In my DREAMS!!!
Okay, I admit, I am far from that kind of Mom (and Emma isn't always that perfect child (gasp!)). But aren't we all in some way? In reality, there are days that I am lucky to shower much less plan three perfectly square meals a day. But I try. I really, really do.
I try to make a conscious effort to serve my family healthy foods, but it is hard. I have exhausted my efforts to serve vegetables, grains, and other healthy foods in a way that my family will eat. Emma will eat fruit, if she won't eat anything else. This is great, except that fruit is easy. It is ready to eat; just cut up and serve. And, when life gets hectic, easy usually wins.
I have a harder time with veggies. Emma doesn't eat them. She used to... when she was eating the baby food I made her. At that point she would eat anything! But, again, life got hectic and I got behind on steaming, pureeing and getting them ready to serve. Since she didn't have teeth until well after her first birthday, I couldn't give her raw veggies. Like many Moms, I opted for easy more times than not. Which, now, is problematic.
Because of easy, I have developed a guilty conscious. I feel terrible that there are days when she consumes nothing more than Teddy Grahams and milk. But, what can I do? You try to convince her otherwise!
I have been searching for recipes that include more veggies in ways that would be more appealing for her, and for me. And, I found it. I found a way to please everyone. I found a cookbook full of recipes that are easy and have lots of veggies. But I wouldn't buy it; I wouldn't even give it a second glance on the shelf.
And, though the cookbook has been out there a while, I have been skeptical. I have doubted. I have tried to convince myself that I wouldn't have to resort 'hiding' vegetables in other foods.
Last night, however, I gave in. Threw in the towel. Waved the white flag. I went out and bought the dang cookbook. Deceptively Delicious by Jessica Seinfeld. And, tonight, I gave my first recipe a go. Emma and I bought the groceries and I whipped it up.
I served my family tacos, deceptively delicious tacos! When we sat down to dinner, there were seven, yes SEVEN, different veggie options! These options included tomato, avocado, corn, red bell pepper, banana pepper, lettuce, and sweet potato.
What? Sweet potatoes and tacos!?!? You read it right. The recipe for the taco meat included sweet potatoes. And, it WAS delicious, Deceptively Delicious. So, according to the recipe, you cook your ground beef, chicken, turkey, etc. as usual. After browning it, you add crushed tomatoes, taco seasoning and sweet potatoes... pureed. Let it simmer, then serve as usual. The other veggies are just an assortment of toppings.
This recipe definitely has my curiosity peaked. If I can add sweet potatoes to tacos and it still taste great... maybe even a little better than normal, then, what else can I do? I am so excited to dive into this cookbook and find more great recipes. I did glance over one recipe for peanut butter and jelly muffins. They sound delicious! And, they have a little bit of carrot puree in them. Therefore, they have health benefits too!
So, join me on my Deceptively Delicious journey! I promise to give you my honest opinion on how each recipe turns out, as well as the opinion of any others that taste these creations.
Finally I may have found a way to serve the foods my family and I love without feeling the least bit guilty!!!
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