We are excited to bring you a new monthly series from Katie Blauser, the brains behind Eat Pretty Darling. Each month on our blog we will feature a "Color of the Week" that corresponds with Veggie Buds Club's veggie of the month. May's veggie is BEANS so we can't wait to focus on GREEN veggies this month!

​Let’s face it, we don’t all have access to farm stands and gardens year round to source our fresh produce each week. It’s not always feasible to have our kids helping to grow the food we eat either. Most of us have to count on the grocery store to fill our bellies, but there’s still a fun way to get the kids involved!

Each week we head out to to grocery store with a color to find! We stick to the produce section and try to pick 4-5 items that fit our color. Sometimes it’s the color on the outside, sometimes it’s the color on the inside. It’s a great way to get the kids excited about trying new things! Let your kids pick the items out. We try to get at least one thing he likes and some other things he hasn’t tried or is still learning to like. Even if I’ve offered him something a million times, he gets more interested in trying it if he had a hand in picking it out. Getting kids involved every step of the way can help your picky eater become a little more adventurous. Now go explore your grocery store! A colorful bounty awaits.

Now what to do with all of your colorful food? Try to incorporate these items into your weekly meals. How about a totally green meal such as these Green Bean Sticks with Green Dip?!

Ingredients

• 1 lb fresh green beans ends removed and cut in half
• 1/2 cup fresh basil
• 2 tablespoons lime juice
• 1 avocado pitted and diced
• 3 green onions, remove roots and dark green
• 1 tablespoon honey
• 1 clove garlic
• 1/2 cup shredded Parmesan cheese
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp black pepper

 Directions

1. Blanch green beans in lightly salted boiling water 2-3 minutes until beans are tender. Quickly plunge beans in ice water. Once cooled, drain beans and place in a large bowl and set aside.
2. Put basil, lime juice, avocado, green onions, honey, Parmesan, and garlic in a food processor. While pulsing, drizzle olive oil through top until dressing is smooth, scraping down sides if necessary. Season dressing with salt and pepper.
3. Serve the bean sticks & dip right away or place covered in the fridge until chilled.

The dip can also be used as a sauce over zucchini noodles ( another all green meal! ) or even spread on a piece of toast.
 
Get the kids involved in cooking! Here’s some ways they can help for this recipe:

• Tear up the basil leaves
• Break off the ends of the green beans
• Press the button on the food processor
• Pull the beans out of the ice bath

Ingredients

• ½ pound green beans
  
• 1 cup whole wheat Panko breadcrumbs*
  
• 2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese**
  
• ½ teaspoon garlic powder
  
• ½ teaspoon paprika
  
• ¼ teaspoon coarse salt
  
• 1 teaspoon olive oil
  
• 2 large eggs***
  
• ¼ cup flour
  
• Creamy Honey-Mustard Dip (recipe below) or other dipping sauce

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees and line a baking sheet with parchment paper or coat with cooking spray.
   
2. Trim ends off of green beans and cut into 2 to 3-inch length pieces
   
3. Mix the bread crumbs, cheese, garlic powder, paprika, salt, and oil in a bowl. Whisk the eggs in a separate bowl. Place the flour in a third bowl.
   
4. Make an assembly line with the three bowls, first dipping the green beans into the flour, then the egg and finally into the bread crumb mixture, coating the beans evenly and repeating with the remainder of the beans. 
   
5. Place all of the coated green beans on the baking sheet. Arrange beans so that they’re not touching and bake for 12 minutes or until the bread crumbs are golden. Serve warm with a squeeze of fresh lemon and dipping sauce, if desired.

*Can use any kind of breadcrumbs, including gluten-free or substitute ground 
​almonds for a grain-free option. Flour can also be replaced with a gluten-free flour
blend or any starch (cornstarch, tapioca flour, or potato starch).
**For dairy-free option, substitute nutritional yeast or omit cheese.
***For egg-free option, use ¼ cup milk mixed with 1 tablespoon ground flax seed.

Ingredients

• ¼ cup Greek yogurt
  
• 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
  
• 1 teaspoon honey

​Instructions

1. Mix ingredients in a small bowl. 
   
2. Serve with green bean fries.

These mini veggie burgers include raw beets which can be much milder in flavor than cooked ones. Kids will love to mash the beans, help measure ingredients, and 
choose how to top their own veggie patties. Serve on a bun or on its own with a dip on the side. 

Makes 6 small veggie burgers
Ingredients    

• 1 tablespoon ground flax seed (flax meal)
  
• 1 ½ cups cooked black beans (1 15-ounce can, drained and rinsed)
  
• ½ cup peeled and grated raw beet* (about 1 medium-large beet)
  
• ½ cup grated carrot (about 1 small carrot)
  
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro or parsley (or any soft green)
  
• ½ teaspoon garlic powder
  
• ½ teaspoon chili powder
  
• ½ teaspoon coarse salt
  
• 2 tablespoons of oat flour (or any flour)
  
• 6 slider buns, if desired
  
• Topping suggestions: sliced avocado, sliced tomato, cheese, ketchup, ranch dressing

Instructions

1. Add flax to a small bowl and stir in two tablespoons of water. Set aside.
   
2. In a large bowl, add beans and mash with a potato masher or large spoon until most of the beans are mashed.
   
3. Add remaining ingredients and flax mixture to the beans. Stir until well combined. 
   
4. Divide dough into 6 equal sized portions then form into small burger patties. If the bean mixture is too sticky, stir in an additional tablespoon of flour and try again. At this point patties can be covered and refrigerated for up to a day. 
   
5. When ready to eat, heat oil in a non-stick or well seasoned cast iron skillet over medium heat. Cook burgers until browned and crispy, about 1 minute per side.
   
6. Serve on slider buns, if desired, with any toppings you’d like 

*You can use a box grater or food processor to grate the beet and carrot. If doing it by hand, hold beet with a paper towel to prevent your hand from getting too red.

​When you hear the word chips, do you automatically assume they will be a “less healthy” option or a “sometimes food”??? If so, you are not alone. I have great news that this is not always true! You can actually increase your child’s interest in many kinds of vegetables by making them into “chips”. We love doing this with sweet potatoes, purple potatoes, carrots, and most of all BEETS!!!! Also children love to dip so pairing Beet Chips with a nice Beet and Berry Dip is a definite winner for everyone! 
Today I want to share this recipe with you so you can make Beet and Apple Chips and a yummy Beet and Berry Dip for your family too!

Ingredients

• 6-8 small Purple, Red, or Yellow Beets
• 3-4 apples
• 1 Tbsp. avocado oil (or Chosen Food avocado oil spray)
• 1 cup (2% fat or more) plain Greek yogurt (or dairy free yogurt)
• ½ cup fresh or frozen strawberries

Instructions

1. Peel and slice beets into thin chip size pieces. You can leave them as whole circles or ½ circles.
2. Core and slice apples.
3. Place beet and apple slices on a baking stone and drizzle (or spray) avocado oil over them.
4. Bake at 400 for about 25-35 minutes (or longer) until they are cooked through. Baking time will vary by oven and thickness of the slices.
5. Once the beets and apples are out of the oven set about ½ cup aside and blend with the yogurt and berries until smooth. Pour dip into a container and serve with the chips warm or cooled down. 

While making these recipes you can use it as a teaching moment with your children. You can talk to them about the letter B for BEETS, the color PURPLE, and how the intense color of the beets takes over the white of the apples and dip. Also children may find it interesting that they are eating their beets in two forms…one CRUNCHY and one SMOOTH.  The preparation and eating of these may be on the messy side but the nourishment and enjoyment is SO worth it! If your child is an apprehensive eater then they may be more interested in trying this new food after they have prepared it as opposed to just seeing it on their plate. There is never a shortage of fun learning to be had when Kids are in the Kitchen!

Kids love to bake so this is a great recipe to get your little one interested in trying beets. Because of the veggie of the month, the cookie dough has the brightest magenta color. Unfortunately, the color fades when baked so make sure to add the 
beet to the blender together and celebrate the beautiful color it creates.

Makes about 20 cookies
Ingredients    

• ½ cup mashed ripe banana or applesauce* (*applesauce is less sweet than ripe banana so you may want to add another tablespoon or 2 of maple syrup)
• 1 medium to large red beet, cooked and peeled (or a heaping ¼ cup beet purée)
• 2 large eggs
• ¼ cup maple syrup
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 tablespoons oil
• 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
• 1 cup whole wheat flour (all-purpose or a gluten-free blend)
• 1 cup rolled oats
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• ¼ teaspoon fine salt
• ¼ cup mini chocolate chips, plus more for top, if desired

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line 2 sheet pans with parchment paper or spray with non-stick spray.
2. In a blender, combine banana (or applesauce), beet, eggs, maple syrup, vanilla, oil, and vinegar. Blend until smooth.
3. In a large bowl, add flour, oats, baking soda, and salt. Use a whisk to slowly mix until combined.
4. Pour beet mixture into the bowl with the dry ingredients and mix with a spatula or wooden spoon until just combined. Add in chocolate chips and mix again.
5. Scoop about two tablespoon sized mounds onto your prepared baking sheets (using a cookie/ice cream scoop works best). Cookies do not spread much so you can fit about 16 on a pan.
6. Use the back of a spoon or your cookie scoop to flatten the top of each cookie out a little bit. If you’d like, press a few chocolate chips into the top of each cookie.
7. Bake until puffed and set inside, about 18-20 minutes. Once cooled, cookies can be stored in an airtight container on the counter for 2 days, in the fridge for 1 week, or frozen for up to a month.

Chocolate and cauliflower? Yes, please! Frozen cauliflower makes smoothies thick and creamy but you don’t taste it at all. Make sure to have kids add the cauliflower to the blender along with the other ingredients so they know the veggie is in there. The taste and texture of steamed and frozen whole florets is best but you can also use frozen riced cauliflower in this recipe.

​March is all about the cauliflower at Veggie Buds Club! This delicious recipe is one of the cauliflower recipes included in this month's box.
It was developed by Heather Staller, a mom of two boys, ages 5 and 3, and cooking instructor specializing in bringing cooking into preschool classrooms. After college, Heather knew she wanted to be a teacher, but first followed her lifelong dream of going to culinary school. Teaching cooking combines both of her passions, and she truly enjoys introducing young children to the joys of cooking with fresh ingredients. Find Heather on Instagram (@heather_kidskitchen), where she shares inventive kid-friendly recipes and ideas for cooking with kids at home.

Ingredients:

• 1 heaping cup frozen cauliflower florets* (or 1 cup frozen riced cauliflower) 
  
• 1 frozen banana
  
• 2 pitted dates (or 1 to 2 tablespoons maple syrup)
  
• 2 tablespoons almond butter (or any nut/seed butter)
  
• 1 tablespoon chia seeds, optional
  
• 3 tablespoons raw cacao (or unsweetened cocoa powder)
  
• 1 cup milk (any kind)
  
• Handful of ice cubes
  
• Mini chocolate chips and/or chocolate sprinkles for toppings

Instructions:

1. Add all ingredients except for toppings to a blender. Blend, stopping once or twice to make sure no chunks remain. Add in additional ice to make thicker or more milk to thin out the drink. Pour into glasses then sprinkle with any desired toppings. Enjoy!​ Have any milkshake leftover? Freeze in popsicle molds to enjoy later as a frozen treat.

*To make frozen cauliflower florets, first cut a head of cauliflower into medium sized pieces. Steam cauliflower until tender, drain, and set aside to cool. Once cool, freeze in a singer layer until solid then store in a container or plastic bag in the freezer.

We are happy to bring you another fun recipe from Noelle Martin. This one features cauliflower as we're celebrating all things cauliflower at Veggie Buds Club this March!
Noelle Martin is a Registered Dietitian and mom of three young boys. She has a passion for education, inspiring, and empowering moms to make healthy choices for themselves and their families. Noelle loves involving her children in food planning and preparation for their home and sees the kitchen as a perfect area for teaching both academic and life skills. Follow @MotherhoodandMeals on Instagram for Noelle's nutrition tips, recipes, product reviews, and motherhood moments.

Ingredients

• 1 head of cauliflower
• 1 Tbsp ground turmeric
• 1 Tbsp ground cinnamon
• 1 Tbsp nutritional yeast
• 2 Tbsp avocado or grapeseed oil

Instructions

1. Chop cauliflower into small pieces. This is a great step to have your children help with if you have a kid-friendly knife and extra time… it can take a while. We really like the Foost Knives which is what Rhett is using here.
2. In a large bowl mix together the oil, spices, and nutritional yeast. Add the cauliflower in and toss in the oil mixture until all the cauliflower is coated.
3. Pour all the cauliflower out onto a baking stone. Sprinkle with a little more spice if you wish and bake at 400 for 30 minutes or until cauliflower is crisp. Serve warm or cold and enjoy the show!

Note: This is also a wonderful snack for a school lunch or after school and can easily be served as part of a supper meal too!

​While making this popcorn you can use it as a teaching moment with your children. You can talk to them about the letter P for POPCORN, the color WHITE, and how the cauliflower starts out CRUNCHY and ends up SOFT. And if your child is an apprehensive eater then they may be more interested in trying this new food after they have prepared it as opposed to just seeing it on their plate. There is never a shortage of fun learning to be had when Kids are in the Kitchen!

March is all about the cauliflower at Veggie Buds Club! This delicious recipe is one of the cauliflower recipes included in this month's box.
It was developed by Heather Staller, a mom of two boys, ages 5 and 3, and cooking instructor specializing in bringing cooking into preschool classrooms. After college, Heather knew she wanted to be a teacher, but first followed her lifelong dream of going to culinary school. Teaching cooking combines both of her passions, and she truly enjoys introducing young children to the joys of cooking with fresh ingredients. Find Heather on Instagram (@heather_kidskitchen), where she shares inventive kid-friendly recipes and ideas for cooking with kids at home.

Kids will love to get involved with this recipe. They can break the cauliflower into pieces, crack eggs, measure the ingredients, and shake, shake, shake those cauliflower florets in the yummy breadcrumb mixture. Serve the crunchy veggies as a side dish or snack with your favorite dip.

Ingredients
-1 head cauliflower, cut into medium size florets
-2 eggs (or egg replacer powder or flax meal with additional milk or water)
-¼ cup milk
-1 ½ cup whole wheat or regular Panko breadcrumbs (or substitute gluten free breadcrumbs)
-¾ cup cornmeal
-1 teaspoon salt
-1 teaspoon garlic powder
-½ teaspoon paprika
-1 tablespoon oil

Instructions
1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment or aluminum foil.
2. Crack eggs into a bowl, add milk, and whisk with a fork to combine. Season with a pinch of salt and a few grinds of black pepper.
3. In a large zip-top bag (or in a large bowl), add breadcrumbs, cornmeal, salt, garlic powder, and paprika. Shake bag around a little to combine then drizzle oil over mixture and shake again.
4. Set up an “assembly line” with cauliflower florets, egg mixture, and breadcrumb mixture in a row in that order. Working with a few florets at a time, dip cauliflower into the egg mixture, let the excess drip off, then place into the breadcrumbs. Once you have done 4 to 5 pieces of cauliflower, seal the bag well then shake to coat the cauliflower in the crumbs. Open bag then place each piece of coated cauliflower on the baking sheet.
5. Bake cauliflower until crunchy and  golden brown, about 20 minutes. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Simply dip broccoli florets in washable paint and use them as "paintbrushes" and/or slice broccoli florets in half to make "tree stamps". So simple and so fun!

Download this FREE letter "B" tracing sheet from Veggie Buds Club.

Download these FREE letter "B" coloring pages from Veggie Buds Club.

Materials Needed

• 1 small red beet
• Salt
• White vinegar
• Paper
• Paintbrush

Instructions

1. Peel beet and cut into cubes​
2. Place the cubed beet and 1 cup of water in a pot
3. Bring the pot of water to a boil on the stove top and boil until the beet cubes are soft and the water is a rich red color (approximately 15-20 minutes); remove beet cubes and set aside to eat at a later time
4. Mix a pinch of salt and splash of vinegar into the hot water (the salt will act as a preservative and the vinegar will brighten the color)
5. Pour the beet watercolor into a bowl and let cool
6. Now have fun painting pictures with your homemade beet watercolor!

Have fun with these Broccoli activity sheets! Create the letter "B" by using dot stickers or dot paint with Activity Sheet #1. Fill in the letter "B" with broccoli florets with Activity Sheet #2 (bonus if you have a laminator!).

Make a Tic Tac Toe board out of green beans and use two different types of dry beans as the X's and O's! You can also go a step further and create the letter "B" with dry beans and greens beans. Be sure to eat some green beans as a snack while you play!

This delicious recipe starring spinach was included in this month's Veggie Buds Club  box!
It was developed by Heather Staller, a mom of two boys, ages 5 and 3, and cooking instructor specializing in bringing cooking into preschool classrooms. After college, Heather knew she wanted to be a teacher, but first followed her lifelong dream of going to culinary school. Teaching cooking combines both of her passions, and she truly enjoys introducing young children to the joys of cooking with fresh ingredients. Find Heather on Instagram (@heather_kidskitchen), where she shares inventive kid-friendly recipes and ideas for cooking with kids at home.

Ingredients
-3 packed cups baby spinach (about 3 ounces)
-¼ cup raw walnut pieces (or any nut you like or substitute additional
-pumkpin seeds for a nut-free pesto)
-¼ cup raw pumpkin seeds
-¼ cup of grated Parmesan cheese (optional)
-1 small garlic clove, peeled and smashed
-2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
-¼ teaspoon honey (optional)
-¼ teaspoon salt, plus more as needed
-1/3 cup olive oil or avocado oil

Instructions
1. Add all ingredients to a food processor.
2. Pulse mixture until finely chopped then process until smooth and creamy, stopping to scrape down the sides of the bowl one or two times.
3. Taste for seasoning and add more salt or lemon juice as needed.
4. Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to a week or freeze in small portions for up to 3 months. 

-Stir into cooked pasta
-Use as a base for pizza
-Spread on a sandwich or grilled cheese
-Thin with additional oil and use as a dressing or dip for veggies
-Marinate chicken then roast or grill
-Toss with roasted veggies or cooked potatoes 
-Stir into soup or tomato sauce for an extra flavor boost