Deceptively Delicious: Simple Secrets to Get Your Kids Eating Good Food Hardcover-spiral – Illustrated, October 14, 2008

THIS IS A LOVELY BOOK, WITH A SPIRAL BINDING, MANY GLORIOUS COLOUR PHOTOS, NICE LINE DRAWINGS REMINISCENT OF THOSE I GREW UP WITH IN THE LATE 1950s AND EARLY 1960s, (baby boomers....take note!) AND RECIPES FOR "VEGGIE PUREES", which add nutrition to just about any receipe. The purees are easy to make...and it's nice to know which puree to put into which recipe -- ie: CAULIFLOWER PUREE goes into Mashed Potatoes....red pepper puree would probably not taste as good. I even found a receipe for which I have been searching in other cookbooks, but haven't found: RANCH DRESSING! I have come to love the stuff...but not the artificial ingredients in most commercial Ranch Dressings. Whether I buy the book or not, (my present copy comes from the library), THIS receipe will be copied, kept, and used!This seems to be an updated, and personal receipe collection -- a variation on a theme I first came into contact when I heard about the book: "CONFESSIONS OF A SNEAKY ORGANIC COOK: HOW TO MAKE YOUR FAMILY HEALTHY WHEN THEY'RE NOT LOOKING," in 1972. I believe I even saw the author, JANE KINDERLEHRER, interviewed, vaguely remembering, (I think), that she had a "Dutch-Boy" hairdo, a kindly face, and a very enthusiastic manner! I never bought that book, (as yet, anyway)....but the interview did give me ideas. I began soaking lima beans, (which I hate), putting them in a blender, and adding them to meatloaf. (Not much....about eight parts meatloaf to one part lima bean puree). I never tasted the lima beans...but I knew I was eating them, and that they were good for me. Much more recently, (last month), I purchased some ready-made sweet potatos...but didn't like the taste, as the manufacturer put in more cinnamon than I found palatable. Throw it out? No -- I wasn't raised that way. So, I take a few tablespoons of it, and add them to meatloaf, tuna spread....you name it. No waste...and I get all the goodness of the sweet potatoes.So the same idea seems to be in this book. If you can afford a copy, by all means buy it...it's full of tips, pictures, receipes which tell which vegetable puree, (the author lists 17), to put in which receipe, and full colour photos of just about every receipe listed. If you can't afford a copy, at least get it out of the library....the beautiful photos and nostalgic drawings WILL make you want to try out the receipes! The receipes are simple, and easy to follow. They even give a confessed "lazy cook" like me, (whose favourite receipes ALL (Igo like this: Mix ingredients together, put in oven, serve piping hot. Or cold, (which is better, because you don't have the extra step of putting them in the oven.) I'm a "tuna fish salad or meatloaf" cook, I guess....but these receipes do give eve me some ambition to do more. Yes -- I agree with the reviewer who opined Ms. Seinfeld's use of margarine -- an artificial amalgam that is NOT healthy....but I've always believed in"re-arranging" receipes to suit MY tastes. (I also notice that Ms. seinfeld recommends using "3 quarts reduced low-fat chicken broth", presumably CANNED chicken broth, in her receipe for "Chicken Alphabet Soup". Hey --even I'm not so lazy I must use CANNED chicken broth! My receipe for "Chicken Broth"? Easy! Take a few pieces of boneless chicken, cut into smallest pieces, put into blender with the liquid of your choice, blend -- and presto! Chicken broth! (For chicken SOUP, use LESS liquid and MORE boneless chicken.) This makes chicken puree broth or soup. For CLEAR chicken broth or soup, just soak the chicken, with vegetables surrounding it, in water overnight, or for a few hours. When ready, SKIM THE FAT OFF, and use. (Whatever you do, D O N ' T throw out the "first water" to get rid of the fat....because you get rid of all he vitramins that way, too!) I know it's easier to open a can of chcken broth, (as Ms. Seinfeld seems to recommend....the "reduced-fat, low-sodium" variety she recommends on page 103 sounds very much like it came out of a can to me!) But what's so hard about letting the ingredients soak overnight and then skimming off the fat? It's not even hard for lazy me!Yes, this idea of adding healthy foods not usually liked by kids, (and other vegetable-haters), is not new. But this book presents itself with large print, enticing photos, proven(?) receipes, a nice index, and obvious enthusiasm. Should Jane Kinderleher, and others who have used this "put-bad-tasting-stuff-in-the-midst-of-a-lot-of-good-tasting-stuff- and-you'll-never-know-the-bad-tasting-but-healthy-stuff-is-there" technique sue? That's up to them, of course...but as far as I'm concerned, the more books written this way, the better. Each author adds SOME spark of originality, (I would hope)....and a reader can learn from each author. In this case, knowing which puree to put in which receipe is a very nice thing to know. Remember, there is not, and never has been a "Recipe Police" (yet anyway). Feel free, (as I do, with any cookbook), to change the receipes here, as you see fit!

I purchased "Deceptively Delicious" back in January but was initially tentative about trying this cookbook due to the fact that I had to make a puree for every recipe. Once I got over that hurdle and decided to make the "Green Eggs" I was hooked. I then wanted to try other recipes because the eggs were so delicious. They are the easiest recipe in the book and basically require you to sauté baby spinach, which you then incorporate into scrambled eggs. You do need a small food processor to make the recipe but you could also use a blender.The next recipe I tried was the "Ranch Dressing." It was good on salad but not as good as a dip. The "Greek Dip" was delicious for dipping veggies (celery was especially good) and crackers not to mention pita bread. The recipe uses chickpeas and artichoke hearts and I found I could make it in a blender. My food processor only holds about 1 cup of ingredients so for this cookbook you may want to buy a larger food processor.The last two recipes I tried include the "Turkey Chili" and the "Oatmeal with Sweet Potato." For the turkey chili you need to puree carrots and red bell peppers. I had never steamed red bell peppers before but it worked well and at the same time I cooked the carrots in the boiling water. Less to clean up later! For the turkey chili I added an additional tablespoon of chili powder and 2 teaspoons Emeril's Original Essence because I felt the recipe needed a little more seasoning for adults but it was perfect for kids. I think the reason the recipe needed more salt is because it calls for low-sodium chicken broth. Instead of the kidney beans I used some butter beans I had in my pantry. For the turkey recipe it would have been helpful to know how many carrots and red bell peppers you would need. I found you needed about three carrots and 1 ½ bell peppers. Other than that fact the recipes are very easy to make and don't take as much time as you would expect them to. The oatmeal recipe is delicious with the addition of pumpkin pie spice and peanut butter.All of the recipes I've tried so far have worked very well which has encouraged me to try even more. Since I have more sweet potatoes left over the "Hot Cocoa" with pumpkin pie spice sounds delicious. You may also want to try "Blueberry Cheesecake Cupcakes with Yellow Squash and Spinach," "Frozen Yogurt Pops," "Macaroni and Cheese," and "Chicken Salad with Cauliflower."Once you make a puree and realize how easy it really is you will love this cookbook! Highly Recommended even if you love eating your veggies. I try out new recipes every week and this is one of my favorite cookbooks this year.~The Rebecca Review

Got this for my daughter for Mother’s Day since she has picky little eaters.

This is an excellent, easy to follow book. The ideas are simple (simple enough for anyone to follow) and the recipes look delicious. Well written and illustrated. The suggestions, if followed, are certain to help children eat healthily and, most importantly, to be healthy.

Bought this for someone whose child is a finicky eater Will not eat veggies ,person has tried some recipes to no avail,would notrecommend.

Interesting but not quite as helpful to me as I thought it would be.

Fabulous recipes in here

great