Toddler Approved Veggie Cake (gluten free, refined-sugar free)

I don't know about you, but in my house it is a daily struggle trying to get my picky eater to take one bite of his veggies. I've tried all the tricks. Putting greens in our morning fruit smoothie? "I don't like this." Covering the broccoli with delicious olive oil and garlic. "Yuck." Cutting up zucchini into minuscule pieces and hiding it in pasta sauce? "What is this?" My goodness, child! This vegetable is the size of a grain of sand. How did you see it? AGH!

I headed off to my computer to search for a recipe. I knew my kid is a sucker for treats so I typed in "Spinach Muffins." Lo and behold, the  Google gods provided me with a variety of options. I tried a couple different recipes but all of them tasted too .... healthy. No duh! There's only 10 cups of spinach in it. I had to take matters into my own hands. I swapped out some ingredients for others and have come up with the ULTIMATE veggie cake. My 2  year old gobbles it up! I can sit back, relax, and feed him plain noodles for dinner knowing I've done my job packing his little body with enough goodness for the day.

I also need to mention that these are GREAT for your child if they need to poop! Oftentimes, our kids' diets can be lacking in fibre and healthy fats, two things that help everything flow smoothly through the system. Oats and spinach, our star ingredients, are high in fibre and are known for preventing or relieving constipation. Hemp hearts are nutritional powerhouses (filled with protein, omega fats, vitamins, and minerals) aiding in gut health and digestion.  This recipe will keep your kid's bodies feeling great :)

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Ingredients:

Dry
2 cups oats
1 cup of hemp hearts
1/2 tsp baking soda
2 tsp baking powder
2 tsp cinnamon
pinch of salt

Wet
1 cup almond milk
1 cup applesauce
1 tbsp vanilla
1 egg*
5-7 dates, depending on how sweet you like it
5 oz of raw spinach (about 6 cups)
1 cup frozen peas

*Vegan option: instead of an egg, use 1/4 cup of flax and 2 tbsp of chia seeds. These come out equally delicious!

Bonus! Our 1 year old loves them as well!

In a high speed blender (like a Blendtec or Vitamix) or food processor, blend all the dry ingredients until it looks like coarse flour. Put in a large bowl and set aside. Put all the wet ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth. I recommend putting the milk, applesauce, and egg in first with the spinach going in last. I've made the mistake of putting the spinach in first and spending 5 minutes pushing it down with a spatula.

Pour your wet ingredients in with your dry and combine well. Place a silicone baking mat on top of a cookie sheet. Pour out the batter onto the mat so that it's about 1/2 an inch thick. The silicone mat is AMAZING here! It allows you to easily remove the cake after it's baked. I got mine at Canadian Tire for $5. You can use parchment paper, but it may be a bit trickier to get off.

Bake for 30 minutes at 375 degrees Celcius and VOILA! You have a nutritious, delicious snack for your picky eaters. Let me know if you try these and if your kids love them as much as mine do. Happy baking!