A Green Cookie

I've wanted a chocolate chip cookies for quite awhile, but didn't actually want one due to this whole "being healthy" thing I'm trying (and sometimes failing at). So, today, since I'm out of spinach, I had to figure out a new healthy treat to feed Time Muncher. I had zucchini, so thus, I made Zucchini Chocolate Chip Cookies. And because I can't leave well enough alone, I tweaked another recipe. The original can be found here. There is likely nothing wrong with that recipe. I just didn't have enough honey (or local honey for that matter) and I added some almond flour. Because I've got some and I have to do something with it. I also added ginger. Because I always add ginger to stuff like this.

Pilot Boy told me these were very good cookies and he almost alway detests when I "experiment" with chocolate chip cookies.

Anyways, here ya go:

Chocolate Chip Cookies with Hidden Zucchini

1/2 cup virgin olive oil (Weird, I know. While all I could smell of the batter of the olive oil, can't taste it once it's baked)
1 egg
1/3 cup white sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1 cup white whole wheat flour
3/4 cup all purpose flour
1/4 cup almond flour (or, 1 cup of all purpose)
1/2 teaspoon baking soda (or if you're an idiot, 1/2 tablespoon and then attempt to pick out some once you realize your mistake. Didn't seem to affect the recipe too badly.)
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon ginger
1 whole zucchini, finely shredded and squeezed to rid of some of the liquid
1/2 cup big chocolate chips (I used dark ones)
1/2 cup mini chocolate chips. (and some over flow if you like chocolate)

What to do with all these things:

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line your cookie sheets with parchment or slip mats. Or not.

2. In a bowl with high sides and that is of medium size, combine the olive oil, egg, white sugar, brown sugar, and vanilla extract. Once these items are in the bowl, use an electric mixer (or a stand one if you want) and...MIX! Until the sugar dissolves.

3. In another bowl of medium size, combine the flours, baking soda, salt, and spices. Combine in a method of your choosing. (I stirred it with a spatula!)

4. Add the dry to the wet. Use your electric mixer till just combined.

5. Then add the zucchini and mix till the greens tuff is throughly mixed into the dough.

6. Dump the chocolate chips in and use the handy spatula (or spoon, fork, or whatever) to combine.

7. Don't panic when all you smell is olive oil.

8. Drop tablespoons of dough onto the cookie sheets, spacing them apart a bit as they do spread a wee bit.

9. Put into the oven and leave there for between 12-15 minutes. (I left mine in for 13:30.)

10. Remove from the oven and allow to cool on the cookie sheets for two minutes.

11. Transfer to wire wracks to complete cooling.

12. Eat.

All Things Green and Sweet (Getting a Toddler to Eat Green Things)

So, once upon a time I had a child who ate anything I fed her. Kale and parsnips, check. Quinoa and blueberries, check. Peas, carrots, and sweet potatoes, check. Any combination of baby food I tried, Time Muncher snarfed down. I was thrilled. I had a child who would eat literally anything! Even things I detested.

Then, I started feeing her actual food, meaning non-baby food. Suddenly, zucchini was littering the floor, peas were being thrown at Basil Bea Dog, and even grilled chicken was left behind to be fed to the dog. I tried sneaking veggies into things she ate, but she'd figure me out and the hour long veggie frittata I had slaved over was smashed into the cup holder on her high chair (followed by her evil genius laughter).

I suddenly had a picky eater. And most problematic was her refusal to eat all things green, even honeydew.

I mentioned this to her doctor (after searching Pinterest and finding a few things to try when it finally cooled down as almost everything required baking) and he mentioned green smoothies.

"It's what we fed our daughter when she refused her greens," he said smiling easily and looking almost fond at the memories.

So, after her doctor appointment, I went to the Neighborhood Market by Walmart (because it's colder there and less crowded and I have a panic disorder), I got a huge bag of kale and spinach, along with some frozen fruit. So, I set up to make smoothies.

I had gone through a smoothie phase when I was in my first trimester, then I decided my blender couldn't handle ice and gave up.

So, while Time Muncher was sleeping, but close to when she was going to wake, I whipped up one of the green smoothie recipes I'd found on Pinterest.

Or, well, I fudged it as I didn't have everything. I mean, I try to be healthy, but I didn't have almond milk, coconut water, or any of the other "healthy" things people these days seem to always have on hand.

I thought it was a little gross the concoction I'd made, but Time Muncher sucked it down. I put the left over into some pouches and gave those to her whenever she was hungry over the next few days. Put anything in a pouch and she will eat it.

I branched out into green smoothies that I liked. The best combo I found happen to use kale. I figure since I'm feeding her spinach muffins, she can get a dose of kale in her smoothie.

Yeah, spinach muffins. These things are so good, I can't stop eating them. They are seriously brilliant. I followed this recipe here. The only change I made was I used white whole wheat all purpose instead of white, but that's all I changed, so I will direct you there instead of rehashing the recipe.

Now, for smoothies, I did look at recipes, but for the most part, I found if I just eyeball it, they turn out better. So, here are my fool proof, toddler approved, green smoothies.

KALE SMOOTHIE

Overflowing handful of chopped kale
Splash of vanilla extract (very small)
Thawed mango and strawberries (or fresh)
A soup spoon or two of plain greek yogurt.
A dash of cinnamon. Or ginger. Or whatever strikes your fancy.

1. Add all ingredients to blender.
2. Turn blender on (after you've plugged it in). Blend.
3. When everything is blended and you cannot see any kale bits remaining, pour into sippy cup and serve instantly.
4. Either put left overs into pouches to enjoy the next day, or finish it yourself.

SPINACH SMOOTHIE

Overflowing handful of spinach
Splash of vanilla extract (very small)
Canned pineapple, chopped or crushed. Or buy the slices and cut them yourself
Half a banana, cut up to ease the pain on the blender.
1/2 c of whole milk
A dash of cinnamon, ginger, or whatever spice you'd like.

1. Put everything into the blender.
2. Plug blender in.
3. Blend until you see no more spinach anywhere.
4. Pour into spippy cup and watch your toddler consume spinach without his or her knowledge.
5. Eat the left overs yourself. Or put in another sippy cup to be enjoyed tomorrow.

The last thing I've snuck spinach into is pancakes. It occurred to me, after finding out how much Time Muncher loved pancakes, she might eat them even if they are green. So, I turned to the trusty Pinterest, found some spinach pancake recipes and went from there.

SPINACH PANCAKES
Tweaked from here.

One large handful of spinach
3/4 cup of plain greek yogurt
1/3 cup of milk (I use whole milk since they are for Time Muncher)
1 large egg
1 tablespoon oil (I used veggie)
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup white whole wheat flour
1/4 cup almond flour (if you have on hand, if not, leave it out)
1 tablespoon of sugar (any type you feel like using, I used white due to the fact it was sitting right there)
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt

1. Plug in your blender. Put a skillet on the stove and turn it on to medium to heat.
2. Put all wet ingredients into the blender with the spinach.
3. Blend, blend, blend, blend.
4. Whilst blending, get a large mixing bowl and combine the dry ingredients. Stir until they are combined.
5. Add the wet to dry and mix. If the batter is still too thick, add more milk. If it's too thin, add a little bit of flour. (Each time I've made this, the batter's been too thick, so I added a little more milk. Batter should be thin, but not liquified.)
6. Using a tablespoon, add a dollop of batter to the skillet. Depending on skillet, you might get more or two into the pan.
7. Stand and stare at them till they start to bubble. If they don't bubble (because they are too thick) wait about two or three minutes if you like timing things.
8. Flip!
9. Sing a little ditty in your head.
10. Upon finishing your ditty (which ought to be two minutes or so long), remove pancake from skillet.
11. Wait for it to cool before feeding it toddler.

To reheat the left overs you will likely have (unless your husband is home and he eats them all because they are "SO SMALL! Why are they mini pancakes? Why can't you just make regular pancakes?"), microwave for 25 seconds to heat the middle, then warm on a heated skillet or griddle for a minute just to crisp the outside up. You'd never know they were nuked. Trust me.