Make Me Something Good to Eat, by Tamra Davis

Most parents would agree that the creativity and craftiness required to cook for kids is a real art form. Gone are the old school days of, "you'll eat it, and you'll like it!" Or, "fine, then you'll go to bed hungry!" Today's parents are all about pleasing their kids palates with delectable dishes... even if it means going the extra mile to make healthy food into appealing fare.

Cooking with local and organic ingredients, and highlighting her penchant for vegetarian dishes, Tamra Davis' cookbook, Make Me Something Good to Eat, and her documentary style cooking show, Tamra Davis Cooking Show, are right up my alley.

Instead of tuning in to watch a professional cook walk you through an "easy" recipe in a controlled atmosphere in which everything is pre-measured and the lighting, hair and make-up are all spot on, Tamra invites you into her home and on her family's travels, and shows you how to cook kid-friendly dishes with her kids underfoot. She even involves them in counting the required ingredients, peeling, rolling and folding, all with a hip, laid back vibe. Watching Tamra in action makes you feel like you could actually relate to this supermom who travels the globe with her rock star husband, while keeping her children well-nourished and her main priority.

I love that her cooking episodes are bite-sized and available on her website, via Youtube so you can log on and watch anytime to get tiny crowd pleasing food ideas. Her cookbook has standout recipes like "Shrek Pasta" in which the noodles turn green due to pesto sauce, a non-dairy Coconut Flan, sure to tickle a tot with lactose intolerance, and Vegan Red Velvet Cupcakes, (complete with beets and cream cheese frosting - YUM!) just in time for Valentine's Day.

Buy Make Me Something Good to Eat here, and watch Tamra's cooking shows here.