How to Hide Vegetables in Sweet Treats: Ingenious and Nutritious Quick Dessert Recipes

If you’re a parent, especially of a picky eater, getting your child to eat vegetables can be a real challenge. Many children are turned off by the taste or texture of vegetables, despite their high nutritional value. Even adults, for that matter, often refuse to be open to eating most vegetables.

However, there is an ingenious way to ensure that your child gets all the nutrients in a tasty dish without even realizing that it’s packed with vegetables. Mask the taste and presence of the veggies with other ingredients. This method works not just for savory dishes but also for desserts.

Many vegetables have a natural sweetness or a neutral flavor to them that can pair well with dessert ingredients. Zucchini and carrots can be grated into homemade cake recipes and brownie batters, sweet potatoes and pumpkins are perfect for pies, and puddings, and so is beetroot. Avocados can be used to make rich and velvety mousses and pudding, and spinach can also be puréed and hidden in cookies, cakes and brownies. So, keep reading for the most delish dessert recipes with vegetables in them!

Zucchini Brownies

Ingredients:

• 256 gm flour
• 64 gm cocoa powder
• 112 ml vegetable oil
• 300 gm granulated sugar
• 1 tbsp vanilla extract
• 1 ½ tsp baking soda
• ¼ tsp salt
• 450 gm shredded zucchini
• 210 gm chocolate chopped into chunks

Instructions:

• Preheat the oven to 180°C and line a 9x13 inch baking tray with parchment paper.
• Combine oil, vanilla extract, and sugar in a bowl and beat until the sugar has completely dissolved.
• Add flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, and salt to this.
• The mixture will be dry and crumbly but that will change once you add the shredded zucchini. Do not squeeze any liquid from it because this will add moisture to your brownies.
• Once the zucchini is folded into the batter, allow it to rest for 5 minutes.
• Finally, fold in the chopped chunky chocolate. You can also use large chocolate chips if you like.
• Transfer the brownie batter into a baking tin and evenly spread using a spatula.
• Bake in the oven for 40-45 minutes or until a skewer comes out clean.
• Let the brownies rest outside for 5-10 minutes, then remove from the pan and let them cool down on a wire rack.
• Slice and serve.

Broccoli Ice Cream

Ingredients:

• 1-2 frozen ripe bananas
• 240 gm finely chopped or riced broccoli
• 118 ml cold dairy or non-dairy milk
• 1 tbsp cocoa powder
• Handful of almonds
• 3 pitted medjool dates
• 240 gm frozen berries

Instructions:

• Combine all of the ingredients in a large food processor.
• Blend well until everything has mixed well and looks thick. You can loosen it slightly if it seems too thick.
• You can add half a banana if it’s too thin.
• Pour this into an ice cream maker and set the device to create ice cream.
• Else you can pour it in a container and mix every few hours.
• Serve with some more berries on top or with a berry coulis if you want. 

Chocolate Avocado Mousse

Ingredients:

• 1 large ripe avocado or 2 small ones
• 120 gm chopped chocolate (dark or semi-sweet)
• 1 tbsp coconut oil
• 2-3 tbsp maple syrup
• 1 tsp instant coffee powder
• ½ tsp vanilla extract 

Instructions:

• Scoop out the avocado from its shell and add it to a food processor.
• Then melt the chopped chocolate in the microwave in 30 second intervals. Give it a mix, then add the coconut oil.
• Pour this over the avocado, along with maple syrup, instant coffee powder, and vanilla extract.
• Give all these ingredients a good whiz in the food processor until they are mixed and airy.

Pour into individual serving cups, and garnish with some chocolate shavings. You can also serve it with some sweetened whipped cream.