Veggie Buds Club Blog - Veggie Buds Club

Mashed Chickpea Salad Lettuce Boats

6/10/2020

This mashed chickpea salad is a vegetarian version of the classic tuna salad and is a perfect no-cook meal that you can easily make in minutes.

We are excited to bring you this creative and tasty kid-approved recipe from Taesha at The Natural Nurturer!

"Learn to Love Veggies" Tip

Have your child scoop the Chickpea Salad onto lettuce "boats" all by themselves. Calling the lettuce "boats" makes this veggie a little more interesting and will hopefully help your kiddos try this crunchy green!

Mashed Chickpea Salad Lettuce Boats

Mashed Chickpea Salad Lettuce Boats

Author: The Natural Nurturer

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

This mashed chickpea salad is a vegetarian version of the classic tuna salad and is a perfect no-cook meal that you can easily make in minutes.

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

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.
Add diced celery, lemon juice/apple cider vinegar, mustard, mayo/Greek yogurt, onion powder, salt and pepper to the bowl. Mix well.
Taste and adjust seasoning if needed. Add more mayo/yogurt for a creamier salad.
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.
Enjoy as is or top with sliced tomatoes, shredded carrots or diced avocado.

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Cauliflower Cheesy Bread

5/20/2020

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, my picky eaters willingly ate half a head of cauliflower! Lettuce know if this recipe becomes a new family favorite for you too.

This recipe was developed by Eat Pretty Darling for Veggie Buds Club.

"Learn to Love Veggies" Tip

Cauliflower is such a versatile veggie! If your child does not like cauliflower in it's raw form yet there are many other ways that they can try it such as in this "Cauliflower Cheesy Bread" recipe, in a milkshake/smoothie, in pasta sauce, for breakfast, and more!

Cauliflower Cheesy Bread

Cauliflower Cheesy Bread

Yield: 4-6

Author: Eat Pretty Darling

Prep time: 5 MinCook time: 30 MinTotal time: 35 Min

This cauliflower cheesy bread has a big punch of cheesy flavor, you can't even taste the cauliflower! This recipe is sure to become a new family favorite.

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

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees 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!
Roughly chop cauliflower into florets. Add the florets to your food processor and pulse until cauliflower resembles rice.
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.
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.
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.
Serve with your favorite tomato sauce for dipping and enjoy!!!

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Easy Cauli-power Pasta Sauce

5/14/2020

Cauliflower has the power to make you healthy, keep you feeling full, and aid in your digestion! It is high in many nutrients including vitamin C and fiber.

Simply blend cooked cauliflower (fresh or frozen) with milk and a few flavorings and you've got a creamy sauce that's full of veggie goodness! It's also easy to add any other veggies or cooked proteins you might have on hand to a pasta dish with this tasty cauliflower sauce. This recipe calls for a pound of pasta, but you can half the recipe if you want to make less.

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

"Learn to Love Veggies" Tip

If your little one loves pasta, this is the perfect cauliflower recipe to make together! Blending cauliflower into a sauce is a new way for your child to try cauliflower outside of the typical raw or cooked florets.

Easy Cauliflower Pasta Sauce

Easy Cauliflower Pasta Sauce

Author: Happy Kids Kitchen

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

Simply blend cooked cauliflower (fresh or frozen) with milk and a few flavorings and you've got a creamy sauce that's full of veggie goodness!

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

Instructions

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.
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.
Serve pasta warm with additional Parmesan cheese to sprinkle on top.

Notes:

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

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Herby Oven Fries with Fresh Herb Yogurt Dip

4/10/2020

These oven fries with fresh or dried herbs are sure to become a new favorite side dish for your family. The Fresh Herb Yogurt Dip makes them a special treat and really amps up the herby-ness of this dish, teach your kids to learn to love culinary herbs!

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

"Learn to Love Veggies" Tip

We really wanted to focus on culinary herbs for this recipe so be sure to have your children smell each herb, fresh and dried, while preparing this dish! You can ask them questions along the way, such as:

Which herb smells the sweetest?
Which herb has the strongest smell?
What's your favorite smell?

Herby Oven Fries with Fresh Herb Yogurt Dip

Herby Oven Fries with Fresh Herb Yogurt Dip

Yield: 4-6

Author: Happy Kids Kitchen

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

These oven fries with fresh or dried herbs are sure to become a new favorite side dish for your family. The Fresh Herb Yogurt Dip makes them a special treat and really amps up the herby-ness of this dish!

Ingredients

Fries

2 medium-sized Russet potatoes
1 tablespoon avocado or vegetable oil
1/2 teaspoon kosher or coarse sea salt
1/4 teaspoon dried herbs such as Italian herb mix
2 teaspoons chopped fresh herbs such as thyme and/or rosemary

Dip

1 cup thick plain Greek yogurt
1/2 to 1 cup fresh herbs such as parsley, cilantro, and chives
Pinch of salt

Instructions

Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.
Wash and dry potatoes very well. Cut potatoes on a diagonal into 1/4-inch slices. Cut slices into 1/4-inch sticks. Kids can help with a child-safe knife once potatoes are in slices. Place cut fries into a large bowl.
Add oil, salt, and whatever dried and/or fresh herbs you are using. Toss well to mix.
Lay fries out on a baking sheet. Place them at least 1/4-inch apart. If you don’t have enough room on one pan, place remaining fries on another pan.
Roast fries for 10 minutes then flip each over and roast for an additional 5 to 10 minutes until all sides are golden brown. Serve warm.
For the dip, add yogurt, fresh herbs, and salt to a blender or food processor. Blend until smooth. Serve with fries.

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Chive and Cheddar Drop Biscuits

4/3/2020

Kids love biscuits so these Chive and Cheddar Drop Biscuits are sure to be a family hit!

"Learn to Love Veggies" Tip

Drop biscuits are so simple to make and a great recipe for your child to help you with. Have your child use safety scissors to snip the chives (adult assistance may be required) and let them get messy during step #3 when they mix the batter with their hands! Finally, they can top each biscuit with the shredded cheese.

Chive and Cheddar Drop Biscuits

Chive and Cheddar Drop Biscuits

Author: Veggie Buds Club

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

Kids love biscuits so these Chive and Cheddar Drop Biscuits are sure to be a family hit!

Ingredients

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon fine salt
1-2 tablespoons chopped fresh chives
1 stick cold unsalted butter, cut into small cubes
3/4 cup whole milk or milk of choice
1/4 cup shredded cheddar cheese

Instructions

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or grease the baking sheet.
In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, salt, and chopped chives.
Add the cold butter to the dry ingredients and use your fingers to rub the butter into the flour until it resembles a coarse meal.
Add the milk and stir with a fork until the mixture just comes together into a fairly sticky dough.
Use a 1/4 cup measuring cup to drop balls of dough onto the prepared baking sheet.
Sprinkle some shredded cheddar cheese on the top of each biscuit.
Bake biscuits until golden brown, about 18-20 minutes.

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Mini Veggie Pizzas with Broccoli Crust

12/2/2019

You’ve probably heard of cauliflower pizza crust, but did you know you can make your own veggie pizza crust with broccoli too?! Little chefs will love to help make this kid-favorite featuring broccoli as the star ingredient. We 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).

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

"Learn to Love Veggies" Tip

Get your kids in the kitchen: they can help break the broccoli head into florets, add the ingredients to the food processor, press the buttons (kids love this step!), form the crusts, and top their personal pizzas!

Mini Veggie Pizzas with Broccoli Crust

Mini Veggie Pizzas with Broccoli Crust

Author: Happy Kids Kitchen

Prep time: 5 MinCook time: 30 MinTotal time: 35 Min

You’ve probably heard of cauliflower pizza crust, but did you know you can make your own veggie pizza crust with broccoli too?! Little chefs will love to help make this kid-favorite featuring broccoli as the star ingredient.

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

Instructions

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
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.
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, 1/2 cup mozzarella cheese, garlic powder, and salt.
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.
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.
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.

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Sweet Potato Crust Quiche

11/7/2019

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... use shredded sweet potato crust ! 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.

"Learn to Love Veggies" Tip

Get your kids in the kitchen: I made this 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!).

Sweet Potato Crust Quiche

Sweet Potato Crust Quiche

Author: Veggie Buds Club

Prep time: 10 MinCook time: 60 MinTotal time: 1 H & 10 M

This recipe sure is a tasty spin on quiche... use shredded sweet potato for the crust! We chose to fill this 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.

Ingredients

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

Instructions

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Grease a 9-inch pie pan using cooking spray or butter.
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.
Place grated sweet potatoes between paper towels and wring out excess moisture over the sink.
In a medium bowl, mix the grated sweet potato, olive oil, salt, and pepper.
Press the grated sweet potato mixture into the pie pan to create the crust.
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 do start to burn place aluminum foil on top for the rest of the bake time.
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.
Remove the crust from the oven and allow to cool for about 10 minutes.
Add the filling to the crust and place back in the oven. Bake for about 25-30 minutes, until the egg is cooked through.

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Orzo Stuffed Roasted Red Peppers

6/12/2019

These stuffed roasted red peppers are absolutely divine! They are bursting with flavor and yet totally kid-friendly.

"Learn to Love Veggies" Tip

If you think your child will find this dish to be too flavorful, you can simply adjust their servings: examples include omitting the garlic and oregano in the roasting process and omitting the Kalamata olives. Simple roasted red peppers stuffed with orzo pasta and topped with fresh basil is a totally tasty kid meal (and you can still add all of those extra flavors and toppings to the adult servings, yum!).

Orzo Stuffed Roasted Red Peppers

Orzo Stuffed Roasted Red Peppers

Yield: 4

Author: Veggie Buds Club

Prep time: 10 MinCook time: 30 MinTotal time: 40 Min

These stuffed roasted red peppers are absolutely divine! They are bursting with flavor and yet totally kid-friendly. See notes below on how to meal prep to make this a quick weeknight meal!

Ingredients

Roasted red peppers and cherry tomatoes

2 red bell peppers, halved
2 cloves of garlic, minced
1 tablespoon olive oil
4 sprigs fresh oregano
1 cup cherry tomatoes
Salt and pepper

Orzo pasta

3/4 cup dry orzo
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
1/2 cup pitted Kalamata olives, chopped
2 tablespoons pine nuts
2 tablespoons fresh basil, chopped
1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese
1/2 lemon

Instructions

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
In a glass baking dish, place the halved peppers on one side and cherry tomatoes on the other side. Drizzle olive oil on top and rub over the peppers and tomatoes. Sprinkle the minced garlic into each pepper and place one sprig of oregano into each pepper. Sprinkle a pinch of salt and pepper over peppers and tomatoes. Place baking dish in oven and roast for about 25 minutes.
Meanwhile, bring a pot of water to a boil and add the orzo pasta. Boil for about 10 minutes until the pasta is al dente. While the pasta is cooking, toast the pine nuts in a dry pan over medium heat for 1-2 minutes until toasted (watch closely as they go from toasted to burnt very quickly!).
Drain the orzo and mix in the balsamic vinegar and Kalamata olives.
Take the peppers out of the oven and stuff with the orzo mixture. Top with toasted pine nuts, chopped fresh basil, feta cheese, and fresh squeezed lemon juice.

Notes:

To Prep Ahead for a Quick Weeknight Meal

Toast pine nuts, place in Tupperware in fridge.
Cook orzo and mix in balsamic vinegar, place in Tupperware in fridge.
When it's time to make dinner, roast the peppers and tomatoes according to above instructions. Microwave orzo, mix in Kalamata olives, stuff peppers, and top with toasted pine nuts, chopped fresh basil, feta cheese, and lemon juice.

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Mini Pepper Pizza Poppers

6/3/2019

These Mini Pepper Pizza Poppers are sure to be a hit! Feel free to customize the pepper stuffing as you please: you can leave out the spinach or add extra chopped or shredded veggies like carrots or zucchini. Topping the “pizzas” is a great way to let your little chefs get involved and add what they’d like on top of each pepper. Also, if you want to make this dish dairy-free, feel free to use a cheese alternative or leave out the cheese entirely. It will still taste great!

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

"Learn to Love Veggies" Tip

One of the best ways to get kids excited about vegetables is to pair them with kid-friendly flavors that they love. Pizza is one of those things that kids usually can’t get enough of, right? Not only are these stuffed peppers “pizza-fied,” they are mini
which makes them even more fun!

Mini Pepper Pizza Poppers

Mini Pepper Pizza Poppers

Author: Happy Kids Kitchen

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

These Mini Pepper Pizza Poppers are sure to be a hit! Feel free to customize the pepper stuffing as you please: you can leave out the spinach or add extra chopped or shredded veggies like carrots or zucchini. Also, if you want to make this dish dairy-free, feel free to use a cheese alternative or leave out the cheese entirely. It will still taste great!

Ingredients

1 cup cooked quinoa or rice
1/2 cup marinara sauce
1/2 cup baby spinach, finely chopped
1/2 cup shredded mozzarella cheese (optional)
10 to 12 mini sweet peppers, halved lengthwise and seeds and ribs removed
Additional toppings: sliced olives, pepperoni, or anything else you’d like

Instructions

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Line a baking sheet in parchment paper or aluminum foil.
In a medium-sized bowl, mix quinoa, marinara sauce, chopped spinach, and a 1/4 cup of the cheese.
Stuff each pepper half with about a teaspoon or so of the quinoa mixture then place on the prepared baking pan. Once peppers are all filled, sprinkle each one with a pinch of the remaining cheese and top with any additional toppings.
Bake peppers until cheese is melted and lightly browned, 12 to 15 minutes. Serve warm.

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Crunchy Baked Onion Rings

4/10/2019

These Crunchy Baked Onion Rings are sure to be a hit with the whole family! Experiment with the kind of breadcrumbs you use or try grinding pretzels or crackers in the food processor to make a crunchy coating for the onion rings. Serve up the baked, crispy rings with ketchup, ranch dressing, or your family's favorite sauce to enjoy as a snack or side dish.

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

"Learn to Love Veggies" Tip

Onion rings are a great way to make onions more approachable for kids! Get your kids in the kitchen with many steps: they will love to help measure the ingredients, crack the eggs, and set up the breading assembly line. Little fingers might get pretty messy while making this recipe, but the end result is well worth it

Crunchy Baked Onion Rings

Crunchy Baked Onion Rings

Author: Happy Kids Kitchen

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

These Crunchy Baked Onion Rings are sure to be a hit with the whole family! Experiment with the kind of breadcrumbs you use or try grinding pretzels or crackers in the food processor to make a crunchy coating for the onion rings. Serve up the baked, crispy rings with ketchup, ranch dressing, or your family's favorite sauce to enjoy as a snack or side dish.

Ingredients

1 large onion
1/2 cup flour (any kind)
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon paprika
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more for seasoning
3 large eggs*
2 cups panko breadcrumbs, regular breadcrumbs, or ground pretzels

Instructions

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F and line two baking sheets with parchment paper or aluminum foil and grease with oil or non-stick spray.
Cut the ends off the onion then peel outer papery skin off. Carefully cut across into 1/4-inch rings. Separate out rings and set aside inner-most rings and any broken pieces aside for another use.
In a large bowl, mix flour, garlic powder, paprika, and salt.
Crack eggs into a second bowl and whisk together. Add breadcrumbs to a third bowl.
Working with a few rings at a time, dredge in flour mixture, dip into eggs, then dredge in breadcrumbs, pressing to coat.
Spread onion rings in an even layer on the prepared baking sheets. Place into oven and bake until golden brown and crispy, about 20-25 minutes.
Sprinkle with salt then serve with your favorite dipping sauce.

Notes:

*For egg-free version, use 3 tablespoons of ground flax mixed with 3/4 cup water or 3/4 cup full-fat coconut milk.

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