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Vegetables that are Addictive

Can vegetables be addictive??

According to the October issue of Vegnews magazine, frying is the only cooking method that can make a vegetable addictive.

cauliflower nuggets

The writer’s obviously never tried Cauliflower “Chicken” Nuggets.

My roommate has decided that recipe is her newest-favorite way to eat vegetables. On a recent trip to the grocery store, I found giant heads of cauliflower on sale for $1.99 each, so I turned them all into cauliflower “chicken” nuggets yesterday, and we couldn’t stop eating them!

Yes, veggies can definitely be addictive.

barbecue cauliflower

In a big, red bowl…

It’s like KFC, only better!

And now, for your viewing pleasure, photos of the other veggie lovers in my life:

heat dish

sleeping man

As it turns out, Batman was very well-named. At night he likes to burrow under the covers and sleep at the bottom of the bed. Like a bat in a dark cave… I don’t know how he can breathe!

Question of the Day:

Are there any veggies you could eat all day long?

Roasted sweet potatoes? Raw carrot sticks? Or maybe you’re even addicted to salad? Did you know there exists a surefire way to make any vegetables addictive?

Completely cover them in Crazy-Good Ranch Dressing.

I challenge any veggie-hater to just try and resist a plate of caramelized, roasted veggies covered in that addictive ranch dressing. Just try.

Tomorrow: cookies!!

Published on February 19, 2012

Meet Katie

Chocolate Covered Katie is one of the top 25 food websites in America, and Katie has been featured on The Today Show, CNN, Fox, The Huffington Post, and ABC's 5 O'clock News. Her favorite food is chocolate, and she believes in eating dessert every single day.

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122 Comments

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    • Rande McDaniel @ The Vegetable Centric Kitchen says

      Agree! But I’ll go through at least that many in a day 😉 Oh how my juicer loves the carrots.

    • Kara says

      Have you ever turned orange from eating that many carrots? I am in love with them too, except I ODed on them a few months ago. I had been eating my favorite squash soup (lots of beta carotene) and lots of carrots for snack (even more beta carotene) and i literally turned an orangey yellow color. It was mostly on my palms and soles, but it was definitely noticeable. I guess the saying is true “You are what you eat!” If you want to see a picture check out my blog. 🙂

      • maausi says

        Two years ago in winter I was orange all over for a few months, my skin literally had an orange tint to it. I guess eating too much kabocha/buttercup/red kuri squash plus carrots is just beta carotene overload. It went away when I stopped eating tons of carrots and squash in the spring/summer. 😀
        But every winter, my palms get the orange tint again – I just love squash so much.

  1. Esther says

    I’ve been craving leafy greens – any leafy greens for weeks now. I can’t stop eating them. In any preparation.

    I suppose this is not a bad problem to have…. 🙂

  2. alex says

    Brussels sprouts! Especially roasted with coconut oil and cinnamon the way you posted about before 🙂 delish when fresh and maybe even better cold from the fridge the next day.

  3. Jamie @ Don't Forget the Cinnamon says

    Roasted green beans, roasted asparagus, and roasted carrots I could eat all day long 🙂 Whenever I make those items I’ll carefully tuck away the leftovers after I serve myself but before I start eating my dinner so I’m not tempted to go back for seconds/thirds/fourths and give myself a stomach ache!

  4. Erin says

    I absolutely love salad. I went to a summer program at a college where they had this really awesome salad bar with like, the greatest assortment of veggies ever. I was there for three weeks and got an awesome salad literally everyday for lunch (except one day in which I got soup, and deeply regretted the loss of a meal I could have had salad). That college (Penn) is my first choice now… partially because of the salads.

    • Laura says

      I go to Penn! (I assume you are referring to UPenn). The salad bars are pretty awesome. Let me know if you have any questions!

  5. Crafty lil vegan says

    I am absolutely addicted to salad! I can, and often do, eat it at every meal! Lettuc wrap for breakfast.. bowl of salad for lunch, and salad with my dinner! I even ave salad on my soup.. I can easily go through a large iceberg in 2 days, and I love spinach and rocket (arugula). I love my veggies just slightly cooked so they still have their crunch, or raw, and covered in homemade spicy sauce amd toasted seeds – Yum!

  6. Q says

    I really wish you would stop redirecting us to old recipes and tons of compilations. If anything, at least copy over the recipe. It looks tacky and it would be much better if you posted new recipes for us less frequently than spawning the same stuff over and over again.

    • Chocolate-Covered Katie says

      Q,
      I work very hard on my blog posts each day. Sometimes I like to highlight an old recipe so it doesn’t go forgotten forever… because I work so hard on my posts. But I take new photos and am blogging about my day. I really don’t see how that is tacky. I also don’t see how it’s so complicated to click on one link. It’s not like I’m directing you to three different places to get a recipe; posting it over again would be redundant.

      • Emma says

        As a new reader, I really appreciate when you blog about older recipes, because I probably never saw them originally!
        Plus, I always jump at the chance to see new photos :). You take the best photos!
        (Ignore the troll. She’s probably just some immature 14 year old!)

      • Leslie says

        I agree with Emma. Unless this person is paying you (and I don’t think she is), who is she to criticize what you post? It’s your blog!

        Also, I missed this recipe the first time around, and I’m so happy to see it now. You’ve just inspired my dinner! My three kiddos thank you, too :).

      • Trish says

        Q, sweetheart…you obviously need a hug or something. Perhaps a glass of wine or a shot of patron, that may help calm your nerves? Or maybe one of CCK’s desserts? They make ME smile, don’t know about you. Yes, you are allowed to have your own opinion, but this isn’t a political debate blog or anything controversial where you see commenters going back and forth, bashing each other. This blog is filled with a tremendous amount of love and light-heartedness from the author, so you might want to rethink your ‘tone’ or at least contact Katie privately and address this ‘matter’ that you think is so annoying. But I think it’s safe to say you’ll be outnumbered, and usually majority rules. And Q, I would ask if you have your browser set up so that that the links open up posts in new tabs? This is how I have mine set up, so I am definitely not going from post to another if I am clicking on a link in the middle of posting that is highlighting an older recipe.

        I think her blogging style is anything BUT tacky. In fact, I was just thinking yesterday that as my own blogs grows, I’m going to take some tips from CCK and also link over to old recipes and posts. This helps introduce your newer readers, like me, to older things that have been done that we might not otherwise take the the time to go back and search for or even things that faithful followers may have skipped over. I’m grateful she’s done it this way because I’ve been able to compare things and take notes and print out lots of stuff to try.

        This reminds me of a review that was left on Amazon. I can’t remember her name, but the lady who was named PETA’s sexiest vegan over 50, the lady who is like 70 something and looks amazing, has a vegan cookbook, and some girl said liked the recipes but hated the fact that the author wrote things like her stance against animal cruelty and included her own politics and went on to brag how she even just purchased a new fur coat (okay, whatever…I think she was young and looking to gain attention or start a cyber-fight, but anyway…). Now although I would never in a million years support PETA (because I think it’s tacky how they attack celebrities who eat meat and wear fur—that’s their business, even if we do not agree with it—and PETA themselves have been under fire in recent years for what they are really doing behind the scenes when their own shelters become overcrowded), I left a comment and reminded the reviewer that this lady wrote that book, therefore she can put in it whatever she pleases. It’s HER book. (And I’ll clarify by saying I support numerous other animal rescue groups and have volunteered with local ones here in my own city–I just won’t support PETA, and no disrespect to anyone who does…it’s just that I’ve done my research and learned things that didn’t sit well with me…) Let me get off my scolding box and just end by saying I really appreciate this blog, I appreciate Katie and all the effort she’s put into creating this blog and testing these recipes for us. It has really been a blessing for me. I deal with a thyroid auto-immune disease that was under control for a long time but has recently flared up, and it’s not been easy giving up desserts, although I do make them healthier than most when baking for myself, and the lower-sugar and lower-fat options have really helped me to not feel deprived.
        –Trish xoxoxo

      • Paula's Plate says

        I disagree Q, I think Katie’s occasional re-posting is great; it either introduces me to delicious recipes that I had not yet stumbled across, or it reminds me of tasty treats that I had forgotten about and am inspired to make again. I think it’s awesome Katie, keep it up!

    • anonymous says

      what a b*tch! sorry, just had to say it. CCK obviously puts a lot of thought and effort into her blog, writing posts, taking photos, making recipes, and answering stupid comments from people like you! if all that’s not good enough for you (who’s not paying her a single cent to take anvantage of her hard work), why don’t you stop reading and go start your own blog and see if you can do any better. i guarantee you can’t.

    • Rebecca says

      Although Q might have went about it in the wrong way, she was most likely just trying to state her opinion/preference. CCK often asks for readers’ input at the end of her posts.

      Again, Q’s opinion could have *definitely* written more politely, but let’s give him/her the benefit of the doubt instead of attacking her right back.

  7. Yellow Haired Girl says

    Definitely roasted sweet potatoes. I’d cross the Sahara for a bowl. And I’m OBSESSED with the cold leftovers…I’ll just pluck them out of the bowl, no problem, which can lead to …. an empty bowl.

  8. Guest says

    I was going to ask if that was hot sauce in the photo, but then I saw that you said it was bbq. Just wondering, have you tried it with hot sauce? Oh my gosh, it’s pure heaven. I dry roast the little nibs until they’re nice and golden (okay, a little darker than that. I can’t help it, I like the char lol), place them in a bowl pour hot sauce on them. Then I just put a lid/plate over the bowl and shake to coat. I could eat that all day!

    ..well, I would it cauliflower didn’t leave me so, um.. gassy hahaha.

      • Guest says

        My favorite brand (well, the only brand I’ve ever tried – I’m only a recent hot sauce convert myself) is Tapatio Hot Sauce. I’m not 100% sure if it’s vegan, but looking at the ingredients “water, red peppers, salt, spices, garlic, acetic acid, xanthan gum, sodium benzoate” I wouldn’t see why not.

        I love it with everything; veggies, in soup, on bread (as part of a wrap or just a plain topping haha).

        • Amy says

          OHMYGOSH (sorry, reading through an old post and this caught my eye)! My husband does not like anything with a vinegar taste . . .except Balsamic, yes he’s weird, but LOVES Tapatio Hot Sauce. He also mixes it with Ketcup, yes NOT healthy kind, and eats it on . . .well, this is a vegan site, so you know what I mean! I love it on eggs in the morning. We aren’t vegan, but LOVE CCK recipes 🙂

  9. Emilia says

    I completely agree that vegetables can be addictive! Especially when cooked correctly (coconut milk braised greens, anyone? yum!). Recently my favorite veggies have been spinach and sweet potatoes. Microwaved mashed sweet potatoes may be my new favorite food (topped with a little almond butter, obviously). 🙂

  10. Trish says

    Haha, I just left a comment yesterday on your cauliflower post on how they were like a treat for me at dinnertime! I don’t believe that frying a veggie is what makes them addictive, although with SOME veggies it certainly is the way to go–I only say this really about squash and zucchini because I LOVE to coat them in an egg wash and then dip them in a gluten free flour/cornmeal mixture and then fry in a pan with a little olive oil…we don’t do it often because my body can’t tolerate a lot of fat, but once a month or so… Anyhow, I say that roasting is what makes nearly any veggie addictive because it draws out the natural sugars, and who can resist the crunchy dark edges that roasting gives us! My favorites to roast? Cauliflower, red skinned potatoes, broccoli, and cabbage! I always par-boil or lightly steam the veggies first them toss them around in olive oil, salt and pepper, and then either some tandoori masala seasoning with a pinch of sugar or just some simply granulated garlic powder. Last winter (the REAL winter we had, not this fake winter, completely absent of any snow and filled with 60 and even 70 degree days–I’m not complaining actually, but definitely global warming!) I think I survived off huge bowls of brown rice topped with roasted veggies, and then a side of my from-scratch ranch dressing. (Going to have to give yours a try as mine is mostly dairy and trying to cut that out of my eating…) Sometimes I like to just rip the leaves off the cabbage head, without even steaming first, and then just toss on a baking sheet until the edges get super crispy. It’s really, really good! Not a big fan of kale, but I like that crisped up in the oven as well.

  11. Becca R. says

    Ohh Katie it’s so funny you ask that question. I am forcing myself NOT to eat carrots for a little while. I’ve been eating so many that MY HANDS ARE ORANGE. My roomie thought it was from a self-tanner or something. Nope. Just carotene. So I just have a bag of baby carrots sitting in the fridge. My puppy likes them, though, so he gets to eat them.

    • Lauren says

      Yes! This! Me too. I know it’s not unhealthy, and the orange goes away, but it LOOKS weird! I don’t want to look yellow, and so I have to ration all the pumpkin/carrots/sweet potatoes I eat. Wah!

  12. Candice says

    Not a single veggie per-se, but I am addicted to the combination of mushrooms, tomatoes, and spinach! Seriously, every day I have a craving for this combination! Topped with a little crumbled feta and I almost explode!!

  13. Sarah the official CCK drooler says

    Hey Katie! We tried your truffle pie the other night (with almonds) and it was super good! MAde a few adjustments though cuz the first time, it had a REALLY bad aftertaste. I added some honey which helped a bit. Added almond milk, and that made a huge difference! No one would believe that it’s raw! Thanks for a good starting point-came up with a recipe that works for me 🙂 Have a great day
    p.s.- crust was sooooo good

  14. Char @ www.charskitchen.ca says

    haha, I love stirfrying cauliflower in a bit of coconut oil until crispy, then dousing them in sea salt. It’s like eating french fries! I also eat way too many freakin steamed brussels sprouts for my own good. Usually plain, but I also love covering them in ketchup, sea salt, and Frank’s Red Hot 😀

  15. Just Imogene says

    I think I could eat watermelon radishes all day! They are full of wonderfully crispy sweet goodness and they are probably the most gorgeous vegetable I’ve ever seen! It’s a shame they aren’t more well known or widely available in North America. I’m about to start growing my own. 🙂

  16. Paula's Plate says

    Hey Katie, these look great… I LOVE cauliflower! I cannot get the actual recipe link to open, however. Is it listed anywhere else? I can’t wait to try them, thanks!!

  17. Samantha says

    I am a really good veggie eater. In fact it would be easier to say the veggie I avoid = eggplant. Strange huh?

    I am one of those big salad people that packs them with whatever veggies I have around.

    And thank you for the cute photos of your sweet dogs! Loved them. 🙂

  18. J3nn (Jenn's Menu and Lifestyle Blog) says

    I think I could eat most veggies all day long! Roasted anything is SO GOOD, especially Brussels, but I love, love, love daikon radish lately. I chop it up in matchsticks, toss it with EVOO + vinegar + salt + pepper; I have a hard time not eating all of it in one day and the root is the size of an arm, haha.

  19. Marty says

    Roasted anything are my favorite! Brussel sprouts, eggplant, any squash…just drizzle olive oil and rosemary, oh and toss in a bit of red onion, and I can’t resist!

  20. Colleen @ Jimmy Choos on the Treadmill says

    I’ll crave vegetables at times, but I definitely don’t find any veggies particularly addicting. Cookies are a whole different story!

  21. Averie @ Love Veggies and Yoga says

    Sugar snap peas are addictively good and perfectly crunchy…love those things. Actually when I’m in the right mood, anything from broccoli to brussels sprouts, just lightly steamed, can hit the spot in a perfect way. Or when roasted just right, so good!

  22. MBrando says

    MMMM, that kind of reading and pictures make one really, really hungry. And i was just about ready for sleep. Now, i just can’t get that delicious cauliflower out of my head :> grrrrr. You bad bad person. I just know what my dreams are gonna be about.
    Just can’t wait to wake up, and start my breakfast :>>>>>>>>>>

  23. Lisa says

    steamed (very steamed/soft) broccoli with butter and garlic! omg, I could eat ALL DAY.
    and. um. mashed potatoes….but I count that more as a carb 😉

  24. Gary says

    Two favorites. Cauliflower tossed in garlic infused olive oil, corn meal and S&P and roasted. Also roasted brussell sprouts with olive oil, S&P and balsamic vinegar.

  25. Sally @ sally's baking addiction says

    Katie- i LOVE it when you post back to older recipes. i didn’t visit your blog when these were originally posted, so i appreciate you linking back to them!! i love veggies and i’ve never actually roasted cauliflower before! i loooove sweet potatos and carrots. sometimes i think they turn my skin orange b/c i eat so much of them haha!

  26. barbara says

    funny you posted this because i just started a roasted cauliflour obsession! my fav is mixed w olive oil, tumeric, chili powder, and garlic powder. i also love roasted butternut squash and baked sweet potatoes. i eat all of these for dinner just about weekly. any chocolate veggie recipes from you??

  27. Crystal says

    I love, Love, LOVE roasted sweet potatoes. I roast them at 350 for about 1 1/2 to 2 hours (until they caramelize) then add a spot of butter, pecans, and pumpkin pie spice. It’s like eating pie, but so much better for you. Oh, yeah!

  28. vogelstar says

    We seem to love cruciferous vegetables in this house. Sometimes a giant bowl of steamed broccoli with soy sauce is all I need.

  29. jenn a. says

    1) I had never seen this recipe before and thought it was new at first, and didn’t understand where the recipe was til I saw the link (which was SO obnoxious to click by the way, jk)
    2) I always want to see new recipes and check back religiously, and I’ll admit I’m sad when I don’t see one, but not in a “OMG YER DOIN’ YER BLOG WRONG” way, I just really want to know wtf you’ve conjured up next…
    3) It upsets me that someone who obviously reads your blog so frequently (Q….also, way to hide behind one letter for your rant, btw) would be so rude in a comment to you. Obviously s/he knows the majority of these recipes so must follow you fairly frequently and I think THAT is quite rude and uh, tacky….

    keep it up, and I will have to try this…..

    pleaaaaase give me some healthy new recipes to satisfy my fatty cravings though, with food that won’t continue to make me fat.

    <3 you chocolate covered katie, share your blog with everyone I meet.

    • Chocolate-Covered Katie says

      Thank you so much, Jenn. I do try to post new recipes as often as I can… but I will only post the ones I think are worthy of posting. I’d rather do a few new recipe posts per week that I really, truly believe are awesome than one mediocre one every single day, just to get a recipe up. You all are worth better than that!

      • jenn a. says

        tooootally understand, I didn’t mean to sound bossy, hah, I just think you are incredibly creative, you’ve turned me onto coconut milk and baked oatmeal and I can’t wait to see what else you have to offer.

        also, feel free to email me any recipes you think are duds, because I bet they’re delicous 😛

  30. jenn a. says

    not in a demanding way, I also haven’t tried half of what you have, and I need to, like I said before, I just love to see what’s next… 🙂

  31. VanessaG says

    I love veggies!!! One if my favorite ways I had them was on new yrs. I don’t eat meat so we always have some appetizers I love to go along with the meaty ones. We took broccoli, cauliflower, mushrooms and put pancko breadcrumbs on them and naked them. It was amazing and so simple. My favorite veggie is hard to pick, but it would be the sweet potato. 🙂 broccoli is a close second.

  32. Christine says

    Okay, I am going to try this. I have LOVED everything I have made of yours so far. I am not a veggie lover, which has always been a problem. I can eat about any veg in a soup or stew, but otherwise, not so much.
    But I am going to try them! 🙂 I would love to find a new veggie to love.

  33. Clare @ SweetnSimple says

    I could eat sweet potato ALL day, actually pretty sure i could eat any roasted veggie, all day – carrots and pumpkin are a favourite too!

  34. BroccoliHut says

    I know this comes as a shock, but I really love me some broccoli! I also could eat unlimited amounts of carrots, mushrooms, and zucchini.

  35. Jade C says

    Wow these look GOOD!! I’ve been meaning to try them for a while, actually. Just haven’t gotten round to using up all the veg I have here before I get any more – yeah, there’s that much :S – not that I mind one bit 🙂 !! Ohh, I will definitely put cauliflower at the top of my next shopping list!!

    As for other addictive veggies, I’m a sweet potato girl!! Sprinkle on lots of spices and just wait for that caramel-ly smell to waft from the oven .. then dig in – and I may or may not have done this ALL DAY…. 😉 .

  36. LJ Briar says

    I could eat sliced cucumber sprinkled with salt all the time. Or baked potatoes (with olive oil or butter, I’m not picky). Or tomatoes swished around in a bit of olive oil and sprinkled with salt. Actually, I’d probably just eat salt. Yeah, I’ll be dead of heart disease when I’m forty.

  37. Sarah says

    I think pretty much any veggie in roasted form is addictive for me. I am a particular fan of the roasted versions of green beans, brussel sprouts, and cauliflower.

  38. Sarahe says

    I always tend to eat Way way too many veggies… and trust me, you can over-load…lol My favorites would depend on my mood but most since most of my ‘diet’ consists of them I’m constantly trying new ways to savor them all… right now… cherry tomatoes… heated for about 20 seconds and the juices burst in your mouth… soo delicious! 🙂
    Addictive? your bean pie… lol and because I tend to like to tinker with recipes, I have used a sweetener and cut the sweet part in half, with less chocolate chips simply because I have layered the cooked filling in between sugar-free low fat, non cook chocolate macaroon layers and let me tell you… does a number on my PMS cravings hahahaha
    Keep the recipes coming! Love them all! 🙂

  39. Breenah says

    I can eat just about any veggie all the time. I just don’t like raw onions. My favorite are grape tomatoes though. I go through a whole pack in one sitting.

  40. RC @ Just Add Cayenne says

    I love carrots, all salad greens, mushrooms, and Brussels sprouts! I peel and dice the carrots and put in a big container in the freezer to use them as a crunchy “cereal”. Sounds crazy to some people, but I do the same with apples and will mix dry roasted nuts (pistachios are amazing) with cinnamon, nutmeg, some stevia, and any type of milk or Greek yogurt.

    I just love eating with a spoon, and this is a healthy way to do it! I also enjoy just microwave steaming Brussels sprouts and eating them like popcorn. Pretty sure I’ll be making roasted cauliflower now…

  41. GiGi Eats Celebrities says

    I could eat and eat and eat butternut squash and spaghetti squash ALL DAY LONG!!!!!! It’s so hard for me to stop, yikes… I have some spaghetti squash in the oven and I just want to eat it all up right now! LOL but I MUST RESTRAIN!

  42. Katie Martin says

    I like vegetables, but I don’t think there are any that I am really addicted to or could eat a lot of every day. I probably like broccoli or salad the best, followed closely by spinach and carrots. Basically I just combine all of those ingredients to make a big salad, along with some garbanzo beans and a little bit of Italian cheese- it is so good! I want to start LOVING vegetables like many of you do, but it just hasn’t hit me yet. Hopefully my palette grows more as I continue to age and I start liking vegetables more. I’m a much bigger fruit lover for sure.
    What is your favorite vegetable?

  43. Sarah says

    My best friend and I just asked one another this question! My answer(s): Grilled peppers & onions, sauteed broccoli rabe & garlic, or stir-fried broccoli

  44. Ally says

    I’m sorry to say, Katie, but i’m going to challenge you on the caramelized vegetables with ranch dressing 🙂 I hate ranch dressing and its flavor. Have you tried baked cauliflowers with some oil, salt, and pepper. It’ so good, but simple- I just eat it out of the pan.

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