4 Easy Veggies to Blend Into Any Recipe
by Trish James
Everyone knows how important it is for kids to eat tons of fruits & veggies and in my house fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and healthy proteins fuel our bodies. Both my boys play multiple sports and so it is extremely important that they eat a variety of well-balanced, healthy foods.
Generally, neither are very picky but they each have their own favorites and, of course, those foods they really would prefer not to try. Therefore, in our house, I present fruits (and especially veggies) in different ways including blending them into some favorite dishes.
Here are my top 4 veggies I like to blend into recipes:
- Mushrooms – We blend mushrooms every week with our ground turkey when making tacos, meatloaf, meatballs, and bolognaise sauce. Not only do they add extra moisture to our dishes, they also add flavor and nutrients. The best thing about blending mushrooms is that this is an easy step that the boys can help me with. Check out this video showing how they help blend mushrooms into our taco meat.
- Carrots – Carrots are awesome and I love the way they add flavor and sweetness to dishes. They are easy to blend into many recipes like our Hidden Veggie Meatballs, Mac N Cheese Muffins, or Savory Carrot & Zucchini Squares.
- Cauliflower – Cauliflower has become my new go-to vegetable to experiment with. I’m sure you’ve seen recipes using cauliflower in place of potatoes or used as a healthy Alfredo sauce. It is so versatile and blends well in to recipes like our Cauliflower Breakfast Pizza, Cauliflower and Kale Pesto Pasta, or Cauliflower Mashed Potatoes.
- Spinach – You can add spinach to soups, pasta dishes, salads, and more (have you tried our Green Eggs and Ham Breakfast Sandwich?) but our family’s favorite way to blend it is into smoothies. I love the punch of iron and vitamins it gives and the boys never know it is there. Try our Berry Simple Smoothie, Kristopher’s favorite: our Fruity Pumpkin Pie Smoothie, or pour the smoothie into molds for a frozen treat like our Green Smoothie Pops.
Remember, help your little ones develop a love for fruits and veggies at an early age by making it fun and giving them lots of options. Don’t give up! Blend them into some our your family’s favorite dishes to start the ball rolling.
Happy blending,
Trish
