Hiding veggies in dishes I make

[whatevergirl]

I agree kage…also, the names of some veggies…‘squash’ ‘cauliflower’ …‘brussel sprouts…’

they just don’t make a kid excited to get to the dinner table. lol
My kids will eat green beans, salads, carrots, potatoes, and brown rice. They don’t mind spinach, but broccoli really doesn’t cross over into our home, as I hate that stuff, myself. But, I really have enjoyed putting veggies (like tofu, or zucchini, etc) into some casseroles, because they gobble it up…say how great it is…so it proves the point that it’s in the knowing, not in the tasting perhaps, that is the problem with veggies. I dunno–there are some I loathe too…

 

[whatevergirl]

**LOVE the cookbook!! I don’t care who wrote it or what the other chick says about it, it is AWESOME!

Okay, yes, I steamed a ton (and I mean a TON) of veggies back in January, all different kinds all in one night. Then, after they were steamed, I got out my handy dandy Magic Bullet and pureed away. Poured the veggies into ziploc bags, 1/2 cup in each since that’s what most of the recipes call for.

Here is some of the things I have made and have been HUGE hits w/ all of my children:

scrambled eggs w/ cauliflower
brownies w/ spinach
blueberry oatmeal bars w/ spinach
mashed potatoes w/ cauliflower (evidently cauliflower has cancer fighting chemicals in it?)
chocolate chip cookies w/ chick peas (lots of fiber and protein)
lasagna (it has cottage cheese instead of ricotta and you mix the cheese w/ 2 kinds of pureed veggies)
mac and cheese w/ squash
banana bread w/ cauliflower (this weekend I made the bread but put it in cupcake papers and put the streusel topping on it that is in the cookbook and they were delicious!!)
applesauce muffins w/ carrots
sweet potato pancakes (sounds gross but they aren’t at all!)

And I can’t remember what else I have made, but it’s been a lot!!

My sister argued w/ me just last night to be exact about ‘why don’t you make your kids eat veggies that aren’t hidden, you aren’t teaching them good eating habits this way!’ Well, they DO eat veggies at every meal but they aren’t getting enough servings per day like that so we just ‘hide’ them so they are getting more than they even know about.

We are very fortunate, my kids will eat spinach, aspargus, broccoli, etc. and it doesn’t have to be ‘hidden’ in anything.

So, that’s my story about the cookbook. By the way, my kids haven’t been sick a single time since last September and my grandma swears it’s because I am cooking w/ veggies in everything. I don’t know about that but hey, it sure doesn’t hurt!!

I forgot to add that if you do get the cookbook, you might want to ‘tweek’ some of the recipes to make them taste ‘better’. For instance, the applesauce muffins call for unsweetened applesauce and all brown sugar. My sis in law (who also has the book) followed the recipe and said they were nasty, she threw them all away. So when I made them I used white sugar and sweetened applesauce and they were delicious!! Hey, as long as there’s veggies in it, I don’t think it matters what kind of sugar I use. **

I have heard that too, mamacita…about…why not just leave them out in the open–why hide them? For us? It’s the argument factor…my dd will push around the veggies on the plates…‘hide’ them under a poor pile of mashed potatoes…lol…so, now I’m just hiding it for them.

 

[mamacita]

THANKS PuzzleAnnie, LOL, I could never write a cookbook. Nice idea though. Those recipes I listed were in the cookbook already.

 

[catherineajt]

Maybe i’m a bad mom, I don’t worry too much about veggie intake. My kids all love fruit, to the point where I call them fruit bats.

Cantaloupe has lots of vitamin A, just like carrots.
Red grapes have good antioxidants.
Oranges, tons of vitamin C and phytochemicals.
Berries, obviously, tons of good stuff.
Apples, lots of fiber and other good things.

If the eat enough of these I don’t worry too much about sneaking veggies into them. They all love veggie soup, and cooked carrots. I have noticed they go through stages–one week they will pick at their broccoli, the next they’re gobbling it down; their bodies are telling them to store it up.

Now beans… i would love to sneak beans into them. They won’t touch them.

 

[whatevergirl]

Maybe i’m a bad mom, I don’t worry too much about veggie intake. My kids all love fruit, to the point where I call them fruit bats.

Cantaloupe has lots of vitamin A, just like carrots.
Red grapes have good antioxidants.
Oranges, tons of vitamin C and phytochemicals.
Berries, obviously, tons of good stuff.
Apples, lots of fiber and other good things.

If the eat enough of these I don’t worry too much about sneaking veggies into them. They all love veggie soup, and cooked carrots. I have noticed they go through stages–one week they will pick at their broccoli, the next they’re gobbling it down; their bodies are telling them to store it up.

Now beans… i would love to sneak beans into them. They won’t touch them.

You can ‘sneak’ tofu into your meals–which are basically pressed soybeans…and they are loaded with vitamins and fiber.

Re: your fruit comment–yes, if they are getting a high level of fruits in their diet, then that can be just as important. My kids do love oranges, and bananas (and berries) Too bad veggies don’t taste as good.

 

[catherineajt]

You can ‘sneak’ tofu into your meals–which are basically pressed soybeans…and they are loaded with vitamins and fiber.

Re: your fruit comment–yes, if they are getting a high level of fruits in their diet, then that can be just as important. My kids do love oranges, and bananas (and berries) Too bad veggies don’t taste as good.

Oh, they’ll eat plain tofu, cubed, with a bit of soy sauce. In fact, when i want an easy, fast dinner, I cut up a package of tofu, zap it, splash the Bragg’s Aminos in there, and put it on the table with rice and a veggie or fruit…and I hear, “Oh, yum, TOFU! Thanks, mom!”

Maybe it’s because they all had soy formula as babies…their bodies just love the bean. But try to feed them a lonely chickpea or kidney bean, and they look at me like I’m trying to poison them.

 

[bluerose]

see that? you should have written a cookbook, and you would be on the ny times best seller list

No, thanks… I’d have had to marry Jerry Seinfeld. Apparently Jessica was accused of having stolen her idea from another already published book, but hers took off because of name recognition. I suppose the critics never heard that there are NO original ideas anymore?

My other near claim to fame is that new service banks offer where you use your debit card and they round it up to the nearest dollar and deposit the difference in a savings account. DH and I started doing that 20 years ago. Write a check for $34.36, deduct $35.00 from the account and record the $0.64 in a separate column. Over a two-year period we saved over $300. Probably would have made $3 million IF WE’D JUST THOUGHT TO PATENT THE STUPID IDEA!!!

re: tofu–I don’t have to sneak it in either. My 14-year-old son loves the stuff (I don’t keep it in the house because I’d like to keep my husband! ) But once in a while around lunchtime, my SIL will call and ask to speak to my son. He’ll answer and then say, “Oh, cool! I’ll be right over!” Then he’ll grab his jacket and cap and yell over his shoulder as he’s heading out the door, “Mom, I’m having lunch with Tia, she made tofu, see ya!”

He did this once when my husband was home and my husband got this look of horror on his face: “He eats TOFU? On PURPOSE???”

 

[MCGar]

Well, I plan on doing this ‘hide the vegetables’ for my fiance. His main diet is melted cheese (only), fried white meat chicken strips, pepperoni pizze, pasta, melted cheese, melted cheese enchiladas, pasta, pasta, and melted cheese, oh and bread bread bread and bread, extra crispy bacon and scrambled eggs.

He’s skinny like a toothpick. He’ll ‘try’ a new item once in a while but usually never develope a taste for it. So I asked him if it was the thought of the actual food or the taste. He said it was the taste first and foremost. So I have recieved permission to blend in vegetables if I can get it to taste really good.

I do have a tough task infront of me because he can tell the difference in taste and texture in everything he eats. I used to be like that when I was little, but one day I decided to force myself to eat vegetables and the things I don’t really like. I ended up developing a taste for them that borders on loving many vegetables raw and without need for dips or salts.

 

[petitfleur]

My kids are super picky and dont eat anything casserlo or mixed together without huge eruptions which makes for an unpleasant dinner tim but my kids do like raw vegies. especially red peppers. its the only way I can get them to eat thier vegies except for corn. also It seems like a half cup of vegies in a pan of brownies is hardly worth the effort IMO.

 

[whatevergirl]

My kids are super picky and dont eat anything casserlo or mixed together without huge eruptions which makes for an unpleasant dinner tim but my kids do like raw vegies. especially red peppers. its the only way I can get them to eat thier vegies except for corn. also It seems like a half cup of vegies in a pan of brownies is hardly worth the effort IMO.

how interesting you say this–my kids too would ‘rather’ have raw veggies and complain when they are cooked. i told them someday, i am going to invite myself over to your homes haha and critique your nightly meals…and we’ll see how it feels. they just look at me with that deer in the headlights look.

 

[mamacita]

Well, I plan on doing this ‘hide the vegetables’ for my fiance.* His main diet is melted cheese (only), fried white meat chicken strips, pepperoni pizze, pasta, melted cheese, melted cheese enchiladas, pasta, pasta, and melted cheese, oh and bread bread bread and bread, extra crispy bacon and scrambled eggs.He’s skinny like a toothpick. He’ll ‘try’ a new item once in a while but usually never develope a taste for it.* So I asked him if it was the thought of the actual food or the taste.* He said it was the taste first and foremost.* So I have recieved permission to blend in vegetables if I can get it to taste really good.* I do have a tough task infront of me because he can tell the difference in taste and texture in everything he eats. I used to be like that when I was little, but one day I decided to force myself to eat vegetables and the things I don’t really like.* I ended up developing a taste for them that borders on loving many vegetables raw and without need for dips or salts.

Honestly, your fiance will not notice the hidden veggies.** The texture of the food (all the recipes that I have tried at least) still remains the EXACT same and the color is consistently what it should be.** Also, the flavor of the veggies is so not there!! To add to my list of things I have tried:

Tacos (put a can of crushed tomatoes in the meat w/ the seasoning packet, do not add water, and also add pureed squash.** If you don’t have time to puree stuff, just buy jars of baby food and dump it in there.* Works just as well:thumbsup: )

Chicken* Quesadillas w/ hidden squash and* pureed navy beans

 

[mamacita]

No, thanks… I’d have had to marry Jerry Seinfeld. Apparently Jessica was accused of having stolen her idea from another already published book, but hers took off because of name recognition. I suppose the critics never heard that there are NO original ideas anymore?

My other near claim to fame is that new service banks offer where you use your debit card and they round it up to the nearest dollar and deposit the difference in a savings account. DH and I started doing that 20 years ago. Write a check for $34.36, deduct $35.00 from the account and record the $0.64 in a separate column. Over a two-year period we saved over $300. Probably would have made $3 million IF WE’D JUST THOUGHT TO PATENT THE STUPID IDEA!!!

re: tofu–I don’t have to sneak it in either. My 14-year-old son loves the stuff (I don’t keep it in the house because I’d like to keep my husband! ) But once in a while around lunchtime, my SIL will call and ask to speak to my son. He’ll answer and then say, “Oh, cool! I’ll be right over!” Then he’ll grab his jacket and cap and yell over his shoulder as he’s heading out the door, “Mom, I’m having lunch with Tia, she made tofu, see ya!”

He did this once when my husband was home and my husband got this look of horror on his face: “He eats TOFU? On PURPOSE???”

NOt to hijack the thread or anything but speaking of ideas…

years ago DH (who is 6’4") was pushing our umbrella stroller through the airport and it was killing his back the way that he had to lean over to push it. He said, “I need to invent some extendable handles that can attach to the handles on here for tall people like me.” So I investigated and found that they did not make such a thing. Told him to go and offer his idea to a company. He never did And what do ya know? About 2 years later I saw in the One Step Ahead catalog that they now carry stroller extendable handles.

Another one he wanted to do was ketchup (however you spell it) containers like the dressings for nuggets come in from McDonald’s except he wanted the ketchup ones to have a little edge groove thingee on them to attach (slide on) the edge of the french fries box. Never has been invented yet. Any takers out there?? LOL!!

(thread hijack over. I do apologize, I need to get off this darn computer!! )

 

[Katie1723]

I’m lucky. Being vegan, I don’t have to hide veggies. When I had kids home, they ate just about anything except tomatoes. I always had to buy the cheap watery kind of spaghetti sauce. Blech!!

Kathy

 

[whatevergirl]

I’m lucky. Being vegan, I don’t have to hide veggies. When I had kids home, they ate just about anything except tomatoes. I always had to buy the cheap watery kind of spaghetti sauce. Blech!!

Kathy

Do you ever watch Get Fresh, with Sara Snow…I believe (?) she is a vegan, and she makes great recipes! Isn’t it weird how most kids dislike tomatoes…

 

[Katie1723]

Do you ever watch Get Fresh, with Sara Snow…I believe (?) she is a vegan, and she makes great recipes! Isn’t it weird how most kids dislike tomatoes…

Hi Sharon!
No, I mostly throw things together. but I might look up her book. Thanks! And my son is 31 and will not even TOUCH a tomato. When we were on vacation last year, and he house sat, he wore gloves to pick our tomatoes.
Kathy

 

[whatevergirl]

Hi Sharon!
No, I mostly throw things together. but I might look up her book. Thanks! And my son is 31 and will not even TOUCH a tomato. When we were on vacation last year, and he house sat, he wore gloves to pick our tomatoes.
Kathy

that’s funny!

You know, it just occured to me how pathetic the grammar of my thread title is. Never end a sentence with a verb.

 

[Katie1723]

that’s funny!

You know, it just occured to me how pathetic the grammar of my thread title is. Never end a sentence with a verb.

Kinda sounds Pennsylvania Dutch…
Kathy

 

[whatevergirl]

Kinda sounds Pennsylvania Dutch…
Kathy

can take the girl out of PA, but can’t take the PA out of the girl, I guess…

 

[threeangels]

I have “Deceptively Delicious” but haven’t had much time to delve into it. Before my mom gave me that one, I checked out “The Sneaky Chef” by Missy Chase Lapine (the book Jessica Seinfeld was accused of copying) from the library, and it’s great!
Here are my favorite quick sneaky additions …

I put pureed cauliflower and zucchini into my kids’ applesauce. The Granny Smith kind works best because the flavor’s more intense, so you can add even more veggies. The kids (1 and 4) have no idea.

Pureed white beans are undetectable in chocolate pudding, and I also spread 'em on pizza crust before I add sauce. Can’t tell at all.

I add half a box of frozen spinach to store-bought brownie mix, then make it according to the instructions on the box. I can taste the spinach, but my kids haven’t seemed to notice.

And lastly … baby food squash or carrots added to mac-n-cheese.

I also buy that V8 Fusion juice – it has veggie juice but tastes like fruit juice.

I’ll admit I do this only partly for the kids – this makes ME eat more veggies, too!

 

[whatevergirl]

I have “Deceptively Delicious” but haven’t had much time to delve into it. Before my mom gave me that one, I checked out “The Sneaky Chef” by Missy Chase Lapine (the book Jessica Seinfeld was accused of copying) from the library, and it’s great!
Here are my favorite quick sneaky additions …

I put pureed cauliflower and zucchini into my kids’ applesauce. The Granny Smith kind works best because the flavor’s more intense, so you can add even more veggies. The kids (1 and 4) have no idea.

Pureed white beans are undetectable in chocolate pudding, and I also spread 'em on pizza crust before I add sauce. Can’t tell at all.

I add half a box of frozen spinach to store-bought brownie mix, then make it according to the instructions on the box. I can taste the spinach, but my kids haven’t seemed to notice.

And lastly … baby food squash or carrots added to mac-n-cheese.

I also buy that V8 Fusion juice – it has veggie juice but tastes like fruit juice.

I’ll admit I do this only partly for the kids – this makes ME eat more veggies, too!

HAHAHA I know, me too. I admit, I’m not a fan of cooked veggies. I marvel at adding spinach to brownie mix…ok…so, does it seem…what’s the word…like stringy or anything? Can you see any green?

I like adding baby food squash and carrots to mac and cheese how genius is that???!!!