I love this book. It has great ways to sneak healthy stuff in to regular foods. Some of the recipes can seem like a pain in the butt having to puree all different fruits and vegtables, but to speed things up, I check the babyfood aisle instead. You can find most of the purees there! There is a similar author who wrote cookbooks called "The Sneaky Chef" who I think is a little more in depth with this concept and is also worthwhile. I love to cook, and this is like a new style for me--sneaky. Totally love it if you're into cooking and eating but can't get your family eat all their greens (or sweet potatos!)
I really loved the ideas of when and how to add veggies to common foods the kids eat all the time. And there are a TON of recipes, much more than the Sneaky Chef, and many different types of recipes too... however... many of the recipes require a lot of ingredients. I made one recipe and it seemed to take awhile, even though I pureed the veggies ahead of time. I did make the quesadillas though and they turned out AWESOME and my kids loved them. It's just that when I see a recipe with 20 ingredients, some of which I've never even purchased before (like flaxseed meal) it's a bit daunting. I'd definitely buy again, and will continue to try the recipes. Great for getting out of a cooking rut!
I have a very picky eater in the family, and all of us could afford to eat better. A friend recommended this book. There were lots of great ideas, different purees that can be added to foods that kids will actually eat. I did not have great luck with my kids eating HER recipes, but I was able to use her secret ingredients in MY recipes. I had much more success this way. I would recommend this book to anyone who would like their kids to eat healthier. It is a good way to add 1-2 servings of veggies without any fighting.
I love the ideas in this book... I did try to keep the purees on hand for a while but really it just wasn't something that I had the time to maintain. There are some good recipes and the brownies are fabulous and the kids didn't have a clue that they were healthy! I will use the book from time to time but unfortunately it just isn't something I plan to do regularly. It just seems easier to feed the kids healthy options. I do think that if my kids were picky eaters that this book would definately be a big help though. Thank goodness for me, they will eat just about anything that is on their plate.
I find the set-up is much easier to work with than The Sneaky Chef but I like both of the books equally. There is a little less "reading" in Deceptively Delicious and is easier to get started and this has so many color photos. I like to know what it should turn out like in the end. I showed my daughter both books and she picked this one due to time constraints and just being so busy with the children. The tools needed are discussed and preparation as well. A list of food items used in the recipes is listed for ease in preparation. Then the puree how-to section is listed. The fruits and vegie section tells what vitamins are in them and what they do for your body. 12 breakfast recipes include many common foods kids eat but they are so much better for them. French toast, pancakes, eggs, muffins, bread and cereal all have the wonderful healthy purees mixed in. 39 mealtime recipes such as Pita Pizzas which have hidden spinach puree, 2 versions of Mac and Cheese with either a squash or light colored beans, soups, sandwiches, and mashed potatoes with cauliflower puree. Tips are scattered throughout from family and the nutrition guru. The dessert section has 26 recipes and the brownies have carrot and spinach hidden in them. The chocolate fondue has carrot and avocado puree so let them dunk all the fruit they want in this one. The chocolate chip cookies have chickpeas in them. Like cheesecake? You'll love the Blueberry Cheesecake Cupcakes filled with yellow squash puree, and the cupcake batter with blueberry and spinach puree. The best thing is they'll never know they are eating healthier. Hot Cocoa with sweet potato puree, and Fruit Punch has pineapple, raspberry and carrot puree. Chocolate Cake with beet puree, Banana Pudding Pie with cantaloupe and yellow squash puree, and Oatmeal Raisin Cookies with banana and zucchini puree. She doesn't seem to change the flours like in The Sneaky Chef but I don't see why you can't change them yourself. I've started going through my recipes to think how I can change them. This is a great book to have around if you bake and make any meals for children or adults who don't eat enough fruits and vegies. I highly recommend this book.Read full review
I borrowed this book from the local library and liked it so much that I checked it out a second time and finally just bought my own copy. It truly is a must have for any busy family that needs help fitting in more fruits and veggies. I have vowed never to disclose the recipes' ingredients to either of my two children. So far, they have loved everything I have made from this book, so why spoil it? What they don't know will only make all of us healthier. The Sunday night "puree party" makes using the recipes throughout the week very fast and convenient and the ingredients are all things that are easy to find and on our weekly list anyway. Concealing some of them just ensures that everyone will actually eat them. Really, the only negative thing I could say about this book is that a few of the photographs make the food look less than appetizing. I counter that by simply reading the ingredient list and deciding which recipes will taste yummier than they might look and then go for it! Enjoy!Read full review
What I like is that kids do get great nutrition by hiding it in their food. So they will eat. What I don't like is that the book got alot of hype because she is married to Jerry Seinfeld. That's not a crime, however, the book itself was not that inspiring. You need to be either a non-working mother, or take your days off to create these little bags of tricks, write a book about it, and remember ti take care of those children your feeding. Maybe a nanny would help heh?!? Mothers have been doing these 'tricks of the trade" for years! But they were so busy raising their kids, working a job, & trying to be creative to get their family to eat what's right, that they just didn't have the time to sit down and write their book of tips. I am sure we all have a book in us, and this one is very cute, and new moms go buy it. However us older gals already have our own tricks, maybe even some of the same ones she talked about. So sit down and write your own book! And as your kids get older, have show & tell night at the table so they will know what vegetables, and other foods, they are really eating!Read full review
The book is great, though I can see where it could be considered a copycat book to The Sneaky Chef. This book has far more illustrations which is great for people who love to see what things look like before they eat them. The recipes are good and the kids have loved them...however the Sneaky Chef has ways to doctor products already packaged which is alot easier. Overall a good book but I invested in both books and could've stuck with The Sneaky Chef for less money and got the same recipes
No need to "hide" ingredients in our house - but using for general ideas to increase our fruit and vegetable intake for better health. Outdated, as recommends margarine, low-fats, canola oil, white flour etc. - but easy to substitute with real food. Easy to make and put the purees in the freezer in individual servings, and have them ready when you need them.
Verified purchase: Yes | Condition: Pre-owned
I decided to buy this book so I can sneak vegetables and fruits into my kids' foods. Many of the recipes featured are really simple and easy to make. Others take a little bit more time. I love the fact that the book is in spiral form. The only thing I disliked about the book was the fact that some of the recipes were a little too healthy! But overall, it is a great book to have on hand when the kids don't want to eat their veggies! It is very informative and also gives you examples of how much fruit and vegetables the kids should be eating.
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