“The Sneaky Chef: Simple Strategies for Hiding Healty Foods in Kids’ Favorite Meals,” by Missy Chase Lapine (Running Press), is quite possibly one of the best cookbooks for nutritional eating that I have come across in a long time. The secret to its success lies in pureeing many of the “special” ingredients such as orange puree (sweet potato and carrot), purple puree (spinach and blueberries), green puree (broccoli, spinach and peas), and white puree (cauliflower and zucchini). There are other interesting types of vegetable and fruit purees to be used in the preparation of different recipes, but these seem to be the main ones used throughout the book. My son, the quissential picky eater of all time, did not detect the orange puree I slipped into the Crunchy Chicken Tenders and snarfed those chick sticks up like candy. 

As most folks know, “beauty is in the eye of the beholder” and that old adage definitely applies to children; a fact keenly recognized by Lapine. She offers great tips on how to make food appear more appealing and fun like serving the Crispy No-Fry Fries in an ice cream parfait glass, cutting the Fortified French Toast into sticks, or adding rainbow sprinkles on top of the Brainy Brownies. In Chapter 5: “The Sneaky Chef’s Bag of Tricks,” Lapine points out parents are battling against food companies who use similar tricks to get kids to try their unwholesome, pre-packaged cuisine. “This method makes us parents into smart marketers,” she says. “Make no mistake about it – you are competing with multimillion dollar ad campaigns that bombard kids into trying their dolled-up junk food.”  

Of course, critics are going to complain that by hiding fruits and vegetables in recipes, kids are not developing a true appreciation for these types of food. My response to that is: whatever. Seriously, I will do whatever it takes to get my son to eat healthy and nutritional food on a daily basis. That includes sneaking in the “icky stuff” like zucchini and carrots that were previously fed to the dogs under the table.  

One of the best things about this book – aside from the nutritional merits – is that the recipes are easy to prepare. And I am all about easy!  Don’t be dissuaded by the thought of having to steam and puree a variety of fruits and vegetables. This type of preparation can be done well in advance to be used at a later time – or you can use the instant supermarket puree recommendations found in the book. And, while preparing recipes from scratch using whole grains and organic produce is the better alternative, a lot of folks who are time-challenged can utilize some of Lapine’s Quick Fix options that incorporate pre-packaged foods like boxed macaroni and cheese, SpaghettiOs, and applesauce. 

With it’s easy to read format, helpful tip boxes and sidebars, and cleverly disguised recipes, it’s easy to see how this book so quickly made New York Times bestseller list! 

Click here for more information about The Sneaky Chef.

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Copyright 2009 Charlene Davis. All rights reserved.

Our family loves camping, and I mean in the traditional way with tents, sleeping bags, and sans electricity. No sissy RV trailers for us! This is a real shocker for anyone who knows me because I’ve always joked that my idea of roughing it is the Holiday Inn with no TV. (Although I will confess that I have a butane-heated curling iron.)

Last year my husband and son invited me to go with them on their annual Halloween Cub Scout campout (they needed a cook) and I decided to take them up on it. Everyone - and I mean everyone - couldn’t wait to see how I did roughing it in the great outdoors. Well, I had a blast and the guys said they had a lot of fun with me there; thus, a new wilderness mom was born.

Naturally I embraced my new passion with enthusiasm and collected a few camping recipes that I wanted to share with like-minded folks like you.

PITA BREAD PIZZA

6 pita rounds
1 (14 oz.) jar prepared pizza sauce
1 (8 oz.) package shredded mozzarella cheese
Plus any other pizza toppings of choice

Toast each side of the pita bread over a hot grill to desired doneness. Spoon pizza sauce over each pita round, sprinkle on cheese, and add any other toppings you desire. Grill until cheese melts.

CAMPFIRE STEW

1 pound hamburger
1 medium onion, chopped
2 cans mixed vegetables (undrained)
1 bottle ketchup

In a Dutch oven over a fire or stove, brown hamburger with chopped onions; drain off drippings. Return to fire or stove and add the canned vegetables w/liquid and bottle of ketchup. Fill up empty ketchup bottle halfway with water and add that to the hamburger mixture. Simmer 30-60 minutes. Add more water if necessary. 

Note: Can add additional ketchup, if desired, or Worcestershire or steak sauce for a little extra “zip.”

CAST IRON GERMAN POTATO SALAD

4 slices bacon
1 medium red onion, diced
1 pound red potatoes, precooked and cut in half
3 tbsp. white vinegar
Salt and pepper, to taste

Fry the slices of bacon in a cast iron skillet. When done, remove bacon with a slotted spoon and add onion to bacon drippings, cooking and stirring until onion is clear. Add potatoes and sear for 1 minute, cut side down, until brown and crisp. Remove from heat and pour the contents into a large mixing bowl, setting the skillet aside. Crumble the bacon and add to potatoes, along with the vinegar, salt and pepper, mixing thoroughly. Can serve hot or cold.

FOIL POCKET DINNER

My friend, Loretta (also a Cub Scout mom) told me about this type of campfire/grill foil cooking which I thought was really cool.

Ground beef patties OR pieces of chicken
Potatoes, sliced
Carrots, sliced
Worcestershire Sauce
Foil Bag

Take a ground beef patty or piece of chicken and put it into a foil bag. Add sliced potatoes and carrots, and sprinkle on some Worcestershire Sauce. Close bag tightly and cook on coals or grill until tender. Serve with green salad and/or fresh fruit.

ZIPLOCK OMELETS

One serving:
2 eggs
1 ziploc bag
Extra ingredients: cheese, mushrooms, ham, onion, green peppers, tomatoes, etc.

First, have everyone write their name on a quart-size ziploc freezer bag. Crack 2 eggs into a bag (not more than 2) and shake to combine them. Add whatever extra ingredients each individual wants in their omelet and mix contents together well. Be sure to squeeze extra air out of the Ziploc bag. Place the bags into rolling, boiling water for exactly 13 minutes. You can cook 6-8 omelets in a large pot. Open the bags and the omelet will roll out easily. Be prepared for everyone to be amazed! Also makes a great conversation piece.

Copyright 2008 Charlene Davis. All rights reserved.

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Charlene Davis is an internationally published writer specializing in business, e-commerce, spirituality, parenting, and food. For more great recipes for today’s busy women, visit her Busy Moms Recipes blog.