Carrot / Zucchini Muffins

My almost 2 year old is on a food strike. Has been for quite a while. She used to eat everything but now it seems like she won't anything other than Goldfish or Cheerios. So I have now resorted to trying to hide veggies into things that I'm fairly certain she will eat. Like a muffin.

I posted on my message board looking for advice on what to feed my super picky child and someone posted this recipe carrot/zucchini muffins. I was intrigued so I bought the ingredients and got to baking.



Carrot/Zucchini Muffins

Ingredients

• 1/4 cup canola oil
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 1 egg
• 3/4 cup applesauce
• 1 cup grated carrots (approximately 2 medium size carrots)
• 1 cup grated zucchini (approximately 1 medium zucchini)
• 1 cup all-purpose whole wheat flour
• 3/4 cup all-purpose flour (optional – leave out for super moist muffins!)
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
• 1/2 tsp salt

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 400F
2. In a large bowl, whisk together oil and sugar.
3. Beat in egg, then applesauce.
4. Stir in carrots and zucchini.
5. In another large bowl, whisk together flours, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt.
6. Fold dry ingredients into wet, until just mixed.
7. Spoon batter to the very top of sprayed, paper-lined muffin cups and bake 18-20 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean when inserted in a muffin.

My verdict: Not bad! I was pleasantly surprised by the taste. They were super easy to make and Stephanie even ate hers! The only thing I would differently next time (and there will be a next time) is that I would grate the carrots and zucchini more finely. Stephanie picked out some of the "offensive" veggies from her muffins.

Crock Pot Lentil Soup

It is soooo freaking cold out. Thanks goodness that I don't have to go out with the babies. It's the perfect day to stay home in sweats (oh who am I kidding....we're still in out pajamas) and make some soup. I got this recipe for lentil soup from one of the ladies from a message board that I frequent. The ingredients are things that I always have on hand.

Crock Pot Lentil Soup





Ingredients

1 c. dry lentils
1 c. chopped carrot
1 c. chopped celery
1 c. chopped onion
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 tsp. dried basil, crushed
1/2 tsp. dried oregano, crushed
1/4 tsp. dried thyme, crushed
1 bay leaf
3 1/2 c. chicken broth or veggie broth
1 1/2 c. water
1 (14 1/2 oz) can Italian-style stewed tomatoes
1/4 c. snipped fresh parsley
2 Tbs. cider vinegar

Preparation

Rinse lentils. In crock pot place lentils, carrot, celery, onion, garlic, basil, oregano, thyme, and bay leaf. Stir in broth, water and undrained tomatoes. Cover; cook on low-heat setting for 12 hours or on high-heat setting for 5 to 6 hours. Discard bay leaf. Stir in parsley and vinegar (if desired). Makes 6 servings.

My verdict: Very good. Even my super picky 19 month old ate some. I ended up adding chunks of pork into the crock pot because, well....why not? I had a couple left over and cut them up into bite sized pieces. I liked it and maybe next time I'll make it with beef and use beef broth instead. I also cooked some pasta separately and added it to the bowls as I was serving dinner. I hate mushy pasta so I always cook it separately.