Hidden Vegetable Recipes (2024)

It is easy to serve meals with hidden vegetables but I also like toserve vegetables plain and visible for the kids to see. However, Idon't see anything wrong with adding pureed, grated or hiddenvegetables in what I cook for added nutrition. The combination ofthe two makes for healthy kids meals.

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How to Add Vegetables into Your Menu Plans

You can prepare vegetable purees for the freezer easily. Enlist helpfrom the kids! They can help with peeling vegetables, chopping insmaller pieces, steam vegetables and puree in the blender.

Some great vegetables that work well are:

• cauliflower
• broccoli
• spinach
• carrots
• onions
• pumpkin
• zucchini

Then pour into small containers and freeze.

All these beautiful colors!

My favorite thing about these days are seeing their variations ofspelling on the labels. Still brings a smile to my face.

What to Do with These Vegetable and Fruit Purees

I love to add vegetables in soups, breads, sauces and ground meatamong other places. Once the meat is cooked it blends well and addsa lot of flavor to the meat. I don't always follow a recipe whenadding vegetables, I just use whatever vegetables I have on hand.

I added pureed broccoli, carrots, zucchini and onions to thehamburger in this picture.

Adding morevegetables to your favorite recipes is a great wayto add healthy eating to your meals.

Healthy Meal Recipes with Hidden Vegetable Recipes

Zucchini Bread
Carrot MuffinsSloppy Joes
Cabbage RollsHomemade Spaghetti Sauce
Lentil Pancakes
Smoothies
Taco Soup
Stuffed Bell Peppers
Egg Casserole
Meatloaf or Meatballs Chicken Casserole
Shepherd's Pie
Macaroni and CheeseHawaiian Haystacks
Quiche
Chili Taco MeatCream of Potato Soup
Noodle Casserole
Calzones

Reader's Hidden Vegetable Recipes and Ideas

Veggie Sauce Pizza

by Debbie

Lentil Pancakes

• 1 egg
• 1 Cup milk
• 2 Tablespoons applesauce
• 1 cup wheat flour
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2 Tablespoons baking powder
• 2 Tablespoons sugar
• 1/3 cup cooked lentils
• 1 small carton, 4 oz. or 1/2 Cup of plain yogurt

In blender, add all ingredients. Blend together and cook on a hotgriddle.

Sneaky "Cheesy" Noodles

by Kim H. (WV)
Ingredients

• Penne or any other shaped noodle, cooked to al dente or asdesired 1/4-1/2 Cup milk (splash or to make as creamy as youlike)
• 1/4 Cup (or less) grated Parmesan cheese
• 1 Cup cauliflower puree (or squash)
• 1 or 2 tabs of butter salt & pepper to taste

My son LOVES noodles....and cheese. By calling these noodles"cheesy", he is more likely to eat them.
I like to use penne noodles or another fun shaped pasta so he canpick up with his fingers or stab easily with a fork. Plus, it's anoodle we don't use too often, so it's 'special' for him.
Melt together the puree, butter, milk, & Parmesan cheese. TheParmesan cheese is just to help hide the flavor and give it someactual cheese consistency. But you can leave this out if you like.Add the cooked pasta and stir together. Season to taste if needed.
The cauliflower puree give the noodles the taste of mashed potatoes.My husband says it tastes like noodles mixed with mashed potatoes.The squash works well. Just make sure to use light yellowsquash...not acorn. You may need more Parmesan cheese or seasoningto mask the flavor. I've used both and have used more and lesscheese and milk. My son hasn't said anything and I "allow" him touse his fingers as long as he eats it. He likes the larger pennepieces. And I sit back and watch knowing he's eating cauliflowerwhich has NEVER made it past his lips in its normal form. :-)

Boxed Mac & Cheese with a Twist

by Kim H (WV)
Ingredients

• any boxed macaroni and cheese butter milk
• 1/2c - 1c yellow squash puree
• Optional additions.... any fresh, frozen, canned veggie(peas, carrots, corn, etc.) leftover grilled chicken, pork, hotdogs, etc.

Make any boxed macaroni and cheese per instruction EXCEPT keep thenoodles in the strainer and melt together the butter, powderedcheese and milk PLUS 1/2 - 1 cup of pureed yellow squash.

My purees are generally frozen, so I allow everything to melttogether before adding the noodles. If you think the squash flavormay stand out (my son has never noticed it!) add about 1/4 c ofgrated Parmesan or any other flavorful cheese. Add the cookednoodles and stir then serve. It will be nice and creamy and theflavor is very subtle! If it turns out to be too creamy (the pureewas too watery) then add less milk and/or butter than what issuggested.

OPTIONAL... If your child doesn't mind peas, corn, asparagus, or anyother kind of veggie, add 1/4c - 1 can frozen, fresh, or cannedveggie. If frozen or fresh, add when melting butter and puree, thenadd noodles once the veggies are to your liking. If canned, add withthe noodles. They will heat through as you stir.

Igenerally add peas to my mac & cheese and sometimes myson will eat them, sometimes he will not. But knowing that I alreadyadded the squash, I don't fuss if he picks them out and sets them tothe side of his plate. If you have leftover chicken, pork, hot dogor any other meat, cut into bite-sized pieces and add along with thecooked pasta and stir to heat through.

Hidden Veggies Macaroni and Cheese Video

Hidden Vegetable Cake Recipes

See these hidden vegetable cake recipes.

Share your favorite hidden vegetable recipes.

RelatedEasy Kids Meals and Ideas:
~Easy Kids Meals,~Easy Meal Ideas,~Breakfast,~Breakfast 6 or fewer,~Side Dishes,~Snacks,~Main Dishes,~Desserts,~No Bake Recipes,~Kids Lunches,~Portion Sizes,~Microwave Meals,~Hidden Vegetable Recipes,~Healthy Kids Meals,~Picky Eater Tips,~Family Dinner,~How to menu plan,~Diabetic,~Toddler Ideas,~Low Calorie,~Gluten Free,~Vegetarian,~Low Carb

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