How To Make Healthy Foods Palatable

Beets
Remember all those photos you've seen of hundred-year-old Russian men and women? Some credit the more than 80 nutrients packed into beets as one of the keys to their longevity. Beets are also bursting withfolic acid, which every woman knows is essential for a healthy pregnancy. What turns people off of beets? Most say it's the texture, having only tasted the canned or pickled variety. When roasted fresh, like their root vegetable cousins, you'll find that beets have a similar consistency to the potato. And who doesn't like potatoes?

Tofu
If you keep up with health news, you know that soy products like tofu are important to your health, and that goes double for women. Tofu has been shown to even help combat the symptoms of menopause. If you're one of the many who has been turned off by the white, rubbery squares in a mediocre stir fry, you might want to give tofu a second look. One of the upsides of tofu is that it absorbs the flavor of anything it's prepared with. If those wobbly cubes turn you off, change them completely by transforming them with your blender. Look for the silken rather than the firm variety, toss it in the blender with your favorite fresh fruit, and enjoy a creamy smoothie.

Garlic

There seems to be no middle ground with garlic; people either love it or hate it. If you fall on the side of the naysayers, but you'd like to reap the cardiovascular benefits, try cooking your garlic in a way that considerably lessens the strong taste. Roasting the whole bulb at a high temperature has a creamy-textured result that tastes almost sweet, but retains most of the nutritional value. Slice off the top of a fresh head of garlic horizontally, exposing the inside. Wrap in foil and bake at 400 degrees for about half an hour, until soft. You can squeeze each bulb directly onto crusty bread, or add the roasted garlic to soups, stews, or sauces.