Mango quinoa

1/2 cup quinoa
1 cup water
1 cup mango salsa

1. Rinse quinoa well. Three or four washes should do the trick to get rid of the bitter saponins.
2. Bring quinoa and water to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer for 20 minutes.
3. Add salsa and bring to a boil.

I serve this over a bed of spinach, with a topping of some more mango salsa. Yum!

Mango salsa

1 28-oz can of tomatoes, drained
1 small onion, chopped
1 1/2 tsp cumin
1 1/2 tsp salt
1 bunch cilantro, washed and chopped
2 tsp tamarind paste or lemon juice
(optional) jalapeño peppers, to taste
1 to 2 tart mangoes, peeled and diced

1. Mix the first six ingredients together.
2. Process through a food processor until desired consistency. (You can skip this step for a pico de gallo.)
3. Add diced mangoes.
   
4. Serve with tortilla chips.

I've tried frozen mangos, but they're simply too tasteless to do the recipe justice. Please adjust the salt to your preference.

Hidden veggie pasta sauce

1/3 cauliflower
1 tbsp olive oil
1/2 calabaza or zucchini squash, sliced
1 small onion, chopped
1 tsp garlic, finely chopped
1 28-oz can diced tomatoes
1 6-oz can of tomato paste
1 can V8 juice
2 tsp italian seasoning
1 tsp dried parsley
1 tsp salt
(optional) 1 bag frozen meatballs

1. Steam cauliflower until tender, about 5 mins.
2. Puree cauliflower in a food processor or blender. (By the way, pureed cauliflower can be hidden in all sorts of foods, including pancakes and mac and cheese. Don't tell my kids!)
3. Cook onions, garlic and squash in olive oil over medium heat until translucent.
4. Puree squash mixture in a food processor or blender.
5. Bake meatballs according to package instructions. (I cut 5 minutes off the bake time, since the meatballs will continue to heat in the sauce.)
6. Mix all the ingredients in a large pot, bring to a boil, and simmer on low for 30 minutes.

This is the veggie-est sneaky vegetable dish in my repertoire. Paired with the popular pasta shape of the day, my kids have no idea how much good stuff they're eating.

Granola bars

I just use Joyful Abode's fantastic recipe, trying different fruits, seeds and nuts. I use jaggery (panela) instead of brown sugar.

Eggnog Popovers

2 large eggs
1 cup eggnog
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/8 tsp nutmeg
1 cup all purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1-2 tbsp melted butter the pan

1. Preheat the oven to 450F.
2. Heat a muffin tin, greased well with the melted butter, in the oven for 5 minutes while you mix the batter.
3. In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs, eggnog, vanilla and nutmeg. When smooth, whisk in flour and salt.
4. Remove heated muffin tin from oven and quickly divide the batter into the muffin cups.
5. Bake for 20 minutes at 450F, then use a sharp knife to poke a small hole in the top of each popover. This prevents them from deflating.
6. Turn oven down to 375F. Bake for an additional 15 minutes, until golden brown and crisp.

Slow-Cooker Spaghetti and Meatballs

1 lb frozen meatballs
1/2 cup chopped onion
3 1/2 cups vegetable juice (I use V8)
1 6-oz can of tomato paste
2 tsp italian seasoning
1 tsp dried parsley
1 tbsp olive oil

1. Cook onions in olive oil over medium heat until translucent.
2. Place meatballs in greased slow cooker insert. Add onions, juice, tomato paste and herbs, and cover.*
3. Cook on low for 6-8 hours.
4. An hour before you eat, add the spaghetti. Stir occasionally to prevent clumping.>

*At this point, the insert can be stored in the fridge. Just get it started before you leave for the day, and dinner's hot and ready 30 minutes after you get home.

The vegetable juice in this dish is a good way to sneak veggies into your meal.

Pumpkin Pancakes

1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup whole wheat flour
3 tbsp raw sugar
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp ground allspice
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground ginger
1/2 tsp salt
1 3/4 cups milk
1 can (15 oz.) pumpkin puree
1 tbsp molasses
1 egg
2 tbsp vegetable oil
2 tbsp vinegar

1. Combine the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, spices and salt in a medium bowl.
2. In a separate bowl, whisk together the milk, pumpkin, molasses, egg, oil and vinegar.*
3. Add dry ingredients to wet and stir lightly.
4. Heat a lightly oiled frying pan over medium high heat and reduce heat to medium.
5. Scoop the batter onto the griddle, using 1/4 cup for each pancake. Spread the batter out so that each pancake is 1/4-1/2 inch thick.
6. Brown on both sides and serve hot.

*Buttermilk can be used in place of the milk and vinegar. I just never have any!

Serve with maple syrup. I'm always in search of healthy ways to sneak vegetables into my family's diet. My toddlers gobble these pancakes up! The whole wheat flour adds to the heartiness of this dish.