This month we're featuring sweet potatoes at Veggie Buds Club! If you'd like access to tons of kid-friendly sweet potato recipes, sweet potato crafts, sweet potato games, sweet potato growing projects, and more you can purchase our "Sweeeeet Potatoes!" Box or Digital Activity Book here.

These chocolate treats are so yummy no one will know they are packed with protein, fiber, and nutrients from black beans and spinach. Even though you can’t taste the spinach it is really important that your child helps make this recipe so you aren’t hiding the veggies. Maybe making brownies with spinach will entice your little one to try spinach in other ways.

Makes 9 Brownies
INGREDIENTS

• 1 can black beans (15 oz), rinsed and drained well
  
• 2 cups baby spinach
  
• 2 large eggs or flax “eggs”
  
• 1/4 cup oil
  
• 1/4 cup maple syrup or honey
  
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  
• 1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
  
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
  
• 1/4 teaspoon fine salt
  
• 1/4 cup coconut sugar or other granulated sweetener
  
• 1/4 cup plus 2 Tablespoons quick oats or 1/4 cup flour (any kind)
  
• 1/4 cup mini chocolate chips, divided

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease or line an 8-inch square baking pan with parchment paper.
   
2. Add all ingredients to a food processor, reserving half of the chocolate chips for the top. Blend until smooth. Scrape down the sides of the bowl to make sure everything is incorporated then blend again if necessary.
   
3. Spread batter into the prepared baking pan then sprinkle the remaining chocolate chips on top. Bake until set, about 25 minutes. Cool then cut into squares.

This is the perfect recipe to make with both beet skeptics and beet lovers because what child (or adult) doesn’t get excited by donuts, right? Chocolate and beets together might sound a little strange at first, but the naturally earthy flavor of beets matches really well with rich, sweet chocolate. Make sure to get all the ingredients out and ready to go (even measure some ahead for younger children) so you can have more fun and less mess baking up some donuts together. Don’t have a donut pan? You can cook the batter in a regular or mini muffin pan to make donut muffins.

Makes 12 large donuts
INGREDIENTS

• 1 cup beet purée*
• 2 large eggs**
• 1/4 cup maple syrup or honey
• 1/3 cup brown sugar or coconut sugar
• 1/4 cup melted butter or coconut oil
• 1/4 cup milk (any kind)
  
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  
• 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
  
• 1 1/4 cups whole wheat, all-purpose or gluten-free flour
  
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
  
• 1/4 teaspoon salt

Optional glaze:

• 1/3 cup chocolate chips
  
• 1/2 teaspoon coconut or vegetable oil

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Generously grease a 12-hole donut pan or muffin tin.
   
2. In a large bowl, whisk together beet purée, eggs, maple syrup, melted butter, milk, and vanilla.
   
3. In another bowl, whisk cocoa powder, flour, baking soda, and salt. Add dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix with a spatula until just combined.
   
4. Scoop batter into a large resealable plastic bag or reusable piping bag. Snip off the corner of the bag and pipe batter into prepared pan, filling the holes 2/3 of the way full.
   
5. Bake until donuts are puffed up and dry to the touch, about 15 minutes. Cool completely before removing donuts from the pan.
   
6. To make glaze, melt chocolate chips then stir in the oil. Drizzle donuts with melted chocolate. Set aside or chill until chocolate hardens. Keep donuts in an air-tight container on the counter for 2 days or in the refrigerator for 5 days.

*Make beet purée by blending 8 to 9 ounces of cooked, peeled beets, about 3 to 4 medium-sized beets.
**Substitute 2 tablespoons ground flax seed mixed with 5 tablespoons water for an egg-free version.

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

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.

​Nice cream is all the rage in our house! My kids love it and I love that it’s just fruit. But did you know you can also throw in some veggies?! Frozen zucchini adds a creamy texture with no real taste. YES! We wanted to really make it green and add in spinach for color and mint to make it into mint chocolate chip flavor. 

Ingredients​

• 1 small zucchini, chopped into medium sized cubes
• 2 ripe bananas, peeled and cut into rounds
• Handful of fresh spinach
• 6 mint leaves
• ⅛ tsp mint extract (optional)
• Dark chocolate chips

Instructions

1. Take zucchini and bananas and put them into a freezer bag and place in the freezer. Let them freeze until firm.
2. Place frozen zucchini, bananas, spinach, extract and mint into a food processor. Pulse until it becomes creamy. It will take a while so keep going! Use a spoon to scrape down the sides as needed.
3. Once ingredients are nice and creamy, mix in chocolate chips by hand. Serve immediately and sprinkle with extra chocolate.

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. 

Whether you use homemade pumpkin purée or pumpkin from a can, these wholesome baked donuts are the most delicious way to celebrate the veggie of the month! Don’t worry if you don’t have a donut pan. You can bake up the same batter in a mini muffin pan and call them donut holes! Your little chef is going to love measuring, mixing, and scooping the batter. The pumpkin spice-sugar coating to top off the donuts is optional but really makes them a special sweet treat. 

Makes 6 large donuts, 12 mini donuts, or 12-14 mini muffins
Ingredients

• 1 ¼ cups whole wheat flour (or gluten-free flour blend)*
• 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
• ½ teaspoon fine salt
• 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice (or ½ teaspoon cinnamon, ¼ teaspoon ground ginger, pinch of ground nutmeg and cloves)
• ¼ cup plus 2 tablespoons pumpkin purée (from a can or homemade)
• 2 tablespoons neutral oil
• 1 tablespoon maple syrup
• ½ cup coconut sugar (or 1/3 cup brown sugar)
• ½ cup milk (any kind)

Topping

• 2 tablespoons coconut oil or butter, melted
• ¼ cup maple sugar, granulated sugar, or coconut sugar 
• ¼ teaspoon pumpkin pie spice or cinnamon

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Generously grease a donut pan or mini muffin tin.
2. In a large bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, salt, and pumpkin pie spice.
3. In a second bowl, whisk the remaining ingredients (besides the topping). Add the wet ingredient to the bowl of dry ingredients and mix with a spatula or wooden spoon until just combined.
4. If making donuts, scoop batter into a small zip-top bag. Twist the top then cut the tip off of one corner of the bag. Squeeze the batter into your donut pan, filling them each about ¾ of the way. If making donut “holes,” scoop batter into muffin tin using a spoon or small ice cream scoop. 
5. Bake until a toothpick inserted into the center of the donut or mini muffin comes out clean, about 10 to 12 minutes for large donuts and 8 to 10 minutes for mini donuts or muffins.
6. Allow to cool for 10 to 15 minutes then transfer donuts to a cooling rack. Mix sugar and extra pumpkin pie spice in a small, shallow bowl. When donuts are cool enough to handle, use a pastry brush to coat the tops of the donuts with a thin layer of oil. Dip into spiced sugar mixture.
7. The sugar coated donuts are best enjoyed the same day they are made. Plain donuts can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for 2 days or in the refrigerator for 3 to 4 days.

 *I used Bob’s Red Mill white whole wheat flour, oat flour, and gluten-free flour mix with success.

​Have you joined Veggie Buds Club yet?! Teach your kids to love a new veggie each month through hands-on activities delivered right to your door. Learn more and join the club by clicking here. July is Zucchini month here at Veggie Buds Club and we hope you enjoy this healthy and delicious zucchini-packed recipe from our monthly contributor Noelle Martin, MScFN RD, of Motherhood and Meals!

Zucchini is one of those vegetables that has limitless possibilities. It works as a meal side when sautéed, a pasta alternative when spiralized, a nutrient density booster in "zoats", and a variety of baked goods. One of our family's favorite recipes that includes zucchinis is for Peanut Butter Oatmeal Coconut Cookies. These cookies are packed with nutrition from zucchini, pumpkin seeds, oats, and more! They are free of milk, eggs, refined sugar, and flour which means they are safe for Dairy-Free and Gluten-Free diets. And for anyone with a peanut or legume allergy, the peanut butter can be replaced with Almond Butter, WowButter, or SunButter. 

Enjoy the recipe, and be sure to check out a few home school tips at the bottom for times when your children help you make them!

Ingredients

• 2.5 cups of oats
• 2 cups shredded zucchini
• 1 cup peanut butter (or alternate nut or seed butter)
• 3/4 cup unsalted pumpkin seeds
• 3/4 cup shredded unsweetened coconut
• 2/3 cup honey 
• 1/2 cup mini chocolate chips (I use the MadeGood dairy free ones)
• 3 Tbsp hemp hearts
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 1/2 Tbsp baking powder

Instructions

1. Mix all ingredients together. 
2. Form small balls about 1-2 Tbsp in size and place on baking stone or cookie sheet. 
3. Bake at 375 F for 12-14 minutes (time with vary with ovens). 

*Serve with a glass of milk or crumble over your favorite yogurt with a few more pumpkin seeds and hemp hearts sprinkled on top. 
*Storing Guidelines: Cookies will remain fresh longer if stored in the fridge or freezer.

​I always love to include a learning component for my children when we make a recipe. While making this recipe Rhett and I talked about the letter Z, the color green (and also yellow since some zucchinis are yellow), the texture difference between whole and shredded zucchini, and we practiced numbers by counting the ingredients as we added them in. 

I hope you get to try making these with your little ones this summer. They are sure to be a crowd pleaser!

Makes 24 Brownies
Ingredients

• ½ cup whole wheat flour*
• ⅓ cup cacao powder or unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• 1 medium sized zucchini
• 2 eggs**
• ⅓ cup neutral oil***
• ½ cup coconut sugar or granulated sugar
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 2 tablespoons Greek yogurt or coconut yogurt
• ¼ cup mini chocolate chips

Instructions 

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a mini muffin tin (silicone ones work best) with oil or line with baking cups/cupcake liners.
   
2. Add flour, cacao powder, baking powder, and salt to a medium bowl. Whisk ingredients together to combine and break up any clumps.
   
3. Trim the ends off your zucchini and grate it using the small side of a box grater. Chop the grated zucchini a few times to make the shreds a little smaller. Using a kitchen towel or paper towel, remove some of the extra moisture from the zucchini (you don’t need to ring it out and remove all the liquid).
   
4. In a second bowl, mix eggs, oil, sugar, vanilla, yogurt, and grated zucchini until combined. Add flour mixture and half of the chocolate chips to the bowl and mix together.
   
5. Scoop batter into prepared mini muffin pan filling each cup almost to the top. Place the remaining mini chocolate chips on the top of each brownie. Bake until puffed and just set, about 12 minutes.
   
6. Once brownies are cool, remove from pan and enjoy! Store brownies in an airtight container in the fridge for up to a week or freeze for up to one month.

*King Arthur white whole wheat flour works great but any flour (gluten-free or paleo blends) can be substituted.
**Substitute flax eggs for egg-free version. (2 tablespoons flax meal mixed with 5 tablespoons water)
***Any vegetable, avocado, or melted coconut oil will work well.

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.