Expanding the palate of a picky eater

We recently took in an 8 year old foster daughter. She is an extraordinarily picky eater. I don't know what she was like as a toddler, if she's always been this way, etc. All I know is that this is how she is currently. The good news is that she does enjoy a variety of fruits and vegetables. It seems her biggest issue is that she doesn't want to mix her foods, she wants to eat them plain. She wants a side of rice, a side of broccoli, and some chicken. She does NOT want a stir fry (same ingredients, just mixed together). She likes plain pasta with no sauce or toppings. She likes cheese slices and hamburgers but not cheeseburgers. You get the point. I think this is partially a control thing, and perhaps partially that she hasn't been exposed to enough flavors, and mixing her foods is too much for her to handle or creates a weird texture. I am not 100% sure why but those are my best guesses.Since she is new to our care I am trying to balance being accommodating with helping her expand her palate. On the one hand, given her background, I do think it is important that she feels like her opinions matter. I know some parents have a "this is what's for dinner, eat it or go hungry" attitude, but in my case I would prefer to allow her to feel like she has some level of control over what is going into her body and to feel like she has a voice that is being heard. I am not going to make foods she has already told me she dislikes, shrug, and say "too bad, eat it or go hungry."I am looking for ideas on how I can gradually, subtly, without her realizing it is happening, get her to expand her palate and willingness to try new things and new combinations of foods. Thanks for your help and advice! via /r/Parenting http://ift.tt/2naKeCN