlic sit in the fridge—even if it’s covered! Suddenly, everything in your fridge will take on the garlic-y flavor. That’s not a bad thing as far as savory foods are concerned… but who wants a chocolate-chip muffin with essence of garlic?? Eep.

sprouts

Delicious veggie #2: Candy! Well, not really, but they’re so sweet and melty that they could be candy.

Roast Veggie “Candy”

  • Spices (I use oregano and rosemary)
  • raw veggies (I love brussels sprouts for this recipe)
  • unrefined coconut oil
  • optional, but highly recommended: cinnamon

Roast your veggies, with the first two spices, at 400 degrees (un-preheated) until they’re soft. For my sprouts, it takes around 30-40 minutes. I like to roast ‘em dry and put the coconut oil on right before eating them. But you can coat them in coconut oil first if you’d rather; it’s your call. Also right before eating, sprinkle with the cinnamon.

They’re good warm, but I especially like these veggies straight from the fridge; that way the coconut oil hardens around the sprouts… kinda like a truffle. Candy for dinner! (Be sure to buy unrefined coconut oil. The refined stuff doesn’t have that yummy “coconutty” taste.)

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With the red peppers and candy, I also had my favorite-ever pilaf.

Buttery, grain goodness. It was the perfect winter’s-day meal. Never mind that the temperature was in the mid-80s lol. Comfort food is always in season. Oh yeah, as is candy.

So, do you know a veggie-hater?
Or maybe you were a veggie-hater as a kid?

In high school, I had a friend tell me that he could never be a vegan… because the only vegetables he liked were raw onions. He said he ate them like apples. 😕

Published on November 12, 2010

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59 Comments

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  1. Kelly J @ SoulyHis.blogspot.com says

    Your question is funny because I was just thinking the other day that based on my aversion to vegetables as a kid, my mother would never believe I’ve gone vegan! Of course I also hated meat, and I could outlast my mother at the dinner table anytime!
    (oh, and, my son in law and grandson eat onions like apples. I don’t get it either)

  2. Sarahishealthy says

    No joke, I knew a girl who would NOT touch a vegetable and yet WAS a vegetarian. She seriously subsided off of macaroni and cheese. But actually, last I heard, she was finally warming up to veggies. Maybe she just got sick of eating only one thing for years and years?

  3. Inspired says

    I’ve always loved vegetables, but not always EVERY vegetable. When I was little, I had an aversion to all things green, yet I was the biggest carrot eater you’d ever want to meet. I was just conditioned that “green = gross”. Thanks, preschool ;).

  4. Anita Ruiz says

    Hehe I just made Brussels sprouts last night for dinner for the first time. They weren’t bad I just need to roast them a little bit longer.

    I work for a program that teaches nutrition to kids in PreK-12 grade and we work closely with teachers. A couple of weeks ago I was at a school and a teacher said that her diet consists of things that were creamy and smooth and vegetables are neither.

    I believe most people don’t give veggies a chance. And I totally agree they either were cooked wrong, maybe not in a dish that was pleasing to that individual or they have a total mind block. For example I can eat raw red bell pepper all day long but the minute you cook it I won’t go near it….I don’t do well with mushy foods.

    I have a personal rule: I must try something at least 3 times to make an accurate decision.

    • Chocolate-Covered Katie says

      Sigh, and she’s supposed to be a role model for kids.

      And lol, I am the exact opposite from you! My friend once told me that she loved raw bell peppers, so I tried eating it like an apple… blech! But I could eat a truckload of them cooked!

  5. katie says

    your dinner looks so fantastic! i love the peppers action :). if you ever feel like you need a vacation, can you come cook for me? i have lots of chocolate, if that helps any with your decision ;).

  6. kristisn says

    I love veggies, but your right you have to cook them the right way. There were many times I overcooked broccoli and didn’t want to eat them for a while after that.
    I’ve been thinking about cooking my veggies in coconut oil, but every time I go to make them I forget about the coconut oil. I’m going to have to remember next time so I can have candy for dinner, too. 🙂

  7. Christina says

    Oooh I’m glad you said what you said at the beginning of the post! Whenever people tell me they hate vegetables I always say, “You probably haven’t had them cooked the right way!” I usually offer to make them something after that, lol!

  8. sad anon says

    i wish i could eat candy for dinner like you, but sadly my ed makes it so that i can’t even look at fat, let alone eat any. brussel sprouts, sure, but the coconut oil i will have to enjoy only through the photos you post and your experiences with it :(. someday i hope to have such a healthy relationship with food that i can try this coconut oil that everyone always raves about.

    • abby says

      oh anon, this comment makes me so sad, because i could have written it if we flashed back two years ago. please don’t give up! i felt like you, two years ago. i thought i would never, ever be able to enjoy some of the foods my friends ate so happily- peanut butter sandwiches, chocolate chip cookies, muffins that weren’t fat free, spaghetti, chocolate milkshakes (well, mine would be vegan, and i am still not able to eat these yet), and the list goes on. i’m still a work in progress, but today i am proud to say that i have added foods back into my diet that i never would have thought i could. and you know what? i am 100% happy i added them back. try a little at a time. maybe you can only eat a 1/2 teaspoon of coconut oil today, but work your way up and be patient with yourself. you didn’t get here overnight, so you can’t fix it overnight.

  9. Angela says

    This is why I read your blog: you have the simplest, yet most delicious recipes! You think of things I never would have thought of. For example, I love sprouts and I love coconut oil and I LOVE cinnamon. But did I ever think to put all three together? Nope. That’s why I love your blog so much!!! 🙂

  10. Rachel says

    the only vegetable my younger brother eats would be in the form of V8 fruit juice, if that counts, and ketchup

    i would be ALL over your dinner right now, i’ve taken a liking to brussels except i’ve mostly been buying them frozen. do you know if it’s recommended to buy the organic or not?

    by the way, i just made a snack i thought you would like! some leftover libby’s pumpkin and left over half of a banana cut up, then microwaved for about 40-something seconds, mushed it up, added cinnamon and almond butter. weird but it worked haha

    • Chocolate-Covered Katie says

      Hmmm… I have no clue! Fortunately (or unfortunately), I don’t really have a choice, though. Don’t think I’ve ever seen organic b sprouts in Texas, even at Whole Foods!

      P.S. Your snack sounds DELICIOUS! So many favorite foods all in one place!

  11. Namaste Gurl says

    Mmmmh, right on the point, girl! I ALWAYS roast my veggies that way. If it’s not coconut oil, then it’s olive with a bit of sea salt and wah- lah! I hate when people say veggies are gross and boring, they simply haven’t had them cooked and spiced up properly 🙂

    Good idea of adding coconut oil at the end, then refrigerating! I usually add it before putting in the oven 🙂

  12. Faith says

    I wasn’t a veggie hater, but I was absolutely a salad hater. My mom’s salads always were the same thing: blechy limp iceberg lettuce, whole baby carrots, and a glop of ranch dressing (which I hate to this very day!). No wonder I never really enjoyed salads until I got to college and had a real salad bar in front of me every day!

  13. gina says

    I love the veggieliciousness of your meal, Katie :). And I love how I got to make up a word because no existing words would do that plate justice ;).

  14. Camille says

    My boyfriend is a veggie hater. I am slowly warming him up to them, but he just doesn’t like the texture. It isn’t an issue with taste, just texture! Weirdo.

  15. Pure2Raw Twins says

    As a kid I only ate a few veggies, but now I eat all of them! There is not too many veggies that I do not like now 😉 Love them all! And I still know a few people that are veggies haters, and I just can’t imagine not liking veggies, LOL They are so good and there are so many ways to eat them.

  16. spoonfulofsugarfree says

    I lOVE LOVE LOVE VEGGIES!!! I loved ’em as a kid, and I love ’em now 🙂 Even my little sister’s fav food was broccoli, then she moved on to artichokes 🙂

    I just bought a new coconut oil today, and it is super coconutt-y! Even if it is unrefined, I find some to be more flavorful than others 🙂

  17. Kiersten says

    I happen to be eating leftover roasted brussels sprouts at this very moment. They’re one of my favorite things to eat in the Fall. These things are like crack.

  18. Serena says

    These brussels look absolutely amazing 🙂 One of my favorite vegetables but I don’t eat them enough 😛 I’ve had them recently this month but for some reason I rarely buy them!
    Anyway I totally agree with you philosophy. People who think “ick” when they think “veg” are really thinking “I hate tasteless overcooked canned boiled blllahhhh” 😀

  19. Tricia says

    lol, i feel weird. I loved broccoli as a kid, and i loved brussel sprouts whether they were cooked or not. Although now i have to have something spicy over them– like hot sauce or jalapenos. I’m not sure why lol.

  20. Mary @ Bites and Bliss says

    My brother!! He hates all veggies other than potatoes- I swear. We practically have to shove something green down his throat. He’s getting better, though. Oh, and he’s 24 lmho

  21. Averie (LoveVeggiesAndYoga) says

    I have done posts about moms being sneaky w/ food to get their kids to eat it (not good IMO in the long run b/c who’s gonna sneak pureed spinach into the spaghetti sauce when the kid moves out) and also posts on picky eaters and why this happens…is it genetic, is it the parents not offering choices, why does this happen and what to do about it as a parent? Food for thought….

    And then veggies as candy…oh roasted beets with a little evoo and ginger are like candy. Seriously so sweet and perfect…I love them!

  22. Diana says

    I know a lot of people who hate veggies. Sadly, they’re all kids. But maybe that’s a good thing. Maybe it means they grow up and change their ways and learn that veggies are FANTASTIC! 🙂

  23. seemichellecook says

    My 14 year old will not eat one single veggie or fruit and only chicken as far as meat goes. People have been telling me she’ll grow out of it since she was 2. SO frustrating, especially since I work in nutrition and advise others on what to eat every day!

  24. Little Bookworm says

    That brussel sprout recipe sounds amazing – do you reckon it would work just roasting them in vegetable oil? Hope you are having a great day! 🙂

  25. Di @ http://thetreadmilldiaries.com/ says

    Your veggies look yum. I’m a big fan of getting lots of veggies in every day but I do know a few haters. I’ve tried to help them see the light but it hasn’t worked yet. Still working on it though.

  26. juliakatz1996 says

    I used to be like that. My mom would fry some frozen veggies and expect me to eat it. Then I discovered my dad’s cooking. He’d buy fresh green beens and roast them with olive oil, salt, and garlic… mmmmmmmmmmm!

  27. Claire says

    Haha funny you shoud ask about vegetable-haters, My cousin (who’s 20) can’t stand vegetabes or fruit, apparently the texture has made her feel awful even since she was about 2. Personally I can’t fathom life without vegetables let alone fruit. I’ve tried a million and one times but no, all she’s able to do is potato.
    Strange or what??

  28. astrorainfall says

    Actually I do know a couple of folks who hate veggies AND fruit. They tend to take alot of dietary supplements to make up for it….But I feel that people who don’t eat vegetables tend to look….like they don’t eat veggies…. bad skin, a little chubby or more that that, looking tired or complaining of feeling tired…

    And you’re right, they probably have never eaten well-prepared veggies so they kinda just stick with what they prefer. For these friends, I just hope they will somehow find a way to get in touch with their inner veggie goddess…

  29. thedelicateplace says

    i know some veggie haters and it really blows my mind. i’m just fascinated because there are 1. so many veggies to choose and 2. 1.5 billion ways and combos to prepare/eat them!

  30. Damjana says

    i don’t like storebought fresh veggies, they’re tasteless. That’s why last winter i almost completely abandoned them. Now i eat them more frequently, daily, from our garden.
    I roast carrots in a pan with some olive oil, salt, chilli, curry. They’re tasty, quick and cheap.
    I also hate salads from delivery service – tasteless! Prefer homemade ones

  31. Heather Eats Almond Butter says

    I love love love roasting my veggies in coconut oil but never tried adding cinnamon. Must do this soon…like tonight. Thanks Katie. Hope you had a good Thanksgiving.

    P.S. I’ve always thought the same about veggie haters as well – they’ve just never had them prepared properly. Green beans from a can do not = veggie goodness.

  32. Amanda says

    I just noticed the recipe for your brussel sprouts isn’t in the recipe section! I had to google to find it, you could include it under dinner or sides!

  33. Bridgit says

    i have a stupid questions…what is the difference between coconut oil and coconut butter….i have coconut butter at home (although not much left – YUM).

  34. Rachel Ramey says

    I think for lots of us it’s a texture thing. I hate bell peppers, tomatoes, and mushrooms, because of that soft-but-crunchy texture.

    Is there a trick to roasting veggies? I have never, ever been able to successfully roast any vegetable (except garlic). I’ve tried carrots, brussels sprouts, and asparagus, just that I can think of off the top of my head – oh, and root veggies. They always just end up tough. What am I doing wrong?

  35. Mel says

    For the brussel sprouts ‘candy’, what amounts of brussel sprouts, coconut oil, and spices do you use? Thanks for all of these great recipes!

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