Determining which foods are ‘yucky’ and healthy is easy if you ask kids, but many adults feel the same way about asparagus, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, carrots and peas. Some fruits, such as lemons or limes end up on the yucky list because they’re tart, but they are easy to incorporate into juices and deserts. All of these foods are excellent sources of nutrients and fiber, but they also have strong flavors and sometimes their textures kick in a person’s gag reflex. No need to break out the nose-glasses, but you can disguise their appearance and flavor. Here are a few ways to cut back on the yucky factor and put more healthy fruits and veggies into your diet and enjoy them.

Cooked or raw: I love fresh spinach in a salad or on a sandwich, but can’t get it down with a battering ram if it’s cooked. The smell and texture do me in. My friend loves raw broccoli, but don’t try to serve her cooked broccoli! Often people feel this way about cabbage, carrots or even tomatoes. Take this into consideration. A bit of finely chopped raw carrots or broccoli added to cole slaw is a quick and easy way to add them to your diet if you prefer them raw. Actually, raw is better for you anyway.

Meatloaf: Place a celery stalk, carrot, onion and clove of garlic into your food processor (or blender) and make them into a mush, like baby food. Then mix them into your favorite meatloaf recipe and they will add moisture and flavor, but will be invisible.

Spaghetti Sauce: Shred or grate a couple of carrots and cook them into your tomato sauce. They make the sauce a little sweeter, so no need to add sugar (jars of prepared pasta sauce are full of sugar). You can also do this with a finely shopped onion or stalk of celery.

Soup: Make your own soup and add some extra veggies. When the veggies are cooked and soft, dip a cup or two from the soup and place them and a cup of the liquid into your blender. Blend until smooth. This will thicken your soup without the need for fattening butter and flour thickeners. This way you can add extra peas, carrots, celery, broccoli or any veggies and blend them so they’re not as ‘noticeable.’

I make cream of asparagus and cream of broccoli soup and put the vegetables into the blender after the soup is cooked. I save out a cup of the cooked asparagus or broccoli to add after the soup is all blended and creamy now that the kids are grown and I dont have to disguise veggies any more.

Some vegetables have a bad rap because they’ve been prepared improperly