At the fitness center last week, I (Jen) put up a quote about how life expectancy would be greatly improved if green vegetables smelled as good as bacon. Hilarious, and sadly, so true. I can just imagine what my BMI would be if whole wheat anything tasted like milk chocolate and nice crisp lettuce was like biting into a pringle... but it's not. My kids will take salad on their plate, but it stays untouched and frankly, I can't blame them. And so, alas, I find myself having to make a conscious effort to sneak healthy food, especially vegetables, to my dinner table.
It can be tough, but a little planning and prep can get some healthier meals without compromising on flavor. Last night genius struck, but late and I ended up trying to make dinner while dragging my toddler around the kitchen like a ball and chain as she had wrapped her poor, sobbing body around my leg because she was half past starving to death. It was pitiful and frustrating. But worth the wait, as it turned out. You might be impressed to know that I snuck black eyed peas into the mashed potatoes and nobody blinked. Yup, I'm pretty proud of that one.
Have you ever tried something like that? I've heard of spinach in brownies (haven't tried it), carrots in meatloaf (tried it, love it, never going back), tofu in smoothies (makes it very creamy), mixed veggies in the mac and cheese (the kids saw right through that one) and on and on. A few small substitutions or additions can make a difference between getting our daily amount of vegetables or not. There are entire cookbooks dedicated to the subject of sneaky food prep.
So I guess you can come up with bacon flavored vegetables. There is probably a recipe floating around somewhere out there. You just have to plan ahead, get creative, and give your toddler a snack if you're running late.
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