I read too many blogs and snarky “Web 2.0” publications. Last week I somehow ended up learning way too much about people’s opinions on the new book by Jessica Seinfeld that gives parents ideas on how to sneak vegetables into the foods they cook. Most of them came down quite hard on Mrs. Seinfeld – I suspect because it’s easy to make fun of celebrity and being the wife of a comedian makes her an obvious target. At any rate, without reading a word of the actual book itself, I was left with a somewhat disparaging opinion.

Then a friend from church mentioned to me the other day that he had just read her cookbook and said it was great – he automatically assumed I’d be in agreement because everyone seems to know about my love for vegetables! Which gave me pause to dig a little further. I’ve still not read the book, but I plan to at least leaf through it at the bookstore sometime this week !!

The bottom line is this – anyone who has attended a WWers meeting in the past five years, or visited Dottie’s Weight Loss Zone, or has simply been surfing the ‘net trying to lose weight, knows that there are lots and lots of us that already use the sneaky-veggies strategy. For instance I always beef up my pancake batter with mushrooms (yep) and I add jicama to my fruit smoothies to give them consistency.

Many of us have made brownies using dry mix and applesauce, or cooked the famous “crustless pumpkin pie,” swapped salad dressing for salsa, or used veggies to bulk up everything from salads to sandwiches. When I order my turkey breast wrap at Subway, I am always eagerly anticipating the moment I can tell them “Lots of vegetables please! Lots of everything but the jalapenos!”

Additionally, I live with someone who has an extremely limited vegetable repertoire (although to his credit, mine was much worse before I lost weight). Unless you consider rice a “veggie,” Devin will hardly eat anything other than potatoes or corn (hmm… I’m noticing a theme!). I’ve taken to baking potato chips on a non-stick cookie sheet with ZERO oil (but lots of hot spices) just to wean him from the bags of processed junk he so often brings home. I am absolutely not above sneaking in a carrot here, a leek there, maybe even a little cabbage if I can get away with it.

For me the real issue is whether something tastes good. You can offer me all the healthy substitute ingredients in the world, but if the end product is yucky, there’s no way I’m going to waste precious calories on it. It just so happens that over the years I’ve come to love the richness of fruits and vegetables and so I add almost any of them to my recipes – breakfast, lunch or dinner – and I’m happy.

As a child I never willingly ate a carrot, a pea or a mushroom. My parents were of the “that’s what’s for dinner and that’s what you’re eating” school and as sensible an approach as it was, it never engendered in me a love for anything healthy. In fact I remember thinking as a kid that when I grew up I’d go to McDonalds for dinner every single day!

So until I get the chance to read the book, I’m going to ignore the blogosphere. Veggie lovers of the world, unite!