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:

Day 19: Cauliflower Prosciutto Souffles

As I've previously mentioned, I am a big fan of sneaking pureed veggies into various recipes. Mainly cauliflower and spinach due to their mild, easily disguised taste. During my recent diet revamping I've been somewhat reliant on hardboiled eggs at lunchtime. They're easy, transportable and satisfying. One thing they DO lack is a lot of flavour. Rather than fall into a rut of the same, bland food day in and day out I decided to experiment with an impromptu baked egg recipe:

Ingredients:                           
6 eggs
1/2 cup pureed cauliflower
1/2 cup 2% plain greek yogurt
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
salt and pepper to taste
Prosciutto or bacon

*Nutritional info (not including prosciutto or bacon):
Serving size: 1 souffle
Amount per serving: 56 calories
Calories from fat: 32.2
Total fat: 3.58 g/ 5%
Saturated fat: 1.25 g/ 6%
Cholesterol: 111.67 mg/ 37%
Sodium: 75.2 mg/ 3%
Total carbohydrate: 0.92 g/ 0%
Dietary fiber: 0.2 g/ 0%
Sugars: 0.69 g
Protein: 5 g/ 10%

Percentage of calories from:
Fat: 53%
Carbs: 6%
Protein: 35%

I blended the whole works in my Vitamix, but it could just as easily be hand whisked, so no need for fancy appliances. (And no- they're not proper souffles...I don't separate the whites from the yolks. I just really like the word souffle!) Here they are before baking:

Pour mixture into muffin tin to just below rim and garnish with the prosciutto or bacon if you desire (I sure do!) This recipe should yield 10 portions. Bake at 350 for 20-25 mins, until golden brown on top. They can be eaten immidiately or refrigerated for later use. A couple of these at lunch, paired with fruit or some raw veggies makes for a very satisfying meal. Bon appetit!

*I get the nutrition info from Livestrong.com's Daily Plate My Recipes. You just input the ingredients and it gives you the details. No guesswork.