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Healthy Toddler Lunch Plate with Hidden Veggie Muffins Easy Recipe

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A nutritious and easy toddler lunch plate featuring hidden veggie muffins made with shredded zucchini and carrot, paired with fresh fruit for a balanced and appealing meal.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 1 cup (120g) whole wheat flour
  • ½ cup (60g) rolled oats
  • 1 tsp baking powder
  • ½ tsp baking soda
  • ¼ tsp salt
  • 1 tsp ground cinnamon (optional)
  • 1 cup (240ml) unsweetened applesauce
  • 1 large egg, room temperature
  • 2 tbsp maple syrup or honey
  • ½ cup (60g) finely shredded zucchini (squeezed to remove excess moisture)
  • ½ cup (60g) finely shredded carrot
  • 2 tbsp vegetable oil or melted coconut oil
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1 small apple, sliced
  • ½ cup (75g) seedless grapes, halved
  • ½ cup (75g) blueberries or seasonal berries

Instructions

  1. Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Line a 12-cup muffin tin with paper liners or lightly grease with oil.
  2. Finely shred ½ cup each of zucchini and carrot. Squeeze out excess moisture from zucchini using a clean kitchen towel.
  3. In a medium bowl, whisk together whole wheat flour, rolled oats, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon until well blended.
  4. In another bowl, whisk together applesauce, egg, maple syrup, oil, and vanilla extract until combined.
  5. Pour wet ingredients into dry ingredients and stir gently with a spatula until just combined. Avoid overmixing.
  6. Fold in the shredded zucchini and carrot until evenly distributed.
  7. Spoon batter evenly into muffin cups, filling each about ¾ full (makes 10-12 muffins).
  8. Bake for 18-22 minutes, checking doneness with a toothpick inserted in the center; it should come out clean or with a few moist crumbs.
  9. Let muffins cool in the tin for 5 minutes, then transfer to a cooling rack to cool completely.
  10. Serve muffins warm or at room temperature alongside fresh fruit slices.

Notes

Squeeze excess moisture from zucchini to prevent soggy muffins. Avoid overmixing batter to keep muffins tender. Muffins freeze well; thaw overnight in fridge or warm briefly before serving. For dairy-free, replace egg with flax egg and use coconut oil. For gluten-free, substitute whole wheat flour with almond flour and add an extra egg or more applesauce for moisture.

Nutrition

Keywords: toddler lunch, hidden veggie muffins, healthy muffins, zucchini muffins, carrot muffins, toddler snacks, easy toddler recipes, nutritious toddler meals

Find it online: https://lumalunch.com/healthy-toddler-lunch-plate-with-hidden-veggie-muffins-easy-recipe/