Delicious Reading: Easy Carrot Dogs from �The Bug & The Bee�

Several years ago, books like �The Sneaky Chef� and �Deceptively Delicious� that promoted sneaking pureed vegetables into kids� favorite dishes to get them to eat their veggies were hitting the bestseller list. I was wary of this idea. I like my kids to know what they are eating and why it is good for them, or why it is a special treat. It�s a bit of a slippery slope, but what would happen to a generation of children who were fed black bean brownies at home and, when they got to college, assumed dessert was nutritious?

Still, when I happily announced we were having cauliflower tots as I served lunch one day, my son Eli told me afterward, �You know, those were good. I almost didn�t eat them, though, because you said they weren�t tater tots. Maybe don�t tell us stuff like that next time.�

So now I like to wait until the meal is over to do a big reveal: �That wasn�t chicken stir-fry. It was SOY CURL stir fry! And you loved it!�

If you would like to begin this kind of surprise healthy eating with your family, you should head over to thebugandthebee.com. Author Gina Witt provides recipes for frugal vegan food that are a result of her experimentation in the kitchen. She makes vegan cooking accessible and family-friendly, with recipes for veggie burgers, bulgur chili, cornbread and cookies. I happen to be longtime friends with Gina and the godmother of �The Bug� the blog is named for (and Gina is the godmother of the aforementioned Eli), so I have had the privilege of seeing this blog become a reality for her. You will definitely �hear� her as you read the stories leading up to the recipes. She comes from no-nonsense Sicilian stock; she has a really big brain and an even bigger heart.

I don�t know if you could completely fool your family with these carrot dogs at your next BBQ, but they smelled so much like meat while they were simmering that my dogs, Maisy and Violet, started sniffing and looking up at me with hopeful eyes by the stove.

These tasted great in a bun with ketchup, mustard and relish. The next day, I sliced up the remaining ones and simmered them with the classic �little smokie� sauce made from grape jelly and bottled chili sauce. Next time, I will use baby carrots, and maybe they will even look like little smokies (my whittling skills are subpar.)

Easy Carrot Dogs

12 carrots, a little bigger than the dog you want

3 tablespoons Bragg�s Liquid Aminos, or vegan soy sauce

2 tablespoons vegan worcestershire sauce

2 tablespoons raw garlic

4-5 drops liquid smoke

2 canned chipotle peppers and some of the sauce (optional)

Hot sauce (optional)

Just enough water to cover the carrots

Use a vegetable or potato peeler to peel your carrots, and round over the edges to create a hot dog shape. Use a knife to cut little slashes into the ends of the dogs in an asterisk shape, if you want to get fancy.

Place the dogs in a flat pan so they are side by side in a single layer, using a pan that is not much wider than the dogs (a big pan will dilute your ingredients.) Cover the carrot dogs in just enough water to submerge them.

Add the other ingredients. Feel free to add more if you feel the brine is too dilute. Bring to a boil, then lower to a simmer for about 9 or 10 minutes. Keep checking them � don�t let them get mushy. When given a choice between underdone or overdone, my family prefers the hot dog with a bit of a snap in it.

Remove with tongs. Serve right away, or mark briefly if you want grill marks. I have used the air fryer to do this, but use caution, as it tends to dry out the carrot dogs.

Retain the simmering liquid, and refrigerate extras in it. I like to reserve the chipotle and hot sauce and add them to a portion of the hot dogs so we have one spicy and one regular version available.

Top with whatever fixings you like!