I never cared much about nutrition until I had kids. Now I so want them to eat healthy and enjoy it. A few weeks ago my mom had me watch an Oprah episode she had TIVOed with Jessica Seinfeld on it. Jessica has recently released a cookbook called "Deceptively Delicious."
The whole goal of the cookbook is to increase the amount of vegetables kid eat. She accomplishes this by steaming and pureeing vegetables and adding the purees into everything she makes from pancakes to lasagna to brownies. She demonstrated many recipes on the show, including brownies which contained 1/2 cup of pureed carrots and 1/2 cup of pureed spinach. A teacher gave the brownies to her class and they loved them. When the teacher told the kids what was in them the kids still wanted more. A bunch of her recipes are on Oprah.com and they look really good. It seems like she just matched colors of veggies to whatever she was making and she said you can almost use anything.
This morning I made pancakes. I've always tried to use some whole wheat flour and oatmeal in my pancakes so they are a little healthier, but this morning 1/2 way through the batch I decided to add a jar of butternut squash baby food. I really want Chase to be able to eat what we eat. When the kids came for seconds I gave them the butternut squash pancakes. They did not know I had added the squash but they loved them more. I tried them, too, and they were sweeter and more moist than the originals. I think the vanilla and sugar in the pancakes made the squash really good. I know it sounds gross, but it wasn't!
You can watch Jessica explain online what she does and how to do it. I still really believe in kids eating regular vegetables as much as possible, and for the most part mine really like veggies. However, I'm all for putting more good stuff in them, especially in things like sweets. I am so putting "Deceptively Delicious" on my Christmas wish list.
3 comments:
I am so going to buy that book... thanks Jen!
I did the same thing tonight. I made Caden "cheesy" mashed potatoes with Jacob's butternut squash baby food, and he totally fell for it!! Gobbled them right up! Didn't touch the zucchini that was right next to them, but he still ate his veggies! I want that book too!
I read your blog from time to time and I just had to comment on this one. I have heard so much about her cookbook and really want to try some of her ideas. My kids do eat veggies really well, but you can never have too many. I have also been steaming and blending veggies for my daughters babyfood and then freezing it in ice cube trays, so I have a head start since I am already doing this a few times a week. I was thinking spinach would be good in mac and cheese!
Rachel Heldt (Keyes)
coheldts.blogspot.com
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