Veggie Buds Club Blog - Veggie Buds Club

Easy Carrot Soup

12/10/2021

This Carrot Soup recipe is about as easy as it gets and really celebrates the carrot-y goodness that this orange veggie packs! This is a great soup recipe for a quick weeknight meal and kids love it.

"Learn to Love Veggies" Tip

This carrot soup is a great starter recipe for kids! Carrots blend well with other flavors such as ginger and orange but we suggest starting with a recipe that is really simple and highlights a familiar carrot flavor for soup newbies.

Easy Carrot Soup

Easy Carrot Soup

Yield: 4-6

Author: Veggie Buds Club

Prep time: 10 MinCook time: 20 MinTotal time: 30 Min

This Carrot Soup recipe is about as easy as it gets and really celebrates the carrot-y goodness that this orange veggie packs! This is a great soup recipe for a quick weeknight meal and kids love it.

Ingredients

2 tablespoons unsalted butter or olive oil
1 large white or yellow onion, chopped
2 pounds carrots, peeled and chopped
3 cloves garlic, chopped (or 1 1/2 teaspoons minced garlic from a jar)
4 cups vegetable stock
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper

Instructions

Heat a large pot on medium heat and add the butter or oil. Once melted/warm, add the chopped onions and cook until they become translucent, about 3-4 minutes. Add the garlic and cook about 1 more minute, stirring frequently.
Add the chopped carrots and stir. Add the vegetable stock, salt, and pepper.
Bring to a boil and then down to a simmer. Simmer for 15-20 minutes, until the carrots are fork tender.
Turn off the heat and use an immersion blender to blend the soup until smooth. If you use a regular blender, let the soup cool for a bit and then carefully add to the blender in batches and blend until smooth.

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Epic Broccoli Burgers

4/22/2021

These Epic Broccoli Burgers are sure to turn all of your family members into veggie burger lovers!

This recipe was developed by Gratefully Vegan for Veggie Buds Club. Please lettuce know if you make them by leaving a comment.

"Learn to Love Veggies" Tip

Get your kids in the kitchen with you! Have your children break apart the broccoli heads into florets with their hands... kids LOVE this step. The broccoli is going to be steamed and pulsed in a food processor so the florets do not need to be uniform in size.

Epic Broccoli Burgers

Epic Broccoli Burgers

Yield: 6-8

Author: Gratefully Vegan

Prep time: 15 MinCook time: 20 MinTotal time: 35 Min

These Epic Broccoli Burgers are sure to turn all of your family members into veggie burger lovers! They are packed with broccoli, carrots, onion, bell pepper, and chickpeas so be sure to save this recipe for your next "Meatless Monday" meal.

Ingredients

1 big head of broccoli
1 carrot
1/2 bell pepper
1 onion
3-4 cloves of garlic
2 tablespoons ground flaxseed
1 15-oz can of chickpeas
1 tablespoon mustard
1 tablespoon ground pumpkin seed or 1 additional tablespoon ground flaxseed
1/2 teaspoon paprika
1/2 cup of flour, any kind
Salt and pepper, to taste
Olive oil
Optional toppings: lettuce, tomato, onion, cucumbers, barbecue sauce, ketchup, etc.

Instructions

Cut the broccoli into small pieces and wash it. Bring some water to a boil in a pot, add the broccoli florets, and simmer for 10 minutes.
On a cutting board, mince the carrot, pepper, onion, and garlic. In a pan, add 1 tablespoon of olive oil and saute the veggies until they are cooked.
Meanwhile, make a flax egg: in a small bowl, add 2 tablespoons of ground flaxseed and 4 tablespoons of water. Let it sit for 5 minutes.
Once the broccoli is done cooking, rinse it with cold water and place it in the food processor. Add the chickpeas, mustard, ground pumpkin seeds (or additional ground flaxseed), paprika, and flax egg. Mix until it becomes dough-like. Add 1-2 tablespoons of olive oil if it's hard to blend.
Add the roasted veggies to the food processor and mix just a bit. Make sure that at least half of the veggies are not fully blended.
Transfer the mixture to a bowl, add the flour and mix. If the mixture looks too wet, add more flour.
Separate the mixture into 8 parts and form them into burger patties.
In a pan, add a little bit of oil and cook the patties for a few minutes on each side until they are golden brown.
Place the patties on a bun, add toppings (tomato, onion, cucumber, lettuce, etc.), and sauce. Enjoy the burgers!

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Easy Broccoli Soup

4/14/2021

This is a great broccoli recipe to make with kids because they can practice cutting and breaking broccoli florets into pieces. The pieces then get cooked and blended so it doesn’t matter if they are all the same size. This green soup is great served with grilled cheese for dipping, crackers, or plain toast. You can also top it with a little extra cheese or some broccoli “sprinkles”!

This tasty broccoli recipe was developed by Happy Kids Kitchen for Veggie Buds Club.

"Learn to Love Veggies" Tip

Sometimes soup is difficult for children to eat with a spoon so give them some other "tools" to try their soup with. Examples include a straw (those large silicone straws work great for soup), a large scoop from a protein powder container, and dippers such as grilled cheese or crackers.

Easy Broccoli Soup

Easy Broccoli Soup

Yield: 4-6

Author: Happy Kids Kitchen

Prep time: 10 MinCook time: 25 MinTotal time: 35 Min

This Easy Broccoli Soup is great served with grilled cheese for dipping, crackers, or plain toast. You can also top it with a little extra cheese or some broccoli “sprinkles”!

Ingredients

1 pound Russet potatoes, peeled and chopped
10 to 12 ounces broccoli florets, tender stalks and leaves included (5 heaping cups)
4 cups low-sodium vegetable or chicken broth
1 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more to taste
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese (optional)

Instructions

Add potato and broccoli to a large pot. Pour broth over top then stir in the teaspoon of salt.
Bring up to a simmer then cover and cook until the vegetables are very tender, about 20 minutes.
Use an immersion blender (stick blender) to puree the soup until smooth. If using a traditional blender, carefully transfer the vegetables and broth into the blender and blend in batches until smooth.
Stir in garlic powder, lemon juice, and cheese, if using. Taste and season with additional salt and pepper as needed. Serve warm.

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Roasted Radishes with Pea Hummus

3/16/2021

Have you ever tried roasting radishes?! Roasting really brings out the sweet qualities of this sometimes "spicy" veggie. And dip lovers rejoice, these roasted veggies taste delicious dipped in Pea Hummus!

This recipe was developed by Gratefully Vegan for Veggie Buds Club. Please lettuce know if you make it by leaving a comment!

"Learn to Love Veggies" Tip

Pairing radishes with some other (possibly more familiar) veggies such as potatoes and carrots is an excellent way to introduce this veggie to kids!

Roasted Radishes with Pea Hummus

Roasted Radishes with Pea Hummus

Yield: 4-6

Author: Gratefully Vegan

Prep time: 15 MinCook time: 35 MinTotal time: 50 Min

Roasting radishes really brings out the sweet qualities of this sometimes "spicy" veggie. And dip lovers rejoice, these roasted veggies taste delicious dipped in Pea Hummus!

Ingredients

Roasted Radishes

1 bunch of radishes
5 potatoes
3 carrots
1/2 teaspoon Himalayan salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1/2 teaspoon paprika
1/2 teaspoon oregano
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon onion powder

Pea Hummus

3 1/2 cups frozen peas
2 tablespoons Tahini
Juice of 1 lemon
1 clove of garlic
1/2 teaspoon paprika
1 teaspoon Himalayan salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1/4 cup water

Instructions

Roasted Radishes

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
Wash the radishes, potatoes, and carrots. Peel the potatoes and carrots.
Chop the radishes into quarters and chop the carrots and potatoes into a similar sized dice as the quartered radishes.
Place a sheet of parchment paper on a baking sheet and spread out the veggies.
Sprinkle the spices on top of the chopped veggies.
Bake for 30-40 minutes, until the veggies are "fork tender".
Serve the roasted veggies on a plate next to the pea hummus and enjoy!

Pea Hummus

Pour the frozen peas into a pan. Add a little bit of water and cook over medium heat until thawed.
In a blender, blend all ingredients except for the peas.
After the peas are cooked, drain the water and wash them with cold water until they are chilled.
Add the cooked and cooled peas to the blender and blend everything together.
Serve in a small bowl with the veggies and use it as a dip. Yum!

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Magical Green Mac & Cheese

2/11/2021

Add a few ingredients to a blender with a couple handfuls of spinach and *poof* your Mac and Cheese is magically GREEN! Little chefs will love to help make this fun and delicious pasta dish that’s packed with spinach.

This recipe was developed by the very talented Happy Kids Kitchen for Veggie Buds Club.

"Learn to Love Veggies" Tip

Make this recipe extra magical by having your little chef/s join you in the kitchen! They can add all of the the green cheese sauce ingredients to a blender and press the buttons (kids sure love to press buttons!).

Spinach really is a magical veggie, it turns everything a gorgeous green color and packs a powerful nutritious punch but the flavor is so mild that it blends in well with many recipes!

Magical Green Mac & Cheese

Magical Green Mac & Cheese

Yield: 4-6

Author: Happy Kids Kitchen

Prep time: 5 MinCook time: 15 MinTotal time: 20 Min

Add a few ingredients to a blender with a couple handfuls of spinach and *poof* your Mac & Cheese is magically GREEN!

Ingredients

2 cups small-shaped pasta
Salt
1/2 cup milk, any kind
1 cup grated cheddar cheese
2 tablespoons flour
2 cups baby spinach
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder (optional)

Instructions

Bring a pot of salted water up to a boil and cook pasta according to package directions.
While pasta cooks, add milk, cheese, flour, spinach, and garlic powder (if using) to a blender. Blend until no flecks of spinach remain.
Drain pasta into a colander then return the empty pot to the stove. Pour the green sauce into the pot and cook over low heat, stirring often, until thickened, 2 to 3 minutes. Stir in cooked pasta. Taste and add additional salt as desired. Enjoy!

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Roasted Garlic & Onion Marinara

1/10/2021

Made from just 4 ingredients, this pasta sauce is so simple but so delicious! Roasted sliced onion and whole cloves of garlic makes them super sweet and cuts out any of the “spicy” or strong flavor kiddos might not enjoy. Little chefs can help toss the onion and garlic in oil and sprinkle on salt before roasting. Then they can help add the can of tomatoes and blend up the sauce. Serve on top of or tossed with whatever kind of pasta your family enjoys. Spaghetti is our favorite. The flavorful tomato sauce is also great for pizza or any other recipe you’d use marinara.

"Learn to Love Veggies" Tip

You can leave the garlic unpeeled or peeled for roasting. If you peel them, be sure to have your kids do the job! First they can smash the garlic cloves a bit using the flat end of a butter knife and then they peel it. Peeling garlic is great for fine motor skills and gets that garlic-y flavor on their fingers and aroma in the air, this is a great introduction to garlic for kids!

Roasted Garlic and Onion Marinara

Roasted Garlic and Onion Marinara

Yield: 4-6

Author: Happy Kids Kitchen

Prep time: 10 MinCook time: 25 MinTotal time: 35 Min

Made from just 4 ingredients, this pasta sauce is so simple but so delicious! Serve on top of or tossed with whatever kind of pasta your family enjoys. The flavorful tomato sauce is also great for pizza or any other recipe you’d use marinara.

Ingredients

1 large sweet onion, ends trimmed and sliced into half circles
4 to 6 garlic cloves, skin on
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 28-ounce can whole or diced tomatoes (with basil or plain)
1/2 teaspoon dried Italian seasoning, optional
Salt and pepper, to taste

Instructions

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Place sliced onion and garlic cloves on a baking sheet. Drizzle with olive oil then sprinkle with about a 1/4 teaspoon of salt. Toss with your hands then spread into an even layer. Roast until the onion is very golden brown, 18 to 20 minutes.
If using a hand-held immersion blender: add the tomatoes and Italian seasoning to a pot. Cook for a few minutes on medium-low until onion is roasted. If using a traditional blender: add the tomatoes and Italian seasoning to the blender. Once onions and garlic have cooked, set garlic aside until cool enough to handle. Add onions to the tomatoes then remove outer skin from garlic cloves. Discard the skin and add the garlic to the tomatoes as well.
Blend until smooth. If using a traditional blender, add sauce to a pot and cook until heated through. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
Serve sauce with pasta or store in the refrigerator for 5 days.

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Chickpea Pot Pie

12/15/2020

Your whole family is sure to love this vegetarian spin on a classic pot pie! This filling and nourishing meal is packed with veggies (corn, peas, and carrots!) and is rich in plant-based protein from the chickpeas. The recipe is adaptable for vegetarian, vegan, and gluten-free diets.

Chef Dawn from VegeCooking developed this recipe for Veggie Buds Club.

"Learn to Love Veggies" Tip

Have your child wear swim goggles or safety goggles when they chop onions, this will help prevent their eyes from tearing up and makes chopping this veggie extra fun! Check out our favorite child-safe knife here. They are more likely to try the Chickpea Pot Pie if they help make it!

Chickpea Pot Pie

Chickpea Pot Pie

Yield: 4-6

Author: VegeCooking Club

Prep time: 10 MinCook time: 40 MinTotal time: 50 Min

Your whole family is sure to love this vegetarian spin on a classic pot pie! This filling and nourishing meal is packed with veggies (corn, peas, and carrots!) and is rich in plant-based protein from the chickpeas.

Ingredients

Crust

1 package quality pie crusts, softened to package directions (gluten-free if preferred)

Filling

1/3 cup coconut oil or butter
1/2 small onion, chopped fine
1/3 cup all-purpose flour or gluten-free flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1 3/4 cups vegetable broth
1/2 cup milk, any kind
2 cups cooked chickpeas (if using canned, be sure to drain and rinse)
2 cups frozen mixed vegetables (peas, corn, carrots), thawed

Instructions

Heat oven to 425 degrees F. Prepare pie crusts as directed for a two crust pie using a 9-inch glass pie pan.
Melt coconut oil or butter over medium heat in a 2-quart saucepan; add onion; cook 2-5 minutes, stirring frequently, until translucent; stir in flour, salt and pepper until well blended; stir in broth and milk, cooking and stirring until thick and bubbly.
Add in chickpeas and mixed vegetables; remove from heat. Spoon chickpea mixture into crust-lined pan. Top with second crust; seal edge using a fork. Cut slits in several places in top crust.
Bake 30 to 40 minutes or until crust is golden brown. During last 15 to 20 minutes of baking, cover crust edge with strips of foil to prevent excessive browning. Let stand 5 minutes before serving.

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Pumpkin Pizza Rolls

10/19/2020

Pizza lovers rejoice! Pumpkin purée, cheese, and pizza dough combine to make a delicious and super kid-friendly way to enjoy pumpkin. You can make your own pizza dough with more pumpkin purée mixed right in or use store-bought pizza dough for a quicker option. Either way, it’s a great recipe to get kids into the kitchen and explore this orange veggie.

Happy Kids Kitchen developed this recipe for Veggie Buds Club.

"Learn to Love Veggies" Tip

You can watch Monica Irwin, from Veggie Buds Club, make this tasty savory treat on Twin Cities Live! She chats with the hosts about fun ways to get your kids involved.

Pumpkin Pizza Rolls

Pumpkin Pizza Rolls

Author: Happy Kids Kitchen

Prep time: 5 MinCook time: 20 MinTotal time: 25 Min

Pizza lovers rejoice! Pumpkin purée, cheese, and pizza dough combine to make a delicious and super kid-friendly way to enjoy pumpkin.

Ingredients

1 recipe of homemade pumpkin pizza dough (recipe below) or 1 package of pre-made pizza dough (about 1 pound)
6 tablespoons pumpkin purée (canned or homemade)
3 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
Pinch of salt
1 cup baby spinach, chopped (optional)
1 1/2 cups grated mozzarella cheese

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line a round or square baking pan with parchment or grease well with oil.
Roll pizza dough out as thin as possible making a large rectangle measuring about 15-by-12 inches. If using a ball of store bought pizza dough, it may take some time to get the dough rolled thin.
In a small bowl, mix pumpkin purée, Parmesan cheese, garlic powder, and salt. Spread pumpkin mixture evenly across the pizza dough rectangle, leaving a small border around the edges.
If using spinach, sprinkle evenly over the pumpkin layer then add a layer of shredded mozzarella.
Starting with the longer side, roll the dough into a log. Cut into 12 equal rounds then place them in the prepared pan. Bake until cheese is bubbly and golden brown, about 20 minutes. Serve warm.

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Homemade Pumpkin Pizza Dough

Homemade Pumpkin Pizza Dough

Author: Happy Kids Kitchen

Prep time: 5 MinCook time: 10 MinTotal time: 15 Min

Enjoy this homemade pizza dough with pumpkin purée mixed right in!

Ingredients

3/4 cup whole wheat flour
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon fine salt
1/2 cup pumpkin purée (canned or homemade)
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 teaspoon honey (optional)

Instructions

Add flours, baking powder, and salt to a large bowl or the bowl of a food processor. Mix to combine.
Add the pumpkin in a 1 cup liquid measuring cup then add enough water to make 1 cup of pumpkin and water mixed. Add pumpkin mixture, olive oil, and honey to the bowl/food processor and mix until no dry flour remains. If dough is too dry, add another tablespoon of water at a time. Remove dough and knead on the counter to get a uniform ball of dough. Set aside to rest for 5 minutes before using.

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Pizza Rice

7/9/2020

This rice dish that tastes just like pizza, a kid favorite! Your child can help chop the tomatoes and mash and stir them over the stove (if you're comfortable with this step). Finally, they can top the tomato-rice mixture with shredded cheese and then enjoy the final tasty dish!

"Learn to Love Veggies" Tip

Here is a great opportunity to talk with your child about all of the great condiments that tomatoes can be found in such as ketchup, pasta sauce, and pizza sauce! Having them help out with this recipe will make it so that they are more likely to try it and not be alarmed that tomatoes, a.k.a the "pizza sauce veggie", are in this dish.

Pizza Rice

Pizza Rice

Yield: 4-6

Author: Veggie Buds Club

This rice dish that tastes just like pizza, a kid favorite!

Ingredients

3 cups cooked rice
2 tablespoons olive oil
4 Roma tomatoes
1 tablespoon Italian seasoning
1/2 teaspoon onion powder
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
Salt, to taste
1/2 cup shredded cheddar or mozzarella cheese

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.
Roughly chop the Roma tomatoes (this is a great step for your child to assist with if you have a child-safe knife!).
Heat the olive oil over medium-high heat in a large pan.
Add the chopped Roma tomatoes and stir, next smash them with a potato masher or large fork. Add all of the dry seasonings except for salt and sauté for 2-3 minutes.
Add the cooked basmati rice, stir everything together, and season with salt.
Pour the tomato-rice mixture into a baking dish. Sprinkle the top with the shredded cheese.
Place the baking dish in the oven on a high rack and bake for 5 minutes to melt the cheese.

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Chopped Salad with Sweet Strawberry Dressing

6/17/2020

For this easy, colorful salad, you can really use whatever fresh veggies your family enjoys. Mix up the types of lettuce you use and try out different toppings as well. I really love to make this salad a more complete meal by adding some crumbled feta or goat cheese and some sliced almonds. You can also add some cooked chicken or shrimp too. The dressing is so simple and sweet. Plus, the pink color makes it extra fun for kids!

This recipe was developed by Happy Kids Kitchen for Veggie Buds Club.

"Learn to Love Veggies" Tips

Salad can be tricky for most kids to enjoy. For one, we don’t often serve kids salad and two, lots of greens can have a slightly bitter taste. Here are some things I’ve found that help kids eat and enjoy salad greens:

Chop everything very small so it’s less intimidating for kids to eat.
Add fruit. Seeing pieces of their favorite fruit makes the salad feel more exciting.
A yummy dressing. Figure out what kind of dressing your child enjoys by trying a few different kinds.
Try a different presentation. Separate parts of the salad into bowls then let your child add them to a plate or bowl. You can also try serving the dressing on the side to dip pieces of lettuce into.

Keep experimenting with new ways to eat lettuce and exposing those kiddos to let them make friends with the crunchy greens!

Chopped Salad with Sweet Strawberry Dressing

Chopped Salad with Sweet Strawberry Dressing

Author: Happy Kids Kitchen

For this easy, colorful salad, you can really use whatever fresh veggies your family enjoys. Mix up the types of lettuce you use and try out different toppings as well. I really love to make this salad a more complete meal by adding some crumbled feta or goat cheese and some sliced almonds. The dressing is so simple and sweet. Plus, the pink color makes it extra fun for kids!

Ingredients

Salad

1 head of Romaine or Bibb lettuce (or a combo of both)
1/2 large cucumber
1 cup sugar snap peas
1/2 avocado
1/2 pound strawberries

Dressing

6 to 7 large strawberries
1 tablespoon honey
1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
Pinch of salt

Instructions

Chop or rip lettuce into small pieces and add to a bowl. Chop cucumber, snap peas, avocado, and strawberries. Everything should be small enough to fit onto a child-size spoon or fork. Add on top of the lettuce or keep toppings separated into different piles on a cutting board or plate.
To make dressing, add all ingredients to a blender. Blend until smooth. Dip a piece of lettuce into the dressing and taste for seasoning. Adjust with more honey/vinegar/salt as needed.
Serve by either tossing the salad components with the dressing or serve the dressing on the side as a dip. Enjoy salad immediately. Dressing can be stored in the fridge for up to a week.

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