As I mentioned before, in one of my posts, Caroline is a very picky eater. I think the last good vegetable she ate was in August 2006. Now when I say good vegetable, I mean spinach, green beans, tomatoes, cauliflower...not potatoes disguised as french fries. Once in a while, she may please me and eat a sweet potato, but only if applesauce is mixed in. Well, I was really getting tired of making peanut butter and jelly sandwiches and heating up Tyson chicken nuggets each day, so I bought the cookbook, Deceptively Delicious , on Amazon and I am hooked! This book was written by Jerry Seinfeld's wife, Jessica, and it gives great recipes that kids will eat, and they're all made with fresh vegetables and healthy ingredients! The trick is to puree your favorite veggies and add them to whatever you're cooking. I saw her on The View last month and she made everything look so good and easy, so I thought I'd give it a try. Today I made chicken nuggets with broccoli and I have to say they are scrumptious! They were so easy to make and the best part is that Caroline LOVED them. She had no idea she was eating fresh broccoli! I'm going to start making these regularly.
Roy is such a picky eater, too--sweet Caroline gets it honestly. There are only a few vegetables he will allow onto his pallet, so I'm going to have to start tricking him, too. I'm going to start tonight with healthy oven fried chicken (it's not really fried) with broccoli--one of Roy's enemies. Also on the Graham family table this next week, we will enjoy: Mozzarella Sticks made with cauliflower, Chicken Kabobs made with sweet potatoes, Tofu Nuggets made with spinach (I know...it sounds gross, but we'll see), Mac and Cheese made with butternut squash and chickpeas, Chicken Quesadillas made with butternut squash and for a special treat, ice cream sandwiches that are good for you! I'm just getting started so watch out! Suzanne, you may want to invest in this book for picky Mr. Mitchell.
I started with some fresh broccoli, steamed, pureed and frozen in a ziploc baggie.
Lunch is ready! Yummy, homemade chicken nuggets dipped in broccoli and a crunchy parmesan crust. My friend Laura gave me a great idea to make a huge batch and freeze them. Then when I need some, place on a pan and bake like I would ordinary BORING Tyson nuggets.
20 comments:
The top pic with you in it is fab! Love the thumbs up. This sounds like a GREAT way to get those veggies in the kiddos! May have to buy one for my sister-in-law since my nephew is a picky one. :O) Great post Donna......grrreat post!
I would love to be a taster and see what these items really taste like. So far the nuggets don't look too bad. That's a great way to sneak them in but I have a feeling you won't be able to full Roy. Good for you though for making all that stuff. That's a lot of work! BTW, who took that pic of you? Caroline?
I thought of you the first time I saw her on Oprah. The real proof of your success will be Caroline letting you know that the Chick-Fil-A items "don't taste right". Happy Cooking!
Crystal
You are a great mom, Donna.
Kay, I'm convinced on the broccoli chicken nuggets but it sure seems like an awful lot of work (unless you freeze them). You're gonna have to keep the pics coming to convince me of the rest of the item choices. It reminds me of that Dr. Praeger's brocolli pancakes, sweet potato pancakes, spinach pancakes, etc. that you can get at the store...just homemade. Good work Don Don. You ARE a good mommy! Now, Carol won't get nose bleeds from not having veggies.
You and Denise.....you and Denise.....P31 women!!!
......and all you other great ON bargain shoppers out there, too. I'm proud of you all! Keep up the good work, and keep those wonderful ideas circulating around!
I'm so glad Caroline loved them. I got the book for Christmas and haven't taken the time to steam and puree some vegetables. You have inspired me! Please let me know what other ones are good from the book!
I took Margaux to the Dr. for a check up last week and they had that book there for sell. It just seems like a lot of work just to make food. Good for you. You win Mom O'the year, and we just start the new year too.
By the way, who took your picture?
Hannie and Denny-
It's not hard to do this stuff at all. While you make dinner one night, just go ahead and steam some broccoli or spinach and then puree it in the blender. That's what I did the other night while I waited for my meat to bake in the oven. Easy Peasy.
Donna, you crack me up!!! I love reading your blogs...you have the best ideas. :) I have a VERY picky eater in my family too (Joshua) so I may have to get this cookbook!! Then I'll also have to figure out how in the heck to cook it. :)
FYI, I made that dinner for Roy last night. He came home and he knew something was up b/c he had seen the cookbook the night before. Well, he reluctantly took a bite of his chicken and he had to admit that it was good! He did ask me not to go overboard and make something w/ veggies each night, but...he won't know:)
Please don't be afraid to ever eat dinner at our house!!
I saw her on the view too, and thought it sounded great for picky kids (and hubbies for that matter). Alex and I love our veggies (or at least he doesn't bother to complain because he knows I'll say "make something yourself then!), but I'll keep this idea stashed away incase we produce little people who don't have such cooperative attitude. your the first person I know who has actually tried these recipes, glad to know they are fairly easy and actually taste good!!
Don Don, you still haven't told us who took the pic...why do I have a sneakin suspicion that you set the camera up on the counter and set the timer. LOL. It's OK...don't be ashamed. Just give us a good laugh...Go ahead, make our day! If so, you'll get FIVE STARS for doing WHATEVER it takes for good blog material.
This comment just reminded me of when I walked in your house and saw the pajamas all laid out in a display on the floor and I said, "Did you JUST take a picture of this to blog?" Takes one to know one, right??!?!
LOL at HPS comment. Donna! WHO TOOK THE PIX?
Donna- Mitchell's mom called me awhile back when this lady was on Oprah and told me I needed to do this for Mitchell, I just kinda shrugged it off. I would love to try it. The chicken nuggets look yummy.
You should do a poll and let people vote for who took your picture! I haven't bought the book, but I've sampled the cornbread with broccoli my friend made with a recipe from the book and it was fab. I thought the recipes looked a little too involved (too many ingredients and too much preparation) for my tastes when I skimmed through it at Target, but you make it sound easy, Donna.
I'm really LOL at HPS's comment. HPS, you're good for the soul, goooood for the soul! I bet she did just set her camera up on the counter and freeze with her thumb up while her camera was blinking orange until it took the picture. hahahaha! I'm laughing just picturing it!
donna, i think i speak for peg too when i say bravo on the healthy food! dolly and i got peg to start a blog when she was visiting over christmas but i don't thinks she's started anything on it yet. we thought it would be a great outlet for all her natural ideas and information. then, she could keep up with you girls too!
anyway, your food looks great. i love vegetables!
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