3 Easy Ways to Fool Them with Healthy Recipes for the Family (Twistson Snacks)

We set aside an entire day each year that is devoted to fooling people. For some people, being sneaky has to become a daily endeavor when it comes to making recipes for the family. Getting kids and sometimes even adults to eat healthy snacks food can be a challenge. But what if we tell you there are some simple tricks to feeding healthy food to the unsuspecting?

No fooling, there's more to sneaking in the good stuff than just putting veggies in a blender and mixing it with tomato sauce. Since so many picky eaters develop more of a mental aversion to certain foods than a true taste aversion, it is possible to promote change.

You've probably experienced the scenario where kids scoff at the mere sight of certain foods before they've ever even allowed it to cross their lips. Perhaps you know an adult who so strongly dislikes a food they haven't eaten since they were five years old. Taste buds change, and so can most people.

But what's the best way to prompt that change? Force feeding is not the best idea. But with 3 simple strategies to fool people with healthy food, you can soon have them eating their former "food nemesis" with a smile.

Disguise
Sometimes, the best plan is a sneak attack. Disguising foods and feeding them to the unsuspecting is the simplest way to keep them healthy. While we don't advocate dishonesty, a little slight- of- hand is akin to keeping the secret ingredient of an old family recipe. It sort of follows the "what they don't know won't hurt them" strategy.

-Put greens like spinach into smoothies. Just make sure that no one sees you do it!
-Grate Carrots and slip them into muffin mixes, or even brownie recipes. It makes them moist and provides healthy beta-carotene.

Blend
This is the middle ground of sneaking in something healthy to any recipes for the family. It's not necessarily hidden, but is not an all out swap.

-Steam and mash some cauliflower in with mashed potatoes.
-Mix some healthy cereal in with the sugary kid stuff.
-Combine tofu with chicken and veggies in a stir fry.

Ween/Substitute
If you think your family is ready to try a healthier version, but not quite up for the full switch, try slowly introducing something new mixed with their favorites. Gradually increase the portion of the healthier food until you reach the point where it is all they get.

-Use a bit of soy-protein crumbles with ground beef when preparing tacos, burritos, or even spaghetti with meat sauce. As you increase the proportion of soy, your family will get used to the slightly different flavor and texture.
-Combine whole wheat pasta with regular pasta and gradually increase the amount. Over time, they will come to accept the new dish.
-Substitute flaxseed oil for butter. While it is still has a high fat content, it is a healthy fat that is better than butter. Be careful about using too much, this is a true quantity for quantity swap. It is good on breads, veggies, even snack food like popcorn.

If you want some more ideas, check out these 15 tips for sneaking superfoods into your diet from WebMD.

So don't stress over keeping your kids and any other picky eaters healthy and happy. Get a little creative, and yes, a bit sneaky with your recipes for the family, and Happy April Fools Day!

In spite of the April first posting date, this blog is no joke!

We are the best source on the web for delicious, entertaining easy snack recipes ideas. Twists on Snacks are sponsored by John Wm. Macy's Cheese Sticks. They're known for our award winning, twice-baked and hand rolled gourmet snacks.

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Spaghetti Pie

If you need something easy, make ahead and 

vegetarian, then this is for you.

Begin by starting the spaghetti cooking.

 While the spaghetti is cooking, gather the remaining ingredients.

 Combine the cottage cheese, spinach, seasonings.

 Drain the spaghetti and return to the pot. 

Toss in the butter. Stir in the eggs and cheese. 

 Spread the pasta mixture into the bottom and up the sides of a deep,

 buttered 2-qt. casserole to form a shell.

Add the cottage cheese mixture to the center.

 Cover the top with spaghetti sauce.

 Sprinkle with the mozzarella cheese.

Bake at 350 for 30  minutes, until bubbly and the cheese is melted and golden.

Let rest 5 minutes then cut into six wedges to serve.

Spaghetti Pie

8 oz spaghetti

2 T butter

2 eggs

1/2 C parmesan cheese

1 C cottage cheese

1/2 box frozen chopped spinach, 

(thawed or cooked and excess water squeezed out)

1 t Italian seasoning

1 t garlic salt

1/4 t pepper

1 26 oz jar spaghetti sauce, 2 C

1 C (4 oz) shredded mozzarella cheese

Start cooking the spaghetti in salted water for about 8 minutes. Drain and return to the pot.

Toss in butter, then add shredded parmesan cheese and the two eggs. 

Add to a buttered 2 qt deep dish casserole. Spread across the bottom and up the sides to form a shell.

Combine the cottage cheese, spinach and seasonings well. Spread into the center of the pasta shell.

Cover the top with the spaghetti sauce. Sprinkle  the mozzarella over the top.

At this point you can cover and refrigerate until ready to bake. 

Let reach room temperature before baking.

Bakeat 350 for about 30 minutes until bubbly and the cheese is golden.

Enjoy!

Links: Funky Junk

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Oma's Goulash

This is my Mother's German goulash recipe. I always called it Mama's Goulash, but the grandchildren renamed it Oma's Goulash. So that's been it's name for a while. Everybody in the family makes it, but nobody can make it to taste as good as Oma's!  My mother never measured, so I had to watch. This is as close as it gets.

Start with  2-1/2 to 3 pounds of boneless chuck roast. Wash the meat under cold water and pat dry with a paper towel.

I realized my knife was dull, so Larry sharpened them. What a difference! Much easier to slice. You need a good, sharp knife. Cut the meat into cubes.

Cut up the onion and green pepper. Pat the beef cubes dry with a paper towel. Very important so that the meat will brown nicely. 

I'm using Crisco because that's what my mother used. You could use vegetable oil, but not olive oil. I'm also using my feisty red Le Creuset Dutch oven. Very "Julie and Julia". A cast iron pot works well too.

Add the meat to the hot oil and let it brown for about 5 minutes without stirring. Then add the vegetables. Add salt, pepper and paprika and give it a good stir.

Let the meat brown.

This will take about 20 minutes. This is a very important step to ensure brown meat and great flavor.

Don't be impatient. Wait until all the accumulated liquid has evaporated.

Then the meat will begin to brown nicely. Brown another 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Add the 4 C of water, stirring up the browned bits on the bottom. Crumble in the 2 beef bullion cubes.

Bring to a boil.

Mix the slurry in a jar. Slurry:a mixture of flour and water used to thicken gravy and sauces.

1/2 C flour and 1 C water shaken in a jar.

Stir the slurry into the simmering broth.

Bring to a boil, stir until thickened, about 2 minutes.

Add the red pepper flakes, becase goulash needs a little kick.

Reduce heat to simmer. Cover and let cook for 2-1/2 hours. It will make your house smell wonderful!

I know, cute red pot right?

Done!

Look at all that great gravy! Serve it up on a bed of noodles. Have a spoon handy to get lots of gravy with each bite. You can also serve it the authentic German way with potato dumplings or spaetzle and red cabbage as my mother often did.

You can copy and paste the picture and condensed recipe below.

*********************

Oma's Goulash

2-1/2 to 3 pound beef chuck roast

1/4 C shortening

1-1/2 t salt

1 t pepper

1 t paprika

1/2 t red pepper flakes

1 large onion, chopped

1 small green pepper, cut-up

4 C water

2 beef bouillon cubes

slurry: 1/2 C flour & 1 C water

Heat the shortening in a heavy 5 qt Dutch oven style pot. Dry the beef well with a paper towel.

Add the beef and let brown for about five minutes. Add the onion, green pepper, salt and pepper. Brown well until all the moisture evaporates, about 20 minutes. Sprinkle with paprika. Give it a good stir. Add the 4 cups of water, stirring to loosen up the browned bits on the bottom. Bring to a boil. Stir in the slurry and bring to a boil again, stirring until thickened. Add the red pepper flakes, stir. Cover and reduce the heat to low and let simmer for 2-1/2 hours until the beef is fork tender.

Guten Appetit!

Katie Jaeger at 91 

Every time I make this it's an "I Remember Mama" moment.

Mama and me in the kitchen.

Links: Foodie Friday

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Happy Mother's Day!

Remembering my mother and all the wonderful things she cooked. Her recipes were all watch and learn. Nothing was written down, just passed down.. goulash, red cabbage, strawberry cake, bean vegetable soup. So many wonderful old German recipes that her family loved. They never quite taste as good as when she made them. Every bite is a memory.

We love and miss her every day.

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