Hi Missy! 

I can't tell you enough how much I LOVE both
your books and have placed my hold for your new one at Barnes and
Noble!  The meals I make from your books are our family staples each
night and my entire family LOVES them- even my pickiest eater, my
husband!  : )  I was wondering if you recommend stevia for children
and if so, can it be substituted in any of your recipes?  Thanks SO
MUCH for ALL you have done to make our family eat healthier each day
while loving every bite of it!  : )

Dear Andi,

What a sweet e-mail, literally and figuratively! Before I discuss the natural sugar substitute stevia, may I just say that I'm thrilled you're eating sneaky chef fare on a daily basis. All those nutritious purees will certainly buoy your family's health.

Now, back to stevia: I'm not a doctor or scientist, and as I'm sure you're aware, there has not been enough research on stevia for the FDA to give it a stamp of approval as a food. This is why it's available in health food stores as a supplement. You'll have to do your own research on the subject and come to your own conclusions. As for subbing in stevia, I can tell you that the results will be just as delicious. Just use the conversion charts on www.stevia.com to find out how much stevia to use.

With healthiest regards,

Missy