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.

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.
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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! ​

Whether you use homemade pumpkin purée or pumpkin from a can, these wholesome baked donuts are the most delicious way to celebrate this month's veggie! 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 1/4 cups whole wheat flour (or gluten-free flour blend)*
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon fine salt
• 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice (or ½ teaspoon cinnamon, ¼ teaspoon ground ginger, pinch of ground nutmeg and cloves)
• 1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons pumpkin purée (from a can or homemade)
• 2 tablespoons neutral oil
• 1 tablespoon maple syrup
• 1/2 cup coconut sugar (or 1/3 cup brown sugar)
• 1/2 cup milk (any kind)

Topping

• 2 tablespoons coconut oil or butter, melted
• 1/4 cup maple sugar, granulated sugar, or coconut sugar 
• 1/4 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 3/4 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.

​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!

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. 

We hope you enjoy the recipe, and be sure to check out a few "Kids in the Kitchen" tips at the bottom for times when your children help you make them!

Ingredients

• 2 1/2 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 tablespoons hemp hearts or flax seeds
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/2 tablespoon 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 my son 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. 

Chocolate and zucchini?? Yes, please! You know kiddos are going to love making this one! Have them help grate the zucchini, measure, stir, and top each brownie bite with a couple chocolate chips. 

Makes 24 Brownies
Ingredients

• 1/2 cup whole wheat flour*
• 1/3 cup cacao powder or unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 medium sized zucchini
• 2 eggs**
• 1/3 cup neutral oil***
• 1/2 cup coconut sugar or granulated sugar
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 2 tablespoons Greek yogurt or coconut yogurt
• 1/4 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.