Friday 7 June 2013

Challenge Your Tastebuds!

This week's challenge was an interesting one, to try new foods, and to re-try foods you previously filed under "blergh". Haha!

I have to say, I am the FUSSIEST eater.  I am getting better, but any member of my family will tell you "she doesn't like anything". Oops. I am getting better though. I have learnt that what I hated when I was younger, I might no neccessarily hate now, and that you can learn to love a lot of things (especially fruit and veggies!).

My past hates have included mushrooms and bananas. Used to flat out refuse to eat both of these... Now I absolutely love them! Especially bananas! (And especially when peanut butter is involved! hehe).

So trying new foods, and re-trying past dislikes is something I have consciously been trying to do not only since starting 12WBT, but also just in my personal quest to be a healthier, happier person.

Fish is one I am still working on.  This year I just decided I was going to learn to love (or at least tolerate) fish.  Fish is probably my biggest "hated" food.  For as long as I can remember I've never eaten fish. My mum always used to try and trick me into thinking we were having chicken for dinner, when actually it was fish! Sometimes this worked. Sometimes it didn't! But I want to broaden my "foodie" horizons, and I usually feel a little restricted when eating out anyway, so I thought fish was definitely something I should try to love.  When isn't there a healthy piece of grilled fish on the menu at a nice restaurant?!  I have learnt I like fish most when its paired with something acidic, like lemon juice, vinegar, tomatoes, even chillies. I've found I can also tolerate tuna (OMG!) from a can (OMGG!!) if its in one of these flavours (and the calories aren't too bad), on top of some vitawheat multigrain crackers. In fact, its becoming a snack I look forward to having! And its a great one because you don't need a fridge, can just chuck it in the car or handbag for food emergencies, and keep in your desk draw for "Sh*t I forgot my lunch" days.  If you told me a year ago I would like eating tuna I would have bet BIG money that you were wrong!

Quinoa is a new food I'm in love with after this week.  I hope everyone tried the Banana Quinoa Porridge for brekky one day! If you didn't, this is what you missed out on;

I am totally in LOVE with the brekky! Its super yummy and filling I thought! A little on the expensive side yes, especially if there's been a storm in Queensland making the banana price sky rocket, but I think its worth it. YUMMO.

I also revisited my hatred of bean shoots, mostly used in Asian cooking, I just don't really like their flavour. I had them in the Vietnamese Beef Soup (or Pho) for lunch today, and they weren't horrible, but I was definitely wishing they weren't there.  I will continue to make the effort in eating them every now and again though. Baked beans is another food I'm not particularly fond of, and always wish I was having tinned spaghetti instead, haha. But I tried it on the Avocado Toast for brekky this week, and whoa, that combo is a winner! Could definitely eat that again.  It might not make it into the rotation as much as the Quinoa (and the Berry Bruschetta, my current favourtite), but it has all the excellent components of a good breaky; good carbs, protein, good fats and fibre, win win win!


What did you challenge yourself to try this week? And new loves? And what will be staying off the menu?

Variety is the spice of life as they say ;)