What happens when you successfully trick children...

In our home I really don't have picky eaters...but they both like different things. At the end of the day they will try just about anything even if they have to choke it down.

However, two things are always consistant and if i'm not careful I will completely screw myself.

1) If I'm trying a new "gluten free" recipe.... it doesn't stand a chance. The fork will come halfway to the mouth and I'll get a kind "I don't prefer it" and before I know it I'm stuck with a massive amount of gluten free mac and cheese.

and 2) They both dislike cooked vegeteables. The little one is coming around but they would both rather pound a plate of cucumbers, carrots and celery before even dreaming of eating one cooked carrot.

As an adult who actually cares about being healthy and my kids being the same (and hubs too, i guess) my goal is to have veggies with every meal. And instead of just offering up some cucumbers to the kiddos as their veggie option each night and just cooking up some steamed edamame (yum) for me and the mister..I end up going to ridiculous lengths to HIDE the vegetables. I've tried it all

1. food processor. If you can't see it. It isn't there. And they don't know they like it, right?

2. Mask it with tons of melted cheese

3. Buy a decent amount of ice cream, make  sure they know it's there...and then let them know they will have to eat their veggies to have some.

and my personal favorite - 4. Just straight up lie.

9 times out of 10 I get totally busted.

Last night I decided to go with option 1. When that failed..I went straight to my standby, good old number 4.

See... I love mashed potatoes. They are my weakness. I'll eat them for every meal until they are gone. So to try to cut the calories I made them last night with half potatoes and half califlower. I was very sneaky. I boiled it all while they were gone and got it all mashed up before anyone could see. Unfortunately when you boil califlower it creates an interesting odor..so when questioned about whether I was only boiling potatoes. I quickly replied with a stern "YES...of course I am. That's all that goes in mashed potatoes, silly!"

When we sat down for dinner I got a few questions about what I put in the mashed potatoes.

Um...the usual

Potatoes

Butter

Cheese

"are they lumpy?"

Oh I don't know...I guess a little. We have cookies! I don't know if you saw those in the kitchen.

"Oh, Good!"

{eating pause.....}

"MMM...these potatoes are good!"

Ahhh. Success! I felt like that woman on the shoe commercials who actually buys something her kids like and confetti pumps into the air.

So moral of the story. If you try and don't succeed. Lie... but don't get caught. Because lying is wrong.

Oh and Califlower Mashed Potatoes are actually good. Kid approved!

XOXO, Kati