The Sneaky Chef: How to Cheat on Your Man (In the Kitchen!): Hiding Healthy Foods in Hearty Meals Any Guy Will Love

by Missy Chase Lapine

The Sneaky Chef now targets the other picky eater in the family! For parents of finicky eaters, The Sneaky Chef was the answer to their prayers, giving them solutions for hiding healthy food in the meals kids crave. Within a month of publication, it was a New York Times bestseller. But author Missy Chase Lapine knew another secret: the kids aren’t the only ones in the family not eating their veggies! Hundreds of women wrote to tell her how the men in their lives were consistently making poor choices when it came to their diet. Men know they should eat better, but the classic male perception is that fruits and veggies are “rabbit food” and don’t seem to satisfy their appetite. Now “The Sneaky Chef” has donned her apron again and developed delicious recipes that are sure to appeal to guys. Recipes include “Macho Meatballs,” “Love Me Tenderloin,” and “Champion Chili.” These hearty meals successfully cloak ingredients that specifically target men’s health issues: foods proven to help the heart, lower cholesterol, ensure a healthy prostate, and other concerns. Now everyone in the family (kids and adults alike) can benefit from The Sneaky Chef’s bag of tricks.

Genres: Cookbooks, Cooking, Nonfiction, Food

272 pages, Paperback

First published March 24, 2008

Reviews

[Bethany · Rating 3 out of 5]

Any chance I can get to increase the health value of the food I cook I will take. However, I hate the premise of this book, that all husbands are thick-skulled fast food eaters who you have to trick into eating healthfully. We don't give men the credit they deserve in society today, a soap box of mine for another time and place.

That being said, I tried a few of the recipes and was generally pleased. Some of it was a bit too much work for me, I'd rather just get my hubby and my kids to eat a side of broccoli than to have to go through the work of pureeing it and hiding it in the food, etc.

[Becky · Rating 2 out of 5]

I think I may have read this book before and not realized it. Author spends 100 pages talking about: how to be sneaky but not too devious with getting fruits and veggies into your husbands diet, why we have an epidemic of over cholesterolized dieing at fifty men now a days, and how to get your best intentions across.

"Okay. Now you're ready to take a whole new approach to cooking for yourself and the man in your life by adding nature's super foods to all his favorite recipes."
This "whole new approach" is by making your own super purees using a food processor (or if you're lazy using baby food) to sneak in the good stuff.

I'm not sure this is going to work for our family. I just don't see myself making these purees (which only last in the fridge 3 days max or stacking them in our freezer for up to a month). And if I’m going to spend money on baby food it will be to give to my toddler (who hates regular fruits and vegetables with a passion).

But here are the recipes I might try. Sad to say there is this few after 150+ pages of recipes. I just don't make breakfast (except for the occasional Saturday), dessert (unless I'm assigned to bring one for a function), or drinks (non or alcoholic).
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*Purple Puree (makes about 1 cup puree):
3 cups raw baby spinach leaves
1 1/2 cup fresh or frozen blueberries (no syrup or sugar added)
1/2 tsp lemon juice
1-2 tBsp water
Wash spinach. If using frozen blueberries, quickly rinse under cold water to thaw a little & drain.
Fill bowl of food processor with everything; puree on high until as smooth as possible. Stop occasionally to push the contents to bottom. If necessary, used another tBsp of water to smooth out puree. Keeps in fridge 3 days or freeze 1/4-cup portions in sealed plastic bags or containers.

*Flour Blend (makes 3 cups of blend):
1 cup all purpose, unbleached white flour
1-cup whole-wheat flour
1 cup what germ, unsweetened
Combine flours and wheat germ in large bowl. Can be stored in sealed, labeled plastic bag or contain in the fridge for up to 3 months.
OR you can use Eagle Mills All-purpose flour made with Ultragrain.

*White Bean Puree (makes 1 cup puree)
1 (15 oz) can white beans (great northern, navy, butter, or cannelloni)
1-2 tbsp water
Rinse & drain beans and put them into food processor. Add 1 tbsp water then pulse several times to puree, stopping occasionally to scrape the contents to the bottom. The goal is a smooth, but not wet, purée, about the consistency of peanut butter. If necessary, use a little more water, one tsp at a time until there are no flecks of whole bean visible. Keeps in fridge up to 3 days or store in 1/4-cup portions in freezer.

*White Puree (makes 2 cups)
2 cups cauliflower florets (about 1/2 a small head)
2 small to medium zucchini, peeled and coarsely chopped
1 tsp fresh lemon juice
1-2 tBsp water, if necessary
Steam Cauliflower for about 10-12 minutes or until very tender. Or put it in microwave-safe bowl, cover with water & microwave on high for 8 to 10 minutes. Drain
While cauliflower steams, pulse the raw peeled zucchini with lemon juice (no water at this point) in your food processor. Once cauliflower is done, working in batches if necessary, add 1 tBsp water and some cauliflower to food processor with pulsed zucchini. Puree on high until smooth. Stop occasionally to push contents to bottom. Use another tBsp of water to smooth out puree but the less water the better. Keeps in fridge up to 3 days or store in 1/4-cup portions in freezer.

*Basic Marinade for Chicken, Fish or Pork (makes 1 cup marinade, enough for about 2 lbs meat)
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 Tbsp low-sodium soy sauce
1/2-cup pomegranate or cranberry juice
2 tBsp lemon juice
2 tBsp evoo
2 Tsp Dijon mustard
1 tsp onion powder
Freshly ground pepper to taste
Whisk together all ingredients. Cover & store in fridge up to 3 days




Power Breakfast Cookies (makes 18 cookies - can store in freezer)
1 large egg
6 tBsp walnut, almond or canola oil
6 tBsp brown sugar
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
3/4 cup Purple Puree*
1 1/4 cup Flour Blend*
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
2 tBsp Ground Walnuts (this was a make ahead recipe too but you just put walnuts in the food processor until they're the consistency of corn flour - not too long or you'll get butter)
1 tsp cinnamon
2 tsp instant coffee granules (which I'll skip since I don't like the coffee taste)
Powdered sugar, for dusting
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line baking sheet with parchment paper or spray with oil.
In large bowl, whisk together egg, oil, brown sugar, vanilla, & purple puree. In another large bowl, whisk together flour blend, baking soda, salt, cocoa powder, grown walnuts, cinnamon and coffee granules. Add dry ingredients to went and mix just enough to moisten the dry ingredients. Drop large tablespoons of batter onto baking sheets leaving an inch between. Flatten cookies with back of a fork. Bake 12 to 14 minutes, until lightly browned around the edges.
Remove from pan and let cool on a rack. Dust with a little powdered sugar.

Tricky Tuna Sandwich (makes 2 sandwiches)
1 (6oz) can chunk light tuna, packed in water, drained
2-4 oz skinless & boneless sardines, packed in water, drained (I'm skipping this add it - YUCK)
2 tsp light mayo
2 tsp White Bean Puree*
2 tsp oat bran
Salt & freshly ground pepper, to taste
4 slices whole grain bread
Optional extra boost: a handful of capers (seriously - puke); chopped fresh dill, celery, and onions; red leaf lettuce leaves
Combine everything you want & make sandwiches

Not-for-Chicks Chicken Salad (makes 2 sandwiches)
1/4-cup light mayo
2 tbsp White Bean Puree*
4 1/2 tsp freshly squeezed lemon juice
2 tBsp wheat germ
Salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
2 cups (about 12 oz) cubed roasted chicken, ideally white meat
Optional extra boost: 2 celery ribs, chopped; 1 small onion, chopped; lettuce and tomato
4 slices whole grain bread
In a large bowl, whisk together the mayo, white bean puree, lemon juice, wheat germ, and sale & pepper. Mix in chicken and celery and/or onions, if using.
Make sandwich using mixture you just created

Mighty Mash Potatoes: Parmesan Mashed Potatoes (makes 4-6 servings)
2 lbs Yukon gold or russet potatoes (about 4 medium sized) pealed and quartered
3 tBsp grated Parmesan cheese
1/2 cup White Puree* or White Bean Puree*
1/2-cup low-fat plain yogurt
2 tBsp extra virgin olive oil
1/2 tsp salt
Freshly ground pepper to taste
Optional extra boost: chopped chives
Place potatoes in large pot of cold, salted water and bring to boil. Lower the heat, cover & simmer for 25-15 minutes, until potatoes are completely tender. Drain potatoes into colander then return to pot. Add Parmesan, white puree or white bean puree, yogurt, olive oil, salt and pepper. Mash with potato masher until well combined. Add more yogurt if needed. Garnish with chives, if using.

Mighty Mash Potatoes: Roasted Garlic Mashed Potatoes
2 lbs Yukon gold or russet potatoes (about 4 medium sized) pealed and quartered
2-3 heads garlic
1/2 cup White Puree* or White Bean Puree*
1/2-cup low-fat plain yogurt
2 tBsp extra virgin olive oil
1/2 tsp salt
Freshly ground pepper to taste
Optional extra boost: chopped chives
Place potatoes in large pot of cold, salted water and bring to boil. Lower the heat, cover & simmer for 25-15 minutes, until potatoes are completely tender.
Meanwhile, wrap garlic heads in foil and roast them in oven for 30 minutes. Remove garlic from oven and squeeze garlic flesh out of the skins. Drain potatoes into colander then return to pot. Add roasted garlic flesh, white puree or white bean puree, yogurt, olive oil, salt and pepper. Mash with potato masher until well combined. Add more yogurt if needed. Garnish with chives, if using.

Mighty Mash Potatoes: Bacon-and-Cheddar Mashed Potatoes
2 lbs Yukon gold or russet potatoes (about 4 medium sized) pealed and quartered
1/2-cup low-fat buttermilk
1/2 cup shredded low-fat cheddar cheese
3 tBsp Bacon Bits (book suggests a make ahead recipe using turkey bacon instead of regular)
1/2 cup White Puree* or White Bean Puree*
1/2-cup low-fat plain yogurt
2 tBsp extra virgin olive oil
1/2 tsp salt
Freshly ground pepper to taste
Optional extra boost: chopped chives
Same as above recipes only add buttermilk, cheese & bacon bits in place of Parmesan or garlic.

Charmin' Chicken Parm (makes 4 servings)
1 cup Basic Marinade for Chicken*
4 boneless, skinless, chicken breasts, pounded thin (about 1 1/2 lbs)
1 1/2 cups store-bought tomato sauce (since I'm not typing up this books "Mega Marinara Sauce")
1/2 cup white puree
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1/2-cup grates part-skim mozzarella cheese
Salt and pepper to taste
Put marinade into gallon-sized zip-top plastic bag, add chicken. Shake and marinate in fridge for at least 1 hour or as long as 24 hours, shaking occasionally. Preheat grill for med-high heat or heat indoor grill pan to med-high and spray with oil.
Remove chicken from marinade, discard liquid and grill for 3-4 minutes per side or until no longer pink inside. Meanwhile, in med-sized bowl, mix tomato sauce with white puree. Preheat broiler to high. Spread 3/4 cup of sauce on bottom of 13x9 inch glass or ceramic baking dish. Lay 2 of grilled cutlets on top of sauce, sprinkle with half the grated Parmesan and then layer the remaining grilled cutlets on top of the Parmesan. Top the chicken with remaining sauce and sprinkle with mozzarella and remaining Parmesan. Broil, uncovered for 2-3 minutes or until cheese is slightly browned.

[Natalie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Some good ideas but not all super practical.

[Stephanie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Love the idea of filling your food with more vitamins and minerals. We freeze the 1/4 cup puree in muffin tins. Once frozen we transfer them to Ziploc bags. My husband has taken to calling these frozen 1/4 cups, 'hockey pucks'. The name has stuck. It is a family tradition to try and guess the ingredients in smoothies and meals. (My kids are fairly adventureous eaters, Thai, Indian, Mexican, Chinese, etc.--only cheese seems to trip us up). Now the kids guess 'orange hockey puck' or 'white hockey puck' to the frowns of their grandparents. =D

[Elaina · Rating 2 out of 5]

What's the word for the opposite of misogynistic? That's what this book is. Apparently, Ms. Lapine has only had contact with simple-minded cavemen. Having said that, I enjoyed and even purchased her first Sneaky Chef book. I've incorporated some of her tips into my daily cooking. I don't particularly care for the subterfuge; I am always forthcoming with the added vitamins and veggies I've added to my dishes. This book was a disappointing follow-up to the first one. It added nothing new.

[Angela · Rating 3 out of 5]

I really don't care for the title--thus the 3 stars. I do like the book's ideas of hiding healthy stuff in food we eat all the time. Some of the intro material could have been describing my husband, as he's very anti-veggies. I am looking forward to trying several of the recipes. I remember when her book for kids came out, and I was very interested in the idea of the different colored purees for different foods. We'll see if it works!

[Tina · Rating 3 out of 5]

I found this while researching info on 'Deceptively Delicious' after I heard there was another wonderful book on sneaking veggies into prepared food. This one is actually better than the Seinfeld cookbook because it's geared toward finicky husbands. My guy loves veggies, so not a problem but it is fun to see healthier substitutes used in cooking. You gotta love that. it's a keeper.

[Ellon · Rating 5 out of 5]

While I have only tried two of the Sneaky Chef's recipes so far (and I believe those two came from the Kid version of the book), I am so motivated and intrigued. Some of the recipes look so good and the ones I've tried from Lapine's other book were great. I originally got this from the library but I can't wait to buy my own copy!!

[Plegleiter · Rating 5 out of 5]

The brownies (with spinach, blueberries, wheat germ, and dark chocolate chips) were incredible. The only recipe that hasn't been fabulous so far was the cole slaw recipe--but maybe I didn't make it quite right. Great book!

[Arrowraez · Rating 5 out of 5]

As if the first one wasn't good enough, this one shows you how to add it to all the dishes you love (or your husband) loves to eat. Now I can make things I always make, but make them a little healthier.

[Lisa · Rating 3 out of 5]

I think this just MIGHT work, although I'm not very sneaky since the book is on the kitchen counter. The concepts are still floating around in the back of my head, but I have not tried any of the recipes.

[Jennifer Dunham · Rating 4 out of 5]

These "sneaky" series book are great for me since my hubby hate vegetables. It's funny how he loves the taco recipe or the chili or the ....you name it out of this book but he doesn't realize it's loaded with pureed veggies! :-)

[Molly · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great ideas to have a healthier life style and still be able to eat foods you enjoy...changes the way you think about foods...

[Ashley]

Follow up to The Sneaky Chef - Simple Stragegies for Hiding Healthy Food in Kids Meals. Can't wait to read it! Can't wait to try it out! Love the other book!

[Melissa]

My son is almost a man, so I'm planning to read this to trick him AND my future husband.

[Leslie Jem · Rating 4 out of 5]

Although there is a HUGE philosophy of nuitrition section in the front, this book is worth reading. It contains all kinds of simple strategies for making healthier choices.

[Teresa · Rating 4 out of 5]

Had the chance to make several recipes already -- including the brownies and mashed potatoes. Both were very good, even the kids ate everything! A lot of great ideas...

[Amy Sjoquist · Rating 4 out of 5]

Would love to try some of these out.

[Kewannah "Health Kick Chick" · Rating 3 out of 5]

I just can't finish this book. It's got great ideas but honestly, I'd rather have fruit/veg on the side than have to make a million purees.

Maybe if I have a picky eater, I'd reconsider.

[Linda · Rating 5 out of 5]

Love these cookbooks! I made the french onion soup today and it is amazing! Can't believe this food is so good AND good for you. Will own this soon.

[Bryce · Rating 3 out of 5]

Overall I like the good ideas of cooking healthier and how to 'sneak' those ingredients in.

[Barbara · Rating 3 out of 5]

definitely some good ideas here.