I can see the kid now, "oh my mom doesn't make me eat vegetables.." All the kids learn about the food pyramid in school and about serving size and that you need a little bit of each. I remember having to draw the thing over and over. It's not really the lying that gets me, it's the fact that you really are misguiding them. Brownies are something that you get the privilage of eating after eating all of your dinner (veges included). It isn't a substitute. It may pass mom's crazy view of nutritional, but your kids won't always be around you. What about at school, or a friend's house. They won't get in the habits of eating the right things, so they won't. People don't suddenly start eating fruits and vegetables at age 18. I eat potatoes because I grew up eating them and cooking them. Not because my mom was putting them in my hot cocoa. lying about santa (who is based on a real person) is not the same as lying about what is going into your child's body. I think parents need to stop thinking they are so clever and inovative and find some veges their kids can stand and go with it. When I was little I told my mom I hated peas. And guess what, I really did. I still can't stand them. She didn't hide them on me, or force them down my throat. She gave my baby carrots with butter, and mashed potatoes.

go to the book store and read a couple of pages, then jot down one recipe, go to the supermarket and buy stage 2 baby food, pure puree, and make something. You'll be glad you did. Try the peas. (just kidding about the peas)

I am sorry for you. I don't mean in the "oh, I am sorry for the poor, misguided, blah blah blah" sense, but truly. Peas are-- or at least can be, sublime. I respect your dislike of them, but I regret it nonetheless. Fresh peas-- snap peas, snow peas... When we first went to China, snow peas (called Holland peas there at the time, because that's where they had been brought to China from, originally) cost about 75 cents a pound-- about four times as much as green beans. We could only get our nanny to get them on rare instances, and then she would only get half a pound, which didn't go very far, and she would mutter all through lunch about the cost. They were so utterly fabulous, I can just about taste them now, the memory is so strong. When we came to Maine, we lived in a place where every square inch of garden had to be wrested from the stony, unfriendly overgrown soil, and we gave nearly half the space over to peas. OMG, they were so good.

True, it *is* possible to ruin peas. Canned peas start out ruined, so that takes no effort at all. Fresh peas can be boiled (sorry, wrong way to cook them, you failed) which will wreck them, and it's certainly possible to overseason or overcook snow peas. Frozen peas don't count either-- they look fine in an Indian dish, but you're just getting the contrasting shape and color and to a slight degree a contrasting texture, but you're certainly not eating them for flavor, as they have none.

O Peas! How appropriate that Brother Gregor should have chosen God's loveliest green vegetable to do his work!

OK, I do love snow peas, but in general I cannot say that I like green peas -- and I mean fresh. I do eat them when served, but would never chose to fix them myself.

Just about the only vegatable that I don't love, though.

Aside from your silly dislike of peas, I do agree that you shouldn't hide vegetables from kids. The real solution is to get rid of all the junk food in the house.

Wouldn't say I actually DISLIKE them, but also cannot say I like them much (they are really good raw though). I think it is mostly the texture for me. I love green pea soup.