The Misha Collins Cookbook You Probably Never Knew About
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Many television fans likely recognize actor Misha Collins from his role on the long-running show "Supernatural," in which he plays an angel, Castiel. However, foodie fans will be thrilled to know that he found time to pen a cookbook as well, although the particular niche of it means you may have missed hearing about it when it first came out back in November 2019. He was joined in the writing process by his wife, Vicki Collins. The duo received joint credit for the cookbook and were both featured on the cover, posing amid a collection of fresh produce with their two children between them.
Collins was inspired to put together the book "Adventurous Eaters Club: Mastering the Art of Family Mealtime" after a culinary experience with his son, West, as he told CBS Watch Magazine. Like many picky kids, West tried a food he didn't care for (guacamole, in this case) and almost immediately spit it out, unimpressed. After guacamole-gate, Collins had a realization that if he wanted his son to be a more adventurous eater and try things in the kitchen, he would have to nurture a budding chef, allowing him to experiment, buy ingredients he wanted from the grocery store, and craft his own creations. The struggle with their own picky eater led Collins and his wife to slowly begin putting together the cookbook, filled with not only recipes but also with tips for engaging children with food and in the kitchen.
Cooking up a whimsical storm
The kid-friendly aspect is one of the most important parts of the cookbook, as the title implies, so this isn't the cookbook for you if you're looking for super-complex, multi-page recipes that will help you craft the type of dish you might receive at a Michelin-starred restaurant. Instead, it features simple yet satisfying and healthy dishes that will likely appeal to the whole family, and the chapters are even structured in ways that likely seem intuitive to those trying to expand a child's palette and get them involved in the kitchen.
For example, one chapter is simply called "Get Your Green On" and another, "One Veggie at a Time." CBS Watch Magazine shared a perfect example of the approach, as they posted a recipe from the book for a frittata that incorporates one single, solitary leaf of Swiss or rainbow chard, cut into tiny green "confetti." As the directions explain, while a hearty amount of greens might change the overall flavor and texture and thus jeopardize a child's willingness to try the new dish, a tiny sprinkle of green just might encourage them to try — and like — a wider variety of veggies.
The cookbook has over 1,235 ratings on Amazon, and a five-star rating with plenty of reviews in which purchasers raved about the book (including one who used all the picky kid tricks to appeal to her veggie-hating husband!).