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One of the biggest concerns I had when I was writing my new book, The Sneaky Chef, was time. Even the most well-intentioned of us will only keep up a time-consuming regimen for so long before the reality of our everyday lives creep in and we slip back into the convenience of not-so-healthy prepared foods, fast foods, and take out. Time, of course, is every modern woman’s main concern.
Most of my sneaky healthy recipes call for one of my signature “Make-Ahead Purees” of vegetables that get hidden in kids’ favorite meals. and there’s good reason I call them “make-aheads!” All you have to do is frontload your week by devoting less than 30 minutes to preparing a batch of these vegetable purees, and you’re all set to instantly transform ordinary recipes into health food. You can store the purees in the refrigerator for up to 3 days, or in small portions in in the freezer for up to 3 months. For example, steam broccoli until tender, add frozen peas and baby spinach, then puree in a food processor or blender with a few tablespoons of water until it’s a smooth puree. You can then mix this Green Puree into hamburgers or meatloaf (mix with a little ketchup first), meatballs, lasagna (mix with tomato paste), and even burritos! For more recipes, please visit www.TheSneakyChef.com.
Time saving tip: if you don’t have a homemade vegetable or fruit puree on hand to sneak into your kids’ favorite meals, simply use baby food! I have found that Beech-Nut® sweet potatoes, carrots, blueberry/apple, and Country Garden Vegetables work best as the “instant substitute” for The Sneaky Chef’s homemade purees.
Sneaky Staples to stock up on:
Being prepared with the right foods on hand will convert your kitchen into a healthy fast-food diner. With certain sneaky staples, you can whip up a healthy homemade pizza or pasta in less time than it takes to call for delivery.
You’ll see lot of convenient kid-favorite packaged foods on the list that are great for hiding healthy purees inside, and they are convenient time-savers. I don’t expect anyone to cook every meal from scratch!
PRODUCE – EASIEST FOODS TO “HIDE” IN KIDS’ FAVORITE :
Baby spinach, prewashed in bag
Zucchini, fresh
Broccoli, fresh
Sweet potatoes (or yams)
Cauliflower, fresh
CEREALS/FLOUR:
Wheat germ
Rolled oats, old-fashioned, not quick cooking
Cereal, high fiber flakes
Whole wheat flour (or whole grain “pastry flour”)
RICE/BARLEY/PASTA:
Macaroni and cheese, boxed (ideally without artificial colors)
Whole wheat pasta (or whole wheat blends)
BREAD:
Tortillas, whole wheat
Corn tortillas
Bread crumbs, whole wheat
Whole wheat pocketless pita bread
CANNED GOODS:
Garbanzo beans (“chickpeas”)
White beans, (“butter beans,” navy or Cannellini)
Baked beans, vegetarian
Tomatoes, plum, whole
Pasta sauce
Sardines, in water, skinless and boneless
Tuna, in water, (ideally “chunk light”)
Salmon, wild, canned
JARS/BOTTLES:
Baby foods—especially sweet potatoes, carrots, blueberry/apple, and Country Garden vegetables (ideally Beech-Nut® brand).
Pomegranate Juice
Salsa
Ketchup
FROZEN FOODS:
Blueberries, frozen (without added sugar)
Green peas, sweet
Green beans
Corn, yellow, off cob
Edamame (soybeans in shell)
Macaroni and cheese, frozen
NUTS/OILS:
Almonds, slivered
Extra virgin olive oil, cold pressed
Canola oil, cold pressed
DESSERTS (I use these often as sneaky “decoys”)
Chocolate chips, semi-sweet
Sprinkles, multi-colored
Whipped cream, canned
DAIRY/EGGS:
Yogurt, low fat, plain
Cheese, low fat, shredded
Ricotta cheese, low fat
Tofu, firm block
Eggs (with added Omega-3)
OTHER:
Chicken broth, boxed (no msg)
Cinnamon
TOOLS:
-straws
-mini food processor, 3-cup capacity
The Sneaky Chef
(Missy Chase Lapine)
About Sneaky Chef
Missy Chase Lapine is the author of The Sneaky Chef: Simple Strategies for Hiding Healthy Foods in Kids’ Favorite Meals (Running Press, March 2007). She is the former publisher of Eating Well magazine and the founder of a natural baby product line Baby Spa®. Missy is currently on the Culinary Arts faculty of The New School, in New York City, and operates The Sneaky Chef workshops, which is a program of cooking classes and demonstrations that teach families how to eat healthier. She is a contributor to Parenting Magazine, ediets.com, and education.com, and available to individuals, groups and businesses for private cooking instruction, workshops and personal coaching in The Sneaky Chef methods and recipes. Missy lives with her family in Westchester, New York. For more information visit www.TheSneakyChef.com.
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