Chocolate Lentil Spinach Muffins AKA How to Get Your Kids to Eat More Veggies

Hi Mom friends! This post is for you. Right now I'm dealing with the PICKIEST toddler, and the only way I can currently get him to eat veggies is to hide them in smoothies, pancakes and muffins which are three foolproof ways to get him to pack in the greens. I know a lot of other parents dealing with super picky kids, too, so here's the recipe for amazing muffins that actually taste incredible and that are packed with so much nutrition, it's actually shocking!

This recipe is super versatile; I've used coconut yogurt in place of the applesauce, and white sweet potato instead of pumpkin when I've been short on ingredients. It's great with or without the protein powder but it's nice to sneak in even extra protein into the kids' diet!

Want more ways to get your kids to eat what you want? Here's my two best hacks as a mom of three:

1. A "play" plate where they can literally play with their food and makes it way more likely for them to eat it! My toddler both the dinosaur one and the car one, but loves the construction/car one most of all.

2. Sprinkles. Yup. I've put sprinkles on salmon, oatmeal, even broccoli. Sounds gross but little kids will eat almost anything with sprinkles on it! Just be sure it's dye-free ones, of course.

GF Fluffy Chocolate Veggie Muffins

Chocolate Lentil Spinach Muffins

Yields 1-1/2 dozen

Ingredients:

2 eggs

4 TBSP maple syrup

1/2 cup pumpkin puree or mashed sweet potato

1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce

1 cup cooked green lentils

4 TBSP avocado oil

1-1/4 cup raw spinach

4 TBSP any nondairy milk

1-1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract

1-1/3 cup gf flour

3 TBSP arrowroot or tapioca flour

2 TBSP cacao powder

3 TBSP chocolate protein powder*

1 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp baking soda

1 tsp cinnamon

1/2 tsp nutmeg (optional)

Sprinkle of sea salt

Directions:

1. First off, cook the lentils by boiling in water and simmering 20 min or according to the package instructions. Drain then let cool.

2. Preheat oven to 375F, and grease a muffin tin with avocado oil or line with cupcake liners.

3. Place the wet ingredients in a blender, and blend until smooth. Next, pulse in the dry ingredients.

4. Pour into muffin tin, topping with 1/4 cup nondairy chocolate chips (note: I use coconut-sweetened ones when I can and that’s how the recipe stays refined-sugar-free or omit) If desired.

5. Bake for 17-19 min or until an inserted toothpick comes out clean

*This is the one I used because it bakes the best out of the zillion protein powders I have tried, but you can omit and use extra cocoa or cacao powder instead if desired.