| I have been preparing my own meals for many | | | | flavors - use less basil to lessen its pungent flavor, |
| years. Like most people, I suppose, I would fix | | | | use more carrot to boost its flavor and texture. |
| only familiar dishes.That has changed. For health | | | | Other salad ingredients can be nuts, peanuts, |
| benefits, I began eating more fruits and | | | | coconut, cereal, baked beans, and fruit. Some |
| vegetables. Trying unfamiliar vegetables and fruits | | | | ingredients I like are raw beets, raw potato and |
| made eating interesting and more enjoyable. Many | | | | raw sweet potato.Watch out for raw greens and |
| of those new fruits and vegetables became | | | | other raw vegetables that cause digestion system |
| favorites. I tried many other foods that were | | | | upset. It only takes small amounts of some raw |
| new to me, for example, whole grains, various | | | | vegetables to cause a lot of discomfort. Use small |
| types of beans, seeds and nuts. Many of those | | | | quantities of an untested food to begin with until |
| became favorites. Using unfamiliar ways of | | | | you know how well your body deals with it. The |
| preparing food also made eating more of an | | | | body will adapt to some foods over a period of |
| adventure. A few of my favorites are pesto | | | | weeks or months but results vary from food to |
| (pureed greens and oil), raw foods that are | | | | food and, I suppose, from individual to individual. |
| normally eaten cooked, and unusual combinations | | | | Some raw foods I avoid because of previous bad |
| such as bread with peanut butter, covered with | | | | experiences are green beans, asparagus, and beet |
| pizza sauce.The circumstances of my life | | | | leafs. I don't eat more than a tablespoon of raw |
| encouraged more changes. Making do with a small | | | | parsley pesto in a day. The same for kale. I don't |
| amount of money gave me a liking for oatmeal, | | | | eat more than the equivalent of 1/4-cup pesto of |
| beans, and other very low-cost foods. Growing up | | | | raw Chinese cabbage.To develop a liking for a |
| on a farm and having a garden each year | | | | new food, eat it at the beginning of a meal when |
| provided new fruits and vegetables to try and | | | | you are most hungry. Being hungry greatly |
| enjoy. Having been raised to 'waste not, want | | | | improves the ability to appreciate the taste of a |
| not', helped me not to pass up unusual foods: gifts | | | | food. Eat only a small amount of the new food at |
| such as my sister's 'beans 'n' greens', the landlord's | | | | each sitting. For some foods, a tiny bite, just |
| parogies, and my son's homemade deer jerky. | | | | enough to sense its flavor, is enough to handle at |
| The point is: The changes in my diet gave me | | | | first. Don't give up easily on a food that at first |
| more foods to enjoy. I now know that I can like | | | | seems too strange to be enjoyed. Some foods |
| a great many unfamiliar foods. At first some of | | | | will require dozens of 'get acquainted' trials.Other |
| those foods may not be enjoyed because they | | | | strategies for liking new foods:- Read about |
| are so different and are unrecognized as a | | | | nutrition and health to know the benefits of a |
| 'goody'. For me, that recognition is typically made | | | | changed diet.- Be aware of how much time you |
| gradually by many small trials. Once that | | | | spend shopping for food and other food related |
| recognition is made, the food 'hits the spot' and | | | | tasks. Would you rather have some of that time |
| can be nutritious, healthy and convenient. Then I | | | | available for other things? Non-traditional foods |
| have yet another food to enjoy.The process of | | | | can use preparation methods that take less time.- |
| trying new foods and having them become | | | | Make a choice about the money you spend for |
| enjoyed fare, makes eating an adventure. Eating | | | | food. Atypical foods may be less expensive than |
| becomes more nteresting and more enjoyed. | | | | traditional and popular food. Getting the most bang |
| Meals become more than a time to enjoy what I | | | | for the buck can add to the pleasure of eating.- |
| have enjoyed before. Awareness is heightened by | | | | Make a decision to increase the pleasure in your |
| experiencing the unfamiliar. There is anticipation of | | | | life. Your success in developing a fondness for a |
| discovery of a new enjoyment. Meals become | | | | new food, will encourage you to try other kinds |
| pay-off times of previous experimentation | | | | of new pleasures.Have reasons in mind to try |
| efforts. The food is more appreciated for having | | | | unusual foods:- to be able to enjoy healthy foods.- |
| creative effort invested in it. Perhaps I have | | | | to enjoy low-prep-time foods.- to use what you |
| gained a health benefit, saved some prep time, | | | | can grow in your garden.- for the satisfaction of |
| saved money that can be used for some other | | | | acquiring new pleasures.- to increase your |
| purpose, and have added to my repertoire of | | | | enjoyment of eating.Know why liking new foods is |
| pleasure.A cookbook might help you get ideas | | | | difficult. This is the know-your-enemy principle. It |
| about what new foods to try. A cookbook about | | | | seems to help me. People have an instinctive |
| a particular ethnic food or some other unfamiliar | | | | protection against eating toxic foods. Nature has |
| category of food would be particularly helpful. Buy | | | | provided you with a mistrust for new, unfamiliar |
| one or get one from the library. Some ethnic | | | | food. If the food is enough different from what |
| categories are Middle Eastern, Southeast Asian, | | | | you are used to, it will not be immediately liked. |
| African, soul food, Southern, and Mexican. Other | | | | This is a necessary instinct that keeps you from |
| categories are health food, | | | | poisoning yourself by eating the wrong |
| quick and easy recipes, weight loss diets, | | | | mushroom, for example. Evolution along with |
| vegetarian recipes, and using food from the | | | | chemistry eliminated the gulp-down-anything |
| garden. You might even enjoy some obscure | | | | individuals from our gene pool. The little-by-little |
| categories such as pioneer food, early American | | | | taste-developers survived.If it's the sugar, salt and |
| Native American food, wild food, early European | | | | spices you depend upon to enjoy food, other |
| food, food from storage, and low cost food. I | | | | flavors will go unappreciated. To help your |
| particularly like quick and easy cookbooks.If you | | | | fondness for new foods come easier, ease up on |
| need help becoming comfortable with trying new | | | | spices, salt, and sugar. That encourages your |
| foods, try small changes:- Eat breakfast foods at | | | | taste to appreciate a greater variety of flavors. |
| lunch or supper. | | | | You then can more appreciate the sweetness of |
| Or try a vegetable at breakfast. If you normally | | | | cherry tomatoes, the sweetness of raw pumpkin, |
| have a sandwich at bedtime, have a salad | | | | and the sweetness of sweet potatoes, for |
| instead.- Try different brands from the ones you | | | | example. You can enjoy the mild flavor of raw |
| normally use.- Leave out one or more ingredients | | | | chestnuts, the richness of nuts, and the subtle |
| from your standard recipes. Or change the | | | | starchiness of cereal grains. Your palate will be |
| proportions - a little more of this or a little less of | | | | more adept at experiencing the pleasures of |
| that.- Substitute a similar ingredient for a usual | | | | subtle flavors. A great many foods that |
| ingredient, for instance, orange juice concentrate | | | | previously seemed mostly tasteless, can then be |
| or lemon juice instead of vinegar on a salad.- It | | | | enjoyed for their unique flavors.Your enjoyment |
| may help to eat smaller portions but include a | | | | of stronger tasting food will be helped by reducing |
| greater number of foods at each meal. | | | | sugar and salt use. You will be switching from |
| That may help you develop a liking for variety.- | | | | depending on saltiness and sweetness to getting |
| Try unusual combinations such as cooked chicken | | | | pleasure from other flavors.Finding new foods:- |
| and raw fruit cut in small pieces and mixed | | | | Browse at a health food store, a farmers market |
| together...or pizza sauce on a peanut butter | | | | or an ethnic food festival.- Take the time to look |
| open-face sandwich...or a teaspoon of honey or | | | | at all the items at a local supermarket.- Browse at |
| pancake syrup on a dark green, leafy salad.Salads | | | | local ethnic food markets: Middle Eastern or |
| are great to experiment with. Many vegetables | | | | Greek, for example.- Try raw foods and whole |
| can be enjoyed in a salad. Try various amounts | | | | grains.- Use native plants and foraged plants. |
| and combinations of carrot, tomato, cabbage, | | | | Know what you are doing, there are poisonous |
| broccoli, bell pepper, cucumber, or other | | | | plants that resemble edible ones. A few plants are |
| vegetables you enjoy. Use other types of greens: | | | | toxic even when eaten in small quantities.- Do |
| romaine lettuce, bibb lettuce, collards, mache and | | | | your own cooking and gardening, if you have the |
| basil. Dressing can be just oil, pesto, syrup, | | | | time and space.A few unusual recipes can be |
| tomato sauce, ketchup, fruit juices, | | | | found at |
| mayonnaise, peanut butter softened with oil, and | | | | recipes unusual recipes.htmAlan Detwiler started |
| even jam or jelly. | | | | the web site Leisureideas. Visitors to the site are |
| Dressing can be used to soften the strong flavor | | | | encouraged to use imagination and whatever |
| of raw cabbage, basil, or dark green lettuce.The | | | | happens to be available to discover new ways to |
| subtle flavors of many vegetables are easily | | | | enjoy themselves.Alan writes books on how to |
| hidden with anything more than tiny amounts of | | | | pursue playfulness and a sense of wonder. His |
| vinegar, lemon juice and tomato sauce. Try a | | | | books are available in digital format and can be |
| salad without any dressing to enjoy the full flavor | | | | purchased and downloaded on the eBookMall web |
| of the vegetables. The vegetables can be | | | | site. Go to Then do a search for Detwiler. |
| proportioned to subdue or enhance particular | | | | |