A few ways to appreciate vegetables at Thanksgiving

I'm an anomaly; unlike most people, I love nearly all vegetables, if raw. I can't abide vegetables cooked in cream or cream of mushroom soup. I never developed an affinity for the obligatory Thanksgiving string bean casserole, even when topped with French's fried onions, or pearl onions drenched in cream. I tolerate brussels sprouts and cauliflower if fried, but then fried anything is ok with me. But, the aforementioned vegetables if served raw, yum. It took me awhile to figure out my aversion to cooked vegetables.

Yes, Dr. Freud, it started in my childhood.

The only fresh vegetable I remember my mother cooking was corn on the cob. Otherwise, it was canned string beans or peas or frozen bricks of spinach or broccoli.

I don't think I saw an eggplant, artichoke, zucchini or cauliflower until I was an adult. At one of my first jobs, I became friends with a girl from England. The only vegetables her family could afford to buy were fresh, they were cheaper because they required more work to prepare. You couldn't just dump a frozen green broccoli brick into water or open a can.

Cooking with her began my vegetable epiphany. I still prefer most vegetables raw, but I have grown to tolerate and sometimes enjoy fresh vegetables cooked if done simply. Thanksgiving is filled with rich, sumptuous, foods, and I don't think simply cooked vegetables have the panache to stand up to the glory of stuffing, turkey, and sweet potatoes. However, I believe that vegetables need to be invited to the party. Here are some suggestions, to include them with the gravitas they deserve.

Butternut Squash Soup-can be easily made as rich or as lean as you choose. I tend to go for the lean as I'm saving my calories for the wine and pumpkin pie. Here is how I make an easy, yet delicious soup.

Cut the squash in half vertically, scoop out the seeds.

Roast the squash with a little olive oil and salt & pepper.

While the squash is roasting, sauté chopped onion in a soup pot in oil, salt & pepper.

Deglaze the pot with a little white wine (or bourbon).

When the squash is nice and soft, with a few black char spots, scoop out of skin and add to the pot with the onions.

Add chicken stock.

Add one peeled and cut up yam.

Add pumpkin pie spices (cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg), more salt & pepper.

Cook until the yam is very soft, add more stock if needed.

Pour soup into a blender, and whip to a velvety texture. Reheat and adjust seasoning, before serving.

This soup will have the luxurious feel of a cream soup – it can be served just like this, or for a bit more elegance, I top with a teaspoon of non-fat Greek yogurt or roasted pumpkin seeds.

Roasted Tomatoes-I still have a box full of tomatoes ripening. I will cut them in half (horizontally), and place them in a buttered baking dish. I cover them with a mix of bread crumbs, chopped parsley, oregano (and other herbs that may still be in my garden), olive oil, salt & pepper (add garlic if you like), grated parmesan or other cheese. Then, put them under the broiler for about 5-10 minutes.

Tomato Zucchini Gratin-Cover the bottom of a shallow baking dish with a layer of sautéed onions then alternate slices of yellow, green zucchini and tomatoes on top, cover with grated cheese and bake at 350 for about 20 minutes. Any good melty cheese will do.

So, listen to mom: "Eat your vegetables!"