Deceptively Delicious - Jessica Seinfeld [11]
WHAT’S IN THAT FRUIT?
1 Apple
(80 calories)
Apples help prevent damage to healthy cells because they’re high in antioxidants—particularly the skin of Red Delicious apples, so don’t peel them!
And they’re high in soluble fiber, which helps regulate blood-sugar levels.
1 Banana
(105 calories)
Bananas help regulate kids’ blood pressure and keep their hearts healthy (bananas contain more potassium than most fruits and as much as many vegetables).
They also help children’s bodies produce important hormones and enzymes, and help keep young brains fit, because they’re a good source of vitamin B6.
1 Cup Blueberries
(84 calories)
Blueberries are one of the best possible fruits when it comes to protecting healthy cells. Studies have shown that they contain a high amount of antioxidants, (shown to lower cholesterol, sharpen memory, and fight certain cancers).
And they’re great for keeping the system moving! (Blueberries have a nice amount of insoluble fiber.)
1 Cup Cantaloupe
(54 calories)
Cantaloupe is super for kids’ eyesight and eye health—its orange color shows that it contains beta carotene.
And it’s terrific at helping kids heal cuts and scrapes, because it provides young bodies with vitamin C.
1 Cup Cherries
(78 calories)
When your kids eat cherries, they’re getting antioxidants called anthocyanins, which help grow healthy brains and may help fight certain cancers as well.
1 Cup Pineapple
(74 calories)
Pineapple helps kids’ digestion, while it works to reduce inflammation and swelling.
It’s also outstanding at helping kids heal when they fall and scrape their knees, because it’s packed full of vitamin C.
1 Cup Raspberries
(64 calories)
Raspberries are the most kid-friendly source of insoluble fiber—they’re loaded with it!
And they’re a good source of antioxidants called anthocyanins, which help to keep kids’ brains fit and help our bodies fight certain cancers.
1 Cup Strawberries
(53 calories)
Strawberries are super at helping kids heal cuts and scrapes, and keeping their skin glowing—they’re the very best berry source for vitamin C.
And, like other berries and cherries, strawberries are high in anthocyanins, which are good for brain health and for fighting some cancers.
Joy: The important nutrients in vegetables and fruits are vitamins, minerals, fiber and phytonutrients (naturally occurring plant compounds that help fight disease and enhance overall health, such as lycopene, anthocyanin, and lutein). Deeply colored vegetables and fruits, such as beets, carrots, and berries, are typically the most nutritious, so load up!
THE RECIPES
THE DECEPTION BEGINS
YOU’RE READY to go. Your kitchen and pantry are stocked, and you’ve tucked away a nice assortment of purees in your fridge or freezer.
Most of the dishes use one or two purees. At the top of the recipes you will see a collection of illustrations of fruits and vegetables that represent all of the purees you will need, plus options. This will help you choose which recipe you want to make on the basis of which fruits and vegetables you think you can sneak by your child, as well as which purees you have on hand.
If your child is picky about green vegetables, start with a recipe that uses a white, yellow, or orange vegetable, such as cauliflower, butternut squash, yellow squash, zucchini, sweet potato, or carrots. These purees blend easily into a variety of both homemade and store-bought foods. As you get more comfortable making the purees, you can push the envelope and move onto the greater challenge—green vegetables. That will happen soon, I promise!
People ask me if they can substitute purees in the recipes. The answer is, again, it depends on your child. I developed the recipes so that the vegetables would be as invisible as possible, and even your super picky eaters wouldn’t notice.