Recently in Ask The Sneaky Chef Category

Hi Missy!!!

I have been using the sneaky chef for a few months and I LOVE  the speedy stovetop lasanga!My mother bought this book for me because I am a HEALTH NUT!!!(I am only 12!) but one thing I was wondering was in your recipe "Suprise Cheese Fries" you said it was called "poutine" in canada but that isn't poutine...poutine is cheese curd or mozza cheese with gravy and fries...way too fattening I was wondering..is there anyway too make it more healthy???? compliments to the sneaky chef!!!!!! –Lauren

Hi Missy,

I was woundering if there was a second book that only contained the new recipes verse the one with all the beging repeated chapters. Thanks! Michelle S.

Dear Michelle,

If I'm understanding your question correctly, you'd like to know why each one of my four books has to start with the make-ahead recipes. The reason is that first time readers need to know how to create the make-aheads when they're called for later in the book--for some readers, book 2, 3 or 4 is their first purchase. 

You'll find over 200 new recipes in books 2,3 and 4. Plus, I've published dozens of additional recipes on my website, both on the Free Recipe pages, as well as in the Ask The Sneaky Chef forum.

Enjoy in good health!

Missy

Dear Missy,

I love the Sneaky "Bonbons" in The Sneaky Chef to the Rescue. The perfect blend of carbs and protein from the whole grains, antioxident-rich sweet potato, and peanut butter, along with the indulgent chocolate, make these the perfect post-run snack, better than any energy bar! I will keep a stash of these in the freezer as I train for the marathon. –Cathy R.

Dear Cathy,

You are an athlete after my own heart! I also love these (seemingly) decadent treats as they are packed with solid nutrition--perfect for after a workout. 

Which marathon are you training for? When is it? I'm jealous! 

Looking forward to hearing from you,

Missy

Dear Missy,

Hey Missy,

I have your cookbook and LOVE it.  As I am trying to count my calories, I was jut wondering how many calories are in a serving of your Unbelievable Chocolate Chip Cookies.

Dear Missy,

Greetings! I noticed in your first book that you decided not to use asparagus in the purees because the flavor was too hard to hide... I recently became inundated with asparagus, so I made a huge batch of green puree with broccoli, asparagus, and spinach. I used a full cup of puree in the 'Speedy Stovetop Lasagna' and there was not a hint of asparagus in the final product. Yay! Just wanted to let you know that it can work!

Dear Missy,

Hi Missy,

I have been using your cookbooks off and on for a month now and am loving the results. I have been able to get everyone to eat beans and zucchini. Things they would never eat before.

I have even been sneaking in additional purees into the foods that they are eating. Into mac and cheese I put about an 1/8 cup of either chickpea or white bean puree. They all love it and don't know it's there. In your chili recipe i put double the beans and the oats. No one was the wiser and they ate all of it. 

Thank you very much for allowing me to better the health of my family without them knowing. – Angela 

Dear Angela,

Letters like yours make me all the more passionate and committed to getting Sneaky Chef fare on every table in America! I love how you're adding even more "sneaky" to my recipes. 

Be sure to check out my website, TheSneakyChef.com, to read what I've been up to lately. And keep up the good work! Your family is lucky to have you!

Keep up the great work : )

With healthiest regards,

Missy

My new favorite “sneaky” treat – all-new Mott’s Medleys Juice. The juice comes in three flavors – Apple, Grape and Tropical and sneaks two servings of fruit and veggies into every eight ounce glass.   Plus, Mott’s Medleys works well as a substitute in many of my recipes like my Sweet Strawberry Cupcakes.  And it’s the perfect way to cool down after a Sneaky Fitness workout.  You can find all-new Mott’s Medleys at your local grocery store or click Here to find it in a store near you. 

My new favorite “sneaky” treat – all-new Mott’s Medleys Juice. The juice comes in three flavors – Apple, Grape and Tropical and sneaks two servings of fruit and veggies into every eight ounce glass.   Plus, Mott’s Medleys works well as a substitute in many of my recipes like my Sneaker Doodles.  And it’s the perfect way to cool down after a Sneaky Fitness workout.  You can find all-new Mott’s Medleys at your local grocery store or click Here to find it in a store near you.

Ingredients:

·         1 egg white
·         4 tablespoons butter, softened
·         ¾ cup sugar
·         1/3 cup White Bean Puree
·         1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
·         1 cup Flour Blend
·         ½ teaspoon salt
·         For garnish: 1 teaspoon cinnamon and 1 tablespoon sugar

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees and spray a baking sheet with cooking spray (or line with parchment paper).

In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the egg white, softened butter, sugar, white bean puree, and vanilla.

In another large bowl, whisk together the Flour Blend and salt. Add the dry ingredients to the wet and mix well to form a soft batter. Drop tablespoonfuls of batter onto the baking sheets (Missy uses a melon baller sprayed with oil to dole out the dough,) leaving about 1 inch between each cookie. Pour the remaining tablespoon of sugar and cinnamon onto a plate and set aside. 

My new favorite “sneaky” treat – all-new Mott’s Medleys Juice. The juice comes in three flavors – Apple, Grape and Tropical and sneaks two servings of fruit and veggies into every eight ounce glass.   Plus, Mott’s Medleys works well as a substitute in many of my recipes like my Surprise-icles.  And it’s the perfect way to cool down after a Sneaky Fitness workout.  You can find all-new Mott’s Medleys at your local grocery store or click Here to find it in a store near you.

Ingredients:

Hi Missy,

I would like to make the Crispy No-Fry Fries, but can\'t find cornmeal in my supermarket (I live in Australia), the shop assistant said that it was the same as polenta?  Is that right?  Thanks for you help. By the way, I made your 'Saucy' Meat Sauce tonight and the whole family loved it, my husband said that it was the best bolognaise he had ever eaten!

Dear Julie,

Glad to hear that the Bolognaise got rave reviews : ) And I'm sure you're heading to lots more culinary success with my books!

Corn meal is actually finer than polenta. If you can't find any, you could try grinding polenta in the food processor until it ressembles coarse to fine flour. 

Keep up the great work!

With healthiest regards,

Missy

Hi Missy,

I have the Sneaky Chef to the Rescue book and my sister has the first one. In the 'Rescue' one, Chocolate Chocolate Chip Cookies are mentioned in a letter to Missy, but the recipe for that is not in the Rescue book or the first one.  Where can I get the recipe?

Dear Valerie,

Below please find my recipe for Unbelievable Chocolate Chip Cookies. Be sure to also check the free recipe pages of my website as well. 

Enjoy in good health!

Missy

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, you ask incredulously? And I want to throw in wheat germ and whole-wheat flour! Well, tasting is believing. Watch your kids devour these seemingly sinful, yet incredibly nutritious, cookies. This was the hardest recipe in the book. I had to consult with a real baker, my close friend, Karen, who spent many days in the test kitchen with me working out the kinks until we came up with a healthy cookie that didn’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”  after kids eat cookies. Karen also convinced me to make them “ mini” cookies, so kids could have two for the price of one.

Makes about 50 two-bite cookies
1 cup Flour Blend (see Make-Ahead Recipe #13)
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup rolled oats, finely ground in a food processor 
2 tablespoons blanched, slivered almonds, finely ground in a food processor (omit if allergic)
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)
1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
Optional extra boost: 1 cup chopped walnuts or dried berries such as blueberries or raisins

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Remove butter from refrigerator to let soften.

In a large bowl, whisk together Flour Blend, baking soda, salt, ground oats, and ground almonds (optional). Set aside.

In the bowl of an electric mixer, beat butter and both sugars until creamy. Beat in egg, vanilla, and White Bean Puree. Add dry ingredients and mix on low speed. Stir in chocolate chips (and walnuts or dried berries, optional). Make two-bite cookies by dropping rounded half-teaspoonfuls, spaced 2 inches apart, onto nonstick or parchment- lined baking sheets.

Bake for 12 to 14 minutes or until golden brown. Let cool on a metal rack.

Store cookies in airtight container at room temperature.

Sneaky tip: double or triple this recipe and save some of the batter rolled in plastic wrap in the freezer for homemade “slice and bake” cookies anytime. 

Hi Missy,

Just discovered your cookbooks and my 6-year old no-veggie man just gobbled down brainy brownies and loved them.  Above all else he eats frozen waffles for breakfast. I can only find one waffle recipe in your books, and he doesn't like peanut butter. Can you make some suggestions about adapting that to skip the PB? I am going to try adapting the pancake recipe, but i'm not much of a cook so i don't know the difference. 

Thanks!

Dear Rebecca,

It sounds like you're more of a cook than you give yourself credit for! Try leaving out the peanut butter and substituting something else which is about as moist. You might try some of my orange puree. Just make it using as little water as possible. Or you could try banana if he likes those. 

The pancake recipe should also work just fine. And you'll find lots of pancake recipes in my books to choose from. Below is my recipe for Chocolate Chip Pancakes in case you don't have it. 

Keep up the great work!

With healthiest regards,

Missy

Chocolate Chip Pancakes

Nutrition Highlights: Whole grains, fruit, calcium, nuts, and protein 
Rich in vitamins C and E, fiber, calcium, and protein 

Kids may love to eat ordinary pancakes, but the ingredients consist of bleached white flour, eggs, oil, and water. Since this healthy recipe calls for whole wheat flour and wheat germ, the pancakes have a slightly denser quality. Hence, we put in chocolate chips as a texture and flavor decoy. 

One of the conveniences of this recipe is that you can actually make the batter the night before for freshly made pancakes every day of the week, or you can place the cooked pancakes in a plastic bag and freeze them for months, then simply toast them in the morning. They also hold up well as a “ grab and go” hand-held breakfast in the car on the way to school.

Makes about 18 pancakes

3/4 cups Flour Blend (see Make-Ahead Recipe #13)
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup blanched, slivered almonds, finely ground in a food processor (omit if allergies)
1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce (or grated fresh apple)
1/4 cup plain yogurt
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
2 tablespoons milk
1 large egg
2 tablespoons honey or pure maple syrup 
1/4 cup chocolate chips 
Butter or cooking spray, for greasing skillet
Optional Extra Boost: 1/4 cup fresh or frozen blueberries

Mix together Flour Blend, baking powder, salt and ground almonds (optional). Set aside, if using immediately. (To store for later use, triple the dry ingredients and keep in a sealed, labeled plastic bag. You’ll have instant pancake mix anytime you want it.)

In another bowl, whisk together the applesauce, yogurt, vanilla, milk, egg, and honey (or maple syrup) and optional blueberries, if desired. (If using frozen berries, don’t thaw them before adding; this will prevent bleeding). Add the wet ingredients to the dry ones until just blended. If the batter is too thick, add a little more milk. Add the chocolate chips and mix lightly.

Butter or spray a large skillet over medium heat. Test the pan to see if it’s hot enough by tossing a few drops of water in — it should sizzle. The skillet will grow hotter over time, so turn it down if it starts to smoke.

Drop tablespoons or small ladles of batter onto the skillet in batches. Try to get chocolate chips in with each pancake. When bubbles begin to set around the edges of the pancake and the skillet-side is golden (peek under), gently flip them over. Continue to cook 2 to 3 minutes or until the pancake is set. 

Serve stacked high drizzled with warm maple syrup or, for an extra boost of fruit, Homemade Berry Syrup.

According to a Harvard Medical School survey, children who eat breakfast do better academically and emotionally in school, resulting in better grades, behavior and attendance.

Homemade Berry Syrup

Nutrition Highlights: Fruit

Rich in vitamins A, C, and E, manganese, and antioxidants

There are more subtle ways to add fruit to pancakes or waffles without having kids see them and then possibly object. You know kids, even if they like something, they don’t always like it in combination with other things. Here, we get almost all of the rich nutrients of the fruit, mixed in with syrup, for a great tasting and fun dip.

Makes 1/2 cup of syrup

1/4 cup pure maple syrup
1/4 cup Blueberry, Cherry, or Strawberry Juice (see Make Ahead Recipe #6, 7, or 8)

Combine maple syrup and Juice. Serve warm.

Hi Missy:

i know i read somewhere on your blog a question that someone else posted and now I can't find it again. I am wondering about the difference in the nutritional value of the cooked purees that we use in our recipes as opposed to eating just raw food. Are there nutrients lost because of the steaming or cooking some of the veggies.  Of course, I'm just happy that my kids are eating what i'm sneaking in...cooked or not.  So the benefit that they recieve is better than what it was without the purees.  I\'m just curious if there is a big difference. 

By the way, I wanted to add that since I have been sneaking in the purees... my kids haven't noticed and on some occasions have actually said, wow this is the best mac and cheese ever.  Just the other day I made an orange smoothie for my 5 year old vegetable phobic son and he walked away saying, "Mmmmmm this is the best one yet"  Little did he know he was eating sweet potatoes, carrots, cauliflower and zuchhini! 

Hi Mrs.Lapine,

I am 11 years old and I absolutely love your books! When I discovered the sneaky chef in my moms cabinet, I looked in the back of the book and realized that there were more of your books! I was so happy and ordered the other 2 cookbooks. I can't wait to order sneaky fitness. I love to make all of your delicious recipes. the only thing we were wondering is if you can subsitute purees in terms of the white puree and white bean puree. Thanks! Please tell emily and samantha hi for me! Thanks for all your doing! Grace

Dear Grace, 

Emmy and Sammy say "Hi!" right back to you, and hope you enjoy the fitness activities and recipes in the Sneaky Fitness book! I'm thrilled to have young fans like you--not just because kids are the greatest, but also because if you're starting to get "sneaky" now, you're in for a lifetime of good health. 

As for the white purees....watch out! These two purees are quite different in consistency, and how they cook up. You'd be pretty brave to use them interchangeably. But if you dare, let me know what happens!

Enjoy the next books, and keep up the great cooking!

With healthiest regards,

Missy

Hi Missy,

I'm stuck!  My 10 year old will not eat any meat.  We've tried all kinds made all ways.  She will eat disgusting store bought frozen chicken nuggets, but not homemade chicken cutlets or nuggets.  Do you have any tips for getting her to get protein & iron in?

Dear Georgina,

I would first recommend trying my Crunchy Chicken Tenders and see if they work. They get rave reviews from most kids the age of your daughter. I'll paste the recipe below (from my first book).

Regarding your questions about protein and iron: spinach, and other dark greens, are a great source of both. You'll find spinach in my purple puree and in my recipe for green juice. Tofu, beans and nuts are significant sources of protein. And some grains, like millet, are very high in iron.

Enjoy in good health!

Missy

CRUNCHY CHICKEN TENDERS

You can gradually increase the amount of the Orange Puree used in this batter. Your kids may not be able to see the veggies under the crunchy breading, but their little bodies know the nutrients are there because overall, they just feel more energized. You can pan fry these in a little heart-healthy olive oil or oven bake them if you are short on time in the kitchen.

Makes 4 to 6 servings
1 pound boneless, skinless chicken tenders (or boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into strips)
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup flour, ideally whole wheat
2 large eggs
1/4 to 1/2 cup Orange Puree (see Make-Ahead Recipe #_)
2 cups Better Breading (see Make-Ahead Recipe #_)
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Olive oil for pan frying

Season chicken tenders with salt. Place flour in a shallow dish or on a plate. Beat eggs with Orange Puree in shallow bowl and place next to the flour. In a third shallow dish or on a paper plate, combine the Better Breading with the Parmesan cheese.

Dredge each piece of chicken in the flour, shaking off excess, then the egg mixture, and then the Better Breading mixture. Press the breading evenly onto both sides of the chicken. Put on wax or parchment paper and store in the refrigerator for cooking tomorrow or proceed to cook immediately.

Pan-fry method:

Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a large skillet over moderately high heat until hot but not smoking. Add a few strips at a time, pan frying on one side until the crumbs look golden, about 2 to 3 minutes. Watch for burning, and turn down heat if necessary. With tongs, turn the pieces over and lightly brown the second side until golden, about 3 minutes. Reduce the heat to low and continue heating chicken until cooked through, about another 10 minutes. Blot cooked tenders on paper towels to remove excess oil.

Oven-bake method (not as brown and crisp, but quicker):

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Place breaded tenders on a lightly sprayed cookie sheet and bake for 10 to 12 minutes. Turn chicken tenders over once with tongs, then return to oven for another 10 to 12 minutes until cooked through.

Dear Missy,

My toddler does not like meat (or fish) and will not touch anything with meat in it.  I use your first cookbook and love making the meatless dishes for my little one.  I use quite a bit of the orange puree dishes.  I hide it in your french toast, mac and cheese, grilled cheese, and Frank n' Beans (with meatless hotdogs of course) recipes.  We also use the white puree in your twiced baked potatoes.  He LOVES the green puree and eats it without me hiding it in anything!  We don't have issues getting him to eat fruit either.  In addition to you meatless recipes we go through a lot of hummus & natural peanut butter. I would like to prepare more dishes that use lentils and quinoa but don't have any kid-friendly recipes. Do you have any plans to publish a vegetarian cookbook? 

Dear Valerie,

It sounds like Sneaky cooking is working quite well for your family : )  I happen to have a lentil puree in my third book, Sneaky Chef to the Rescue. I've pasted the recipe below. 

One day I hope to do a vegetarian book. Keep your eyes peeled ; )

Enjoy in good health, and keep up the great work!

Missy

Make-Ahead Recipe #5: Lentil Puree

2/3 cup lentils* (about 4 ounces), rinsed 
2 cups water plus 2 tablespoons water

*Green Lentils have the most fiber, but you can use any color lentil for this recipe - green, brown, orange, black; also feel free to substitute canned lentils and skip the cooking step – go right to pureeing.

Combine the lentils and the water in a saucepan over medium-high heat. Bring to a simmer, cover, and simmer for 35 to 40 minutes, or until lentils are tender. Drain any excess liquid and fill the bowl of your food processor with the lentils and 1 tablespoon of water. Puree on high until as smooth as possible, adding the other tablespoon of water if needed. Stop occasionally to push the contents to the bottom. If necessary, use another tablespoon of water to smooth-out the puree.

This recipe makes about 1 ½ cups of puree; double it if you want to store more. It will keep in the refrigerator up to 3 days, or you can freeze 1⁄4-cup portions in sealed plastic bags or small plastic containers.

Lentil Puree is used in the following recipes:
Mexican Cheeseburger
Sneaky Sliders
Sneaky Gravy

Hi Missy,

I have a chocolate chip cookie mix (arthur's instant mix) -how would you "sneaky" it?? thanks!–Andrea S. 

Hi Andrea, 

Congratulations for thinking of applying sneaky techniques outside of the box ; ) 

I can't give you a definitive answer on what to sneak into this particular cookie mix, because I've never used it. But I'd venture to guess that white beans might be a place to start. Why don't you model your recipe after mine for Unbelievable Chocolate Chip Cookies from my first book, which I've pasted below.

Enjoy in good health!

Missy

Unbelievable Chocolate Chip Cookies (from Book 1)

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, you ask incredulously? And I want to throw in wheat germ and whole-wheat flour! Well, tasting is believing. Watch your kids devour these seemingly sinful, yet incredibly nutritious, cookies. This was the hardest recipe in the book. I had to consult with a real baker, my close friend, Karen, who spent many days in the test kitchen with me working out the kinks until we came up with a healthy cookie that didn’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” after kids eat cookies. Karen also convinced me to make them “ mini” cookies, so kids could have two for the price of one.

Makes about 50 two-bite cookies

1 cup Flour Blend (see Make-Ahead Recipe #13)
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup rolled oats, finely ground in a food processor 
2 tablespoons blanched, slivered almonds, finely ground in a food processor (omit if allergic)
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)
1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

Optional extra boost: 1 cup chopped walnuts or dried berries such as blueberries or raisins
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Remove butter from refrigerator to let soften.
In a large bowl, whisk together Flour Blend, baking soda, salt, ground oats, and ground almonds (optional). Set aside.

In the bowl of an electric mixer, beat butter and both sugars until creamy. Beat in egg, vanilla, and White Bean Puree. Add dry ingredients and mix on low speed. Stir in chocolate chips (and walnuts or dried berries, optional). Make two-bite cookies by dropping rounded half-teaspoonfuls, spaced 2 inches apart, onto nonstick or parchment- lined baking sheets.

Bake for 12 to 14 minutes or until golden brown. Let cool on a metal rack.

Store cookies in airtight container at room temperature.

Sneaky tip: double or triple this recipe and save some of the batter rolled in plastic wrap in the freezer for homemade “slice and bake” cookies anytime. 

Message: My younger son is allergic to egg, tree nuts and peanuts(severe). It is rather easy to bypass the tree nut and peanuts in your recipes, but not the egg. Since it is my older son who is the poor eater, I would like all of us to eat the recipes you have. Do you have suggestions of replacing the eggs in your overall recipes?–Christine S.

Dear Christine,

The easy solution is to use a product called "Egg Replacer" by Ener-G Foods Inc.