Veggie Monster Rocks

Jennifer Leckey JENNIFER LECKEY

Here are some veggie balls that will make your little monsters smile!

There’s no disputing that our kids are some of the toughest food critics around; they like what they like and they certainly won’t sugar-coat it if they don’t like what’s served up in front of them. Many parents all over Australia face a daily battle with their kiddies at meal times, particularly when it comes to the plate-to-belly fruit and veggie mission. With only one in twenty Australian children meeting the recommended daily fruit and vegetable intake , it’s time to think a bit more creatively about what and how we feed our little ones.

Make Them Special!

Remember, presentation is everything! A pair of eyes transforms a veggie ball into a monster rock; super cute, delicious straight out of the oven, perfect for on-the-go munching, and most importantly, packs a mean nutritional punch. Did you know, just 100 grams of broccoli has two days’ supply of vitamin C? An abundance of leafy greens, which are a great source of vitamins, folate, magnesium and potassium, turn these little veggie balls into a tasty snack with attitude that your little monsters will adore.

Veggie Monster Rocks

Yield: Makes twenty-four small rocks.

Ingredients

  • 3 tbsp flax seeds, ground*
  • 6 tbsp water*
  • 80 g (2½ cups) spinach/kale
  • 200 g (2 cups) broccoli - equates to one half medium broccoli
  • 200 g (1⅓ cups) spelt flour/light spelt flour
  • 20 g (1/3 cup) nutritional yeast**
  • 2 tbsp basil pesto
  • Salt and pepper
  • Edible eyes (DIY or purchase online )

Method

  1. Preheat oven to 180°C (350°F).
  2. Mix flax seeds with water and let sit for 10 minutes.
  3. Blitz spinach and broccoli in food processor until a breadcrumb consistency. Add all other ingredients, including flax seed mixture, and mix to combine.
  4. Spoon heaped tablespoons of mixture onto a lined baking tray. Cook for 25 minutes or until firm and beginning to brown on top. Enjoy straight out of the oven or cooled as a snack.

My girls love these straight out of the oven or once cooled with a thin spread of cream cheese or butter. Great for on-the-go munching!

Suggestions for making eyes - vegan cream cheese for the white of the eye and a piece of black olive for the pupil.

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NOTES

* You can replace the ground flax seeds and water with three eggs.
** You can replace the nutritional yeast with 85 g (1½ cups) cheddar




Jennifer Leckey

BY JENNIFER LECKEY

Jennifer Leckey is a British/Australian mother of two young girls with another little one on the way. She has a passion for cooking fun, delicious, and nutritious food for her family. Away from the kitchen she is a teacher but as a side project has teamed up with fellow mum and health-food enthusiast, Judy Moosmueller, to create two healthy recipes books for children, 'There’s A Beetroot In My Cake' and 'There’s A Carrot In My Piñata'.