There are proud vegie smugglers and people who are very much against it. So we thought we’d ask our Sinchies facebook community what they think. At Sinchies we sit on the fence! We hide veggies whenever we can, zucchinis go into brownies, and all sorts of grated veg goes into bolognaise – but at the same time every meal includes a variety of visible vegetables that help our little ones get used to the idea that vegetables make up a balanced meal. So here are some ideas and dinner inspiration!
We asked: Are you a vegie smuggler? I got busted by Mr 20months, sneaking zucchini and broccoli into his ravioli sauce. Mr 5 was none the wiser.
Heather said “ Yup yup and yup! Veggies go in fruit things, and sometimes fruits go in veggie things :-) I'm sure my mum did it, and I will teach my 3Gs how to do it for their children lol”
Danielle H gave us a giggle when she told us “I sneak veggies into everything! Been doing it for years to my husband and he still has no idea! Jessica seinfield has some cook books out with great ideas.”
Top Tips from Vegie Smugglers:
Kirsty HS: My two top tips are to steam and then puree veggies and add them to whatever you can (spaghetti sauce, the sauce on top of your homemade pizza, casserole... seriously, whatever!) and the other is any mince meal you start substituting brown (canned) lentils for mince. Start doing 10% lentils to 90% mince and work your way up. I can go totally undetected as long as I hold it to 40% lentils... any more than that and I get sprung!
And then you do things like rename foods. I do a really yummy (and fairly healthy) fettucine in a creamy spinach sauce. In our house its known as Shrek Pasta and the children believe I got the recipe directly from Princess Fiona. If you eat a bowl of it at every meal then your skin might go as green as Shrek's but a big bowl of it for dinner is just plain yummy. :D
(recipe at end)
Oh, and everyone knows the pumpkin trick for baking, right? Steamed and pureed pumpkin can replace butter... less fat but it still has the right consistency.
Heather H: I make "pink apple cupcakes" full of beetroot, soooo healthy, cute, and PINK!!!!! Lol
Danielle H My husbands Favourite is homemade chicken nuggets which I have coated in anything from squash, sweet potato, broccoli and spinach! Delicious and keeps the chicken nice and juicy!
Amber C: My four year old loves salad things but not a massive fan if veges unless I make my own sweet potato chips, roast veges cut into shapes or grate zucchini and mushrooms onto pizza.
Of course you can always smuggle vegies using
Sinchies! Add some into fruit purée or smoothies for little bubs.
Kirsty HS’s Shrek Pasta
Boil water and cook a pack of fettucine.
Defrost a box of frozen chopped spinach and squeeze out the excess water.
Chop some garlic and onion and grate some cheese.
By now its probably time to drain the fettucine so do that and rinse the pan to use again. Melt some butter, start to fry off the garlic and onion then add flour and stir til flour is golden (think the base of a roux, really!). Add a can of light and creamy evaporated milk while its on medium heat.
It will thicken, then add the cheese (I go part light cheddar for the mouth feel and part parmesan for the taste) and season with salt/pepper. Stir in the spinach once the cheese sauce looks good. Refresh the fettucine and add to the sauce and then serve.
If you have a favourite veggie smuggling idea, please share it with us! You can also visit Vegie Smugglers on facebook for some more ideas.
Have a lovely week!
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