By Carol Berg Sloan
Registered Dietitian
The popularity of Jerry Seinfeld’s wife Jessica’s cookbook Deceptively Delicious has many registered dietitians, moms and nutrition experts buzzing. Is it okay to deceive your kids into eating vegetables? Does sneaking broccoli or carrots into brownies make healthier eaters? Does it matter how you get kids to eat more fruits and vegetables as long as they do?
Introducing young eaters to healthy foods is a rewarding yet daunting experience. Research continues to show that a child must be introduced to new foods several times before they will even take a taste! Hiding certain foods in others (such as spinach in brownies) may backfire.
Using the brownie as an example, a young child may grow up thinking they can eat all the brownies they want because mom said they are healthy. Besides, vegetables taste great! There’s nothing like a pile of sautéed spinach with garlic and a bit of olive oil or a steaming sweet potato with a dab of butter and brown sugar. I say let vegetables stand on their own taste and merit just like a delicious dark chocolate brownie does.
Sometimes substituting healthier ingredients in recipes can make a big difference in the total saturated fat and calories content but this is far different than being deceptive. Here are some of my common trade-offs:
• When asked to bring an appetizer to an event I often take the Spinach Vegetable Dip that is on the back of the Knorr Swiss Vegetable Soup packet. Oddly, people beg me for the recipe. I simply tell them to buy a packet of the mix and instead of sour cream, use nonfat plain yogurt and low-fat mayonnaise. Dippers don’t know they are getting less fat and more calcium in every bite!
• I add ground flaxseed or walnuts to the bread crumbs when coating fish or chicken to increase alpha linolenic acid (ALA) omega 3 content.
• I use firm tofu (crumbled) in place of ricotta cheese in lasagna. No one has ever been able to tell the difference and they get less saturated fat and more cancer-fighting isoflavones.
Make these delicious cookies for your family but be upfront and tell them they’re eating tofu. They will be pleasantly surprised!
Tofu House Chocolate Chip Cookies
Ingredients:
• 1 cup unsalted margarine
• 1 cup unrefined cane sugar
• 2 Tbs light molasses
• 4 Tbs Mori-Nu Silken Lite Tofu, puréed
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 3/4 cups unbleached flour
• 1/4 cup whole wheat flour
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 12 oz. (2 cups) chocolate chips
1. Position 2 racks in center of oven and preheat to 350°F.
2.Cream margarine, sugar and molasses with electric beaters or in heavy-duty mixer until light and fluffy.
Add tofu purèe and vanilla; beat for 1 more minute.
3.Mix flours, soda and salt in small bowl. Add to creamed mixture and mix at low speed with the electric mixer or lightly with a rubber spatula, blending in all flour. Fold in chocolate chips.
4.Drop by rounded teaspoonfuls onto ungreased cookie sheet and bake for 8-10 minutes.
Cool on wire rack.
* Makes 6 dozen cookies
Nutritional Facts
Calories: 65 Fat: 4g Carbohydrates: 7.6g
Sodium: 18mg Cholesterol: 0mg Protein: 0.6g
