Trick AND Treat--UPDATED!

My friend gave me homemade chocolate chip cookies last week, and as she went her way with her kids and I went mine, she turned and shouted over her shoulder, 'Oh, and they're heallllllllllthy! There's a whole can of chiiiiiiiick peassssssssssss in them!" A week later, I was fortunate enough to find a gift bag with a cookbook in it sitting on my car. It was from this friend and it was the book from which the excellent cookie recipe had come. The book, Deceptively Delicious, was written by Jessica Seinfeld, who, unfortunately, is still best known currently as comedian Jerry Seinfeld's wife. But that is about to change.

Turns out Jessica and Jerry have three kids, the first of whom is a very picky eater and has a big influence on the second one. The third one is a baby, and while Jessica was pureeing food for the baby, she suddenly decided to "sneak" some vegetable puree into dinner for the older kids as well. And so was born a solution that has literally changed their lives. Jessica has since developed a whole arsenal of recipes that make sure her kids get more vegetables in their diet than they would ever suspect.

Now, there has been some negative press about Jessica's methodology, mostly the fact that she is unabashedly "sneaking" these purees into her kids' foods and that they are therefore not learning to like the actual food itself, thereby not really changing their habits. Also, I have read some commentary regarding the negative effects on a parent/child relationship when so much of the food relationship is based on lies. Okay, okay, both valid claims and yes, Jessica is a bit extreme in the book, in particular in not positioning these recipes as a great way to get more veggies into the diet for those who already like them, or for at least attempting to serve her kids these food in their natural form. She does make a mention of the fact that her older child (who is all of about 7 years old) is starting to become far less picky.

Anyway, I nitpick there. Because, in short, these recipes are brilliant. Look at it this way, especially today (Halloween). Jessica's method is sort of Trick and Treat! For instance, last night, my kids and I tried the hot cooca recipe from the book. It contained pureed sweet potatoes. Sweet potatoes! (And I fully disclosed this odd fact.) And we loved it. The cookies with the chickpeas? Fabulous. Other recipes include chocolate cake with pureed beets, tuna salad with pureed cauliflower, chocolate fondue with pureed avocado and carrots, baked egg puffs with pureed butternut squash. And more, more, more. It is a beautifully laid-out book, the recipes seem pretty simple, and the accompanying photos for each recipe had my children oohing, aahing, and staking claims as to what we would make next, then next, then next.

We are intending to make every single recipe in the book this winter, especially because the purees most commonly featured (sweet potato, cauliflower, butternut squash) are all local fall/winter vegetables that I have in abundance from my CSA share. What a great way to jazz up the "sweet potatoes again?" blues. Baked rice balls with sweet potato and spinach purees. Grilled cheese sandwiches with pureed butternut squash (mixed right in there with the shredded cheese!). Even tofu nuggets with spinach puree (there happen to be many vegetarian options in the book, by the way). Bring it on.



UPDATE: November 11, 2007
We have been making recipes from this book every single day. My kids won't leave the kitchen and are helping with everything. I can't tell you what a fire this book has lit in them regarding cooking. Every single recipe has been a hit so far, but the brownies with spinach and carrot purees were a particular favorite, the spaghetti pie is pretty enough for company, and the pancakes with sweet potato puree were the best pancakes I've ever made. Can't wait to see what we make today!

Trick AND Treat--UPDATED!