Caution...this may contain veggies!

So I have started sneaking veggies into Andrew's diet.  The only two veggies that he deems safe for consumption are pickles and ketchup (sad but true). Push has come to shove and it is has become painfully clear to me that no amount of me screaming, kicking, pleading, rewarding or force feeding will entice my child to allow any unsanctioned veggie to touch his plate or worse yet to actually pass his lips.  Desperate times call for desperate measures.  

For Christmas I got the Deceptively Delicious cookbook (better known as the Jessica Seinfeld cookbook) and I have begun covert meal preparations.  I was skeptical at first but so far we have had some success and even some requests for seconds!  The other morning Andrew actually asked for "that new french toast" for breakfast (just between you and me it is made with pumpkin puree...but he thinks I just used "real" maple syrup). Needless to say, my blender was on fire and I could not puree fast enough.  I will say that I think many of the menu items incorporate extra un-necessary fat (for example in my opinion you don't need oil, non stick cooking spray and butter to make a grilled cheese sandwich) so I have made changes to some of the recipes but over all my sneakiness is paying off.  

I think one of the key factors is that for the most part, the prepared veggie infused foods look the same as the acceptable veggie-free foods that kids know and love.  Andrew was completely unaware that his beloved chicken nuggets contained sweet potato puree and I practically did a little happy dance with every bit he took.  So as far as Andrew knows ... if you can't see any veggies and you can't smell any veggies then there must not be any veggies.  A little slight of hand doesn't hurt either.  I was pleasantly surprised with the homemade ketchup, however I think it makes a better pizza sauce, (also considered an acceptable veggie) but all the same, Andrew caught on right away and stuck his nose up at it.  Being that for now I am the smarter one... I added a few drops of red food coloring, served it warm and told him it was dipping sauce from Pizza Hut and then it passed  as edible. I have no shame. I also have high hopes that the tips in the cookbook for making purees will also come in handy soon as we start introducing solid foods to Sean...and maybe someday Sam too.