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!

Have you ever made savory muffins? They are a fun and delicious way to get veggies into your day! Broccoli can be a little tricky for small hands to chop, so have your child help break apart the florets then practice sawing back and forth to trim the broccoli “leaves” off the “tree.” Chop the broccoli alongside your little chef and if he or she gets tired of cutting, your child can always help transfer the chopped broccoli to a measuring cup. Kids will also love to help by cracking the eggs, measuring the ingredients, and mixing everything all together. Enjoy!

Ingredients

• 1 small to medium-sized head of broccoli, cut into florets
• 1 cup milk (any kind)
• 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
• 1 cup cornmeal
• 1 cup flour*
• 1 1.2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon fine salt
• 1/4 cup butter or oil, melted
• 2 eggs
• 1 tablespoon honey
• 1/4 cup finely shredded cheddar cheese plus more for the top (optional)

Instructions 

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
2. Finely chop enough broccoli florets to measure about ¾ of a cup. Set aside.
3. Pour milk into a liquid measuring cup and add the vinegar. Set aside for 5 minutes.
4. Measure dry ingredients into a large bowl and use a whisk to gently mix them together.
5. Mix butter or oil, eggs, and honey in a second bowl. Add milk and vinegar mixture and whisk to combine. Pour liquid ingredients into the dry ingredients and mix together. Stir in chopped broccoli and shredded cheese, if using.
6. Scoop batter into prepared muffin tin, filling each hole about ¾ of the way full. Top each muffin with an additional sprinkle of cheese, if desired. Bake until golden brown on the top and cooked through, about 15 minutes.

* Flour can be all-purpose, whole wheat, or gluten-free blend.

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.

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!

These Broccoli Nuggets are a huge hit with kiddos! Eat them for lunch or a snack anytime of the day. This recipe was developed by Happy Kids Kitchen for Veggie Buds Club.

Get your kids in the kitchen! They can break a broccoli head into florets using their hands and then add everything to the food processor. Make sure they press the button (kids love this step!) and then they can scoop the batter into a prepared muffin pan.

Here are some great photos from our members that have been shared with us on our Instagram and Facebook pages, keep the Broccoli Nugget love comin'!

Check out our shop for products that teach kids to learn to love veggies! This includes veggie activity boxes, kid-safe knives, interactive placemats, and more.