Veggie Buds Blog
  • Home
  • Blog
  • About
  • Contact
  • Subscribe

Pumpkin Pizza Rolls

10/19/2020

0 Comments

 
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.
Picture
This recipe was developed by Heather Staller, a mom of two boys, ages 7 and 5, and cooking instructor specializing in bringing cooking into preschool classrooms. After college, Heather knew she wanted to be a teacher, but first followed her lifelong dream of going to culinary school. Teaching cooking combines both of her passions, and she truly enjoys introducing young children to the joys of cooking with fresh ingredients. Find Heather on Instagram (@heather.happykidskitchen), where she shares inventive kid-friendly recipes and ideas for cooking with kids at home.

Pumpkin Pizza Rolls

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
  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a round or square baking pan with parchment or grease well with oil.
  2. 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.
  3. 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.
  4. If using spinach, sprinkle evenly over the pumpkin layer then add a layer of shredded mozzarella.
  5. 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.
Picture

Homemade Pumpkin Pizza Dough

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
  1. Add flours, baking powder, and salt to a large bowl or the bowl of a food processor. Mix to combine.
  2. 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.

"Pumpkin Power!"

This month we're featuring pumpkin at Veggie Buds Club! If you'd like access to tons of kid-friendly pumpkin recipes, pumpkin crafts, pumpkin games, pumpkin growing projects, and more you can purchase our "Pumpkin Power!" Box or Digital Activity Book here.
Picture
0 Comments

Pepper Pumpkins

10/14/2020

0 Comments

 
October is a great month to celebrate pumpkins and we hope you make this tasty and easy jack-o-lantern inspired snack with your children! How cute are these Pepper Pumpkins from Eat Pretty Darling?!
Picture
Katie Blauser is the mama of three boys, wife of a picky eater, and food lover at Eat Pretty Darling. She believes in making food fun, healthy, & pretty! Katie’s not only outnumbered by boys in her little family, but also by picky eaters. She loves trying to find new ways to get both kids and adults to eat healthy while making food pretty yummy, pretty healthy, and pretty fun! Find Katie on Instagram (@eatprettydarling), where she shares colorful and cute food ideas for both picky and adventurous eaters.

Pepper Pumpkins

INGREDIENTS
  • Child-safe knife
  • Orange bell pepper
  • Dip for inside such as Hummus or Ranch
  • Food for dipping such as peppers, cucumbers, pretzels, etc.
INSTRUCTIONS
  1. Cut the top of the bell pepper off in a straight line. Open it up and remove the seeds and veins inside the pepper. Take your child-safe knife (or have an adult use a sharp knife) and cut two triangles out of the side of your pepper. Next, cut the shape of a mouth below the eyes. Remove the cut pieces from the pepper.
  2. Next, fill it with your favorite dip and dippers! You can also fill it with rice or any other food that pairs well with pepper. The best part is that you can eat the whole thing after you eat the inside!

This month we're featuring pumpkin at Veggie Buds Club! If you'd like access to tons of kid-friendly pumpkin recipes, pumpkin crafts, pumpkin games, pumpkin growing projects, and more you can purchase our "Pumpkin Power!" Box or Digital Activity Book here.
Picture
0 Comments

20 Veggie-Packed Breakfast Recipes

1/30/2020

0 Comments

 
Breakfast is an important meal that gives you energy to get your day started. But often a major food group is missing from your breakfast plate or bowl... veggies! Join us for our #veggiebudsbreakfastclub challenge for the month of February: include at least one veggie in your first meal of the day. To give you some inspiration we've compiled some of our favorite veggie-packed breakfasts! We've broken them down into 3 categories: Savory, Baked Goods, and Smoothies. Each recipe below includes veggies, is delicious, and is simple to make!
Picture

Savory Veggie-Packed Breakfast Ideas

Sweet Potato Quiche: This tasty quiche is packed with veggies and bacon (optional) and swaps the standard crust with shredded sweet potato instead for an extra veggie boost.
Savory Corn Pancakes: These savory pancakes from Happy Kids Kitchen are great with avocado or spread with a little cream cheese and made into sandwiches. Yum!
Sweet Potato Toasts​: These sweet potato toasts from Eat Pretty Darling are so versatile because they are delicious both sweet and savory. That’s what makes them the perfect toast substitute!
Rainbow Fried Rice: This rainbow fried rice from Happy Kids Kitchen is colorful, easy, healthy, and delicious for breakfast!
Vegetable Frittata: Healthy Little Foodies has a great kid-approved and veggie-packed frittata recipe, make it ahead and reheat in the morning.
Cauliflower & Cheese Muffins: Be sure to let your kiddos know that their yummy egg muffins have some "hidden" cauliflower inside, recipe from My Kids Lick The Bowl.
5-Ingredient Bacon & Broccoli Egg Cups: These are a great grab-and-go breakfast option from The Natural Nurturer.
Carrot Banana Protein Oatmeal: This oatmeal from The Natural Nurturer is full of nothing but the good stuff and is super easy to make!
Veggie Oatmeal: Happy Healthy Casa has some great options for veggie-packed oatmeal including how to incorporate zucchini, carrots, cauliflower, squash, sweet potato, and spinach!

Veggie-Packed Breakfast Baked Goods

Carrot Cake Muffin Tops: The top of the muffin is the best part, right? These wholesome treats are a combination of a tender muffin and an oatmeal breakfast cookie. Recipe by Happy Kids Kitchen.
One-Bowl Sweet Potato Pancakes: These pancakes from Happy Kids Kitchen are a great way to add some extra nutrients into your morning!
No-Bake Pumpkin Energy Balls: These no-bake pumpkin energy balls from Stephanie Middleberg are tasty, and they freeze well so they're a perfect on-the-go breakfast or snack for your kiddos.
Green French Toast Sticks: Enjoy this delicious kid-friendly way to "sneak" in some spinach from Happy Kids Kitchen! Little chefs will know that greens are in this fun breakfast, but they sure won't be able to taste them.
Outrageous Orange Granola: This granola from Eat Pretty Darling is packed with pumpkin, sweet potato, and carrots- so much orange veggie goodness!
Sweet Spinach Muffins: These kid-favorite muffins from Super Healthy Kids are 100% whole wheat, refined-sugar-free, and packed with fresh spinach!
Banana Spinach Pancake Pizza: This pancake pizza from The Natural Nurturer is a perfectly delicious way to serve up veggies for breakfast! Sweetened entirely with fruit and loaded with spinach.

Veggie-Packed Breakfast Smoothies

Tropical Carrot Smoothie: ​Happy Kids Kitchen has developed a tropical vacation in a glass! Kids will love measuring and adding ingredients to the blender, helping to chop the carrot, and pressing the buttons on the blender.
Spinach Superhero Smoothie: This recipe from Motherhood and Meals is called "superhero smoothie" because just as superheroes in stories fight crime, the spinach in this smoothie helps fight off illness!
​Ants on a Log Smoothie: Adding celery to a smoothie with the addition of peanut butter in a tasty protein-and-veggie packed breakfast! Recipe from Motherhood and Meals.
Vitamin C Immune Boosting Smoothie: This smoothie from The Natural Nurturer is made with strawberry, banana, red bell pepper and is the perfect way to start your day!
Cauliflower Strawberry Banana Smoothie: Just 4 ingredients! Enjoy this simple and delicious smoothie from Live Eat Learn.
0 Comments

Outrageous Orange Granola

10/17/2019

0 Comments

 
October is Pumpkin Month at Veggie Buds Club and we are excited to bring you this unique and healthy recipe from Katie at Eat Pretty Darling! You can find more recipes and tons of fun pumpkin activities in our Pumpkin eBook, check it out here.
Picture
Katie Blauser is the mama of two boys, wife of a picky eater, and food lover at Eat Pretty Darling. She believes in making food fun, healthy, & pretty! Katie’s not only outnumbered by boys in her little family, but also by picky eaters. She loves trying to find new ways to get both kids and adults to eat healthy while making food pretty yummy, pretty healthy, and pretty fun! Find Katie on Instagram (@eatprettydarling), where she shares colorful and cute food ideas for both picky and adventurous eaters.

Outrageous Orange Granola

Orange you glad it’s pumpkin season? We knew we needed to make our #eatprettycoloroftheweek orange for this month’s veggie, pumpkin! We gathered our favorite orange veggies to pair with it, sweet potato and carrots. Did you know you can add veggies to granola!? Yes, this granola is packed with a veggie punch and it tastes delicious! Our orange foods makes this the perfect topping for yogurt, great to eat with milk, or just by the spoonful.

Ingredients
  • 3 cups rolled oats
  • 1/3 cup sunflower seeds or pumpkin seeds
  • 1/4 teaspoon sea salt
  • 3/4 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
  • 1/4 cup coconut oil
  • 1/3 cup maple syrup
  • 1/4 cup pumpkin purée
  • 2 tablespoons finely shredded carrot
  • 1/4 cup cooked sweet potato
Instructions
  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. In a small saucepan, whisk the coconut oil, maple syrup and pumpkin purée together on low heat.
  2. Mix together the oats, seeds, spices, and salt in a large bowl. Quickly pour the saucepan mixture on top of the oats once it is warmed. Mix with a wooden spoon.
  3. Spread out the mixture on two large baking sheets. Bake for 25-35 minutes, stirring halfway. Once the mix is golden brown it is ready to be removed from the oven.
  4. Once it has cooled completely, transfer to an airtight container. It will keep for around 2 weeks.
0 Comments

Jack-o-Lantern Smoothie

10/7/2019

0 Comments

 
October is Pumpkin Month at Veggie Buds Club and we are excited to bring you this yummy recipe from Heather at Happy Kids Kitchen! You can find more recipes and hours of fun pumpkin activities that are guaranteed to make pumpkins tasty for your kiddos in our Pumpkin eBook, check it out here.
Picture
This recipe was developed by Heather Staller, a mom of two boys, ages 6 and 4, and cooking instructor specializing in bringing cooking into preschool classrooms. After college, Heather knew she wanted to be a teacher, but first followed her lifelong dream of going to culinary school. Teaching cooking combines both of her passions, and she truly enjoys introducing young children to the joys of cooking with fresh ingredients. Find Heather on Instagram (@heather.happykidskitchen), where she shares inventive kid-friendly recipes and ideas for cooking with kids at home.

Jack-o-Lantern Smoothie

Need a quick, easy, and delicious snack that celebrates the veggie of the month? Try this sweet, refreshing smoothie that tastes just like pumpkin pie. Kids will love to help by measuring the ingredients, adding them to the blender, and working those blender buttons. This recipe also includes some optional frozen cauliflower for an extra veggie-boost. If you want to make the smoothie even more festive for Halloween, instructions on how to create easy Jack-O-Lantern cups are below. 

Makes 3 8-ounce smoothies
INGREDIENTS
  • 2/3 cup pumpkin puree, homemade or canned
  • 1 banana, frozen
  • 1/2 cup frozen riced cauliflower (optional)
  • 1/3 cup plain Greek, regular, or dairy-free yogurt
  • 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
  • 1/4 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice or additional cinnamon
  • 1 tablespoon maple syrup or 1 pitted date
  • 1/2 cup milk (any kind)
  • 1 cup ice
INSTRUCTIONS
  1. Add all of the ingredients to a blender and blend until smooth. Add additional milk to make a thinner smoothie or blend in more ice to thicken the smoothie.
  2. Pour into cups and serve with a fun, reusable straw.
​
You can make Jack-O-Lantern cups two ways: 1) If using a plastic cup, draw a jack-o-lantern face directly onto the cup with a black marker. Sharpie permanent markers seems to work best. 2) If using a glass jar or cup, cut triangle “eyes” and a mouth shape out of black construction paper. Use tape or a glue stick to attach the paper to the glass (the paper easily peels off and glue washes off).
Picture
0 Comments

Pumpkin Spice Chicken

10/24/2018

0 Comments

 
October is Pumpkin Month at Veggie Buds Club so we are excited to bring you a delicious and savory main dish featuring pumpkin from Noelle Martin of @motherhoodandmeals! 
Picture
​Pumpkin is packed with incredible nutrition to support the development and strength of our eyesight, bones, and immune systems. For years I have been making pumpkin muffins, pancakes, and cookies and love how this nutrient dense vegetable adds to their flavor and nutritional value. This year I decided it would be fun to try using pumpkin in a new way and since my family loved it I couldn't resist sharing it here for PUMPKIN month at Veggie Buds Club! You can find the tasty PUMPKIN SPICE CHICKEN recipe below. And to make a really festive meal on Halloween you could serve it with orange sides such as carrots, orange peppers, golden berries, mashed sweet potato, roasted butternut quash, or turmeric spiced cauliflower rice!

Pumpkin Spice Chicken

Ingredients
  • 4-6 boneless, skinless chicken breasts 
  • 1/2 cup low sodium chicken broth
  • 1/2 cup pure canned pumpkin (or your own homemade puree if you prefer)
  • 1/4 cup honey mustard
  • 1/4 cup maple syrup
  • 1 tsp. cinnamon
  • 1/2 tsp. nutmeg
  • 1/2 tsp. turmeric
Instructions
  1. Place chicken breasts on a baking stone or in a glass baking dish whole or in strips.
  2. Mix chicken broth, pumpkin puree, mustard, maple syrup, and spices together and pour over chicken. Add a small amount of additional chicken broth or water to the edges of the pan to prevent the chicken from drying out. 
  3. Cover with foil and bake at 375 degrees F for 40-45 minutes or until chicken breasts are cooked through. (NOTE: Larger pieces will take longer to cook and oven temperatures can vary slightly leading to varying cooking times.)

Noelle Martin is a Registered Dietitian and mom of three young boys. She has a passion for education, inspiring, and empowering moms to make healthy choices for themselves and their families. Noelle loves involving her children in food planning and preparation for their home and sees the kitchen as a perfect area for teaching both academic and life skills. Follow @MotherhoodandMeals on Instagram for Noelle's nutrition tips, recipes, product reviews, and motherhood moments.
0 Comments

Kids Love Orange Veggies!

10/17/2018

0 Comments

 
We are excited to bring you this month's post from Katie Blauser, the creator of Eat Pretty Darling. Each month on our blog we feature a "Color of the Week" that corresponds with Veggie Buds Club's veggie of the month. October's veggie is PUMPKIN so we're focusing on ORANGE veggies this month!
Picture
Katie Blauser is the mama of two boys, wife of a picky eater, and food lover at Eat Pretty Darling. She believes in making food fun, healthy, & pretty! Katie’s not only outnumbered by boys in her little family, but also by picky eaters. She loves trying to find new ways to get both kids and adults to eat healthy while making food pretty yummy, pretty healthy, and pretty fun! Find Katie on Instagram (@eatprettydarling), where she shares colorful and cute food ideas for both picky and adventurous eaters.


Color of the Week - Orange

With the leaves beginning to change and fall in the air, it’s the perfect time for pumpkins! We gathered some orange foods at the grocery store to make a family favorite for this week’s #eatprettycoloroftheweek. We had a lot of fun exploring the cheese department this week. There are so many varieties of cheese and they have such different tastes and textures. We settled on cheddar cheese, smoked gouda, butternut squash pasta, and of course pumpkin! Throwing these ingredients together makes a delicious mac & cheese that both my picky eaters and I devoured. The pumpkin isn’t too noticeable but it helps make it the creamiest texture.

Picture

Pumpkin Mac & Cheese

Ingredients
  • 1 pie pumpkin, or 15 ounce can pumpkin puree (not pumpkin pie)
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 12 ounces pasta (we found this fun Butternut Squash pasta at Trader Joe’s)
  • 1 1/2 tablespoons butter
  • 1/4 cup minced onion
  • 2 tablespoons all purpose flour
  • 1 1/2 cups milk
  • 2/3 cup reduced sodium chicken or vegetable broth
  • ½ cup fresh grated mild Cheddar
  • ½ cup fresh grated Gouda (we used smoked Gouda for added flavor)
  • Pinch nutmeg
  • Salt & pepper to taste
Instructions
  1. Preheat the oven to 400°. Line 2 large baking sheets with aluminum foil.
  2. If you are roasting the pumpkin yourself, cut off the top of the pumpkin and then cut it into quarters. Scoop out the seeds (rinse and lay them out on a baking sheet overnight to dry out if you want to make roasted pumpkin seeds with them!). Place the pumpkin on the prepared sheet pan and lightly coat in olive oil. Roast in the oven at 400°F for 35 to 37 minutes, or until the pumpkin is soft if pierced with a knife.
  3. Remove the pumpkin from the oven, and when cool enough to handle, remove the pumpkin from the skin. Discard the skin and place pumpkin in a food processor. Puree until smooth.
  4. While pumpkin is roasting, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook pasta according to package directions. Drain, and set aside.
  5. Over medium heat melt the butter. Add the onion and cook over low heat about 2 minutes, add flour and cook another minute. Make sure flour is well combined. Add milk and broth and whisk, raising heat to medium-high until it comes to a light boil. Cook for 4 to 5 minutes until it thickens slightly and season with salt, nutmeg and pepper.
  6. Once it begins to thicken, stir in pumpkin and cook until heated through, about 2 minutes. Remove from heat, add cheeses and mix well until melted. Add the cooked pasta and mix well.

Orange Food Ideas

There are more out there, but here’s a list to get started!
  • Pumpkin
  • Oranges
  • Sweet Potatoes
  • Butternut Squash
  • Apricots
  • Cantaloupe
  • Mango
  • Peaches
  • Carrots
  • Orange Bell Peppers
  • Papaya
  • Persimmons
  • Cheddar Cheese
  • Nectarines
Picture
0 Comments

Baked Pumpkin Donuts

10/10/2018

3 Comments

 
October's featured veggie is PUMPKINS at Veggie Buds Club! We hope you enjoy this delicious recipe for Baked Pumpkin Donuts from this month's Veggie Buds Club subscription box.
​

This recipe was developed by Heather Staller, a mom of two boys, ages 5 and 3, and cooking instructor specializing in bringing cooking into preschool classrooms. After college, Heather knew she wanted to be a teacher, but first followed her lifelong dream of going to culinary school. Teaching cooking combines both of her passions, and she truly enjoys introducing young children to the joys of cooking with fresh ingredients. Find Heather on Instagram (@heather_kidskitchen), where she shares inventive kid-friendly recipes and ideas for cooking with kids at home.
Picture

Baked Pumpkin Donuts

Whether you use homemade pumpkin purée or pumpkin from a can, these wholesome baked donuts are the most delicious way to celebrate the veggie of the month! 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 ¼ cups whole wheat flour (or gluten-free flour blend)*
  • 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
  • ½ teaspoon fine salt
  • 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice (or ½ teaspoon cinnamon, ¼ teaspoon ground ginger, pinch of ground nutmeg and cloves)
  • ¼ cup plus 2 tablespoons pumpkin purée (from a can or homemade)
  • 2 tablespoons neutral oil
  • 1 tablespoon maple syrup
  • ½ cup coconut sugar (or 1/3 cup brown sugar)
  • ½ cup milk (any kind)
Topping
  • 2 tablespoons coconut oil or butter, melted
  • ¼ cup maple sugar, granulated sugar, or coconut sugar 
  • ¼ 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 ¾ 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.
3 Comments

Pumpkin Energy Balls

10/4/2018

0 Comments

 
October's featured veggie is PUMPKIN at Veggie Buds Club, and we are very excited to bring you a recipe from Stephanie Middleberg's new cookbook, "The Big Book of Organic Toddler Food" for this week's post!
Picture
Stephanie Middleberg, MS, RD, CDN, is one of New York City's most sought-after health experts and the bestselling author of "The Big Book of Organic Baby Food". The founder and owner of Middleberg Nutrition, she and her team of registered dietitians offer nutritional counseling and cooking classes to individuals and families as well as consulting, advising, and planning services to food companies. When she isn't working with her clients or media outlets, Stephanie enjoys eating and playing with her young children, Julian and Remi, jogging with her husband, Andrew, and concocting recipes in the Middleberg Nutrition Test Kitchen. Follow or connect with Stephanie online: Middleberg Nutrition, Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook.

Picture

Pumpkin Energy Balls

These no-bake pumpkin balls are tasty, and they freeze well so they're perfect on-the-go snacks your toddler (and probably everyone else in your family) will enjoy. I also find with energy bites that you can really add anything to them. Check what's in your pantry - these would be excellent with shredded coconut, dried fruit, or cacao powder added in. Use gluten-free oats to keep them gluten- and allergen-free.
Serves 10 to 12
Prep Time: 10 minutes

Ingredients
  • 1 1/2 cups gluten-free rolled oats
  • 1/2 cup sun butter
  • 1/2 cup pumpkin puree
  • 1/4 cup ground flaxseed
  • 1/4 cup honey
  • 1/2 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
  • Pinch sea salt
Instructions
  1. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
  2. In a medium bowl, combine the oats, sun butter, pumpkin puree, flaxseed, honey, pumpkin pie spice, and salt, mixing well.
  3. Form the mixture into 1-tablespoon balls and place on the prepared tray. Serve immediately, or transfer to an airtight container and store, refrigerated, for up to 1 week.
Substitution Tip: For vegan, you can replace the honey with 3 tablespoons of pure maple syrup. You may need to add up to 1/4 cup more of the oats to adjust the texture of the balls.
0 Comments

One-Pot Pumpkin Pasta

10/13/2017

0 Comments

 
Picture

Heather is a mom of two boys, ages 4 and 2, and cooking instructor specializing in bringing cooking into preschool classrooms. After college, Heather knew she wanted to be a teacher, but first followed her lifelong dream of going to culinary school. Teaching cooking combines both of her passions, and she truly enjoys introducing young children to the joys of cooking with fresh ingredients. Find Heather on Instagram (@heather_kidskitchen), where she shares inventive kid-friendly recipes and ideas for cooking with kids at home.

Pumpkin baked goods, pancakes, waffles, pies, and muffins are all delicious ways to use the Veggie Buds Club veggie of the month, but for something a little different I am taking the warm, fall flavors of pumpkin over to the savory side with this easy pasta dish. The result is a nutrition-packed, flavorful, creamy dish the whole family will enjoy. Plus, it's made in one pot and ready in less than 20 minutes!

One-Pot Pumpkin Pasta

Ingredients
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 2 garlic cloves, minced
  • 1 teaspoon minced fresh thyme and/or sage, optional
  • 8 ounces small shaped pasta such as medium shells, fusilli, or penne (high protein pasta made from chickpeas or lentils work great too)
  • 3 cups water
  • 1 teaspoon Kosher salt
  • 1/2 cup pumpkin purée
  • 1/2 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
  • 1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
  • 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  • 2 tablespoons yogurt (I prefer whole milk Greek yogurt, but any kind will be good)
  • 3 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese, plus more for serving
  • 1 teaspoon honey or maple syrup, optional
  • 1 teaspoon balsamic or apple cider vinegar
Instructions
  1. Heat a large pot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add olive oil and garlic.
  2. Sauté garlic until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add in herbs, if using, and stir to combine.
  3. Add in pasta, water, salt, pumpkin purée, and spices. Stir to combine.
  4. Raise heat to high and bring to a simmer. Adjust heat, if necessary, to keep at a simmer until most of the water is absorbed and pasta is cooked to your liking. Stir frequently to keep pasta from sticking to the bottom.
  5. Turn off the heat. Stir in yogurt, Parmesan, honey, and vinegar.
  6. Taste and season with more salt and pepper, if needed.
  7. Serve immediately with an extra sprinkle of Parmesan cheese.
Picture
Dairy free?
Substitute coconut yogurt or dairy-free cream cheese for the yogurt. Add in a sprinkle of nutritional yeast to get a little cheesy flavor or just omit the cheese entirely.

Want some extra veggies?
Add in some finely chopped cauliflower or kale with the pasta or throw in a couple handfuls of baby spinach at the end.
​

Want to make ahead?
Cook as directed above then pour into a greased 9-inch baking dish. Top with an extra sprinkle of cheese and/or ground pecans and breadcrumbs. Cover and refrigerate for up to 3 days. When ready to eat, bake at 350 degrees Fahrenheit until warmed through, about 30 minutes. Then broil the top to make brown and crunchy.
Picture
0 Comments
<<Previous

    Archives

    January 2021
    December 2020
    November 2020
    October 2020
    September 2020
    August 2020
    July 2020
    June 2020
    May 2020
    April 2020
    March 2020
    February 2020
    January 2020
    December 2019
    November 2019
    October 2019
    September 2019
    August 2019
    July 2019
    June 2019
    May 2019
    April 2019
    March 2019
    February 2019
    January 2019
    December 2018
    November 2018
    October 2018
    September 2018
    August 2018
    July 2018
    June 2018
    May 2018
    April 2018
    March 2018
    February 2018
    January 2018
    December 2017
    November 2017
    October 2017
    September 2017
    August 2017

    Categories

    All
    Apples
    Arts And Crafts
    Asparagus
    Avocado
    Basil
    Beans
    Beets
    Bell Peppers
    Boy Choy
    Breakfast
    Broccoli
    Brussels Sprouts
    Cabbage
    Carrots
    Cauliflower
    Celery
    Corn
    Cucumbers
    Dessert
    Dinner
    Food Art
    Games
    Garlic
    Growing Projects
    Herbs
    Kale
    Lettuce
    Lunch
    Lunch Box
    Onions
    Peas
    Potatoes
    Pumpkins
    Radishes
    Recipes
    Rutabaga
    Side Dish
    Smoothie
    Snack
    Spinach
    Summer Squash
    Sweet Potatoes
    Tomatoes
    Turnips
    Veggie Buds Book Club
    Watermelon
    Winter Squash
    Zucchini

    RSS Feed

    SUBSCRIBE
© 2017 Veggie Buds Club LLC. All rights reserved.
  • Home
  • Blog
  • About
  • Contact
  • Subscribe