Friday: Day Off and SO Much Cooking

Snow Play

This morning, I felt well enough, but thought that that after the extreme misery of my recent illness, it would be best to stay at home.  This actually turned out to by my only option as it snowed last night and there was no childcare at the gym and it was icy in our neighborhood and way too cold to put Ivan in the jog stroller anyway.

For this reason, I devoted myself to various and sundry household chores.  Normally, I would not bore you with my housekeeping, BUT I did a good deal of cooking today.  I made several things to freeze and put away for the week.  It was pretty thrilling.  It involved two trips to the grocery store, and I STILL did not have enough ricotta cheese.  

Anyway, I have been having grave concerns that Young Sloan is not eating enough vegetables.  I feel that his diet is often milk, juice and Goldfish.  I also think that when the best you can say is that the Goldfish are the whole grain kind, it is not saying much.  So, I have embarked on the Jessica Seinfeld journey of Double Delicious and Deceptively Delicious.  While it was a good bit of work, my son ate mashed potatoes with cauliflower puree and two servings of beet pancakes.  For this reason, I am now a devout follower of Jessica Seinfeld, and her tribe of kooks that would put a vegetable puree' in your morning coffee if you let them.  

The beet pancakes were indeed pretty spectacular and I am including the recipe because I am so thrilled about the whole experience.

Beet Pancakes

• 3/4 cup water
• 1/2 cup ricotta cheese
• 1/4 cup beet puree
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1 cup pancake mix
• 1/4 cup grated apple

Put everything but the pancake mix and the apple into the blender and blend.

Place the apple and the pancake mix into the bowl and then pour the contents of the blender on top and mix.  Allow batter to stay slightly lumpy.  

Oil the skillet with canola oil and cook in a hot skillet as you would regular pancakes.

These were truly fabulous.  I am sitting down to a big bowl of carrot puree' tiramisu, and if it is anywhere as fabulous as my pancakes, I will be sure to let you know!!