Today let's talk about Deceptively Delicious, the hot, new cookbook by Jessica Seinfeld (yes, she's Jerry's wife) that is beckoning to mothers of young children everywhere. This book is a compilation of healthy recipes, creative cooking tips, and great nutrition information laid out as a useful guide for feeding your family delicious and nutritious foods.
I was excited to receive this cookbook as a Christmas gift. I must confess that since my pregnancies I have lost the fondness for vegetables that I once enjoyed. In addition, consider the fact that the only vegetables Tukes will eat are the ones cooked into spaghetti sauce -- I was in need of some creative inspiration. So far I have not been disappointed!
Seinfeld offers "simple secrets to get your kids eating good food" by creating a guide for making fruit and vegetable purees which you then store and use to fortify delicious and nutritious recipes. For example, a few nights ago we enjoyed eating homemade macaroni and cheese (with butternut squash puree) along with our roasted chicken. The applesauce muffins (with carrot puree) have been a breakfast winner at our house. And, on New Year's Eve I made chili (with carrot and bell pepper purees). I have had fun grocery shopping for a greater variety of fresh produce and then steaming, pureeing, and freezing them for future creative cooking.
One aspect that I love about this book is the added commentary by nutritionist Joy Bauer. She sheds an enlightening and educational light on how to best prepare vegetables so that they maintain their nutritional value. She also discusses the nutritional punch that various foods contain, emphasizing the importance of eating a spectrum of healthy foods. Both Seinfeld and Bauer stress the importance of continuing to serve visible veggies alongside those that you sneak into recipes.
Deceptively Delicious has been a great inspiration to me. I've enjoyed trying some of Seinfeld's recipes, but more than that I've been challenged to think creatively about how I can use vegetable purees to fortify some of my own family's favorite recipes. As a result my kids, the professor, and myself are all eating more vegetables than before.
I recommend this book with enthusiasm; it inspires creative thinking and healthy cooking in the kitchen. Before purchasing this book I advise that you take some time to flip through it. Keep in mind that many of the recipes in it are designed to appeal to kids, which may or may not be what you and your family enjoy.
If you are familiar with this book, what are your thoughts? Or, if you have some tips or recipes that have worked for you in encouraging your family to eat nutritiously, please share.
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