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For A Tasty Snack, Unleash Furikake

Photo by JADEN HAIR

Want to steer your kids toward to a healthier alternative? Introduce seaweed to them with Furikake French Fries.

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By JADEN HAIR

Tribune correspondent

Published: August 26, 2008

Updated:

Jessica Seinfeld, better known as "Jerry's wife," authored a book called "Deceptively Delicious." The concept is simple: Disguise vegetables in your kids' favorite foods to sneak a bit of nutrition into their diets.

Seinfeld's recipes include Carrot and Spinach Brownies, Cauliflower Banana Bread and Broccoli Gingerbread.

Like, totally. Gag me with an asparagus spear.

Do you know how many Flaxseed Chicken Nuggets my kids can slingshot across the room in 12.3 seconds with one hand tied behind their backs?

The long-term effect of sneaking foods into your kids' meals is the underappreciation of the taste of real vegetables. Plus, do you want kids to grow up with confusion over what mashed potatoes really taste like?

When their school friends come over for supper, they'll wonder why the hot dogs have a green tinge and smell like the wrong end of a hippo.

That, my friends, leads to worse things than not eating greens, such as social anxiety, adult bed-wetting and a plethora of disorders that require very expensive medication.

If we're going to dupe our kids into eating healthfully, let's do it right. There is a variety of tactics I employ in the Steamy Kitchen household, borrowed mainly from my husband's old West Point Military Academy handbook and his seven years as an Anthony Robbins trainer.

Bribery: "If you eat your broccoli, I'll give you an extra 50 cents for college."

Blatant honesty: "See this picture of Uncle Jimmy? We call him lard-head. He didn't eat kale."

Hostile negotiations: "If you don't clean your plate, I'll whip Buzz Lightyear with a fishing pole and shock him with a cattle prod."

Neuro-linguistic programming: "It's funny how the more you try to resist the natural urge to eat Brussels sprouts, the more you keep wanting them, getting more and more excited about what you are tasting in your mouth at this very moment in time."

Exploiting sibling competitiveness: "If you eat your carrots, I'll love you way more than your brother."

Jedi-talk: "Try? There is no try. Just eat your darn vegetables."

Good cop/bad cop: "Dude. If I were you, I'd just stuff those carrots in your mouth. Mom's coming, and she's on her sixth straight day of PMS. Don't want to be on the receiving end of that monster."

Injection of guilt: "You have NO IDEA how many miles your father had to walk up the steep mountains, in Florida snow, carrying 50 pounds of oranges, wearing flip-flops to get that tofu on your dinner plate."

Dr. Phil: "Are you eating what you're eating today because you want to eat it, or is it because it's what you think you were eating yesterday when you were trying to finish eating? You moron! How's that workin' for ya?"

The Wrath of God, Buddha and Santa: "THEY ARE ALL WATCHING YOU RIGHT NOW."

And my favorite technique of all, Funny Food Names - laughing so hard you don't notice you're eating seaweed.

Yes, it's a real word. Furikake is a Japanese condiment that includes dried bonito flakes, seaweed, sesame seeds and other seasonings. While it is normally sprinkled on steamed rice, I sprinkled it on a fresh batch of french fries for a really cool sweet-salty hit.

Get your kids to like seaweed first with french fries, then switch it up on them - sprinkle furikake on steamed broccoli, spinach, tofu ... whatever! This is another technique called bait and switch. It's for the experienced only. Amateurs, do not try.

Furikake comes in a small can, with a pull-tab so you can shake out the seasoning. You can find it at most Asian markets, and it will last for several months in your pantry. There are many flavors. You can even sprinkle it on hot popcorn.

FURIKAKE FRENCH FRIES

1 bag of frozen french fries

2 tablespoons furikake seasoning

Follow the directions on the french fry bag. Be a good parent and bake 'em instead of frying. Bake until golden and crispy. While the french fries are still hot, sprinkle with furikake seasoning.

Jaden Hair is a cooking instructor and author of the blog Jaden's Steamy Kitchen at steamykitchen.com.

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