Meet your worst nightmare. Brownie batter - with carrots. And spinach.
The cookbook calls it "loving deception." The idea is to slyly stuff sweets and pasta dishes with vegetable purees so your kids will eat their veggies - without ever knowing it!
Hmm. I'm not too sure how I feel about this.
Yay for veggies, but can't kids enjoy broccoli in broccoli form? Does it have to be covered in cheese? It's not that complicated - all you have to do is stick an Elmo sticker on broccoli and kids will eat it. True fact.
But curiousity got the best of me. "These brownies fool everyone!" exclaims the recipe. "You won't believe how scrumptious they are." Ok, I'm game. But then I read the next line: "Just don't serve them warm - it's not until they're completely cool that the spinach flavor totally disappers."
Yup. The recipe actually says that. Delish.
I bought a massive tub of baby spinach this week, so what the heck, let's give it a shot. And know what? They're not bad. They're not super amazing, but think of it as a party trick. Play the "Bet You Can't Guess What You're Eating Right Now" game. Everyone loves that.
Sneaky Brownies
Adapted from Deceptively Delicious by Jessica Seinfeld. Yes, Jerry's wife. So just think: Jerry Seinfeld has probably eaten these brownies. Oooh, brush with fame! I read that she left her first husband right after their honeymoon to marry Jerry. Now that's loving deception...
3 oz. semisweet or bittersweet chocolate
1/2 c. carrot puree (steam 2-3 carrots until very soft and puree in food processor)
1/2 c. spinach puree (steam 2 cups baby spinach until very soft and puree in food processor)
1/2 c. firmly packed light brown sugar
1/4 c. unsweetened cocoa powder
2 Tbls. butter
2 tsp. vanilla extract
1 large egg
3/4 c. all-purpose flour (substitute up to half with whole wheat flour)
1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
Grease an 8x8" baking pan with cooking spray and set aside.
Melt chocolate in the microwave, stirring every 20 seconds until melted.
In a large bowl, combine melted chocolate, vegetable purees, sugar, cocoa powder, butter, and vanilla; whisk until smooth. Whisk in egg, then stir in flour, baking powder and salt.
Pour batter into pan and bake 35 minutes at 350 degrees. Cool completely in the pan, then cut into bars. Or do as I did and eat one warm, just to see...
Oh, my. I have that cookbook, given to me by my mom. I am a little ashamed to say that I've never cooked anything out of it. I've been a bit of a "mean" mom from the beginning so my kids learned to like most vegetables, LOL;) It is casseroles they hate, which I can live with.
ReplyDeleteThe new Gourmet cookbook though? AWESOME. I had the old, yellow version but I think I might have to buy this new and improved version too. Just checked it out from the library for a trial run:)
I've always had a standby Weight Watchers recipe where you make brownies out of a can of pumpkin and a box of Devil's Food cake mix. Good, but I prefer for my treats to be treats and my vegetables to be vegetables.
ReplyDeleteGreat post, Beth! I love the way you write ... this is hilarious! "Jerry Seinfeld has probably eaten these brownies. Oooh, brush with fame! I read that she left her first husband right after their honeymoon to marry Jerry. Now that's loving deception."
ReplyDeleteI'm with Megan...I'm just mean! I talked about this cookbook a bit a while ago here http://dakotapam.blogspot.com/2008/10/chicken-stew-and-some-awards.html And I still don't think I like sneaking foods.
ReplyDeleteI joke about sneaking flaxmeal into things...but that is not so much sneaking, it is just adding an ingredient...it is not like I would sit and eat a bowl of flax as a side...would I?
As for the brownies...I really don't care for brownies to begin with.
I prefer the Meal Makeover Moms, they are about better food, but in a straightforward way.
We'll see, I have tow more to try and get to like their veggies..I've done fairly well so far!
Two more...geesh...fingers broken today:)
ReplyDeleteWell, I guess this is one way to get your veggies, but I think I'd rather eat my broccoli with an Elmo sticker ;)
ReplyDeleteMy friend made some black bean brownies. They also were not bad, but not amazing either. They lasted in my house a couple days and a real brownie would never make it that long. I was shocked that they weren't disgusting and I didn't try to roll them in a burrito once. :)
ReplyDeleteI also have that cookbook, but like my dear friend Megan I am mean and rarely hide vegetables for the kids. I mean really... it isn't teaching them to like vegetables, its teaching them to eat more 'crap'... but these brownies are good.
ReplyDeleteThanks for sharing :)