"Sneaky Dad's Pudding"

Taken directly from the book "Becoming Vegan" by Brenda Davis, R.D. and Vesanto Melina, M.S., R.D.

1 1/2 cups frozen strawberries
1 banana, cut into 4 pieces
1-2 teaspoons cocoa powder
2 teaspoons flaxseed oil (or fish oil)
3-5 tablespoons nut butter (almond, cashew, peanut, etc.)
2-3 tablespoons orange juice (or other juice like apple or carrot)
2 tablespoons soymilk, almond milk, rice milk or regular milk
1/8-1/4 avocado

Puree everything in a food processor until a pudding like consistency. Makes 2 very large servings.

**Note-this "pudding" provides a great source of protein, fiber, calories and healthy fat. So sneaky!

Oatmeal Carrot Muffins

1 cup whole wheat flour
¾ cup oatmeal
1 teaspoon baking powder
¾ teaspoon baking soda
1 ¾ teaspoon cinnamon
¾ teaspoon salt
1 egg
¾ cup brown sugar
½ cup oil
½ teaspoon vanilla
1 toddler sized jar baby food (about 3/4 cup pureed carrots)

Oven at 350. Combine dry ingredients. Mix wet ingredients in a separate bowl and add to dry. Mix until moistened, being careful not to over mix. Bake 15-18 minutes in muffin cups. Makes 12 muffins.

Green Pea Soup

1 teaspoon olive oil
1 large onion, sliced (about 1 1/2 cups)
2 1/2 cups low-sodium chicken or vegetable broth
3/4 teaspoon dried tarragon
1/2 teaspoon salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1 (10-oz) bag frozen peas
4 teaspoons plain nonfat yogurt, optional

In a large pot, heat the olive oil over moderately-low heat. Add the onion, cover and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 5 minutes. Add the broth, tarragon, salt and a few turns of freshly ground black pepper and bring to a boil. Add the peas and cook just until defrosted.

In a blender, puree the soup in 2 batches until very smooth. Return the soup to the pot and bring just to a simmer, to warm back up. Ladle into bowls. Stir the yogurt so that it is smooth and top each serving with a swirl of yogurt.

**Note-this is a great soup to make if you have a young child/baby-just add some baby cereal to it to thicken it up and everyone in the family can enjoy the same meal!

Broccoli-Cheese Muffins

1 1/2 cups frozen broccoli pieces
1 large egg
1/3 cup milk
1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese
1 package (8.5 oz) corn muffin mix

Oven at 400. Grease muffin tin. Microwave broccoli for about 2 minutes, to defrost it. Meanwhile, whisk together egg, milk, and cheese. Add muffin mix and stir until just combined. Remove broccoli from microwave and press out any extra water. Finely chopped the broccoli and add it to the muffin mix. Fill muffin cups 2/3 full and bake 12-14 minutes, until the muffins just begin to brown around the edges and spring back when touched.

Kids Twirly Whirly Pizza

1 tube (13.8 ounces) refrigerated pizza dough
1/2 cup pizza sauce
1/2 cup shredded Italian-mix cheese, divided
1 cup fresh baby spinach leaves

Oven at 400 degrees. Unroll dough from tube. Spread pizza sauce on top. Sprinkle with half of cheese and top with spinach leaves. Roll up, starting with short end. Cut into 8 pieces, then lay pieces flat in a greased pie tin. Sprinkle with remaining cheese and bake 22 to 25 minutes or until golden brown.

**Note-this is a perfect dish for kids to help out with. They can spread the sauce and sprinkle the cheese and spinach. It is not the most sophisticated pizza but sometimes having fun with your family is more important.

Homemade Healthy Spaghetti-O's

2 cups chicken or vegetable broth
1 1/2 cups water
8-ounce can tomato sauce
4 ounces alphabet pasta
1 1/2 cups frozen mixed vegetables, thawed
7-3/4-ounce can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Add broth, water, and tomato sauce to a medium saucepan and stir to combine. Cover and bring to a boil. Add pasta, vegetables, and chickpeas, and boil gently, uncovered, until pasta is done, 6 to 8 minutes. Stir occasionally. When cooked, stir in cheese. Top with additional cheese if desired.

**This makes a lot of Spaghetti-O's. If you are only cooking for one or two children, I would cut the recipe in half unless you know for sure they love it and will gobble it up!