jakorte's blog

Veggie Tales.

I love broccoli – well, I used to love broccoli.
Actually, I’m sick of broccoli. Really, I’ve just had enough. How did this happen?

I originally set out on a search for frozen vegetables that would taste like real ones. Michigan winters are long, and “fresh” winter produce tends to taste like grey shadows of the real summertime deal.

Carrots didn’t work – didn’t like the weird grainy disintegrating texture.
Green beans didn’t work – didn’t appreciate the waxy squeaky sounds when chewing.
Corn – loved it, but the sugar content’s a bit high for a “healthy diet.”
Cauliflower – not in my vocabulary, so that nixed a lot of mixed veggie medleys.
Onions – way too smelly when defrosted from frozen.
Peppers – defrosted into unnaturally spongy browned muted colors.
Yams – ok, but frozen tubers melt down into mashed, no matter what the bag shows.
Squash –was a little bitter, but a little Splenda brown sugar works magic.
Broccoli was ok, pretty good in fact.

One can of pickled beets and four bags of steam-able frozen broccoli into the Weight Watchers at Work Program I became pointedly aware that I desperately needed a new sidekick. Broccoli wasn’t so palatable anymore. Then, the leader mentioned something about not eating the same things everyday lest your palate and metabolism become complacent. Oops.

I’d so been enjoying my diet regimen, thank you very much. It fit so nicely into my other established routines. But, it’s true that variety spices things up. And it’s true that routine is boring. I guess that’s why there’s so much fuss about wearing your watch on the opposite hand, driving a different route to and from work, rearranging your furniture, and now varying what you eat.

Ok, so I have a few frozen yellow options. Corn, Yams, Squash; maybe someday green broccoli will be re-included. Canned tomatoes, pickled cabbage, beets and beans suffice for the red spectrum, for now. I’ll continue to use the market’s over-marketed too brightly green peppers and celery until spring. I’ll suffer the almost tasteless onions, and buy expensive fresh spinach instead of watery lettuces.

I already know I’ll be way more thankful this year when farms stands start to pop open for business.
I think we should change Thanksgiving to spring time.
I think we should change Thanksgiving to monthly.
Come to think of it, I think we should change Thanksgiving to always.

In this issue: Healthy Foods You Thought Weren't, Wive's Tales, Carrot Tales, and VeggieTales.

Now posted: New Orleans, October 2009, Weekly Membership