Posted by: Trina | November 15, 2011

This article was written by Laura the Founder of MOMables

I admit it.  I know my children do not eat as many fruit and veggies as they should consistently. While I pack them a nutritious lunch with one serving of fruit and vegetables every day (using the MOMables™ menus), I slack off in our busy afternoons juggling between homework, the park and after school activities.  It is true that I usually have ready-made healthy snacks for on the go; but eating another handful of carrots or grapes isn’t always in my kid’s preference list.  What about after dinner? Do your kids ask for a “treat” for making a “happy plate”?  Mine do! My solution: moist, delicious, super-sneaky blueberry & spinach brownies!

Recipe: Sneaky Brownies – adapted from Sneaky Chef’s Brainy Brownies

For a step-by-step guide with pictures check out this post.

Ingredients:

• 4TB unsalted butter
• 3/4 cup semisweet choc chips
• 2 large eggs
• 2 Tsp pure vanilla extract
• 1/3 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup purple puree (following)
• 1/2 flour mix (1/3 white, 1/3 whole wheat, 1/3 wheat germ)
• 1TB unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1/4 tsp baking powder
• 1/4 tsp salt
• Optional: 1/2cup chopped walnuts

Directions:

• Preheat oven 350F. Butter or spray 9×9 pan.
• Melt butter, and chocolate chips in double broiler or microwave. Remove from heat and allow to cool off slightly.
• In another bowl, mix eggs, vanilla, sugar, and purple puree. Combine this mixture into cooled chocolate mixture
• In a mixing bowl, stir together flour blend, cocoa powder, salt and baking powder (and optional walnuts).  Combine chocolate mixture into dry ingredients. Mix well.
• Pour in 9×9 baking pan.
• Bake 20-25min or until toothpick comes out clean.

Keeps 1 week in refrigerator covered lightly.  Now you have healthy treats to bring to school for lunch or after dinner for their “happy plates”!

Purple Puree: – from The Sneaky Chef

• 3 cups raw baby spinach leaves (or 2cups frozen chopped spinach). I suggest you wash them even if you buy them pre-washed
• 1 1/2 cups fresh or frozen blueberries (no syrup or sugar added)
• 1 tsp lemon juice
• 3-4 TB water (I use water from steamed spinach)

Follow steps pictured above. Remember to freeze extra in smaller portions (1/4 or 1/2 cup increments) to use in future recipes.  You can make large batches and have it ready for other things like triple chocolate cookies!

Guest Blogger

Laura Fuentes is the Chief MOM at MOMables™.  A wife, mother of 3 and a lunch enthusiast who insists on healthy, wholesome food for her family.  
On her personal blog, Super Glue Mom, she writes about motherhood, green living, deadlines and keeping her cool, even when her kids super-glued her hair.  She’s also a food contributor to numerous sites, and helps parents overcome the difficulties of cooking for picky eaters.