Jessica Seinfeld’s book Deceptively Delicious is a new and innovative way for Moms to approach nutrition for their families. Thankfully at this point my children are very into vegetables and eat a nice variety of foods but knowing how varied children view foods as they get older its nice to learn new things sooner rather than later. The basic premise of the book is just how easy it is to incorporate vegetables into every aspect of your family’s diet. She provides recipes focusing on main meals, lunch ideas, snacks, and desserts.

I tested 3 recipes for this review. First I put to use one of my favorite kitchen items ever.

Our rice steamer has been a dear friend for our family who loves to eat rice for every meal of the day. I however had rarely utilized it for steaming vegetables. I followed the Deceptively Delicious directions and was able to steam carrots, sweet potatoes, and spinach. I then used my food processor to puree each individual vegetable and was surprised at the resulting smooth even consistency. For Moms out there with infants this book just might have all that you need as you transition to solids and want to make your own baby food.

The first recipe up was the chocolate chip cookies. The recipe calls for draining and rinsing and entire can of chick peas into the batter. I however knowing how keen my children are on textures of food opted to puree the chick peas a bit in my food processor before adding them into the batter. I have to admit the batter itself was pretty yummy.

Once cooked the cookies definitely had a noticeably different texture but not so different that my boys complained at all. After a taste test by 2 moms and 5 kids ranging in age from 2 to 6 the cookies were definitely a huge hit.

Next I tried the Chicken Nuggets. Because of the previous pureeing I already had the base ingredients ready for putting together the meal. I used spinach puree in the recipe and found the puree/egg mixture a bit thick to really stick to the chicken. The strips cooked up and had very nice flavor but weren’t nearly as crisp as I would like. I will be trying the recipe again but will add a bit more egg to the vegetable base to hopefully get a better final coating. The boys and EDad were very happy with the chicken strips with EBoy proclaiming they were the best chicken he’d ever tasted.

The final recipe attempt was the brownies (with carrots and spinach). I was thrilled to see that the recipe only required a few ingredients, most of which I already had on hand. Everything mixed together nicely and the spinach puree blended so well that it wasn’t even noticeable in the batter. However that was the end of my good report on this attempt. My brownies looked strange and had a bit of a lumpy cake texture. I was so dissappointed with how they turned out I didn’t even try to give them to the boys, but will have to try them again to make sure I didn’t just get something off in my own measurements.

Overall I give a huge thumbs up to Deceptively Delicious. The recipes incorporate ingredients which are easily accessible to all and provide an easy way to stockpile purees for quick preparation of dishes. If simple meals packed full of nutrients and vitamins are needed in your family’s everyday life I recommend that you give Deceptively Delicious a try. You can check out a few more of the recipes on Oprah.com.

GLAD® SimplyCooking™ Microwave Steaming Bags are a quick and easy way to cook up vegetables in your microwave. I tried them out and must say they definitely work well with very easy cleanup to follow. The bags are well constructed and stand up in the microwave during cooking. The instructions on the bag say to let it cool down for a few minutes before trying to open the bag, and I was surprised at just how quickly the temperature dropped making the bag easy to handle while still keeping the food inside well heated and cooked.

We tried both potatoes and green beans. The potatoes have a recommended time of 7-8 minutes, drastically reduced since I peeled and diced them. They turned out great and while I’ve always liked my current microwave veggie steamer, it was nice to have fewer dishes to wash afterwards. The green beans I prepared by just adding a bit of fresh minced garlic into the bag and the flavor infused nicely for fresh crisp beans.

I’d definitely give these a try again and can see incorporating them into the huge holiday cooking schedule we have ahead for an easy way to get more healthy vegetables on the menu. Check out the GLAD® SimplyCooking™ Microwave Steaming Bags website for more information.

As a child some of my fondest memories surround books. My parents worked dilligently with me to teach me to read and I was so excited when I could finally pick up books and read on my own. One of the earliest books I remember learning to read was a special book my Mom purchased for my brother and I. It was a personalized children’s version of Snow White with our names included in the pages. I found the book exciting and so interesting. I’ll never forget how enchanting and special it felt to read my own name in the pages of a beloved book.

PrintAKid offers personalized books for children innovatively designed for the new millenium. Instead of depending on rehashed stories of old dry fairy tales, they offer new and clever stories for your children to enjoy. We reviewed The Robots of Sedna and EBoy was beyond thrilled when he realized he was the space captain leading the important mission. I wish I could have captured the thrill and sparkle in his eye the first time we read his story. He proudly held his head high, beaming with pride from the heroic and brave tale all about himself.

Because of the unique stories offered by Printakid your child will be presented with new ways to stretch their imaginations. The names of friends (or siblings) and parents can be added to the story, further expanding an enchanting adventure your child is sure to enjoy. Creativity is definitely a big part of what makes the book’s well written plot line successful and entertaining for both child and parent.

Each book is personalized so that not only the child’s name appears but you can select their matching skin, eye, and hair color. The graphics presented in this well constructed hard back book are beautifully illustrated, full of rich vibrant color which perfectly captures the fun energy of the story. This is not just a great tale but a carefully designed keepsake you will want to maintain to remember a special time in childhood.

I highly recommend Printakid books for a unique and treasured gift. Personalized children’s books have come a long way and I am thankful for the opportunity to allow my child to experience his own exciting literary adventure. Reading is the foundation of education and learning, and Printakid provides your child an opportunity to immerse themselves in the magical world of literature.