July is Zucchini Month at Veggie Buds Club and we are excited to bring you this summer treat from Heather at Happy Kids Kitchen! You can find more recipes and tons of fun zucchini activities in our "Zany for Zucchini!" eBook, check it out here.

This recipe was developed by Heather Staller, a mom of two boys, ages 6 and 4, 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.happykidskitchen), where she shares inventive kid-friendly recipes and ideas for cooking with kids at home.

Blending up zucchini into a creamy, chocolate smoothie and freezing it in molds, makes for a yummy frozen treat perfect for summertime. Not only are these treats made with a handful of wholesome ingredients, they are packed with nutritious zucchini! This is the perfect recipe to get the kids in the kitchen with you and get those veggie skeptics on board with trying the veggie of the month. If you want to enjoy this treat right away, there are also instructions below on how to turn the smoothie into a frosty milkshake.

Ingredients

• 1 medium-sized zucchini
  
• 1 can full fat coconut milk*
  
• ¼ cup almond butter, peanut butter, or sunflower seed butter
  
• 3 to 4 large dates, pitted or 3 tablespoons maple syrup
  
• 3 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder or raw cacao powder
  
• ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
  
• Pinch of salt

 Instructions

1. Trim ends off zucchini and cut into strips. Your child can now help cut the zucchini into a dice. Measure 2 cups of the diced zucchini and add to a blender.
2. Add remaining ingredients and blend until very smooth. Taste and add more sweetener if you’d like.
3. Pour blended mixture into popsicle molds and freeze overnight. Allow frozen pops to sit out at room temperature for about 1 minute before enjoying. If you don’t have popsicle molds or want to enjoy this treat right away, blend 2 cups of ice into the chocolate zucchini mixture and drink like a milkshake!

*If you don’t want to use coconut milk, feel free to substitute 1 cup plain yogurt and ½ cup milk of your choice. 

The top of the muffin is the best part, right? These wholesome treats are a combination of a tender muffin and an oatmeal breakfast cookie. We love them for breakfast or a snack at my house, and this carrot cake version is a must try. Have your little chef help grate the carrot, measure the ingredients, and mix everything together in a big bowl. The muffin tops are great as is but sometimes I also like to mix in a ¼ cup of chopped walnuts and a ¼ cup of raisins to make them extra special. We really hope you enjoy this nutritious, carrot-packed treat!

This recipe was developed by Heather Staller, a mom of two boys, ages 6 and 4, 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.happykidskitchen), where she shares inventive kid-friendly recipes and ideas for cooking with kids at home.

Makes 8 to 10 large muffin tops
Ingredients

• 1 medium carrot, peeled and end trimmed
  
• 1 ripe banana, mashed or ½ cup unsweetened applesauce
  
• 2 eggs*
  
• 3 tablespoons neutral oil
  
• 3 tablespoons maple syrup or honey
  
• 1 tablespoon orange juice
  
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  
• ¾ cup quick-cooking rolled oats 
  
• ¾ cup almond flour, oat flour, or whole wheat flour
  
• 1 ½ teaspoon baking powder
  
• ½ teaspoon cinnamon
  
• ¼ teaspoon fine salt

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees and line a baking sheet with parchment or lightly grease with oil. 
   
2. Shred carrot on the smaller holes of a box grater until you get ¾ cup grated carrot. Add the carrot to a large bowl along with the mashed banana (or applesauce), eggs, oil, maple syrup, orange juice, and vanilla. Whisk to combine.
   
3. Add the oats, flour, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt. Stir until all ingredients are combined. Stir in nuts and raisins, if using.
   
4. Scoop batter onto the prepared pan using a large cookie scoop or ¼ cup measuring cup. Flatten the tops of each mound slightly with the back of the scoop or cup.
   
5. Bake muffin tops until cooked through and golden brown around the edges, 10 to 12 minutes. Store cooled muffin tops in a container at room temperature for 2 days or in the refrigerator for up to a week.

​*For an egg-free version, use 2 tablespoons ground flax seed mixed with 
  6 tablespoons of water.

​Katie Blauser is the mama of two boys, wife of a picky eater, and food lover at Eat Pretty Darling. She believes in making food fun, healthy, & pretty! Katie’s not only outnumbered by boys in her little family, but also by picky eaters. She loves trying to find new ways to get both kids and adults to eat healthy while making food pretty yummy, pretty healthy, and pretty fun! Find Katie on Instagram (@eatprettydarling), where she shares colorful and cute food ideas for both picky and adventurous eaters.

​Carrots are my oldest son’s favorite veggie! He loves how they crunch when he takes a bite. If your kiddos are still learning to like them, try making them into a fun flower shape! If you have a flower shaped mini cookie cutter, you could use that too. But all it takes is a few simple cuts and you will have a lovely bouquet.

Have you tried zoodles yet?! They are noodles made from zucchini and are available at many grocery stores now. You can also make your own with a spiralizer, this is definitely a fun way to get your kids involved in the kitchen! We love mixing zoodles with traditional noodles to create a familiar yet more healthful plate of pasta.
Be sure to check out Veggie Buds Club for more ways to make veggies (such as zucchini!) fun and approachable for kids.

Ingredients

• 8 ounces spaghetti or linguine (half standard box)
• 1 large zucchini, spiralized
• 1 bunch asparagus
• 4 Tbsp olive oil
• 4 Tbsp unsalted butter
• 1 shallot, sliced thin
• 2-4 Tbsp fresh basil, chopped
• 2-4 Tbsp fresh parsley, chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 large lemon, juiced (reserve rind to zest)
• Freshly grated Parmesan cheese
• Salt and pepper

Instructions

1. Boil water and cook spaghetti, drain and set aside.
2. Meanwhile, preheat oven to 425 F.
3. Remove tough ends from asparagus, place on baking sheet, drizzle with 2 Tbsp of olive oil, salt and pepper. Cook for 15-20 minutes.
4. When asparagus goes into the oven, heat a large pan over medium heat. Add butter and 2 Tbsp olive oil, when heated add herbs, shallots, and garlic and saute for 2-3 minutes.
5. Turn heat down to medium-low and add lemon juice and spiralized zucchini. Cook for about 5 minutes then add cooked spaghetti to combine. 
6. Serve spaghetti and zoodles with salt, pepper, freshly grated Parmesan cheese, and lemon zest. Serve roasted asparagus on the side or slice and incorporate into pasta. 

We are excited to bring you this month's adorable post from Katie Blauser, the creator of Eat Pretty Darling!
You can join in on lots of onion fun with our "Onions are Fun & Compost is Cool!" Veggie Buds Club box. Your child(ren) are guaranteed to love (...or at least try!)onions after this fun box, learn more and purchase here.

​Onions are one food that I often forget about! No one else in my family of picky eaters like them so I often sub for onion powder. But real onions give such a better flavor and I’m so excited to share this onion food art with you!
Transforming an onion into a flower and adding a favorite dip make it a little more approachable for the picky eaters. Simply slicing and baking turns this veggie into a beautiful bloom! My kids loved seeing it transform in the oven.

Kids will love to help measure the ingredients, crack the eggs, and set up the breading assembly line. Little fingers might get pretty messy while making this recipe, but the end result is well worth it. Experiment with the kind of breadcrumbs you use or try grinding pretzels or crackers in the food processor to make a crunchy coating for the onion rings. Serve up the baked, crispy rings with ketchup, ranch dressing, or your family’s favorite sauce to enjoy as a snack or side dish.

Ingredients

• 1 large onion
• ½ cup flour (any kind)
• ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
• ¼ teaspoon paprika
• ¼ teaspoon kosher salt, plus more for seasoning
• 3 large eggs*
• 2 cups panko breadcrumbs, regular breadcrumbs, or ground pretzels

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees and line two baking sheets with parchment paper or aluminum foil and grease with oil or non-stick spray.
   
2. Cut the ends off the onion then peel outer papery skin off. Carefully cut across into ¼-inch rings. Separate out rings and set aside inner-most rings and any broken pieces aside for another use.
   
3. In a large bowl, mix flour, garlic powder, paprika, and salt.
   
4. Crack eggs into a second bowl and whisk together. Add breadcrumbs to a third bowl.
   
5. Working with a few rings at a time, dredge in flour mixture, dip into eggs, then dredge in breadcrumbs, pressing to coat.
   
6. Spread onion rings in an even layer on the prepared baking sheets. Place into oven and bake until golden brown and crispy, about 20-25 minutes.
   
7. Sprinkle with salt then serve with your favorite dipping sauce.

*For egg-free version, use 3 tablespoons of ground flax mixed with ¾ cup water or ¾ cup full-fat coconut milk.

We are excited to bring you this month's adorable post from Katie Blauser, the creator of Eat Pretty Darling!
You can join in on lots of pea fun with our "Give Peas a Chance!" Veggie Buds Club box. Your child(ren) are guaranteed to love (...or at least try!) peas after this fun box, learn more and purchase here.

Turning food into art can make a once feared food a little more approachable. It doesn’t mean that your kids will automatically eat it all and love it, but they might actually touch it or even try it. The more we can expose our kids to new foods, the more comfortable they can get with them.
My pickiest eater loves hummus and carrots but still doesn’t want to try peas. Having him help me transform the peas into boats made him giddy and he was begging to eat them before we were even done! He took a bite and said the peas were yummy with hummus, but decided he still was learning to like the boat. I’m glad that he can now picture the Sugar Snap Peas as boats and associate it with a fun experience every time they are on his plate again!

March's featured veggie is PEAS at Veggie Buds Club! We hope you enjoy this delicious pea recipe from this month's Veggie Buds Club subscription box.
​
This recipe was developed by Heather Staller, a mom of two boys, ages 6 and 4, 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.happykidskitchen), where she shares inventive kid-friendly recipes and ideas for cooking with kids at home.

These falafel patties are packed with peas! Your little chefs will love adding all the ingredients to the food processor, pushing the button, and helping to make the patties with their hands. Not only are they fun to make, but you can enjoy them in so many different ways. Eat them like “nuggets” with Greek yogurt for dipping, in pita bread, or on top of lettuce leaves
with any toppings you’d like. You could even make the patties a little bigger and eat them on a bun as a burger or cook the falafel mixture in a waffle iron to make falafel waffles. Any way you cook them, falafel is the perfect way to enjoy peas!

Ingredients

• 1 cup peas, cooked if from fresh or defrosted if frozen
  
• 1 15-ounce can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
  
• ¼ cup Italian parsley leaves
  
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
  
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder or 1 garlic clove, minced
  
• ½ teaspoon kosher salt
  
• ¼ teaspoon cumin, optional
  
• ½ teaspoon baking powder
  
• 2 to 3 tablespoons oat or whole wheat flour
  
• 1 teaspoon olive oil, plus more for cooking
  
• Yogurt, pita bread, tomatoes, cucumber, or desired toppings, for serving

Instructions

1. Add peas, chickpeas, and parsley to a bowl of a food processor. Pulse until roughly chopped. 
   
2. Add lemon juice, garlic, salt, cumin, baking powder, and 2 tablespoons of flour. Pulse all ingredients until well combined and finely chopped, stopping to scrape the sides down a couple of times as needed. Form a little of the mixture into a small patty. If the mixture is too sticky, add another tablespoon of flour and pulse again to mix in.
   
3. Form the pea mixture into 16 small patties and place on a plate.
   
4. Heat oil in a skillet over medium heat. Cook falafel patties in batches, browning on each side then placing back on a plate to cool.
   
5. Serve falafel warm with a dip or in a pita pocket topped as desired.

 
To make falafel mixture into waffles, mix in 2 additional tablespoons of flour. Heat waffle iron and grease well. Do not open waffle iron before 5 minutes of cooking. Use a butter knife to gently lift falafel from the waffle iron and transfer to a plate.