Sneaky kid recipes

Babycenter recipes

Brownies (with carrot and spinach)
By Jessica Seinfeld

Jessica says: "These brownies fool everyone! You won't believe how scrumptious they are (or how good they are for you) until you make them yourself. Just don't serve them warm — it's not until they're completely cool that the spinach flavor totally disappears."

Ingredients:
3 ounces semisweet or bittersweet chocolate
1/2 cup carrot puree (after peeling and trimming the ends, steam for 10-12 minutes and then puree in a food processor for 2 minutes)
1/2 cup spinach puree (steam for about 30 seconds, then puree in a food processor for 2 minutes)
1/2 cup firmly packed light or dark brown sugar
1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
2 tablespoons trans-fat-free soft tub margarine spread
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 large egg whites
3/4 cup oat flour or all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
Nonstick cooking spray

Instructions:
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Coat an 8-inch square baking pan with cooking spray.

Melt the chocolate in a double boiler over a very low flame.

In a large bowl, combine the melted chocolate, vegetable purees, sugar, cocoa powder, margarine, and vanilla, and whisk until smooth and creamy, 1 to 2 minutes. Whisk in egg whites. Stir in the flour, baking powder, and salt with a wooden spoon.

Pour the batter into the pan and bake 35 to 40 minutes. Cool completely in the pan before cutting.

Makes 12 brownies.


Sneaky Chef Masterful Mac n Cheese
By Missy Chase Lapine

Missy says: "This is a nutritionally enhanced version of my stepmother's delicious recipe from Finland. When I mixed in the cauliflower/zucchini (or yam/carrot) puree, which melted away in the familiar creaminess of the cheese, the kids didn't notice any difference from the original macaroni and cheese. Start at 1/4 cup of the White (or Orange) Puree in this recipe and gradually increase it to 1/2 cup over time. For an instant 'quick fix,' use the same purees in boxed macaroni and cheese!"

Ingredients:
1/2 pound macaroni (preferably whole-wheat blend)
1 1/2 cups milk
1/4 to 1/2 cup White or Orange Puree (see below)
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 cups grated colby or cheddar cheese
2 large eggs (optional boost)

Instructions:
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Butter a 9-inch-square baking pan.

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the macaroni and cook according to the package directions, cooking until firm and slightly undercooked. Drain and set aside.

In a large bowl, whisk the milk with the White Puree and salt. (If using eggs, whisk them in with the milk mixture.) Put half of the macaroni into the baking pan, and top with half the grated cheese. Next, pour the rest of the macaroni into the pan, and then pour the milk mixture over the top. Sprinkle the remaining cheese evenly over the top.

Bake the casserole 30 to 35 minutes, or until golden and bubbling. Serve hot.

Makes 4 to 6 servings.

White Puree
By Missy Chase Lapine

Ingredients:
2 cups cauliflower, cut into florets
2 small to medium zucchini, peeled and rough chopped
1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
1 to 2 tablespoons water, if necessary


Instructions:
Steam cauliflower in a vegetable steamer over 2 inches of water in a tightly covered pot for about 10 to 12 minutes, or until very tender. Alternatively, place cauliflower in a microwave-safe bowl, cover with water, and microwave on high for 8 to 10 minutes until very tender.

While waiting for the cauliflower to finish steaming, pulse the raw peeled zucchini with the lemon juice (no water at this point). Drain the cooked cauliflower. Working in batches, if necessary, add the cauliflower to the pulsed zucchini in the bowl of the food processor with one tablespoon of water. Puree on high until smooth. Stop occasionally and scrape down the top and sides of the bowl. If needed, use the second tablespoon of water to make a smooth (but not wet) puree.

The puree can be stored in the refrigerator for up to three days, or you can freeze 1/4 cup portions in sealed plastic bags or small plastic containers.

Makes 2 cups of puree.

Note: Double the recipe if you'd like to make extra puree to store for later use.

Orange Puree
By Missy Chase Lapine

Ingredients:
1 medium sweet potato or yam, peeled and roughly chopped
3 medium to large carrots, peeled and sliced into thick chunks
2 to 3 tablespoons water


Instructions:
In a medium pot, cover carrots and sweet potatoes with cold water and boil for about 20 minutes until very tender. If the carrots aren't thoroughly cooked, they'll leave little telltale nuggets of vegetables (a gigantic no-no for the sneaky chef).

Drain the sweet potatoes and carrots and put them in the food processor with two tablespoons of water. Puree on high until smooth; no pieces of carrots or sweet potatoes should remain. Stop occasionally to push the contents from the top to the bottom. If necessary, use the third tablespoon of water to make a smooth puree, but the less water the better.

The puree can be stored in the refrigerator for up to three days, or you can freeze 1/4 cup portions in sealed plastic bags or small plastic containers.

Makes 2 cups of puree.

Note: Double the recipe if you'd like to make extra puree to store for later use.



Sneaky Chef Cocoa Chocolate-Chip Pancakes
By Missy Chase Lapine

Missy says: "It's hard to convince the mind that these chocolate pancakes are actually good for the body. I've been told they taste like brownies, but rest assured, they have more whole grains, fruit, and, yes, even spinach than breakfast at the health spa. They contain less sugar per serving than what I use in my morning tea, and the unsweetened cocoa in them not only hides the purple color of the pureed blueberries and spinach, but it is said to possess antidepressant qualities, something we all could use on cold winter mornings."

Ingredients:
3/4 cups Flour Blend (equal parts white flour, whole-wheat flour, and wheat germ)
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 cup milk
1 large egg
1/4 cup Purple Puree (see below)
2 tablespoons honey or pure maple syrup
1/4 cup fresh or frozen blueberries (optional boost)
1/4 cup chocolate chips
Butter or cooking spray, for greasing skillet

Instructions:
Mix together Flour Blend, baking powder, salt, and cocoa powder. Set aside. (To store cocoa pancake mix for the future, triple the dry ingredients and keep in a sealed, labeled plastic bag.) In another bowl, whisk together the vanilla, milk, egg, Purple Puree, honey or maple syrup, and blueberries, if using. (If using frozen berries, don't thaw them before adding; this will prevent bleeding.) Add the wet ingredients to the dry ones until just blended. (Don't over-mix.) Add a little milk if batter is too thick. Add the chocolate chips and mix lightly.

Butter or spray a large skillet over medium heat. Test the pan to see if it's hot enough by tossing a few drops of water in — it should sizzle. The skillet will grow hotter over time, so turn it down if it starts to smoke. Drop tablespoons or small ladles of batter onto the skillet in batches. Try to get chocolate chips in each pancake. When bubbles begin to set around the edges of the pancake and the skillet side of the pancake is golden (peek under), gently flip them over. Continue to cook 2 to 3 minutes or until pancakes are set. Serve stacked high, dusted with powdered sugar, drizzled with warm maple syrup.

Makes about 18 pancakes.

Purple Puree
By Missy Chase Lapine

Ingredients:
3 cups raw baby spinach leaves (or 1 cup frozen chopped spinach or frozen chopped collard greens)
1 1/2 cups fresh or frozen blueberries (no syrup or sugar added)
1/2 teaspoon lemon juice
1/2 tablespoon water


Instructions:
If using raw spinach, thoroughly wash it, even if the package says "prewashed." Bring spinach or collards and water to a boil in a medium pot. Turn heat to low and let simmer for 10 minutes. If using frozen blueberries, quickly rinse them under cold water to thaw a little, and then drain.

Fill the bowl of your food processor with the blueberries and cooked spinach (or collards), along with the lemon juice and 1 tablespoon of water, and puree on high until as smooth as possible. Stop occasionally to push top contents to bottom. If necessary, use a second tablespoon of water to make a fairly smooth puree.

The puree can be stored in the refrigerator for up to two days, or you can freeze 1/4 cup portions in sealed plastic bags or small plastic containers.

Makes 1 cup of puree.

Note: Double the recipe if you'd like to make extra puree to store for later use.



Sneaky Chef Unbelievable Chocolate Chip Cookies
By Missy Chase Lapine

Missy says: "Oats and white beans make a decent chocolate chip cookie? And I want to throw in wheat germ and whole-wheat flour! Well, tasting is believing. Watch your kids devour these seemingly sinful yet incredibly nutritious cookies. I also managed to cut back on the sugar by a third, resulting in a mere half teaspoon of sugar per cookie. Then I added fiber from nutrient-packed wheat germ, whole-wheat flour, oats, almonds, and white beans, all of which help to slow down the release of sugar and avoid the usual 'crash and burn' after kids eat cookies."

Ingredients:
1 cup Flour Blend (equal parts white flour, whole-wheat flour, and wheat germ)
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup rolled oats, finely ground in a food processor
2 tablespoons blanched, slivered almonds, finely ground in a food processor (omit if allergic)
8 tablespoons unsalted butter
1/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup brown sugar
1 large egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 cup White Bean Puree (see below)
1/2 cup semisweet chocolate chips
1 cup chopped walnuts or dried fruit such as blueberries or raisins (optional boost)



Instructions:
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Remove butter from refrigerator to soften.

In a large bowl, whisk together Flour Blend, baking soda, salt, ground oats, and ground almonds, if using. Set aside.

In the bowl of an electric mixer, beat butter and both sugars until creamy. Beat in egg, vanilla, and White Bean Puree. Add dry ingredients and mix on low speed. Stir in chocolate chips (and walnuts or dried fruit, if using). Make two-bite cookies by dropping rounded half-teaspoonfuls, spaced 2 inches apart, onto nonstick or parchment-lined baking sheets.

Bake for 12 to 14 minutes or until golden brown. Let cool on a metal rack.

Store cookies in an airtight container at room temperature.

Makes about 50 cookies.

White Bean Puree
By Missy Chase Lapine

Ingredients:
15-ounce can white beans (great northern, navy, butter, or cannellini), or 1 cup dry beans (if you're starting with dry beans, soak for an hour, then cook according to instructions)
1 to 2 tablespoons water

Instructions:
Rinse and drain the beans and put in the bowl of your food processor. Pulsing, puree the beans with just 1 tablespoon of water until smooth, stopping occasionally to scrape down the sides of the bowl. The goal is a smooth, but not wet, puree — the consistency of peanut butter. If necessary, thin with a little more water by adding one teaspoonful at a time until there are no flecks of whole beans visible.

The puree can be stored in the refrigerator for up to three days, or you can freeze 1/4 cup portions in sealed plastic bags or small plastic containers.

Makes 1 cup of puree.

Note: Double the recipe if you'd like to make extra puree to store for later use.