KIRSTEN LUPINSKI: Getting your kids to eat fruit and vegetables

Many parents struggle (me included) with getting their kids to eat fruits and vegetables.

My boys will eat and try anything, including all different fruits and vegetables, but then there is my daughter. I have tried and tried to get her to eat anything but carrots (and they need to be the smooth ones, not crinkle cut) and have failed miserably.

So, my solution was to sneak them in and, trust me, she has no idea.

I know this is not the ideal solution, but she is getting the nutrients from fruits and vegetables and my fingers stay crossed that someday she will sit down eat a plate of broccoli and cauliflower.

I know I am not alone in this struggle, so I want to take the next few columns to provide you all with some recipes and tips on sneaking in those much needed nutrients. Keep in mind that even if your kids love vegetables and fruits, it never hurts to use these recipes and give them some extra nutrients (you, too).

I have followed and used the Sneaky Chef’s recipes for many years and my kids have not caught on yet. You can find all of these recipes and many more at www.sneakychef.com.

I want to first start off with making two different purees that can be added to recipes:

ORANGE PUREE

(www.sneakychef.org)

What you need …

1 large sweet potato (peeled and cut into chunks)

3 large carrots (cut into big chunks)

About 2 Tablespoons of water

what you do …

You can simply place these vegetables in a microwave safe dish and steam until tender (about 8 minutes) and then put in a blender with water and puree until smooth. This will make about 2 cups, but I always make more and freeze to use in the future.

I like to freeze 1 cup of puree in a Ziploc bag and then you just defrost one bag at a time and add to recipes.

PURPLE PUREE

(www.sneakychef.org)

what you need …

3 cups raw spinach

1