Healthy Diet for October 3 – Veggies for Dessert

With creativity you can it veggies anywhere into any meal—even dessert!

Carrots, pumpkin, and sweet potatoes, rich in beta carotene, make great dessert ingredients; enjoy them in Southern-style pudding. Corn and zucchini appear in sweet breads; tofu, in cheesecake and frozen desserts; rhubarb in pie; even cucumber in a refreshing sorbet!

For vegetables in your dessert menu:

• Blend a pumpkin smoothie. Whirl canned pumpkin, fat-free milk, frozen vanilla yogurt, a dash of pumpkin pie spice or cinnamon in a blender.
• Use carrot juice as the liquid in baked goods. It won’t taste like carrots!

Chocolate Zucchini Muffins

• 11⁄2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1⁄4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1⁄2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1⁄4 cup ground flaxseed
• 1⁄2 cup margarine
• 1⁄4 cup vegetable oil
• 11⁄2 cups sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1⁄2 cup buttermilk
• 2 cups finely grated unpeeled Zucchini

Preheat oven to 350°F. In a bowl, combine flour, cocoa, salt, baking soda, baking powder, and ground flaxseed. In a separate bowl, cream margarine, oil, and sugar. Add eggs and buttermilk. Add flour mixture, stirring until just mixed. Add zucchini and mix. Fill paper baking cups half to two-thirds full. Bake 18 to 20 minutes or until wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Remove and cool on rack. Makes 24 muffins.