Hidden Veggie Recipes

I've mentioned my spinach/ cauliflower pasta and green smoothies as a sneaky way to get vegetables into my daughter, now I want to share two other tested and approved recipes that please both kids and adults.

Occasionally I will make pancakes on the weekends, and I always use the boxed mix (it's just SO much easier.) However I like to punch it up with some custom ingredients so it's not just empty calories drenched in syrup. I sometimes like to add a pureed banana, some ground flax seed or wheat germ, or my favorite healthy additive: pureed cauliflower. Seriously- you should always have some on hand in your freezer. I added a 1/2 cup to a single batch of pancakes- I didn't alter the recipe aside from that and the consistency was still just fine. A few semi-sweet chocolate chips or raisins for a smiley face, some pure maple syrup, and you have a fun breakfast that gets gobbled right down. It doesn't just have to be relegated to weekends either- I find that pancakes can be made the night before and reheated for those fast-paced school mornings.  Smiley face is optional for the grown-ups ;)

My other recipe comes courtesy of Jessica Seinfeld's "Deceptively Delicious" cookbook. Although there have been several pureed veggie based cookbooks published, I like the format of this one the best. Of course it doesn't hurt that I bought it in a thrift store for a couple of bucks in pristine condition! I tried many of the recipes but one of my faves is the spinach/carrot brownies. A couple of notes: I use butter, NOT margarine as suggested in the recipe, and it is important to let the brownies cool completely to mask the veggie flavor.
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Prep: 15 minutes
Total: 55 minutes
Yield: 12 brownies
Ingredients
Nonstick cooking spray
3 ounces semisweet or bittersweet chocolate
1/2 cup carrot puree (After peeling and trimming the ends, steam for 10-12 minutes and then puree in a food processor for 2 minutes)
1/2 cup spinach puree (Steam for 30 to seconds, then puree in a food processor for 2 minutes)
1/2 cup firmly packed light or dark brown sugar
1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
2 tablespoons trans-fat-free soft tub margarine spread*** (I suggest substituting butter here)
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
2 large egg whites
3/4 cup oat flour, or all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
Directions
1. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Coat an 8x8-inch baking pan with cooking spray.
2. Melt the chocolate in a double boiler or over a very low flame.
3. In a large bowl, combine the melted chocolate, vegetable purees, sugar, cocoa powder, margarine, and vanilla, and whisk until smooth and creamy, 1 to 2 minutes.
4. Whisk in egg whites. Stir in the flour, baking powder, and salt with a wooden spoon.
5. Pour the batter into the pan and bake 35 to 40 minutes. Cool completely in the pan before cutting into 12 bars.
These brownies are packed with 3 grams of fiber (which is just crazy for a brownie!), while spinach and carrots provide two powerful antioxidants that help your kids' eyes stay healthy.
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Here's my finished product: