Hands down, this has been my kids’ most requested recipe in the past two weeks. Since the Kenya and Chloe started spotting beautiful emerald green asparagus wrapped in bundles at our local Farmers’ Market they have been requesting it for dinner non-stop. Instead of simply steaming the asparagus, I make a mixture of lemon and olive oil to coat them with before AND after grilling.

No exaggeration, I’ve made this recipe for dinner 4 times in the last week. This past weekend my in-laws came over and the whole family had dinner together, enjoying steak, salmon, salad, roast potatoes and this asparagus recipe which flew off the platter faster then anything else on the menu!

Grilled Lemon Asparagus (serves 4)

1 Bunch Green Asparagus
1 Tbsp Olive Oil
2 Tbsp Lemon Juice
1/4 Tsp Kosher Salt

1. Preheat grill and place all of the ingredients in a shallow dish to combine.
2. Evenly coat the asparagus with the lemon mixture.
3. Grill asparagus, reserving the lemon mixture, for 2 minutes on each side for thin asparagus and 3 minutes on each side for thicker asparagus.
4. Remove asparagus from the grill, place back into the bowl and toss to coat with reserved lemon mixture.
5. Serve.

Easter is almost here and my kids are already asking what kind of treats they’ll be getting. Maybe it’s because they hang around me too much, but when my guys know a holiday is coming up, it’s all about the food for them.

As the name of this recipe states, these muffins are made with carrot, apple and coconut and are so naturally sweet and tender, you could put a few in your kids’ Easter baskets and they wouldn’t be at all out of place. And while muffins may not be an obvious substitute for jelly beans, Peeps or chocolate eggs, I guarantee they won’t disappoint your little Easter bunnies!

Carrot, Apple & Coconut Muffins (Makes 30 Mini Muffins)

1 1/2 Cups All Purpose Flour
1 Tsp Baking Powder
1/2 Tsp Baking Soda
1/2 Tsp Salt
1/2 Cup Unsweetened Coconut Flakes
2 Carrots, peeled & grated, about 1 cup
1 Apple, peeled & grated, about 1/2 cup (gala, fuji, pink lady or red delicious are good choices)
2 Large Eggs
1 Tsp Vanilla Extract
1/3 Cup Milk
1/4 Cup Vegetable or Canola Oil
1/2 Cup Honey

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Combine the first 7 ingredients in a bowl.
3. In a separate bowl, combine the remaining ingredients.
4. Slowly add the dry ingredients into the wet and stir to combine.
5. Place 1 tbsp of batter into greased mini muffin tins.
6. Bake for 15 minutes.
7. Serve.

How often do you start making lunch or dinner and are at a loss for what veggie to add to the meal? Carrots are always a great and colorful choice, but maybe you’re not in the mood to have to cook at the stove. I love eating raw carrots, but sometimes I find that they can be hard to digest if I eat too many or if I don’t chew them really well. I imagine that the same thing might happen to kids.

This carrot salad is the easy answer to both issues. All you need is a grater to turn beta carotene packed carrots into a light, sweet salad that takes only minutes to prepare and goes down nice and easy!

Carrot Raisin Salad (Serves 4)

4 Carrots, grated (about 2 cups)
Juice of 1/2 a Lemon
1 Tbsp Mayonnaise
1/2 Cup Raisins
1/2 Tsp Kosher Salt

1. Place all the ingredients in a bowl and stir to combine.
2. Serve.

Some vegetables take less effort to get kids to eat than others. While brussel sprouts and lima beans might not always be favorites of your little ones, I bet carrots are a pretty easy sell. For starters, they’re not green, a color most kids associate with their veggies. And along with being naturally sweet, carrots are a gold mine of nutrition and a great source of beta-carotene. Beta-carotene converts to Vitamin A, which is essential for good vision.

Still, some kids will avoid vegetables at any turn. The fun part of this recipe is turning carrots into something they won’t be able to say no to. These carrot chips couldn’t be easier to make and they are so delicious and fun to eat, you’ll likely find yourself running back to the market for more carrots for the next batch! Best of all, they are a great way to get kids to eat their veggies, and that should make every mom happy.

Carrot Chips (Serves 4)

4 Carrots
Salt to taste

1. Preheat oven to 250 degrees.
2. Using a mandoline or a knife, thinly slice the carrots into rounds.
3. Place the carrot chips on a silpat or parchment-lined cookie sheet, sprinkle lightly with salt and bake for 45 minutes.
4. Serve.

We used this to make this recipe:

Kyocera CSN-202-RD Adjustable Mandoline Slicer, Red

When I think about Easter, I think about bunny rabbits. And when I think about bunny rabbits, I think about carrots! So in honor of this holiday we’re going to have some fun and make carrot pancakes for Easter brunch. We did a test run for this recipe 2 weeks ago and I couldn’t believe how yummy it turned out. Pancakes are certainly delicious on their own, but when you add finely shredded carrots, walnuts and a touch of cinnamon to the mix, it gives them a wonderful added texture and flavor. And as good as these pancakes are dipped in a bit of maple syrup or honey, they’re just as delicious on their own.

Whether you’re making brunch this Easter for a big group or just staying home with your family, these carrot pancakes are a healthy spring treat that your little bunnies are sure to love.

Carrot Pancakes (Makes 20-25 Pancakes)

1 1/4 Cup Flour
2 Tsp Baking Powder
1/2 Tsp Ground Cinnamon
1/4 Tsp Salt
1/4 Cup Walnuts, chopped
3 Tbsp Brown Sugar
3/4 Cup Buttermilk
1 Tbsp Canola or Vegetable Oil
1 Tsp Vanilla Extract
2 Large Eggs, whisked
1 1/2 Cups Carrots, shredded fine (about 3 small carrots)
Butter or Oil for cooking

1. Place the first 5 ingredients in a bowl and stir to combine.
2. In another bowl, place sugar, buttermilk, oil, vanilla, carrot and eggs and mix.
3. Add the dry ingredients to the wet and mix.
4. Heat a large skillet over medium heat and lightly coat with butter or oil.
5. Spoon about 1/4 cup of batter onto the skillet and cook for 2 minutes on each side or until golden.
6. Serve with honey or maple syrup.

*Allow to cool, place in a ziploc bag, label and freeze. When ready, place in toaster oven or oven at 300 and heat for 10 minutes or until heated through.

There has only been one other recipe that I’ve tested for weelicious — the Dark Chocolate Cupcake — that took as many tries to perfect as this recipe. It required 9 tries to make the perfect pineapple carrot muffin WITHOUT using refined sugar and here it is! I’m really excited about how they came out because not only did Kenya love them, but the final batch was gorgeous, super easy to prepare (once I got the flavor right!) and made the perfect amount of muffins for a few days worth of meals and snacks for our family. The best part, though, is that they freeze extremely well too. You can toss a bunch in a zipper bag and into the freezer and whenever you need one, just put it in your little one’s school lunchbox and it will be defrosted and ready to eat by lunchtime. Isn’t it great when a recipe actually makes life easier?!

Pineapple Carrot Muffins (Makes 14 Muffins)

1 1/4 Cup All Purpose Flour
3/4 Cup Wheat Flour
2 Tsp Baking Powder
1/2 Tsp Baking Soda
1/2 Tsp Salt
1/2 Cup Butter, melted
1/2 Cup Agave Nectar or Honey
2 Eggs
1 Tsp Vanilla Extract
1/2 Cup Pineapple, chopped fine and drained well OR 1 8 oz Can Crushed Pineapple, drained well
1 Cup Shredded Carrot (about 2 Large Carrot)
1/2 Cup Walnuts, optional

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees,
2. In a large bowl combine the flours, baking powder, baking soda and salt.
3. In a separate bowl combine the butter and agave using a whisk or an electric beater to combine.
4. Add the eggs and whisk to combine.
5. Add the vanilla, pineapple, carrots and walnuts (if using) to the butter mixture.
6. Stir in the dry ingredients, making sure not to over mix.
7. Scoop the batter into regular size, paper lined muffin cups.
8. Bake for 22-25 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.
9. Cool and serve.

We used these to make this recipe:

KitchenAid Precision 24-cup Mini Muffin Pan

If there’s one food you can always find in our refrigerator, it’s hard boiled eggs. I usually buy a dozen every Sunday at the farmer’s market, boil them up as soon as we get home and then put a big bowl of them in the fridge. Packed with protein and iron, these little orbs are a favorite with everyone in our house, especially when they’re on the go. They work for pretty much every meal.

My husband usually just pops a whole one in his mouth with a little salt. I appreciate the simplicity of that, but you can be simple and still have a bit more fun. Egg salad sandwiches only take seconds to whip up and you can really have fun with your ingredients from dijon mustard to grated carrots to capers. People can get quite finicky about what goes in their egg salad, though, so know your audience. In our house, pickles are a must. We also have dill growing like weeds in our garden, so I added some to this recipe and it took it from simple to spectacular. I truly consider this a gourmet egg salad, which even the tiniest little eater will love.

Egg Salad Sandwich (Makes 3 Sandwiches)

4 Hard Boiled Eggs, chopped
1 Dill Pickle, chopped fine
3 Tbsp Vegannaise or Mayonnaise
1 Tsp Fresh Dill, chopped
Salt
1 Celery Stalk, chopped fine
2 Tsp Lemon Juice
6 Slices of Bread

1. Combine all the ingredients in a bowl.
2. Place filling on top of bread to make sandwiches.
3. Serve.

I’ve rarely met a kid (or an adult for that matter) that doesn’t like carrots. I couldn’t resist buying these adorable miniature stumpy carrots I found at the farmers’ market. You can use any type of carrot you find for this recipe, but I just thought these were so funny looking and had to try them.
Carrots are packed with fiber and beta-carotene which the body converts into vitamin A, necessary for healthy skin and vision. When the carrots are sauted with the sweet orange juice in this recipe, they become coated with a delicious, sweet glaze and no sugar is needed. These
are perfect for a quick and easy holiday dish or any time of the year for that matter.

Orange Glazed Carrots (Makes 6 Big Kid Servings)

1 Tbsp Vegetable Oil
1 Lb Carrots, peeled and chopped
3/4 Cup Orange Juice
1/2 Tsp Orange Zest
1 Inch Piece Ginger, grated
Sea or Kosher Salt, to taste

1. Heat oil in a saute pan over medium heat. Add the carrots and cook for 3 minutes.
2. Add the orange juice, orange zest and ginger.
3. Bring mixture to a boil, cover and reduce heat to a simmer for 15 minutes.
4. Cook until carrots are tender and orange juice mixture becomes a glaze.
5. Serve.

I’m like a kid in a candy store this time of year at the farmer’s market. Last weekend it was in the high 50′s (that’s cold for LA) when I got to the market at 8 am, and it finally felt like fall had arrived. Just looking around at the produce you could see all sorts of new fresh new fruits and veggies debuting in different stalls. Sweet persimmons, different varieties of squash, pumpkins and one of my favorites, multi-colored baby carrots. I couldn’t resist buying a bag full!
Whenever I make these for my father-in-law, no matter how many pounds I make, they always disappear completely. He says he could eat just the carrots for dinner and be happy. Interesting how Kenya kept devouring them one after the other just like “Bop Pop” (as Kenya calls him).
Carrots are rich in beta-carotene and fiber so they’re especially good for little ones healthy vision and skin. I bought 2 pounds of these carrots, roasted them and kept them for all of us to munch on throughout the week. The skins on baby carrot are so thin, you just have to give them a good scrub and rinse. The touch of maple syrup this recipe calls for adds an extra bit of caramelization and gives them that sweet, nutty flavor that takes them from great to amazing!

Roast Baby Carrots (4 Big Kid Servings)

1/2 Lb Baby Carrots (you could also large peeled carrots cut into stick shapes)
1 Tbsp Maple Syrup
1 Tbsp Olive Oil
Kosher or Sea Salt, to taste
Olive or Vegetable spray

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
2. In a bowl, mix the carrots with the maple syrup, oil and salt.
3. Lightly coat a cookie sheet with spray.
4. Place the carrots on the cookie sheet.
5. Bake for 45 minutes or until tender and golden.
6. Serve.

When I tell you that Kenya took the bowl of this carrot ginger dip and tried to drink it, that gives you some idea about how much he LOVED it.
I get so many emails from parents saying that their little ones won’t eat vegetables. In my experience if you give them something to dip their vegetables in, magically they want to give it a try. I’m not saying this will work with every child, but it’s worked for many people I’ve suggested it to.
Taking the vegetable pieces and dipping them in a variety of different sauces makes eating a fun activity. One of my readers even suggested coming up with little names for the veggies like “trees” for broccoli, “logs” for carrots and “sticks” for beans. You can also try eating veggies with your child. Even better, at our farmers’ market you can buy all kinds of different fruits and vegetables by the piece, so I don’t have to spend tons of money before figuring out which his favorites will be.
I’ll be posting more dips in the future and I guarantee this will be a good start for little ones that usually have an aversion to vegetables.

Carrot, Ginger, Miso Dip (Makes 1/2 Cup)

1 Large Carrot, finely grated (about 1/2 Cup)
1 Tbsp Ginger, minced
1 Tbsp Rice Wine Vinegar
1 Tbsp Yellow or White Miso
3 Tbsp Canola or Vegetable Oil

1. Place the first 4 ingredients in a food processor or blender and puree.
2. Drizzle in the oil while machine is running until puree is thick and creamy.
3. Serve.

We used these to make this recipe:

Cuisinart DLC-2 Mini Prep Plus Food Processor

Oxo Good Grips Box Grater