Recently in The Sneaky Chef Category

I'll be in New York all day today doing a "Satellite Media TV Tour " where I'll be demonstrating my newest back-to-school recipes on morning shows across the nation.

I'll be using Uncle Ben's whole grain white rice as the featured ingredient. It's an amazing new product that will become every mom's secret weapon in the kitchen!

It's the first and only whole grain rice that looks and tastes like white rice.

This is truly the ultimate sneaky product and, as you can imagine, my dream come true. It even has twice the amount of fiber of brown rice! 

Kids will never know they're eating something healthy.

I can't tell you how good I feel about this product. 

See you on your local morning show!



Enjoy in good health,

I've just seen the shocking new study linking calcium supplement to heart attacks. The study Shows Patients Taking Pills to Boost Calcium Levels Face 31 Percent Increase in Heart Attacks. 

My kids and I have been taking calcium supplements for years. Not any more. Foods naturally rich in calcium are far better – they raise the blood level of calcium slower than supplements, avoiding the artery-clogging mechanism described in the study. There are many excellent whole foods that are rich in calcium: figs, for example, have as much calcium as skim milk!

And check out these other great whole food sources: Sardines and salmon (canned, with bones) are rich in calcium, as are sesame seeds (think tahini in hummus), almonds, kale, yogurt, and cheddar cheese.

Eating the whole food has always been my philosophy, and this new study bears this out again. See below for a list of calcium-rich foods to eat instead of taking supplements. I agree with the article that more study is definitely needed, but now it looks like it's better to get calcium through food, which doesn't seem to cause this type of heart problem.

Another mitigating factor is that taking vitamin D along with calcium helps to reduce the risk. 

Here's a list of whole foods that contain lots of calcium:

The weather is finally back to normal summer temperatures, having backed down from triple digits last week. Everyone is able to resume normal outdoor summer activities and the fun foods that go with them! 

In celebration, I thought I'd share with you some of my coolest summer recipe ideas, and one of the most requested: Breakfast "Ice Creams." They're a cool way to start the day and kids absolutely love the chocolate, banana and strawberry flavors. You'll love them because they're healthy. And they're delicious served anytime during the day!

Breakfast Ice Creams

This July 4th weekend, give your family all the delicious fun foods they’re expecting while still ensuring that they get all the nutrition they need. I’ve got a fantastic recipe I’ve named “Bonus Burgers” that’s a guaranteed hit!

This version of the traditional hamburger has been deliciously "sweetened up" with completely hidden pureed blueberries and spinach, plus whole grains. The blueberries add a mild sweetness that everyone loves, plus loads of nutrition your family needs.

Plus, if you’re adding the optional chickpeas, you’ll boost the fiber and vitamin content, so as you sit back and watch everyone devour these burgers, you’ll know that you’ve made this Fourth of July the most delicious and nutritionally fun holiday weekend ever! Click Here for the Free Recipe.

Enjoy in good health,

Missy

BONUS BURGERS

Makes 8 to 10 burgers

1 large egg
1/4 cup Purple Puree (see Make Ahead Recipe #1)
3 tablespoons ketchup
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup fresh whole wheat bread crumbs
1 pound lean ground beef
8 to 10 American cheese slices (optional)
8 to 10 hamburger buns or English muffins (preferably whole grain)
Pickle slices and ketchup to garnish
Optional extra boost: 2 teaspoons Chickpea Puree (See Make-Ahead Recipe Below)

In a large bowl, mix egg, Purple Puree, ketchup, salt, and bread crumbs. Then add the ground beef, mixing with hands until well combined. If too sticky, add a few more bread crumbs. 

Using damp hands, shape mixture into 8 to 10 patties that are fairly thin. At this point, the burgers may be prepared a day ahead and kept covered in the refrigerator. If you are not freezing for future use, proceed to next steps.

Spray a large skillet or grill pan with nonstick cooking spray and set over moderately high heat until hot but not smoking. Cook the burgers for 3 minutes on each side then flip and add cheese (optional) to melt over patties for another 3 minutes.

Serve on fresh, soft burger buns or English muffins with ketchup and pickles. 

Make-Ahead Recipe #8: Chickpea Puree 

1 (15-ounce) can chickpeas* (garbanzo beans)
2 to 3 tablespoons water
*If you prefer to use whole beans, soak overnight and cook as directed

Rinse and drain the chickpeas and place them in the bowl of your food processor. Add 1 tablespoon of the water, then pulse on high until you have a smooth puree. If necessary, use a little more water, a tiny bit at a time, until the mixture smoothes out and no pieces or full chickpeas are visible.

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

This Father’s Day, make him feel special right from the start with a decadent treat he’s guaranteed to love. Deliver breakfast in bed this Sunday with a stack of hot fresh pancakes and warm strawberry syrup. These pancakes have the look and taste of a white flour pancake, yet there is absolutely no flour in them! You’ll be nourishing him with hearty fare, packed with enough protein and whole grains to keep him feeling good all morning long.  And when dad’s happy, everyone’s happy!

Keep this recipe for regular weekdays when your mornings are rushed (and whose aren’t?!). You can make the batter the night before, then serve freshly made pancakes any day of the week; or place the cooked pancakes in a plastic bag and freeze them for up to three months, then simply toast them in the morning. These pancakes also hold up well as a “grab and go” handheld breakfast in the car on the way to work. You can find the Free Recipe right below this post.

Make the man you love feel special this Father’s Day!

With healthiest regards,

Missy 

Sneaky Chef Father's Day Pancakes with Warm Strawberry Syrup

Makes about 6 servings

1⁄2 cup low-fat cottage cheese
1⁄2 cup low-fat milk
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 large egg
1⁄2 cup rolled oats
1⁄4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking powder 
1⁄2 cup Flour Blend (equal parts all-purpose flour, whole wheat flour and wheat germ) 
2 to 4 tablespoons semi-sweet chocolate chips, optional

In the container of a blender, combine all ingredients except Flour Blend and chocolate chips and blend until smooth. Add Flour Blend and pulse a few times until the dry ingredients are fully incorporated. Add the chocolate chips and mix lightly with a spoon (do not blend the chips if you want them to remain whole).

   Spray non-stick cooking oil on a griddle or large skillet over medium heat. Test the pan by tossing in a few drops of water; it will sizzle when it’s hot enough. The skillet will grow hotter over time, so turn down the heat if the pan starts to smoke.

   Drop small ladles (about 1 tablespoon) of batter onto the skillet in batches, making sure there are some chocolate chips in each pancake. When bubbles begin to set around the edges and the skillet-side of each pancake is golden (peek underneath), gently flip them over. Continue to cook 2 to 3 minutes or until the pancake is fully set.

   Serve stacked high, drizzled with a little warm Strawberry Syrup (see recipe below) or dusted with powdered sugar.

Strawberry Syrup: 

Strawberries (fresh or frozen) combined with an equal part pure maple syrup. Pulse in blender. Warm, and serve.

Sneaky Time-Saving Tip! 

Put all ingredients (except the sprinkles) in the blender the night before and refrigerate overnight. 




Earlier this week I spent a truly remarkable day at the Children's Hospital of New York–Presbyterian  (CHONY). I've been trying to find a way to write about it all week.



I was invited to spend a couple of hours at the integrative therapies program for children with cancer, in order to teach kids about good nutrition. But as often happens with kids, it was the teacher who became the student. I learned more about hope and love, and real joy, on that one day, than I have in my whole life.



There was one six year old boy in particular, Justin (in photo above), who was so happy the whole time, and who was totally eager to dive into everything that was going on around him. The hardship that he was going through was plain to see on his physical body, but this did not dampen his enthusiasm one bit. His spirit was magnificently contagious and everyone was touched by him. I completely fell in love.



I felt compelled to share his joy and carefully picked him up over my head. He loved it. But not as much as I did. This child reminded me how to fully live in each moment, and why it's so important to love freely and completely in every moment that we have. 



I will never forget this day at CHONY, and I dedicate this blog to my wonderful friend Justin.

Missy

One of the great perks of being the Sneaky Chef is meeting people who love food and fun as much as I do! I had a great time last week with a truly amazing group or women: Dallas' top mom bloggers. Thanks to Uncle Ben’s who brought us together, I got to connect with this bunch of passionate, energetic, fun-loving folk. We had plenty of laughs as we whipped up pizza rice balls, chocolate rice pudding, and lots more.

One of the bloggers posted this entertaining blog after the event:

“I am still toying around with the name of this post. I had to so much fun today that I just don’t know what title fits best. I met some old friends and some new friends today. It goes to show that in Texas, no one is a stranger. You would have sworn we were all family. Just check out our family photo:


“What could bring this quirky group together? FOOD! Today, myself and a few of my blogging buddies were blessed to be able to learn how to be sneak from Missy Lapine, The Sneaky Chef. Missy showed us how to become more diverse with our cooking and with Uncle Ben’s (WHITE) Whole Grain Rice. Now me being the child of the group, I didn’t want to try anything! The thought of veggies touching these lips was unheard of and quite frankly, not gonna happen. I figured I would make the suggested recipes and then feed them to my veggie eating crumb snatchers at home. My kids love veggies but me on the other hand, yeah not happening…

“Long story short, as Dr. Phil would say, this is the changing day in my life. I was convinced that one of the wonderful recipes was worth trying so I tried <http://www.thesneakychef.com/index.php> Sneaky Chef Pizza Rice Balls. Let me make this announcement now because it rarely ever happens but, I was wrong. Those little balls of rice renewed my faith in vegetables and made me wanna buy wheat germ! I am as picky as it gets and this dish tastes like a delicious pasta or spaghetti o’s to a kid. I had trouble saving some for my kids but I did and guess what, they no longer think that Missy Lapine should be brought up on charges of treason!”

Read another great blog Here (scroll down to May 13th)  

This just in: The Huffington Post just did an article on 5 Remarkable Female Entrepreneurs. I'm flattered to have been chosen by Rob Rosenthal!

The"Mompreneur": Missy Chase Lapine
The mompreneur seamlessly blends motherhood with commerce. That's no easy feat as looking after children is itself a full time proposition. But if it can be done it comes with the built-in advantage that the mompreneur is her own "walking demo" -- she really knows her audience. 

MyRecipes.com just did a feature story loaded with great recipes. You can find easy and healthy recipes, quick dinner ideas, and kid-friendly meals–approved by kids and moms. 

Here's their first question and my answer:

Q: What is your definition of a healthy recipe for kids?

Sneaky Chef: A recipe is only healthy if you can get kids to eat it! By starting with tried-and-true favorites that kids already love (macaroni and cheese or chicken nuggets) and hiding healthy ingredients inside, you're sure to have a winner. This is what differentiates Sneak Chef recipes from the other "healthy" recipes out there.

Q: How do you hide nutrients in kid-friendly recipes?

Sneaky Chef: I actually have 13Sneaky Chef "methods of disguise;" the most famous of which is to pureesuperfoods–such as carrots, yams, whole grains, beans, broccoli, spinach, and blueberries–and hide them in kids' favorite foods (try my Barbell Burgers or Power Pizza). The other methods include decoys (like a few rainbow sprinkles or chocolate chips) to make foods look totally fun and kid-friendly, plus healthy substitutes for common ingredients.

Next: Parents' Questions >

Enjoy in good health, 

Missy 

I'm thrilled when celebrities come out in support of kids and veggies. Jenny Garth just posted a great interview online where she talks about how The Sneaky Chefcookbooks help her to get her family to eat their veggies. You can view the entire interview at: CelebrityBabyScoop.com.

Here's the quote:

JG: "I was shocked to find out how many kids are not provided with fruits and vegetables every day... We have our own garden and have a great appreciation for fresh vegetables at our house, but I have been known to use The Sneaky Chefcookbook now and then."

Even with her own garden, the Sneaky Chef method helps to get her kids to eat their delicious home grown veggies. Try it. It will help you, too!

Enjoy in good health, 

Missy

I just completed a great new full length cooking demo that was filmed at a recent event. Don't miss it!

Enjoy in good health,

Missy 

Look for me demonstrating Sneaky Fitness on the 700 Club on Wednesday morning, March 10th. The exact time is pending, but it looks like about 9AM. 

It's going to be a great segment on Sneaky Fitness. Don't miss it!

Enjoy in good health,

Missy

If food is love, then your family will adore this Sneaky Chef Valentine’s Day recipe that’ll keep their precious hearts healthy! 

These treats are so cute that my daughter, Sammy, is bringing them to school for the other kids on Valentine’s Day. They are a nice change from the heart-shaped lollipops and chocolates that the other kids share. 

Enjoy in good health!

Missy

Make 6 balls

6 cups popped popcorn 
4 ounces regular marshmallows (a little less than half of a 10-ounce package)
1 teaspoon canola or vegetable oil
2 tablespoons Cherry Puree (see Make-Ahead Recipe below)
3 tablespoons oat bran
6 craft sticks

Place popcorn in a large bowl; set aside. In a saucepan, melt marshmallows and canola or vegetable oil over low heat. Stir in Cherry Puree and oat bran. Pour over popcorn and toss to coat. Allow to cool for 5 to 10 minutes, then spray your hands with oil and shape mixture into 6 baseball-sized balls. Re-spray hands with oil as needed.

Insert a craft stick into the end of each ball and place on wax or parchment paper to harden. 

Make-Ahead Recipe #7: Cherry Puree

2 ½ cups fresh or frozen cherries,* no syrup or sugar added
½ teaspoon lemon juice
1 to 2 tablespoons water

Makes about 1 cup of puree

Fill the bowl of your food processor with the cherries, lemon juice, and 1 tablespoon of water; puree on high until as smooth as possible. 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 cup of puree; double it if you want to store another cup. 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.

*Try to use organic cherries, since they rank high on the “dirty dozen” list of produce most contaminated with pesticide residues.

For more Valentine’s Day recipes, check out The Sneaky Chef to the Rescue: 101 All-New Recipes and “Sneaky” Tricks for Creating Healthy Meals Kids Will Love

 I just had to comment on this recent reader story in my blog: 

Lori from Brighton, Colorado, previously wrote me a very moving testimonial about her 2 year-old son being able to grow from the first percentile in weight and height to the 50th percentile in under a year using Sneaky Chef recipes (see "incredibly Moving Story" in "Ask the Sneaky Chef" forum). Now she writes that since her son has seen her making the Purple Puree with spinach in it and he likes that, he'll eat spinach on other foods too, like pizza and ziti!

I have always maintained that sneaking facilitates teaching for lots of reasons, and "transference" is certainly one of them. "Like it here, like it there" is a big part of kids' mentality. Bringing peace back to the table also creates an unpressured learning environment which helps kids learn more easily and normally, too. 

So sneak and teach, everyone : ) 

Enjoy in good health,

Missy

Startling new research reveals that our kids are spending about 8 hours a day in front of electronic devices like computers, TVs and cell phones. Plus, another recent study found that people who spend most of their days sitting are more likely to have health problems of all kinds.  With a 17% kids' obesity rate in the US, parents can draw the conclusion that it is extremely urgent that we address our kids' inactive lifestyles immediately!

And it doesn't have to be work, it can be fun. A new study shows that watching TV substantially shortens life span, simply because people are sitting still for long periods of time. 

I always hold my breath as the first reviews start to roll in, and I can't tell you how exciting it when they're great! Sneaky Fitness just hit the desk of it's first major reviewer, The Library Journal, and here's the results in their own words: 

"When reality inevitably strikes, sneak it in! I applaud the design that went into Sneaky Fitness to make it so easy to read and use."

I am thrilled to know that Sneaky Fitness is going to help as many people as The Sneaky Chef has : )

Missy

If there's a more fun way to get my kids moving again, I can't imagine it! We just brought home a Cockapoo puppy (a cross between a Cocker Spaniel and a Poodle), and the kids are frolicking with it all over the house; our Labrador, Princess, is chasing them, and I'm chasing the whole group!

No doubt, a puppy is a big responsibility, but all the fun is outweighing the work involved. Besides, having two dogs isn't really so much more work than having just one, right? (am I rationalizing?!) 

Princess loves the whole affair, but our fluffy cat, Casper, doesn't know what to make of it at all! But he'll come around–not even he will be able to resist the endlessly playful charm of this little guy. 

But most of all, everyone is getting more exercise–oops, I mean play–than we have in years. If this is exercise, count me in every day of the week!

More soon, 

Missy

I had a great time choosing the winner of the Mott's Thanksgiving Recipe Contest this year. The winning recipe for Thanksgiving Bisque received a $500 Target gift card and $50 worth of Mott's products. I loved this recipe for its deliciously creative use of leftover turkey and mashed potatoes, resulting in a warm gourmet bisque with the delicate sweet richness of apple layered deep within. The directions are very concise and easy to follow. You've got to try it!



For second prize, I chose a wonderful "Apple & Caramel Ice Cream Wafflewiches with Spiced Pecans." This is a delicious dessert recipe with the  applesauce folded right into the ice cream, then placed between two softly sweet waffle layers and rolled into warm, crunchy, yummy pecans. A gourmet dessert if ever there was one!



Third place went to a wonderful breakfast recipe for "Apple Cranberry French Toast." It makes delicious use of yesterday's fresh bread for a fantastic sweet and mildly tangy morning French Toast.  


I can't wait 'till next year, and I will be using these wonderful recipes this Holiday!



Enjoy in good health,

–Missy

Yesterday, celebrity Chris O'Donnel asked the MD's on CBS' "The Doctors" show how to get his kids to eat more veggies, and the prescription is in: Sneak Chef it!

The Doctors recommended three deliciously healthy recipes from The Sneaky Chef to the Rescue: Sneaky Sliders (with hidden spinach, broccoli & peas), Surprise Cheese Fries (with hidden cauliflower & zucchini) & Chocolate Egg Cream (with hidden cherries & strawberries). All recipes are substantially lower in fat and calories while being loaded with great nutrition. It's no wonder the The Doctors recommend them!

Everyone in the audience went home with copy of The Sneaky Chef to the Rescue. This was a glowing endorsement of the Sneaky Chef method. Click here to watch the video, and click here to get the recipes in the book. Enjoy in good health! –Missy

PS: Be sure to check out my yummy holiday recipes in Rescue!