Lemon Poppy Seed Squash Squares

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. July's veggie is ZUCCHINI so we're focusing on YELLOW veggies this month!

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.

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Color of the Week - YELLOW

​So you might be thinking, why is the color of the week yellow when zucchini are most definitely green? Zucchini are yellow inside! Sometimes the insides of fruits and veggies are the prettiest part. Think of all the fun produce that can fit more than one category! We think of kiwi as green although they are brown on the outside. This week we rounded up yellow squash, lemons, bananas, and of course zucchini. Zucchini is one of those awesome veggies that can be turned into just about anything! One of our favorite ways to eat it is in our baked goods. We all know that yummy zucchini bread, but add in a few other ingredients and you have a new twist on an old favorite!

Lemon Poppy Seed Squash Squares

Ingredients

• 2 cups old fashioned oats*
• 2 ripe bananas
• 2 eggs
• 1/2 cup honey (or maple syrup)
• 1 cup shredded zucchini (moisture rung out)
• 1 cup shredded yellow squash (moisture rung out)
• 1 teaspoon almond extract
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 2 lemons (juice and zest)
• 1 Tablespoon poppy seeds

 Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 325 F and grease a 9 x 13 pan. Place oats on a baking sheet and toast until lightly browned (about 8 minutes) stirring halfway. Let oats cool. Pour oats into a food processor until oats become a flour like consistency.
2. Turn oven up to 350 F. Mash bananas until there are no lumps (or beat with a mixer on medium speed). Add eggs, honey, squash, almond extract, vanilla extract, and lemon juice.
3. Add the dry ingredients (oats, baking powder, baking soda) to wet ingredients. Mix until just incorporated. Fold in poppy seeds and lemon zest. Pour mixture into greased pan and bake for for 45 minutes. Let cool completely before slicing into squares.

*You can also sub in whole wheat flour or all purpose flour and skip step 1.

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​Want some great products that teach kids to learn to love veggies?
Check out our shop for kid-safe knives, interactive placements, and veggie-themed activity boxes!

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Yellow Food Ideas

There are more out there, but here’s a list to get started! 

• Bananas
  
• Yellow Pepper
  
• Lemon
  
• Pineapple
  
• Yellow Squash
  
• Zucchini
  
• Golden Beets
  
• Corn
  
• Turmeric
  
• Saffron
  
• Potatoes