Sometimes Its Ok to Be A Follower

My favorite blogger, Ashley, from Domestic Fashionista, is taking the next little while, to sort of, ‘Julie and Julia’ her way through Jessica Seinfeld’s cookbook, Deceptively Delicious.  I always wanted to do something like this, but haven't ever really found a cookbook that has very many recipes that I love (other than a dessert cookbook, and lets face it – cake and cookies around here on a weekly basis is a dangerous situation!).  I have a few favorites from most of my cookbooks, but no one cookbook has very many recipes that seem like I could either A) actually attempt and have it turn out right, or B) sound even remotely appetizing to me.  I am not big into fish, and I am not a fancy cook.  I usually just make the things my mom made growing up.  Most were casseroles and most of the things she made were delicious.  But some of them were not necessarily the most healthy.  In fact, I think I have grown up with pretty rotten eating habits and that, unfortunately has spilled over into my adult life.  I have definitely struggled with my weight over the years; yo-yo dieting, trying pills, and fad diets.  Until recently, nothing much seemed to work for me, but having started and been somewhat successful on Weight Watchers, portion control is getting easier.  Choosing the healthier option though, not so much.

Having recently become a mother, I have a great desire to teach my son all of the things I was never taught as a child in regards to food.  All this to say, I have seen Jessica Seinfeld on Oprah, cooking some of the recipes from her book, but never picked it up.  You see, ALL of these recipes are things that kids love to eat! Mac and Cheese, chicken nuggets, pancakes, spaghetti and meatballs, pizza and grilled cheese sammies, just to name a few!  I am a HUGE kid at heart and I like my food to be comforting and tasty!  The best thing about this cookbook?  It incorporates pureed veggies and fruits in ‘deceptive’ ways, in order to get your kids to eat veggies.

My son, Lincoln, loves veggies.  Other than green beans, and peas, he will pretty much eat any kind.  My husband and I, on the other hand, not so much.  We each like certain ones, making it difficult to figure out which veggies to serve at any given meal because our tastes are so different.  Normally, I just nix the veggies all together, which isn't good.  Not only are we not getting our veggies, we’re not teaching our son to eat his!

So, in order to try and incorporate more veggies into our diet, I am going to join Ashley in cooking her way through Deceptively Delicious starting this morning!

First Up: Oatmeal.

Deceptively Delicious ingredient: Pumpkin Puree.

Normally, for breakfast, my baby and I eat the pre-packaged oatmeal some mornings.  I have to say, this oatmeal was sweet, and definitely more hearty.  And the bonus is that we both got a serving of veggies for breakfast.  Which never happens at lunch, let alone, breakfast!  It feels good to know that breakfast can be fast, simple, delicious, and healthy.

If anyone out there has the book and wants to follow along, feel free!  Its bound to be delicious!