Results tagged “recipe” from The Sneaky Chef

Thank you Laura Fuentes, Chief MOM
www.MOMables.com

Three years ago my daughter entered a picky eating stage and I could not get her to eat anything! My son followed her path a year later. I came across Missy’s book The Sneaky Chef and I immediately fell in love with her ingenuity! The brownies were such a hit that I began putting them in their lunch box. They wanted a treat? Have a brownie! I’d say.

My daughter has slowly grown more open to trying new things; my son is another story. For the past year he has eaten macaroni and cheese nearly 2-3 times per week. Initially, I used Missy’s technique of adding pureed carrots or squash (anything orange) to add a nutritional boost to the organic, out of the box pasta. Soon, it became apparent that I needed to come up with my own “power sauce” in order to really maximize nutrition.

They say desperation is the mother of all invention. After trying many sauces and online recipes, I realized that simple ingredients worked best. There are days I whip up a single serving of “power sauce” while the pasta cooks; other days, I get really inspired and whip up a huge batch so all I have to do is pull a serving from the freezer and warm it up. Below, I’ll share with you both options so you can make the power sauce at home.

Power Sauce: Homemade Creamy Cheese Sauce
Courtesy of MOMables™’ Recipe Stash

Large Make ahead recipe: yields 12 1cup servings.
Ingredients:
• 5lb bag organic carrots, peeled and washed
• 32oz (2lb) container part skim ricotta cheese
• 12 oz sharp cheddar cheese
• 1/2 cup milk
Directions:
1. Peel and wash carrots. Cut in a few pieces. Steam
2. Steam carrots until soft (12-15min for that size load)
3. In a blender/food processor add half of all the ingredients above and blend/puree well.
4. Repeat process for second batch.
5. After cooling, pour 1 cup of pureed mac and cheese into individual zip bags or freezer containers.
6. To make mac and cheese dinner: pour 1 cup power sauce and mix with cooked pasta (12oz dry pasta)

Single Batch: yields approx. 1cup sauce
Ingredients:
• 3/4 cup steamed carrots
• 1/3 cup ricotta cheese
• 1-2 oz sharp cheddar cheese
• 2TB milk
Repeat directions.

Enjoy!

Laura Fuentes is the Chief MOM at MOMables™. A wife, mother of 3 and a lunch enthusiast who insists on healthy, wholesome food for her family. 
She’s on a mission to help busy parents overcome the difficulties of packing fresh school lunches. On her personal blog, SuperGlueMom.com, she writes about motherhood, deadlines, healthier living, and keeping her cool, even when her kids super-glued her hair. She’s also a food contributor to numerous sites and is published weekly on an online news hub.
You can find her on Facebook or Twitter and MOMables on Facebook and Twitter

Quick question - book 1 purple puree said to cook spinach - book 2 said to just puree - which is better? obviously faster to not cook but just noticed difference. Thanks! Andrea S.

Dear Andrea,

I updated the recipe after book 1 because the puree was being cooked in the final recipe anyway. There is no need to cook it twice. So go with book 2 : )

Enjoy in good health!

Missy

Halloween is fast approaching and I'd like to share my great Sneaky Halloween Cupcake Recipe, plus some Sneaky Tips to help families get through this nutritionally challenging holiday. 

One of the best things we can do for the man in our lives this Father's Day is to cook him up one of his favorite meals. And what man doesn't love to sink his teeth into a great, juicy burger? Try my recipe below for delicious and nutritious Barbell Burgers, fortified with completely hidden spinach and blueberries. It's one of the most requested recipes out of my Men's Book and guys go nuts over it. It's fast, easy, and it lets you make his favorite burger both tastier and healthier–he'll not only flip for the flavor but he'll be able to enjoy them guilt free : )

And for dessert, whip up some rich n' chocolaty Brawny Brownies. They taste like just  like his favorite decadent brownie, but they've got hidden spinach, blueberries and whole grains for a nutritious punch that will leave him feeling happy and loved on his special day.

Happy Father's Day to one and all!

Missy

 Thank you so much for the quick response! Over the weekend I went and got 2 of your books! LOVE THEM! I have discovered a whole new world. I have never cooked anything (I'm 36!) and I've made some dishes from your cook books that have even passed the taste test of my husband and my pickiest daughter who is 6. I also have 2 boys (3&4). I work full time so I appreciate the simplicity of the recipes!

Hi Missy,

I was at the Heathcote presentation last week.  It was great!  I
especially liked that there were so many things to sample.

I tried the blueberry muffins and liked them, but cannot find the
recipe in the book.  Where can I find the recipe for that??

Thanks
judy

PS - Made the corn tortilla chips when I got home.  They were a
complete hit!  Thanks for the great ideas!

Hi Judy,

Thanks for the nice note!  The blueberry muffins are from my 2nd
book for men here:  http://www.amazon.com/Sneaky-Chef-Kitchen-
Hiding-Healthy/dp/0762433205/ref=sr_1_1?
ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1198336967&sr=1-1

In the meantime, here's the recipe *you have the Flour Blend and
White Bean Puree recipes in kids' book:

Blockbuster Blueberry Muffins

These days, the average supersized muffin costs you half a day’s
calories and fat grams. The ones that taste good are no better than
cupcakes without the icing (and the ones that are whole grain and
low-fat taste just like the box they came in!). If you want the
best of both worlds—great taste and lower fat—these muffins may
become your family’s favorite morning staple. White Bean Puree
works overtime to cut the fat and provide fiber, and the oat bran
and wheat germ disappear behind the world’s healthiest berry.

Be sure to make extras and freeze them in a plastic bag.
When you’re ready to eat, simply pull one out and toast it!

Makes 6 large muffins
2 large eggs
1⁄4 cup sugar
1⁄4 cup almond or canola oil
1⁄2 cup White Bean Puree (see Make-Ahead Recipe #9)
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
3⁄4 cup Flour Blend (see Make-Ahead Recipe #13)
2 teaspoons baking powder
1⁄2 teaspoon cinnamon
1⁄2 cup oat bran
1⁄2 teaspoon salt
1 cup fresh or frozen (not thawed) blueberries

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Line a muffin tin with paper liners.
In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs and sugar until well
combined, then whisk in the oil, White Bean Puree, and vanilla. In
another bowl, whisk together the Flour Blend, baking powder,
cinnamon, oat bran, and salt. Fold the dry ingredients into the
wet, mixing until the flour is just moistened, then lightly mix in
the blueberries. Don’t overmix, or the muffins will be dense.
Fill each muffin cup to the top, spooning about 1⁄4 cup of batter
into each. Bake for 22 to 25 minutes, until the tops are golden brown.

Grilled Muffin Variation
Once cool, slice the muffins in half, butter each side very
lightly, and place buttered-side down on a hot indoor grill pan or
outdoor grill until toasted the muffin is toasted and grill marks
appear. Serve hot, with coffee.

My best,
Missy