Mar. 11, 2008 - Tightwad Tuesday! -- Vegetable Puree
Using Vegetable Purees to Stretch Food and Add Nutrition
I've been reading this week, a new cookbook I now own called The Sneaky Chef, Simple Strategies for Hiding Healthy Foods in your Kid's Favorite Meals by Missy Chase Lapine. It is all about how to blend vegetable and fruit purees, whole grains, and even sardine puree! into your normal foods so that you can double or triple the valuable nutrition in the foods your kids eat. I have no intention of being "sneaky" about it though; as my kids are pretty good about trying new things and eating healthy and I don't like the idea of lying about food. Only my oldest is picky. Anyway, I am making plans for stocking up on all the vegetables I will need for puree. I suppose I will have to wait until summer to get great produce prices? I am keeping my eye on berries though, as they should be cheap really soon now. I can't wait for Spring to hit Virginia full force!
So, one of the tips I picked up from this book was using baby food as your puree. She has a great list of baby foods that can be substituted for the purees. Her favorite brand is Beechwood; because she claims they have high standards for freshness and minimal pesticides, without being certified organic and hugely expensive. Making your own in season is cheaper; but not in the dead of winter.
A couple ways this helps your Tightwad plans. 1. Eating healthier lowers your doctor's bills. I have seen several Mom's talking about this recently. I can't wait to build up my children's immunity system with all these great vegetable purees. 2. Adding purees stretches recipes to feed more tummies, and fill tummies more too! 3. Using sale vegetables or baby food purees helps lower the cost of this really great nutrition boost. 4. Summer garden extras or weird coop veggies can be frozen and saved all winter in 1/4 cup purees!
If you are really interested in this idea, check the book out from the library; as she has a very thorough explanation of how to make this work. Some of the basic ideas are to match color as much as possible, blend purees as smoothly as possible, and add small amounts at first building up to the full 1/4 C. She includes lots of recipes, which I can't wait to try! I will post a Cookbook Review when I have a few more under my belt. See more Tightwad Tuesday posts!
I have been wanting to read that book. I have it on hold at the library right now, but it must be pretty popular as I've been waiting forever.
Edwenahttp://edwena-onlyonelife.blogspot.com/
Sounds interesting! Kindof like adding tomato paste into things? Would you can or freeze puree'? I can think of lots of yummy things to make with fruit puree' :D
I got that book from the library, but was a little conflicted on whether to "trick" my kids... but now that you made the point that it is better nutrition AND money saving, I am going to trick away!
:)
Blessings!
Jen
Hi... Found you via the Ultimate Blog Party... I love the idea of "sneaking" in the veggies (for dh too! lol). DS is now passed the baby food stage, but we still have several jars that are still in date that I'd like to use somehow. I've used some in muffins and that worked out pretty well, but now I want more ideas. Great blog!!
Christy
Multitasking Mama
http://multitaskingmama.wordpress.com
The bottom line is; We try not to insist on parent-led learning or gravitate toward child-led learning. We try instead to focus on God-led learning and ask for His input and perspective on every aspect of our home school. That way, when others fuss about what Dan and I are doing and make me second guess our decisions -- I can go back to our decision process and find God's fingerprints, reminding me that this is His way.
