Sneaker Pimps

SNEAKER PIMPS
TIRED OF PUSHING VEGGIES ON YOUR KIDS TO NO AVAIL? TRICK 'EM! HERE MISSY CHASE LAPINE,
AKA THE SNEAKY CHEF, SERVES UP SEVEN TIPS ON HEATLHY EATING FOR THE WHOLE FAMILY
AND COOKS UP TWO TASTY WAYS TO HIDE NUTRITOUS FOODS IN YOUR KIDS' FAVORITE MEALS.

DRINK UP

Most of the vitamins and minerals added to cereals leaches into the milk and is left at
the bottom of the bowl. Give your kids a straw so they can drink the milk at the bottom
of the cold cereal bowl. They'll have fun slurping it up and you'll feel good knowing that
they're getting an extra dose of the good stuff.

GET TOOLED

The absolute best kitchen tool is the three-cup mini food processor. A small, mini food processor lives on the counter, so you’ll reach for it every day. Use it to puree fresh veggies for you and your family, and then easily sneak them in to your kid’s favorite meals—without them ever knowing. (See the recipes below.)

GO ORGANIC

Everything a cow eats ends up in its milk, so it's best to buy organic. A study conducted by researchers at Emory University traced the presences of pesticides in 23 children who consumed non-organic foods. The children were then told to eat an organic-based diet. After three days, the kids’ bodies no longer showed traces of two common pesticides: malathion and chlorpyrifos. However, after the study and the children went back to their usual diet, the chemicals returned —just another reason to go green.

4	BE COLOR FULL	Teach kids that strong colors in nature mean strong bodies and health. The pigment that gives fruits and veggies color also means more antioxidants and nutrients. When choosing fruits and vegetables, the more colorful, the better. Think blueberries, red grapes, cherries, peaches, watermelon, carrots, red peppers and tomatoes. You’ll find it much easier to teach kids about the importance of eating the right foods, like fresh fruits and veggies, when you’re not invested in having them eat them right then and there. Take the pressure off the situation by simply hiding some healthy foods in their favorite meals. Then you can relax while you’re teaching them, knowing they’re already getting some real nutrition.
5	OIL YOUR DIET	A study conducted by University of Adelaide in Australia found that fish oil improves the symptoms of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) without any of the side effects of drugs like Ritalin and Concerta—and it does so more effectively. Good nutrition from fresh fruits and veggies has been also been shown to yield similar results.

SNACK SMART

Think of snacks as mini-meals and provide a balance of protein, complex carbohydrates and good fats. For example, fruit paired with a slice of low fat cheese and a handful of almonds will make for more sustained energy than fruit alone. In addition, you can also easily mask healthy foods in kids’ favorite meals, like pureed cauliflower in mac n’ cheese or spinach in brownies without them ever knowing.

CUT THE JUICE

Always dilute juices by at least 50 percent with water or herbal tea. Do this right in the bottle so the kids don’t notice. This little trick will cut calories and sugar enormously.

SNEAKY CHEF UNBELIEVABLE CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIES
Nutrition highlights:
Whole grains, nuts, and beans
Rich in vitamin E, folate, manganese, selenium, tryptophan, and fiber

Oats and white beans make a decent chocolate chip cookie—seriously! And I want you to throw in wheat germ and whole-wheat flour. Don't believe me? Well, just taste it to believe. Watch the kids devour these seemingly sinful, yet incredibly nutritious, cookies. This is truly a healthy cookie that doesn’t taste healthy. First, we were able to cut back on the sugar by one-third, resulting in a mere one-half teaspoon of sugar per cookie. Then we 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 normal crash and burn kids encounter after they eat sweets. Go for mini cookies, so kids can have enjoy two for the price of one.

Makes about 50 two-bite cookies

Ingredients:
1 cup Flour Blend (equal parts whole wheat flour, white flour and wheat germ)
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup oat bran
8 tablespoons unsalted butter
1/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup brown sugar
1 large egg
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/4 cup White Bean Puree (see Make-Ahead Recipe #9 below)
1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
2. Remove butter from refrigerator to let soften.
3. In a large bowl, whisk together Flour Blend, baking soda, salt and ground oats. Set aside.
4. In the bowl of an electric mixer, beat butter and both sugars until creamy.
5. Beat in egg, vanilla and White Bean Puree.
6. Add dry ingredients and mix on low speed.
7. Stir in chocolate chips.
Make two-bite cookies by dropping rounded half-teaspoonfuls, spaced two inches apart, onto nonstick or parchment- lined baking sheets.
8. Bake for 12 to 14 minutes or until golden brown.
9. Let cool on a metal rack.
10. Store cookies in airtight container at room temperature.

SNEAKY CHEF MAKE-AHEAD RECIPE #9: WHITE BEAN PUREE
Ingredients:
1 15-ounce can white beans (great northern, navy, butter or cannellini)
(If you are starting with dry beans, soak one cup for an hour, then cook according to instructions.)
1 to 2 tablespoons water

Directions:
1. Rinse and drain the beans and put in the bowl of your food processor.
2. Pulsing in on/off turns, puree the drained beans with just 1 tablespoon of water in processor until smooth, stopping occasionally to scrape down sides of bowl. The goal is a smooth, but not wet, puree. (You are aiming for the consistency of peanut butter.) If necessary, thin with a little more water by one teaspoonful at a time until there are no flecks of whole beans visible.
3. Store in the refrigerator up to three days or freeze 1/4 cup portions in sealed plastic bags or small plastic containers. Makes about one cup of puree. Double this recipe if you want to store another cup of puree.

SNEAKY CHEF COMPLETE CORN MUFFINS
Nutrition Highlights:
Vegetables and whole grains
Rich in vitamins B, C, E and K, iron, potassium, selenium, tryptophan, manganese, riboflavin, folate, protein, and fiber

SPECIAL TIP: Use a few chocolate chips on top as a lure to get the kids to eat these whole grain, three-veggie corn muffins. The chocolate is a great decoy to get kids eating this three veggie whole grain muffin.

Makes six large muffins or 12 mini-muffins

Ingredients:
1/2 cup Flour Blend (equal parts whole wheat flour, white flour and wheat germ)
1/2 cup yellow cornmeal
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 large eggs
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup canola oil
1/2 cup White Puree (See Make-Ahead Recipe #4 below)
1/2 cup fresh or frozen corn kernels, pureed
Optional topping: 1/4 cup chocolate chips

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees and line a muffin tin with paper liners.
2. In a mixing bowl, whisk together the Flour Blend, cornmeal, baking powder, baking soda and salt.
3. In another large bowl, whisk together the eggs and sugar until well combined, then whisk in the oil, White Puree and pureed corn. Fold the wet ingredients into the dry and mix until flour is just moistened (don’t over-mix or the muffins will be dense).
4. Scoop the batter into muffin tins, filling just over the top. If you’re using mini muffin cups, scale back quantities to fit into the smaller sized cups.
5. Top with a few chocolate chips and bake for 22 to 24 minutes until tops are golden brown and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

SNEAKY CHEF MAKE-AHEAD RECIPE #4: WHITE PUREE
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

Directions:
1. Steam cauliflower in a vegetable steamer over two inches of water, using a tightly-covered pot, for about 10 to 12 minutes until very tender.
2. Alternatively, place cauliflower in a microwave-safe bowl , cover with water, and microwave on high for eight to10 minutes until very tender.
3. While waiting for the cauliflower to finish steaming, start to pulse the raw peeled zucchini with the lemon juice only (no water at this point). Drain the cooked cauliflower.
4. Working in batches if necessary, add it to the pulsed zucchini in the bowl of the food processor with one tablespoon of water. Puree on high until smooth. Stop occasionally and push contents from the top to the bottom. If necessary, use the second tablespoon of water to make a smooth (but not wet) puree.
5. Makes about two cups of puree. Double recipe if you want to store even more, which can be done in the refrigerator for up to three days or freeze 1/4 cup portions in sealed plastic bags or the small plastic containers.

For more smart, healthy and delicious dishes, go to www.thesneakychef.com.