How I Learned To Love Vegetables (For Real!)

​ ​ ​ Happy Friday! ​ So guys. It's no secret that when I first started the blog, I absolutely LOATHED vegetables. There are years and years of documentation of this on the site, and some days it still baffles me that I love them. Heck, occasionally I even crave them! Insane, I know. ​ ​ ​ ​ Preorder Your Copy of Everyday Dinners!! ​ In Everyday Dinners, I share my story about learning to love vegetables and how it basically changed my life. (You know, we're just a little dramatic over here... but it did!) If I can do it, you definitely can. While I first started to enjoy veggies before I had kids, once the kids came along, I knew I wanted to make sure that they had a lot of (delish) exposure to vegetables. As a child of the 90s, my mom made amazing dinners every night, with often the same veggies for sides (corn, peas, green beans) - without much variety. Variety is key for me so I don't get bored. I knew it was the secret to keeping me interested in vegetables. A few other ways I learned to love them? 1. I roast the heck out of them. In a good way, of course! You may remember the early days of the blog when I started roasting brussels sprouts and broccoli and falling in love with both. The charred, roasty flavor changed the game for me, and that maaaaybe included a sprinkle of parmesan too. Because of this, I include a few of my favorite roasted vegetable sides in Everyday Dinners. Recipes that really can go with any main dish. ​ ​ ​ 2. Pickling veggies became a gateway for me to enjoy them too! With just a few simple ingredients you can make an onion 1,000 times more versatile – a topping for salads, nachos (!!), burgers and much more. I have another pickled vegetable recipe in the book, and both are staples that I keep in my fridge. Pickled vegetables also add another flavor element to more substantial dishes - think salads! - and make me enjoy them more. They elevate the everyday dinner. ​ ​ ​ 3. Eating (and loving!) vegetables doesn't mean that you have to eat a plate of broccoli every day. While I sometimes get sucked into that all-or-nothing attitude, there are obviously so many other ways to get the good stuff in. By adding vegetables to foods that you love (soups! smoothies! curries! stir frys!), you're getting the nutrients and adding flavor, without making them the star of the show. Throw some heartier greens (like kale or swiss chard) in your favorite soup for texture (such as the Tuscan Tortellini Soup from my book, pictured above), puree squash for a indulgent sauce or use a crunchy veg (like endive!) to scoop up your favorite dip. ​ Have you always been a lover of vegetables?! Tell me, tell me! Hit reply and share your tips and tricks with me. P.S. you can preorder Everyday Dinners, here! It's almost time!! ​ ​ Thank you!​ ​ Jessica Merchant founder of How Sweet Eats​ ​ ​ ​ ​Unsubscribe | Update your profile | 113 Cherry St #92768, Seattle, WA, 98104-2205 ​ ​