Veggie Buds Club Blog - Veggie Buds Club

Cucumber Sushi

8/10/2020

These kid-friendly sushi rolls are a healthy lunch option. Have your kiddos help assemble the Cucumber Sushi and get creative with the filling!

"Learn to Love Veggies" Tip

Get your kids in the kitchen! To make the assembly super simple for children, first fill small bowls or ramekins with each filling (i.e. cubed avocado, sliced string cheese, cooked rice, bell pepper strips, etc.). Encourage them to snack as they assemble their Cucumber Sushi!

Cucumber Sushi

Cucumber Sushi

Yield: 4-6

Author: Veggie Buds Club

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

These kid-friendly sushi rolls are a healthy lunch option. Have your kiddos help assemble the Cucumber Sushi and get creative with the filling!

Ingredients

2 large cucumbers
1/2 cup cooked brown or white rice
1/2 avocado, cubed
1 small carrot, cut into matchsticks
1/2 cup cubed cheese
1/2 red bell pepper, cut into matchsticks
Optional: your child's favorite dip

Instructions

Slice the cucumbers into 1/2-inch thick slices, remove the peel if desired.
Use a paring knife to hollow out the center of each cucumber slice.
Stuff each cucumber slice with 2-3 of the filling options until filled. Have fun with different combinations!
Optional: spread your child's favorite dip on top or dip them and eat!

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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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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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Green Lunch

6/1/2020

We love making whole meals in one color! Have your children pick 4-5 green colored foods to serve for a meal. They can even help prepare them with you! Serve them up on a color themed plate or even in a muffin tin to make it more like a sampling platter.

We hope you enjoy this yummy kid-approved recipe from Katie at Eat Pretty Darling!

"Learn to Love Veggies" Tips

Creating a one color meal can help picky eaters become more interested in the food they are still exploring. Let your child help pick out which green foods to put on their plate. There are SO many great green foods out there!

During lunch, ask your child, "Do the different foods taste, look, and smell different even though they are the same color?".

Green Food Ideas

Lettuce
Avocado
Cucumber
Green Grapes
Green Peppers
Kiwi
Broccoli
Spinach
Green Onion
Asparagus
Brussels Sprouts
Peas
Green Beans
Lima Beans
Edamame
Pears
Limes
Celery
Zucchini
Green Apples
Cabbage
Kale
Okra
Green Olives
Matcha
Fresh Herbs

Check out our shop for products that teach kids to learn to love veggies! This includes veggie activity boxes, kid-safe knives, interactive placemats, and more!

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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Waldorf Salad with Yogurt Dressing

3/23/2020

Enjoy this crunchy and sweet Waldorf Salad that's on the lighter side because of the creamy yogurt dressing!

"Learn to Love Veggies" Tip

This recipe is a great introduction to celery and salad for children if they're apprehensive about both. Be sure to have them assist you with chopping the celery and apples using a kid-safe knife or butter knife and have them mix up the sweet dressing!

Waldorf Salad with Yogurt Dressing

Waldorf Salad with Yogurt Dressing

Author: Veggie Buds Club

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

Enjoy this crunchy and sweet Waldorf Salad that's on the lighter side because of the creamy yogurt dressing!

Ingredients

3 medium Honey Crisp apples, chopped
2 stalks celery, chopped
1/2 cup pecans or walnuts, chopped
1/4 cup dried cherries, chopped if large
1/4 cup vanilla Greek yogurt
2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
1 tablespoon honey
1/4 teaspoon fine salt

Instructions

In a large bowl toss apples, celery, pecans/walnuts, and dry cherries together. Set aside.
In another bowl, mix the yogurt with lemon juice, honey, and salt.
Pour the dressing over the salad, and stir until coated. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour until chilled.

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Cheesy Cauliflower Egg Muffins

2/18/2020

Add an extra veggie boost to your breakfast routine with these egg muffins! They are a great make-ahead meal, simply warm up when it's time to eat. Also, if you omit the salt and pepper they are suitable for baby-led weaning finger food.

"Learn to Love Veggies" Tip

This recipe packs a veggie punch! A whole head of cauliflower is mixed into these 12 egg muffins and you can't even taste it. This truly is a great recipe to help your children learn to love cauliflower!

Cheesy Cauliflower Egg Muffins

Cheesy Cauliflower Egg Muffins

Yield: 12 Egg Muffins

Author: Veggie Buds Club

Prep time: 5 MinCook time: 18 MinTotal time: 23 Min

Add an extra veggie boost to your breakfast routine with these egg muffins! They are a great make-ahead meal, simply warm up when it's time to eat. Also, if you omit the salt and pepper they are suitable for baby-led weaning finger food.

Ingredients

1 head of cauliflower (or 4 cups of prepared riced cauliflower)
6 eggs
1 cup mozzarella cheese
Salt and pepper, to taste

Instructions

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F and spray a 12-cup muffin pan with non-stick oil.
Roughly chop the cauliflower and add to a food processor. Pulse until fine and crumbly.
In a large bowl, whisk the eggs together. Add the riced cauliflower, cheese, salt and pepper.
Spoon the eggs into the muffin pan and bake for 15-20 minutes, until set.

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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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