Deceptively Delicious

This is a new...fast-selling...cookbook by Mrs. Jerry Seinfeld (Jessica). I read about this book on Monday and then, later in the afternoon, happened to turn on Oprah (something I do a couple times a year) and there she was.

The basis of her book is to improve your children's (and veggie-phobic husbands) eating habits. The featured recipes all include veggie purees. Basically, you are sneaking veggies into everything from scrambled eggs to chicken nuggets to brownies. Besides adding nutritional value, most recipes have an added richness in flavor, texture, and moistness. She claims that no one can really tell they are in there. A major critism of the idea is that it is not teaching kids to love veggies...but the idea is too add extra stuff in things you know your kids will eat IN ADDITION to, not instead of, offering fruits and veggies at meals and snacks.

Since I have a kid that won't even try veggies (besides carrot sticks), I thought it was worth a look. There are some recipes on Oprah.com. But I also bought the book...which you can't buy right now in CU (BN told me the publisher has do another printing since this first one is sold out...no more books shipped until November).

While I was waiting for my book, I thought about this idea...and how I have been doing it in some ways for years. I made all my own baby food for years, so I pureed everything and froze it all. I puree a lot of other things too (sauces, soups). I also add veggies to baked goods (zuchinni and pumpkin breads, carrot applesauce, pumpkin applesauce, beet/carrot/potato pancakes, root veggie mash). It is a good idea and this book gives me a lot more ideas (like using beans to add vitamins and protein---add rinsed, canned whole chickpeas to chocolate chip cookies!).

The book has lots of helpful information and tips on cooking for your kids (selves). She provides nutritional information on many vegetables, as well as information about important nutritients, vitamins, and minerals. Many, if not all, recipes are low-fat (using egg whites and tub margerine) and high-fiber (whole wheat flour and ground flax seed). Additionally, the appetizingly-photographed recipes are simple and use basic ingredients.

So, I'll try some recipes out and let you know more later!