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Most of our memories of vegetables are bland, blah, and ugh. At schools we were served pre-cut and pre-diced corn, carrots, and peas. There were no spices to give these large agriculturally farmed vegetables flavor or depth. It was no wonder that we ate the cheese burgers filled with chemicals, fake flavors, and sodium and threw away the vegetables. Some people still shiver at the thought of carrots and peas. I was the same way too, especially when I saw vegetables crinkle cut like this:

However, real carrots, straight from the farm, in heirloom varieties taste better than candy. And real, non-GMO corn is delicious plain or prepared with other vegetables and meats. A few weeks ago, my dad checked out a local produce stand where the back of the store was actually the farm. He came back and said to me, with a childish grin on his face, “I really liked the carrots. They tasted so good.”

Heirloom Carrots

Wash and peel the skin, rub olive oil, sprinkle salt, pepper and dried basil, bake for 15-20 minutes on 350 degrees. Enjoy as a snack or side dish.

So if you give vegetables a second (or third) chance, you may find that they are not that bad after all. Of course, try to pick up fresh, seasonal vegetables for maximum flavor and nutrition. Sprinkling spices and herbs will go a long way in your appreciation for vegetables.

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