Your Best "Cheaters" Recipies

[MomWithOCDSon]

On another thread (collectively hijacked, I think, though I certainly played my part . . . Sorry! ) some folks shared some super recipies designed for getting some nutrients and sometimes even supplements into our picky kids (and significant others, too!). Smoothies and brownies have been offered up, thus far.

 

Thought it might be worthwhile to form a separate, dedicated thread, especially for later Search purposes. Care to post your own ingenious, "sneaky" recipie?

 

I'll start with a smoothie which is the result of Fightingmom's initial suggestion and my own, on-the-fly spin. Turned out to be a great hit with both DH and DS15, and they were shocked to find I'd "Popeyed" them behind their backs!

 

"Subconscious Spinach" Smoothie

- Frozen organic berry mix (blueberries, raspberries, strawberries and/or blackberries - the darker berries help hide any green coloration contributed by our secrete ingredient!)

- Organic apple juice to taste and texture

- A handful (about 1 cup) of fresh, organic spinach

 

Blend until smooth, adding the juice as necessary to get a smooth, straw-worthy consistency, and serve up! They'll never know!

[PowPow]

Sounds great Nancy!

Now, If I can convince myself & my better half that we need a Vita-Mix... I could do this!!

every blender I have ever I had I have broken! I use a stick blender now and it is awful difficult with even semi-frozen strawberries.

Is there a smoothie/blender trick I am missing?

[MomWithOCDSon]

Sounds great Nancy!

Now, If I can convince myself & my better half that we need a Vita-Mix... I could do this!!

every blender I have ever I had I have broken! I use a stick blender now and it is awful difficult with even semi-frozen strawberries.

Is there a smoothie/blender trick I am missing?

 

You know, I have a fairly standard Kitchen Aid one myself, and I do think I might have to invest in a higher-end model; I think I'm about to burn out the motor on this one!

 

I think the frozen-ness of the ingredients makes it harder on mine, for one; I have to continually go in with the business end of a wooden spoon and break clumps up so that the little blades can do the finer work. I've also noticed that yogurt-based smoothies seem to make for easier going for me than this one which is about 90% "dry" ingredients with a little juice. Maybe keeping the liquid percentage up would make things easier all the way 'round?

 

Maybe some other folks have some tricks?

[fightingmom]

I have been tossing around the Vita-Mix or Blendtec for a long time. I just couldn't do it. I did score a really good deal on the Ninja 1200 Blender at Macy's that retails for about $150-180 on Amazon and I bought it during a 40% off sale with a 10% off coupon for $118.00 (Macy's always marks everything up, so their price was originally over $200 but it still worked out way cheaper). Anyway, this thing blends through the frozen fruit with such ease. I really like it. It also came with a smaller blender jar that is supposed to be good for grinding dry things like seeds, etc. but I haven't tried it yet. For the price, I have been pretty happy. It is way stronger than my cuisinart.

 

As for tricks, I blend the spinach and juice first, then add the frozen fruit and finish off with a banana which helps make it smoother and keep the blender from getting too much of a workout.

Edited April 9, 2012 by fightingmom

[dcmom]

I broke two cheap blenders on smoothies. I finally bought a nice kitchen aid mixer, which has lasted (so far) through two years of smoothies made with frozen fruits and ice. It was over $100- but not too much.

 

I think Jerry Seinfeld's wife has a kid's cookbook on sneaking veggies in. Thankfully, my kids are pretty good. Even my pickiest likes salad and most veggies if she can eat them raw! I am thankful for that

[MomWithOCDSon]

As for tricks, I blend the spinach and juice first, then add the frozen fruit and finish off with a banana which helps make it smoother and keep the blender from getting too much of a workout.

 

Probably a good idea, at least for the blender. I, however, saved the spinach for last, hoping the color would immediately become blended into the dark berry concoction in the event DS walked through the kitchen while I was mid-blend! Didn't want to risk him getting an eyeful of a frothy, green mix in the blender and refuse to try it based on looks alone!

 

Now that he's hip to my underhandedness . . . and agreeable to it . . . I could probably do it the way you suggest and get a few more miles out of my blender! Thanks!

[fightingmom]

As for tricks, I blend the spinach and juice first, then add the frozen fruit and finish off with a banana which helps make it smoother and keep the blender from getting too much of a workout.

 

Probably a good idea, at least for the blender. I, however, saved the spinach for last, hoping the color would immediately become blended into the dark berry concoction in the event DS walked through the kitchen while I was mid-blend! Didn't want to risk him getting an eyeful of a frothy, green mix in the blender and refuse to try it based on looks alone!

 

Now that he's hip to my underhandedness . . . and agreeable to it . . . I could probably do it the way you suggest and get a few more miles out of my blender! Thanks!

 

That was some carefully calculated smoothie blending!