Getting children to eat their vegetables, the cornerstone of any good diet, can be very difficult. Because of that, family mealtimes, especially breakfast can be a bit of a power struggle in most households. There is the frequent begging and cajoling to eat more veggies, and the stubborn refusal to change habits that our children can’t help – after all, what child wouldn’t pick pancakes over grapefruit or macaroni and cheese over broccoli?
So it’s up to us to use a little ‘loving deception’ to put the Trick in the Treat! For this we’ve turned to the book “Deceptively Delicious” by Jessica Seinfeld. The Mom of 3 small children, she was inspired to write the book to help other families stop the battles and turn mealtimes into fun, healthy experiences. The premise of her book is that there are many ways to add healthy ingredients to foods that children like in order to make sure they get their “5 a day” serving of veggies.
We like these two recipes, one for breakfast and one for dinner. They both incorporate healthy veggies that are in season now.
Pancakes (with Sweet Potato)
1 cup water
½ cup sweet potato puree
¼ teaspoon cinnamon or pumpkin pie spice
1 cup pancake mix
Nonstick cooking spray
1 tablespoon canola or vegetable oil
Pure maple syrup, for serving
1. In large bowl, mix the water, sweet potato puree, and cinnamon or pumpkin pie spice, if using. Add the pancake mix and stir just to combine.
2. Coat a griddle or large nonstick skillet with the cooking spray and set it over medium-high heat. When the pan is hot, add the oil and spoon the batter onto the griddle or pan, using ¼ cup batter for each pancake.
3. Cook until bubbles form on the top of the pancakes and the batter is set, 2-3 minutes. Then use a spatula to flip the pancakes and cook them until golden brown on the other side, 2-3 minutes.
4. Serve with maple syrup.
Macaroni and Cheese (with Butternut Squash or Cauliflower)
1 ½ cups elbow macaroni
Nonstick cooking spray
1 Tablespoon olive oil
1 Tablespoon all-purpose flour
½ cup nonfat (skim) milk
½ cup butternut squash or cauliflower puree
1 ½ cups shredded reduced fat Cheddar cheese (8 oz.)
4 oz. reduced fat or non-fat cream cheese
½ teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon paprika
1/8 teaspoon pepper
1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil, add the macaroni and cook according to package directions until al dente. Drain in a colander.
2. While the macaroni is cooking, coat a large saucepan with cooking spray and heat over medium heat. Add the oil, then the flour, and cook, stirring constantly until the mixture resembles a thick paste but has not browned, 1 to 2 minutes.
3. Add the milk and cook, stirring every now and then until the mixture begins to thicken, 3-4 minutes.
4. Add the vegetable puree, Cheddar, cream cheese and seasonings, and stir until the cheese is melted and the sauce is smooth. Stir in the macaroni and serve warm.
Enjoy the recipes and let us know if you have any ‘tricks’ to share for getting your kids to eat their 5-a-Day!