Yummy in the Tummy

Want a fun way to sneak some veggies into your kiddos food?
My kid is a picky eater. It's beyond my knowledge how he's in the 75-90% for height and 50 % for weight for his age if you saw what he ate...or more what he doesn't eat. Unless it's corn, there are few vegetables he'll try, doesn't like crunchy stuff, and heaven forbid you put crusts on his sandwich. Seriously, all hell could break loose. I have to resort to sneaking it in like last night's dinner. Me-fajitas with beans, bell peppers, zucchini, mushrooms etc. The little monster- bean burrito with bell peppers and zucchinis (I was not go to try mushrooms to blow my whole cover) chopped into the tiniest, most minuscule pieces you've ever seen, mixed together and topped with cheese, lots of cheese! I have to say, it was a success. Score one point for MOM!After dinner we made these muffins and they were SCRUMPTIOUS! Now, my kid hates zucchini (and yes, he saw me put it in the batter), but when combined in a muffin, loves it. I even substituted 1/2 the oil for applesauce to make it healthier and they were so incredibly moist. I was even thinking about adding some carrots next time. Ahhh, the joys of deceiving your children into eating their vegetables. I'm a huge fan of the cookbook Deceptively Delicious. It's a great resource for moms of other picky eaters. You're not alone!

Although the following recipe is not from the cookbook, it is destined to be a guaranteed hit. As I'm always looking for new ideas, please share what you do to make veggies or meal times fun :)

**** Giveaway ends tomorrow night if you haven't entered yet****

Pineapple-Zucchini Muffins

makes 48 muffins

4 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
2 1/2 cups white sugar
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 tablespoon baking soda
1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
2 cups vegetable oil
6 eggs
3 cups shredded zucchini
1 (20 ounce) can crushed pineapple, drained
3 teaspoons vanilla extract

DIRECTIONS
Preheat oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C). Grease and flour 4 muffin pans, or use paper liners.
In a large bowl, combine flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon and salt. Make a well in the center, and pour in the oil, eggs, zucchini, pineapple and vanilla. Mix until smooth. Fill muffin cups 2/3 to 3/4 full.
Bake in the preheated oven for 20 to 25 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.