DOES HEALTHY FOOD HAVE TO TASTE BAD?

Dear Jellybean,

I have a problem. I keep reading alot about how important it is to to get 7 servings of fruits and vegetables every day, but I don't get anywhere near that amount. I'm a really picky eater, and I actually don't like many of them. Is there some way that I can prepare them so that I get a different taste, and still get the nutrients? That probably sounds stupid, but I want to be healthy without gagging myself at every meal!
-Looking for a solution

Dear Looking,

What a great question! It's commendable that you want to eat healthfully, and get your full 7 servings of fruits and veggies a day. And you're in good company - lots of people (not just teens) gag at the thought of eating like a rabbit all day long. Thankfully, there are tons of sneaky ways to get your daily requirement of these body-friendly foods, without sacrificing taste.

First, get your folks on board. If your mom does most of the cooking for your family, ask her to help you out by throwing extra veggies into whatever dinner dish she's making. For instance, if she's making spaghetti sauce, she can toss in some chopped green peppers, onions, peas, carrots, mushrooms, garlic, fresh tomatoes and/or other veggies when heating store-bought sauce. If you truly hate the flavor of veggies, you can even cook them and puree them in a blender before adding them to the sauce. You won't taste them, but you'll get their nutrition!

Your mom can also toss some shredded carrots or broccoli into the mix when making hamburgers, sloppy joes, lasagne, mac and cheese, fried rice, tacoes, soups, or pizza. Just a small amount will blend right into a red sauce and boost the nutritional value of any dish.

In a beef stew, your mom can cut the amount of meat in half and double the vegetables. You'll still have that meaty taste, but with better nutrition (plus a lower fat and calorie content). Plus, it's cheaper!

Make shish-ke-bobs by skewering bite sized pieces of meat and vegetables on a stick. Drizzle on some of your favorite flavored sauce (barbeque, teriyaki, etc.) and grill for a yummy dinner. Serve on its own, or with your favorite rice.

Every veggie tastes better with cheddar! Melt some cheese over broccoli or cauliflower for a tasty side dish.

At lunchtime, slice vegetables thinly and layer them into your favorite meat or cheese sandwich. Top your grilled cheese with chopped up tomatoes, or layer on some store-bought pizza sauce and thinly sliced peppers, tomatoes and mushrooms for a DIY pizza sandwich. A peanut butter sandwich tastes even sweeter with thin slices of apple.

You can also make a sophisticated, healthy lunch with a Waldorf Salad (named for the hotel where Paris Hilton grew up). Just mix slices of apple, a handful or walnuts, some grapes, and a bunch of raisins. You will probably be surprised at how tasty and filling this is.

Get your veggies even when ordering takeout food. Do you dig sushi? Order up rolls that include veggies (California rolls are great, since they're packed with avocado). When you get pizza, order the veggie lovers, or at least add a few toppings (such as mushrooms, pineapple or green peppers) to your favorite pizza.

When snacking, skip the chips and dip. Instead, pair a low-fat Ranch or dip, like hummus, with baby carrots. Stuff celery stalks with cream cheese or peanut butter.

For weekend breakfasts, skip the fried eggs and scramble up some mushrooms and tomatoes with your eggies. Or try a nice vegetable omelet - you can always throw in tons of cheese too. Other yummy breakfast fare that includes healthy stuff is peanut butter toast with banana slices, cereal topped with peaches or berries, or a yogurt smoothie (blend a cup of plain yogurt with half a banana and and handful of strawberries - yum!). Mashed up bananas can be added to pancake batter for a yummy flavor, and tons of extra nutrients.

You can even sneak in the good stuff when you're eating dessert. Canned sliced peaches taste awesome over vanilla ice cream. And who doesn't like maraschino cherries on their chocolate sundae? ;)