Ingredients

• 3 cups rolled oats
• 1/3 cup sunflower seeds or pumpkin seeds
• 1/4 teaspoon sea salt
• 3/4 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
• 1/4 cup coconut oil
• 1/3 cup maple syrup
• 1/4 cup pumpkin purée
• 2 tablespoons finely shredded carrot
• 1/4 cup cooked sweet potato

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. In a small saucepan, whisk the coconut oil, maple syrup and pumpkin purée together on low heat.
2. Mix together the oats, seeds, spices, and salt in a large bowl. Quickly pour the saucepan mixture on top of the oats once it is warmed. Mix with a wooden spoon.
3. Spread out the mixture on two large baking sheets. Bake for 25-35 minutes, stirring halfway. Once the mix is golden brown it is ready to be removed from the oven.
4. Once it has cooled completely, transfer to an airtight container. It will keep for around 2 weeks.

Need a quick, easy, and delicious snack that celebrates pumpkin? Try this sweet, refreshing smoothie that tastes just like pumpkin pie. Kids will love to help by measuring the ingredients, adding them to the blender, and working those blender buttons. This recipe also includes some optional frozen cauliflower for an extra veggie-boost. If you want to make the smoothie even more festive for Halloween, instructions on how to create easy Jack-O-Lantern cups are below. ​

Makes 3 8-ounce smoothies
Ingredients

• 2/3 cup pumpkin puree, homemade or canned
• 1 banana, frozen
• 1/2 cup frozen riced cauliflower (optional)
• 1/3 cup plain Greek, regular, or dairy-free yogurt
• 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice or additional cinnamon
• 1 tablespoon maple syrup or 1 pitted date
• 1/2 cup milk (any kind)
• 1 cup ice

Instructions

1. Add all of the ingredients to a blender and blend until smooth. Add additional milk to make a thinner smoothie or blend in more ice to thicken the smoothie.
2. Pour into cups and serve with a fun, reusable straw.

​
How to Make Jack-O-Lantern Cups
You can make Jack-O-Lantern cups two ways:

1. If using a plastic cup, draw a jack-o-lantern face directly onto the cup with a black marker. Sharpie permanent markers seems to work best.
   
2. If using a glass jar or cup, cut triangle “eyes” and a mouth shape out of black construction paper. Use tape or a glue stick to attach the paper to the glass (the paper easily peels off and glue washes off).

Ingredients

• 2 ears of fresh corn
• 1 cup milk (any kind)
• 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
• 3/4 cup whole wheat, all-purpose, or gluten-free flour
• 1/4 cup cornmeal
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon fine salt
• 2 tablespoons neutral oil, plus more for cooking
• 1 large egg or flax egg

Sweet

• 2 tablespoons honey or maple syrup
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup blueberries, rough chopped if large (or any other fruit)

Savory (optional)

• 2 tablespoons snipped chives or chopped scallion
• 1/2 cup shredded or finely chopped vegetables such as zucchini, yellow squash, or bell pepper​​

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!

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
• 3/4 cup quick-cooking rolled oats 
• 3/4 cup almond flour, oat flour, or whole wheat flour
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/4 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.

​Check out our shop for interactive and fun products that teach kids that veggies are fun and tasty! In our shop you can find kid-safe knives, interactive placements, veggie-themed activity boxes, and more!

We are excited to bring you this month's post from Katie Blauser, the creator of Eat Pretty Darling. Each month on our blog we feature a "Color of the Week" that corresponds with Veggie Buds Club's veggie of the month. January's featured veggie is BROCCOLI so of course we're celebrating GREEN veggies!

This week is as easy one, GREEN! I think green is probably the easiest color to find in the produce section of your grocery store. But unfortunately, it can also be the hardest one to get your little ones to eat. You can find anything from fruit to vegetables, herbs to nuts. Green is such a fun color to take on for #eatprettycoloroftheweek and allows for so many options!
We picked out broccoli, spinach, avocado, and green onion and decided to make it into a savory pancake. Pancakes are always a favorite in our house so I thought it would be a great new way to introduce a food we’re still learning to like, broccoli. And what pairs better with broccoli than cheese?! These Broccoli & Cheese Pancakes are great served as pancakes for breakfast, dipped in ketchup as a side to any meal, or eaten just as they are!

Ingredients

• 2 cups broccoli florets
• 2 eggs
• 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
• 1/2 of an avocado
• 1 tablespoon green onions
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1 teaspoon olive oil
• Flour ( optional )

Instructions

1. Place the broccoli florets into a food processor and pulse until it becomes a rice like texture. Add in eggs, mozzarella, avocado, green onions, salt & pepper. Pulse until mixture is combined. If you have trouble getting the batter to stick together, add a spoonful of flour to help it bond.
2. Heat a large skillet on medium heat. Pour in olive oil and scoop heaping spoonfuls of the mixture into pan. Lightly flatten with the back of the spoon. If it sticks, coat the spoon in olive oil.
3. Cook until lightly browned and carefully flip. Cook other side until lightly browned and remove from pan. Repeat until all of the broccoli batter is used up.
4. Serve breakfast style or with ketchup as a side dish to any meal!

Turn a bowl full of winter root veggies into crispy fritters to enjoy any time of day. Have your little chef help peel and grate the veggies, either by hand, with a box grater, or using a food processor. Crack the eggs together, then mix in a couple more ingredients and you are ready to cook. Top the veggie pancakes with a little Greek yogurt, sour cream, or even applesauce. If you have a French fry fan or potato lover, these are sure to be a hit!

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

Ingredients

• 2 cups peeled, shredded potato (about 1 large Russet potato or 2 smaller Yukon Gold potatoes)
• 1 cup shredded turnip
• 1 cup shredded carrot, parsnip, and any other root vegetable or combination of root vegetables
• 2 eggs*
• 1/4 cup flour (any kind)
• 1/2 teaspoon coarse salt
• 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/4 teaspoon onion powder
• Neutral oil, for cooking

Instructions

1. Place shredded potato in a kitchen towel and squeeze out any excess moisture. Add the potato and other shredded vegetables to a large bowl.
2. Have your child help you crack the eggs into a separate small bowl then beat eggs with a fork to scramble. Add eggs and remaining ingredients (except the oil) to the shredded vegetables and stir well to combine.
3. Using your hands, make small patties of the vegetable mixture, squeezing together to remove any excess liquid as you form each one. Lay patties out onto a parchment lined pan or plate. 
4. Heat a cast iron or other skillet over medium heat. Add one tablespoon of oil to coat the bottom of the pan. Cook vegetable cakes until golden brown, 4 to 5 minutes per side, adding more oil to the pan as needed after each batch. Sprinkle the tops with a little salt and eat warm. Store any leftover veggie latkes in the fridge and reheat in the oven or toaster oven for best results.

* For egg-free latkes, substitute eggs for 2 tablespoons of ground flax mixed with 4 tablespoons of water. Latkes will be a little bit softer but still hold together.

Brown might not be the first color that comes to mind when you think of pretty food, but there are so many great brown options out there. Some are just brown on the outside, like sweet potatoes! We were all around the store for this week’s color. From produce, to eggs, to nuts, and spices. So many of our family’s favorite foods are brown! This week we got sweet potatoes, brown eggs, Bosc pears, pecans, and cinnamon. Sweet potatoes are so versatile because they are delicious both sweet and savory. That’s what makes them the perfect toast substitute! I can’t decide which way I like them best so I like to make one a little salty and one a sweet treat. It’s a great way to get in some extra veggies in those bellies. Picking out the toppings is half the fun so make sure to let the kids help!

Ingredients
Toasts

• 1 large sweet potato (peeled if you want)

Toppings
(The topping ideas are endless but we tried sticking to brown foods!)

• Peanut butter
• Pears
• Honey
• Eggs
• Hummus
• Pecans
• Cinnamon
• Yogurt

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350℉. Place a wire rack on a large baking sheet. Trim both ends from the sweet potato using a knife. Slice sweet potato lengthwise into 1/4-inch thick slabs using a knife or mandolin if you have one.
2. Arrange sweet potatoes in a single layer on the wire rack. Bake for 30 minutes (depending on thickness) or until potatoes are tender but not totally cooked.
3. If not making toast right away, remove and allow potatoes to cool on wire rack completely before transferring to a covered container. Store in the fridge for up to 4 days. When you are ready to make the toast, place sweet potato slices in the toaster. Toast until hot and edged are crispy. How long it takes will depend on thickness of potatoes and your toaster.
4. Top with your favorite toppings and enjoy!

Sweet potato pancakes are such a yummy way to celebrate the veggie of the month! There are so many different and beautiful varieties of sweet potatoes in markets these days. We especially love the purple ones but you can use any kind of sweet potato you have for this recipe. These pancakes are a great way to add some extra nutrients into your morning. Pack them up for a healthy snack or they are also delicious spread with nut/seed butter and tucked into a lunch box. Kids will love to help peel and chop the sweet potato, and measure and mix all of the ingredients. Applesauce makes a great lower-sugar dip for the pancakes, but traditional maple syrup is delicious as well. 

Makes 15-18 medium sized pancakes
Ingredients

• 1 medium (orange or purple) sweet potato
• 1 egg (or flax egg)
• 1 cup milk (any kind)
• 1 tablespoon oil
• 1 tablespoon maple syrup
• 2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger (optional)
• 1 cup flour (whole wheat or gluten-free blend)

Instructions

1. Have your child help you peel the sweet potato. You can do this by standing behind your child and holding the peeler together, making sure little fingers are out of the way. Cut the potato in a medium sized dice. If your child wants to help cut the potato, give them a larger diced piece and have him cut the piece smaller. 
2. Add 2 heaping cups of diced potato into a small pot and cover with water. Simmer until potato is fork tender and easily mashed. Drain and set aside to cool until cold enough to handle. (This can be done in advance and stored in the fridge for up to 3 days.)
3. Add cooked potato to a large bowl. Using a potato masher or fork, take turns mashing the potato as well as you can. Have your child help crack the egg into a separate small bowl, in case you need to remove any shell. Add egg, milk, oil, and maple syrup to the bowl and carefully mix with a whisk until all the ingredients are fully incorporated.
4. Add baking powder, salt, cinnamon, and ginger (if using), then mix to incorporate. Finally, add the flour. Stir until the flour is just mixed in. It is alright if some lumps remain.
5. Heat a skillet or griddle over medium heat. Lightly grease the pan with oil or butter. Use a tablespoon or small cookie scoop to make as many pancakes that will fit in your pan. Cook until bubbles start to form around the edges of the pancake, 2 to 3 minutes, then flip and cook another 2 to 3 minutes on the other side. Serve pancakes with maple syrup or applesauce for dipping.

Refrigerate pancakes for up to 5 days or freeze and reheat in the toaster for a quick weekday breakfast.

​So you might be thinking, why is the color of the week yellow when zucchini are most definitely green? Zucchini are yellow inside! Sometimes the insides of fruits and veggies are the prettiest part. Think of all the fun produce that can fit more than one category! We think of kiwi as green although they are brown on the outside. This week we rounded up yellow squash, lemons, bananas, and of course zucchini. Zucchini is one of those awesome veggies that can be turned into just about anything! One of our favorite ways to eat it is in our baked goods. We all know that yummy zucchini bread, but add in a few other ingredients and you have a new twist on an old favorite!

Ingredients

• 2 cups old fashioned oats*
• 2 ripe bananas
• 2 eggs
• 1/2 cup honey (or maple syrup)
• 1 cup shredded zucchini (moisture rung out)
• 1 cup shredded yellow squash (moisture rung out)
• 1 teaspoon almond extract
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 2 lemons (juice and zest)
• 1 Tablespoon poppy seeds

 Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 325 F and grease a 9 x 13 pan. Place oats on a baking sheet and toast until lightly browned (about 8 minutes) stirring halfway. Let oats cool. Pour oats into a food processor until oats become a flour like consistency.
2. Turn oven up to 350 F. Mash bananas until there are no lumps (or beat with a mixer on medium speed). Add eggs, honey, squash, almond extract, vanilla extract, and lemon juice.
3. Add the dry ingredients (oats, baking powder, baking soda) to wet ingredients. Mix until just incorporated. Fold in poppy seeds and lemon zest. Pour mixture into greased pan and bake for for 45 minutes. Let cool completely before slicing into squares.

*You can also sub in whole wheat flour or all purpose flour and skip step 1.

​Want some great products that teach kids to learn to love veggies?
Check out our shop for kid-safe knives, interactive placements, and veggie-themed activity boxes!