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.

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.

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

1. 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.
   
2. 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.
   
3. 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.
   
4. Serve sauce with pasta or store in the refrigerator for 5 days.

This vegan pot pie from VegeCooking is so comforting during the winter months. The recipe is perfect for Veggie Buds Club's "Give PEAS a Chance!" month as it's a kid-friendly vegetarian spin on classic comfort food and it includes PEAS in the ingredient list!

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 the orange veggie of the month.

This month we're making tomatoes totally tasty at Veggie Buds Club! So let's get started with 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 meal!

This mashed chickpea salad is a vegetarian version of the classic tuna salad! The perfect no-cook meal that you can easily make in minutes. When served on lettuce “boats,” this quick meal instantly becomes extra fun for littles to eat as well as getting some extra veggies in!

INGREDIENTS

• 1 1/2 cups cooked and drained chickpeas
  
• 1 stalk celery, diced
  
• 1-2 teaspoons lemon juice or apple cider vinegar, or to taste
  
• 1-2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
  
• 1/4 cup mayo or Greek yogurt, or to taste
  
• 1/8-1/4 teaspoon onion powder, or to taste
  
• Salt & pepper, to taste
  
• Lettuce leaves, washed and patted dry

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Pour the cooked and drained chickpeas into a medium bowl. Using a potato masher or fork, mash the chickpeas until there are no more whole beans and to your desired consistency.
   
2. Add diced celery, lemon juice/apple cider vinegar, mustard, mayo/Greek yogurt, onion powder, salt and pepper to the bowl. Mix well.
   
3. Taste and adjust seasoning if needed. Add more mayo/yogurt for a creamier salad.
   
4. Arrange the prepped lettuce leaves (these will become your “boats”) on a serving platter or individual plates. Fill each one with a scoop or two of the mashed chickpea salad.
   
5. Enjoy as is or top with sliced tomatoes, shredded carrots or diced avocado.

We’ve seen cauliflower try to be pizza crust for a while now and I can’t sell my family on it! It always tastes too much like cauliflower and for my picky eaters, that’s not going to fly. I decided It needed something more to help give the crust a little oomph. When I tested this recipe for the first time, my super duper picky eater husband willingly ate half a head of cauliflower and my kids loved it too!

INGREDIENTS

• 1 head of cauliflower
  
• 4 eggs
  
• 1 1/2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
  
• 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese
  
• 3 teaspoons dried oregano
  
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
  
• Salt and pepper to taste
  
• 1 cup mix of mozzarella and Parmesan cheese

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Preheat the oven to 425 F. Take 2 large baking sheets and line them with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat. Spray a little oil on it to make sure it doesn’t stick!
   
2. Roughly chop cauliflower into florets. Add the florets to your food processor and pulse until cauliflower resembles rice.
   
3. Place the cauliflower in a microwavable container and cover with a lid. Microwave for 10 minutes. Place the microwaved cauliflower in a large bowl and add the eggs, mozzarella, Parmesan, oregano, garlic powder, salt and pepper. Mix everything together.
   
4. Separate the mixture in half and place each half onto the prepared baking sheets and shape into either a pizza crust, or a rectangular shape for the breadsticks.
   
5. Bake the crust (no topping yet) for about 22 minutes or until nice and golden. Once browned, sprinkle with remaining mozzarella and Parmesan cheese and put back in the oven for another 5 minutes or until the cheese has melted.
   
6. Serve with your favorite tomato sauce for dipping and enjoy!!!

May is Cauliflower Month at Veggie Buds Club and this super simple cauliflower-packed recipe from Heather at Happy Kids Kitchen is a great way to celebrate! You can find more kid-friendly cauliflower recipes and activities that are guaranteed to connect your kids with cauliflower in our Facebook Group, request to join here.

If your little one loves pasta, this is the perfect cauliflower recipe to make together! Simply blend cooked cauliflower (fresh or frozen) with milk and a few flavorings and you’ve got a creamy sauce that’s full of veggies and easy to pair with any cooked pasta. It’s also easy to add any other veggies or cooked proteins you might have on hand. This recipe calls for a pound of pasta, but you can half the recipe if you want to make less.

Ingredients

• 1 pound (16 ounces) of your favorite small-shaped pasta, such as elbows or shells
  
• 16 ounces frozen cauliflower or 5 cups fresh cauliflower florets
  
• 1/2 cup milk (any kind)
  
• 2 teaspoons olive oil
  
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
  
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more to taste
  
• 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese*, plus more for topping

*For a dairy-free option, use 2 tablespoons of nutritional yeast instead

Instructions

1. Cook pasta according to package directions, drain, and set aside. Add cauliflower to the pot and cover with water. Simmer until cauliflower is very tender. Drain off any excess water and place cauliflower into a blender.
   
2. Add remaining ingredients to the blender and blend until very smooth. Place cooked pasta back into the pot and pour cauliflower sauce over the top. Mix well then taste for seasoning. Add more salt and pepper as needed.
   
3. Serve pasta warm with additional Parmesan cheese to sprinkle on top.

You’ve probably heard of cauliflower pizza crust, but did you know you can make your own veggie pizza crust with just a few ingredients? Little chefs will love to help make this kid-favorite featuring broccoli as the star ingredient. Make sure to save the little “sprinkles” of broccoli that fall onto the cutting board as you cut the broccoli into florets. They are perfect for adding a little broccoli goodness to the top of the pizzas or any other dish. I made the crusts mini rounds in this recipe, but feel free to form the broccoli mixture into any flat shape that you’d like (baking time may vary).

Makes 14 to 16 3-inch pizzas
INGREDIENTS

• 4 cups broccoli florets
  
• 2 large eggs*
  
• 1 1/4 cups grated mozzarella cheese (or dairy-free alternative) divided
  
• 1/8 teaspoon garlic powder
  
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
  
• 1/2 cup marinara or pizza sauce
  
• Toppings, such as olives, chopped bell peppers, or tomatoes

*To make the pizza crusts egg-free, substitute 2 tablespoons of flax meal mixed with 5 tablespoons of water.

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
   
2. Add broccoli to a pot with a cup of water. Bring up to a simmer then lower heat and cover with a lid. Steam broccoli until fork tender but not mushy, about 5 minutes. Drain broccoli then spread out on a clean kitchen towel and allow to cool.
   
3. Once broccoli is cooled, pat with the towel to make sure it is completely dry. Place broccoli in a food processor fitted with the metal blade. Add eggs, ½ cup mozzarella cheese, garlic powder, and salt.
   
4. Pulse ingredients in the food processor until everything is well combined and broccoli is finely chopped. Scrape down the sides of the food processor then pulse 2 to 3 more times.
   
5. Remove food processor blade and set aside. Scoop one tablespoon of the broccoli mixture onto the prepared baking sheet and form into an even, flat round. Do this free-from or use a round cookie cutter as a guide. Repeat using all of the broccoli mixture.
   
6. Bake crusts until golden brown around the edges, 15 to 20 minutes. Top crusts with sauce, cheese, and any other desired toppings. Return to oven until cheese is melted, about 3 to 5 minutes. Enjoy warm.

It officially feels like winter here in Minnesota and this chilly weather has me craving seasonal comfort food. We always like to pack extra veggies into meals here at Veggie Buds Club so I hope you enjoy this tasty spin on quiche! I chose to fill my quiche with wild rice, fresh spinach, bacon, and goat cheese but quiche is such a versatile meal, feel free to omit or add a wide variety of veggies, meat, and cheese.
I made the quiche start to finish with my 4 year old son and he tried the ingredients as we went along (grated sweet potato! spinach! bacon! wild rice! even goat cheese, not a fan but he tried it!).
If you'd like to follow along as me and my kiddos make veggies fun and tasty through recipes, crafts, and growing projects please join our Facebook Group- our community is fantastic!

INGREDIENTS

• 2 medium sweet potatoes
• 1 teaspoon olive oil
• ½ cup cooked wild rice
• ½ cup cooked bacon crumbles
• 2 cups fresh spinach
• ½ cup goat cheese crumbles
• 10 eggs
• Salt and pepper, to season

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Grease a 9-inch pie pan using cooking spray or butter.
2. Peel sweet potatoes and then shred them using the wide option on a box grater. You want to yield approximately 4 cups of grated sweet potato.
3. Place grated sweet potatoes between paper towels and wring out excess moisture over the sink.
4. In a medium bowl, mix the grated sweet potato, olive oil, salt, and pepper.
5. Press the grated sweet potato mixture into the pie pan to create the crust.
6. Bake the sweet potato crust in the oven for about 30 minutes, until lightly browned and crisp. Check on the crust half-way to ensure that the edges are not burning, if they are place aluminum foil on top for the rest of the bake time.
7. Meanwhile, make your filling. Whisk the eggs in a large bowl and add the cooked wild rice, cooked bacon, fresh spinach, goat cheese, and a pinch of salt.
8. Remove the crust from the oven and allow to cool for about 10 minutes.
9. Add the filling to the crust and place back in the oven. Bake for about 25-30 minutes, until the egg is cooked through.