Sneaky veggies for picky carnivores

Babies go through picky eating in their cute, helpless growing ages. It's how they first tell their mothers about the lack of variety in their palates. When this fuss does not grow out in adulthood, it can mean constant compromises with their more gastronomically adventurous peers or significant others.

Many adults who hold onto their childhood dislikes enlist vegetables at the top of their no-no list. Irrespective of how many loathe them, vegetables are a dietary necessity and one way of striking a balance between veggies and meat is by sneaking greens in a carnivorous dish, of course with consent.

Savouries like samosas and shingaras are hard to resist. Add bits of peas and carrots to the regular beef or chicken keema samosas for a pleasant surprise. Cheese samosas are also a delight, and can definitely be a coveted snack.

Speaking of cheese, there are a few irresistible dishes: mac and cheese is soul-food for anyone including picky eaters. Add vegetable broth to the cheese sauce and guaranteed, it will go unnoticed even by the most sensitive taste buds. You can also try this with fried noodles — boil noodles in a light vegetable broth, and the rest can be meat toppings.

In the name of chicken fried rice, you can add broccoli and cauliflower to a level where it will camouflage with the rice and leave a picky eater wondering why it tastes divine.

On the breakfast table, frittatas and the Spanish omelettes are utter winners. To make frittatas more appealing, add a considerably visible amount of salami, or thin sliced sausages, and sneak in some spinach. You can also dice coloured peppers to add to this dish.

Imperative whether it has some mythical touch of a secret ingredient or just plain fried with some salt, French fries are an all-time favourite. If you cut carrots, eggplants, and even zucchinis the same way fries are cut, with the exact same crunchiness, and mix fun spices like basil and oregano with the salt, and put all picky eaters in awe.

Bottom-line, you cannot push foods that adult picky eaters do not like. Bring in a twist even if it is solely to improve their bowel movement!