Book Review: Deceptively Delicious

Not everyone who reads this blog is a parent, but I am rather certain that everyone that reads this blog eats food, so don't be fooled by the sub-title of this book.

Jessica Seinfeld says that her new cookbook, Deceptively Delicious, is about secret ways to get your kids to eat good food... by which she means getting enough fruits and vegetables. She had parents with finicky children as her target, but I think that there is a much wider audience for this sort of work.

I like to cook. I really like to cook... mainly because I really like to eat (which is why I'm so bloody fat), and I live in a household where vegetables are always welcome... even by Soccergirl, who loves, loves, loves, peas carrots, green beans, and routinely asks for salad for dinner. Because of this, I was able to take a different approach to this book.

In her book, Jessica Seinfeld tells you how to get vegetables into your kid's food without them even realizing it, by using a puree. It really is a great idea. If your child won't abide a pile of peas on her plate, make a puree, or even make it ahead of time and freeze it, and add a dollop to her mashed potatoes... or soup. The puree will add flavor, cool colors, and better still, will give your child a serving of vegetables without her even knowing.

Pretty cool, huh?

As I said earlier, I had a bit of a different approach because, if it were up to Mrs GF and, we'd probably have much less meat in our home (we rarely eat beef, but eat a lot of chicken and fish), so I don't have to hide either fruit or vegetables in the food, but the upside is using the purees in the book as a flavor additive. This can be done with pureed steamed (or roasted, as appropriate) roasted peppers, onions, squash, beets, green beans, or any fruit or vegetable that you might like to use to flavor a dish.

Seinfeld's book may not be the definitive word in this arena, but the collection of recipes is good, and covers a lot of dishes that parents might serve the little ones. There is a good variety of recipes and a section on directions and cooking fruits and vegetables preparatory to making your puree. The directions for making and storing your puree are easy to follow. The photography is good and not so glossy as to make you feel like you are out of your depth, if you aren't really the most able person in the kitchen arts.

This cookbook should be a welcome addition to anyone's kitchen, even if you don't have kids.

This product review is sponsored by the Parent Blogger Network, and Harper-Collins publishing. It is also brought to you by the number 9, and the letter F