The Return of The Sneaky Mom
Sometimes a Mom needs to resort to being sneaky. There are times where I get tired of my children complaining about a dinner component or simply just not eating well. All kids go through phases, and I understand that, but lately learning how to be a sneaky mom has helped me to feel better about my children’s choices.
Take for example, basic spaghetti and meatballs. My kids love spaghetti and meatballs. They have no problems with whole wheat spaghetti, and I doubt even can tell the difference–so I don’t mention it. The marinara is the perfect place to simmer some zucchini and carrots before pureeing to oblivion, and they are none the wiser. Yesterday though, I had to pat myself on the back as I discovered a new way to be a sneaky mom.
I was in the pantry digging for a can of Italian breadcrumbs when I moved a box of multi-grain cereal out of the way. Then I went back to that box of cereal. I picked it up, looked it over, and visions of “whole grains” began dancing in my head. If I were to cook up this whole grain cereal as cereal, I would certainly receive the look of death from my little ones. But what if I were to replace those plain old breadcrumbs with some whole grain goodness? I forged ahead, using a quick-cooking whole grain cereal in place of the breadcrumbs, and a short while later my children were inhaling the meatballs with two thumbs up.
Serves 6, serving size 5 meatballs per person
1 1/2 pounds ground beef, chicken, turkey, or veal
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1/2 cup quick-cooking multi-grain cereal
1/3 cup finely chopped fresh parsley
1/4 cup tomato sauce
3/4 teaspoon dried Italian seasoning
1/4 teaspoon onion powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
2 garlic cloves, crushed
Cooking spray
Preheat oven to 400°.
Place all the ingredients in a mixing bowl except the cooking spray. Using your hands, combine the ingredients lightly; you don’t want to over-mix your ingredients. Spray a broiler pan with cooking spray. Shape mixture into 30 (1 1/2-inch) meatballs and place on the broiler pan. Bake at 400°F for 15 minutes, or until cooked through.
What a great idea! Nicholas has been going through that incredibly picky phase lately, which is unlike him. I keep repeating the mantra in my head … this too shall pass … thiss too shall pass.