Veggie Buds Club Blog - Veggie Buds Club

Gluten-Free Kale Crackers

12/30/2021

Have you ever made your own crackers? It's a fun activity and yields a delicious result! This recipe is very versatile, swap kale for another veggie such as carrots or beets! You can also substitute all purpose flour if you and your kiddos can tolerate gluten.

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

"Learn to Love Veggies" Tip

Kids tend to love crackers so packing them with kale is a great way to introduce this sometimes "not so kid-friendly" veggie to children.

Get your kids in the kitchen! Your little chef can get hands-on experience by preparing the kale for this recipe: wash and dry the kale leaves, remove the kale stems, and rip or cut the kale into small pieces. This positive interaction with kale will encourage them to try these crackers!

Gluten-Free Kale Crackers

Gluten-Free Kale Crackers

Author: Happy Kids Kitchen

Prep time: 10 MinCook time: 15 MinTotal time: 25 Min

Have you ever made your own crackers? It's a fun activity and yields a delicious result! This recipe is very versatile, swap kale for another veggie such as carrots or beets!

Ingredients

1 packed cup chopped kale leaves (any kind)
1 1/2 cups all-purpose gluten-free flour blend or regular all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon coarse salt
2 tablespoons room temperature coconut oil or butter
1/2 teaspoon honey
3 to 5 tablespoons cold water

Instructions

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
Add kale to a food processor and pulse until very finely chopped.
Add flour and salt and pulse a few times to combine. Add oil and honey and pulse until mixture looks crumbly.
Continue to pulse and add a little water at a time until a dough forms. Check by removing the top of the food processor and squeezing the dough together between your fingers. If the dough is still crumbly, add another tablespoon of water and blend again. If your dough is too sticky, add a little more flour.
Dump dough out onto a sheet of parchment paper and press it together to form a small rectangle. Place another sheet of parchment on top of the dough and use a rolling pin to carefully roll the dough out about 1/8-inch thick. Remove the top sheet of parchment and sprinkle a little extra salt over the top of the dough then gently roll it in with the rolling pin.
Using a pizza wheel or knife, cut the dough, making a grid of squares. If the edges of your rolled dough are very thin, trim and discard so they don’t burn in the oven. Transfer the parchment paper with the rolled and cut dough on it to a sheet pan and bake until golden brown around the edges, about 12 to 15 minutes. Watch the crackers carefully because you want them cooked enough to be crunchy and brown but not burnt.
Store cooled crackers in an airtight container at room temperature for up to a week.

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Sheet Pan Sweet Potato Hash Browns

12/18/2021

Sweet potato hash browns make a delicious and extra nutritious side dish for breakfast! Sweet potatoes are tough to make crispy so be sure to wring out as much moisture as possible after shredding the sweet potatoes, if you do this step you'll be rewarded with this tasty treat!

"Learn to Love Veggies" Tip

Exposing your children to veggies in a variety of forms will help them eat them at meal time. Sweet potatoes are so versatile, try them baked, in veggie burgers, in baked goods, here as hash browns, and more! See what form your child likes best.

Sheet Pan Sweet Potato Hash Browns

Sheet Pan Sweet Potato Hash Browns

Author: Veggie Buds Club

Sweet potato hash browns make a delicious and extra nutritious side dish with breakfast!

Ingredients

2 medium sweet potatoes
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons flour, any kind
1/2 teaspoon onion powder
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
Salt and pepper, to taste

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Peel and grate the sweet potatoes using the largest setting on a cheese grater.
Place the grated sweet potato on a clean towel and wring out as much moisture as possible (don't skip this step if you want crispy sweet potatoes!).
Transfer the grated sweet potato to a large bowl and add the olive oil, flour, onion powder, garlic powder, salt, and pepper. Mix well so the grated sweet potato is evenly coated.
Spray a cookie sheet with cooking spray and place the grated sweet potato on in an even layer.
Bake for 15 minutes, flip using a spatula, and bake for another 10-15 minutes. Check to make sure that the sweet potato does not burn.

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Easy Carrot Soup

12/10/2021

This Carrot Soup recipe is about as easy as it gets and really celebrates the carrot-y goodness that this orange veggie packs! This is a great soup recipe for a quick weeknight meal and kids love it.

"Learn to Love Veggies" Tip

This carrot soup is a great starter recipe for kids! Carrots blend well with other flavors such as ginger and orange but we suggest starting with a recipe that is really simple and highlights a familiar carrot flavor for soup newbies.

Easy Carrot Soup

Easy Carrot Soup

Yield: 4-6

Author: Veggie Buds Club

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

This Carrot Soup recipe is about as easy as it gets and really celebrates the carrot-y goodness that this orange veggie packs! This is a great soup recipe for a quick weeknight meal and kids love it.

Ingredients

2 tablespoons unsalted butter or olive oil
1 large white or yellow onion, chopped
2 pounds carrots, peeled and chopped
3 cloves garlic, chopped (or 1 1/2 teaspoons minced garlic from a jar)
4 cups vegetable stock
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper

Instructions

Heat a large pot on medium heat and add the butter or oil. Once melted/warm, add the chopped onions and cook until they become translucent, about 3-4 minutes. Add the garlic and cook about 1 more minute, stirring frequently.
Add the chopped carrots and stir. Add the vegetable stock, salt, and pepper.
Bring to a boil and then down to a simmer. Simmer for 15-20 minutes, until the carrots are fork tender.
Turn off the heat and use an immersion blender to blend the soup until smooth. If you use a regular blender, let the soup cool for a bit and then carefully add to the blender in batches and blend until smooth.

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Top Five Veggie Books for Toddlers

11/28/2021

Reading books to your children that feature vegetables is a great way to normalize veggies and not make them so "scary" when it comes to mealtime. There are so many great books on the market now so it was really difficult to come up with a list of our Top Five. The books that we chose are perfect for toddlers, ages 2-4, and include some classics, informational books, and silly books too!

Top Five Veggie Books for Toddlers

1. "Up, Down, and Around" by Katherine Ayres
From seeds dropping into soil to corn bursting from its stalks, from children chasing butterflies to ants burrowing underground, everything in this vibrant picture book pulses with life!

2. "LMNO Peas" by Keith Baker
Get ready to roll through the alphabet with a jaunty cast of extremely cute and busy little peas! This fresh and fun alphabet book features bright colors, bouncy rhyming text, and silly pea characters who highlight the wide variety of interests, hobbies, and careers that make the world such a colorful place.

3. "Vegetables in Underwear" by Jared Chapman
A bunch of friendly vegetables wear colorful underwear of all varieties: big, small, clean, dirty, serious, and funny demonstrating for young ones the silliness and necessity of this item of clothing. With rhyming text that begs to be chanted aloud and art that looks good enough to eat, this vibrant story will encourage preschoolers to celebrate having left those diapers behind!

4. "Eating the Alphabet" by Lois Ehlert
A classic veggie book! While teaching upper- and lowercase letters to preschoolers, they are also introduced to fruits and vegetables from around the world.

5. "How are you Peeling? Foods with Moods" by Saxton Freymann
Who'd have dreamed that produce could be so expressive, so charming, so lively and so funny? Amused? Confused? Frustrated? Surprised? Try these feelings on for size. This is a book that asks all the right questions.... and leaves you feeling great no matter what the answers are!

So what do you think?! Leave us a comment below to lettuce know if your favorite book made the list and to suggest other books too.

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Cockroaches on a Log

9/22/2021

This super simple snack is a great twist on the classic "Ants on a Log". Simply swap the peanut butter for almond butter and the raisins for chopped dates and you have an elevated snack with a hilarious name!

"Learn to Love Veggies" Tip

Did you know that research shows us that instead of emphasizing how "healthy" or "good for you" a food is to our children, parents may have more success when they simply label these "healthy" foods with more fun names?

Cockroaches on a Log

Cockroaches on a Log

Author: Veggie Buds Club

Prep time: 5 MinCook time: 2 MinTotal time: 7 Min

This super simple snack is a great twist on the classic "Ants on a Log". Simply swap the peanut butter for almond butter and the raisins for chopped dates and you have an elevated snack with a hilarious name!

Ingredients

Celery
Pitted dates, chopped
Almond butter (or alternative nut/seed butter)

Instructions

If making with your children, have them chop the celery into 1-2 inch lengths using a kid-safe knife or butter knife (assist if needed).
Spread almond butter on top of the celery and top with chopped dates.

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Rockin' Broccoli Salad

4/29/2021

Who knew that broccoli was such a party veggie?! And with a name like "Rockin' Broccoli Salad", this recipe is sure to sound exciting to kids who may not be too keen on salad.

Chef Dawn, from VegeCooking, developed this recipe for Veggie Buds Club. This "Rockin' Broccoli Salad" makes a great side dish for any picnic or gathering and is vegetarian/vegan.

"Learn to Love Veggies" Tip

Let your child mix up the salad ingredients and taste the salad before the Creamy Dressing is added. Have your child whisk up the Creamy Dressing and stir it into the salad. Ask them, "How has the sweet dressing changed the flavor of our Rockin' Broccoli Salad?".

Rockin' Broccoli Salad

Rockin' Broccoli Salad

Yield: 4-6

Author: VegeCooking Club

Prep time: 10 MinCook time: 4 MinTotal time: 14 Min

Who knew that broccoli was such a party veggie?! This Rockin' Broccoli Salad is a party in your mouth, full of sweet and savory flavors. It makes a great side-dish at any picnic or gathering and is vegetarian/vegan.

Ingredients

Salad

4 cups fresh broccoli florets, chopped finely (about 2 medium heads)
1/4 cup red onion, diced
2 large apples, finely chopped
1/2 cup sunflower seeds
1/2 cup raisins

Creamy Dressing

1/2 cup mayonnaise or vegan alternative
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1 tablespoon honey or agave
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon pepper

Instructions

Add the broccoli, onion, apples, raisins, and sunflower seeds to a large bowl.
Whisk the dressing ingredients and pour over the broccoli mixture.
Mix well.

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Epic Broccoli Burgers

4/22/2021

These Epic Broccoli Burgers are sure to turn all of your family members into veggie burger lovers!

This recipe was developed by Gratefully Vegan for Veggie Buds Club. Please lettuce know if you make them by leaving a comment.

"Learn to Love Veggies" Tip

Get your kids in the kitchen with you! Have your children break apart the broccoli heads into florets with their hands... kids LOVE this step. The broccoli is going to be steamed and pulsed in a food processor so the florets do not need to be uniform in size.

Epic Broccoli Burgers

Epic Broccoli Burgers

Yield: 6-8

Author: Gratefully Vegan

Prep time: 15 MinCook time: 20 MinTotal time: 35 Min

These Epic Broccoli Burgers are sure to turn all of your family members into veggie burger lovers! They are packed with broccoli, carrots, onion, bell pepper, and chickpeas so be sure to save this recipe for your next "Meatless Monday" meal.

Ingredients

1 big head of broccoli
1 carrot
1/2 bell pepper
1 onion
3-4 cloves of garlic
2 tablespoons ground flaxseed
1 15-oz can of chickpeas
1 tablespoon mustard
1 tablespoon ground pumpkin seed or 1 additional tablespoon ground flaxseed
1/2 teaspoon paprika
1/2 cup of flour, any kind
Salt and pepper, to taste
Olive oil
Optional toppings: lettuce, tomato, onion, cucumbers, barbecue sauce, ketchup, etc.

Instructions

Cut the broccoli into small pieces and wash it. Bring some water to a boil in a pot, add the broccoli florets, and simmer for 10 minutes.
On a cutting board, mince the carrot, pepper, onion, and garlic. In a pan, add 1 tablespoon of olive oil and saute the veggies until they are cooked.
Meanwhile, make a flax egg: in a small bowl, add 2 tablespoons of ground flaxseed and 4 tablespoons of water. Let it sit for 5 minutes.
Once the broccoli is done cooking, rinse it with cold water and place it in the food processor. Add the chickpeas, mustard, ground pumpkin seeds (or additional ground flaxseed), paprika, and flax egg. Mix until it becomes dough-like. Add 1-2 tablespoons of olive oil if it's hard to blend.
Add the roasted veggies to the food processor and mix just a bit. Make sure that at least half of the veggies are not fully blended.
Transfer the mixture to a bowl, add the flour and mix. If the mixture looks too wet, add more flour.
Separate the mixture into 8 parts and form them into burger patties.
In a pan, add a little bit of oil and cook the patties for a few minutes on each side until they are golden brown.
Place the patties on a bun, add toppings (tomato, onion, cucumber, lettuce, etc.), and sauce. Enjoy the burgers!

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Broccoli Tree Food Art

4/17/2021

Broccoli florets look like little trees just as they are... so let's take it up a notch and make a whole scene for your forest! This super simple food art created by Eat Pretty Darling is a great way to make broccoli fun for kids.

"Learn to Love Veggies" Tip

Have your child rip the broccoli florets off and lick their fingers, this allows them to try the broccoli flavor just a teeny tiny bit before putting a whole bite in their mouth.

Broccoli Tree Food Art

Broccoli Tree Food Art

Author: Eat Pretty Darling

Prep time: 3 MinCook time: 2 MinTotal time: 5 Min

Broccoli florets look like little trees just as they are... so let's take it up a notch and make a whole scene for your forest! This super simple food art is a great way to make broccoli fun for kids.

Ingredients

Head of broccoli
Ranch dip
Pretzel sticks

Instructions

Take a head of broccoli and trim off just under the florets.
Paint clouds of ranch dip on the plate. Put the broccoli on the plate and add pretzel sticks below as a trunk.
Dip the broccoli and pretzels in the clouds and enjoy!

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Easy Broccoli Soup

4/14/2021

This is a great broccoli recipe to make with kids because they can practice cutting and breaking broccoli florets into pieces. The pieces then get cooked and blended so it doesn’t matter if they are all the same size. This green soup is great served with grilled cheese for dipping, crackers, or plain toast. You can also top it with a little extra cheese or some broccoli “sprinkles”!

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

"Learn to Love Veggies" Tip

Sometimes soup is difficult for children to eat with a spoon so give them some other "tools" to try their soup with. Examples include a straw (those large silicone straws work great for soup), a large scoop from a protein powder container, and dippers such as grilled cheese or crackers.

Easy Broccoli Soup

Easy Broccoli Soup

Yield: 4-6

Author: Happy Kids Kitchen

Prep time: 10 MinCook time: 25 MinTotal time: 35 Min

This Easy Broccoli Soup is great served with grilled cheese for dipping, crackers, or plain toast. You can also top it with a little extra cheese or some broccoli “sprinkles”!

Ingredients

1 pound Russet potatoes, peeled and chopped
10 to 12 ounces broccoli florets, tender stalks and leaves included (5 heaping cups)
4 cups low-sodium vegetable or chicken broth
1 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more to taste
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese (optional)

Instructions

Add potato and broccoli to a large pot. Pour broth over top then stir in the teaspoon of salt.
Bring up to a simmer then cover and cook until the vegetables are very tender, about 20 minutes.
Use an immersion blender (stick blender) to puree the soup until smooth. If using a traditional blender, carefully transfer the vegetables and broth into the blender and blend in batches until smooth.
Stir in garlic powder, lemon juice, and cheese, if using. Taste and season with additional salt and pepper as needed. Serve warm.

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Radish Planet Food Art

3/16/2021

Turning a snack into something that’s out of the world is super simple with just three tasty ingredients! Eat Pretty Darling developed this adorable food art recipe for Veggie Buds Club.

"Learn to Love Veggies" Tip

Food art is a great way to get children interested in trying veggies. We "eat with our eyes", right?! So making food look pretty is a great strategy to get kids excited about eating it.

Encourage your children to snack on the individual ingredients while they construct these radish planets and have them cut the radishes in half (with adult assistance) using a kid-safe knife or butter knife. Cutting the radishes will get the radish "juices" on their hands, have them lick their fingers to try just a tiny taste before trying a whole radish bite.

Radish Planet Food Art

Radish Planet Food Art

Author: Eat Pretty Darling

Prep time: 3 MinCook time: 2 MinTotal time: 5 Min

Turning a snack into something that’s out of the world is super simple with just three tasty ingredients! These Radish Planets are easy and adorable food art.

Ingredients

Radishes
Cucumber
Cream cheese

Instructions

Cut the cucumber into thin slices. You can keep the skin on or discard. Cut the top and bottom off of the radish and cut it down the middle.
Put a little bit of cream cheese on each radish cut-end and put the cucumber slice in the middle. Squish it together until it sticks and you have a planet!

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