Tuesday, January 19, 2010

Veggies on the Sly

I successfully snuck a parsnip into tonight's mashed potatoes, completely unnoticed by anyone, hubby included. Woohoo! I've said it before, and I'll say it again, I'll sneak their veggies and vitamins into them however I can.

I only wish that our foray into green smoothies had gone as well. I honestly didn't mind drinking mine, but the girls claimed that they could taste the spinach, and declined to drink more than a single sip. I'll keep tweaking the formula to see if I can come up with something that they actually enjoy the taste of. I'm also going to be on the lookout for a gently used vitamix blender, as my kitchenaid blender just can't liquefy the leafy greens completely enough to make a truly smooth smoothie.

Even if I never get the kiddos to come around on the green smoothie thing, I will continue to sneak clandestine veggies into every little thing that I can until they are brave enough or old enough to appreciate the taste of vegetables. If they only knew how many greens and veggies that they "don't like" went into the spaghetti sauce that they LOVE, they would pass out.

7 comments:

  1. More fruit for those green smoothies - at least in the beginning - can help immensely. Cream smoothies best made with either banana or mango or both. Spinach also adds a creaminess.

    We LOVE green smoothies in our house. :)

    Cheers,
    Kristen

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  2. Thanks, Kristen! I think that we'll get there eventually. I'm wondering if I should try spirulina for my "green"? The girls have drank and truly enjoyed a few bottled spirulina green smoothies. Maybe my blender's inability to completely blend the spinach leaves is what made the look/texture objectionable to the kiddos?

    Anyway, I will try, try again until I find something that works. Thanks for the encouragement! :) MJ

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  3. I second the bananas in the smoothie idea. Especially if they are really ripe, then they are sweeter and really cover up the green taste. If they are small bananas, I will put two in the blender. I put so many strawberries/blueberries in my smoothie that it comes out a beautiful purple color.
    Are you blending up the greens first before adding the fruit? Check out ebay - lots of vitamix auctions goin' on. :)
    Blessings!
    Amy

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  4. I was seriously just over on ebay ogling the vitamix's! Hopefully between ebay & craigslist, I'll be able to find something affordable-ish.

    I didn't blend the greens seperately. Maybe that's where I went wrong. Do you all put any ice in yours?

    Thanks for all of the help, smoothie people! ;)

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  5. Good for you in starting off the New Year with less sugar (from your previous post). I have read about stevia and not yet tried it...will pick some up today. I also smile about your pushing the 'greens'...good idea...kids often disagree. Finally my 19 year old, away at university and in charge of his own health...realizes the necessity of it! Nice little blog!

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  6. I sneak veggies into everything that I can! although my kids would rather eat a salad than cookies - they are wierd that way. lol
    kris

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  7. The vitamix will make all the difference in getting your kids to drink green smoothies- I know it did for mine! We often call it Shrek juice though because I haven't found a solution to the color with the amount of Spinach, Kale and carrots I like to cram into them. But yes just pulverize the life out of the greens I often add a little water when blending them but I use no ice. The cold icyness comes from the frozen fruits that I add towards the end.

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