Vegetable Latkes combine the kid-friendly appeal of the potato latke with the extra nutrition from the addition of zucchini, carrots and parsley. Sponsored by Grocery Outlet.
Who would have thought that my 12-year old Professor would eat vegetables. This is the boy who wanted plain noodles and bland food when he was old enough to express an opinion. Now he eats broccoli, Brussels sprouts and (gasp) tomato soup!
It goes to show that you should never give up introducing veggies to your kids. As they mature, so do their taste buds. And one day, your kid will tell you that asparagus isn’t that bad after all.
But it’s not all fine and dandy around the dinner table. I still sneak veggies like sweet potato, broccoli and spinach into our pasta sauce. I also mix cauliflower into the mac and cheese. And now, I’ve got carrots and zucchini hiding in my latkes.
No one noticed. And they were devoured in a flash!
Vegetable Latkes
Latkes are a family favorite, so make them healthier by adding nutritious vegetables. Recipe by Laura Bashar of Family Spice
Ingredients:
- 1/2 lb carrot
- 1/2 lb zucchini
- 1 lb russet potato
- 2 eggs, large
- 1/2 cup Italian parsley
- 2 TBS all-purpose flour
- 1 1/4 tsp salt
- 1/4 tsp black pepper, ground
- 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
Directions:
- Wash and scrub clean:
- 1/2 lb carrot
- 1/2 lb zucchini
- Trim the ends and using a food processor with a grating blade, shred the vegetables.
- Wash and peel:
- 1 lb russet potato
- Shred the potatoes with the rest of the vegetables.
- Transfer the vegetables to a large mixing bowl, squeezing out any excess water.
- Mix with the vegetables:
- 2 eggs, large
- 1/2 cup parsley, Italian , chopped
- 2 TBS all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp salt
- 1/4 tsp black pepper, ground
- In a large non-stick skillet, over medium-high heat, cover the bottom with 1/2-inch of:
- 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
- When the oil is hot, scoop out approximately 1/4-cup of the vegetables and press flat and to squeeze out any excess water.
- Pan-fry until golden brown on each side, about 2-3 minutes.
- Remove from the oil and drain on paper towels.
- Fry the cakes in small batches and do not over crowd the pan. Add more oil, if needed.
- Season with:
- 1/4 tsp salt
Prep Time:
Yield: 12 servings
Cook Time:
Not only is it difficult to serve healthy meals that will make 5 different sets of taste buds happy. But to keep my grocery list for this family of 5 within a reasonable budget is my other challenge. I am blessed to be a stay-at-home mom, and that doesn’t go without the necessary financial sacrifices.
I had the opportunity to shop at The Grocery Outlet, almost like a mini warehouse experience. I was please to find low prices not only with their fresh produce, but also with pantry items and household products. The vegetables I used in this recipe were purchased from there.
I was happy to find a nice variety of organic produce and products, plus even gluten-free brands that I know and use. From kale to brie and everything in between, I enjoyed exploring and learning that low prices doesn’t mean low quality. Yes, there were some brands I was not familiar with, but I found plenty to feed my family. As it is, I shop at multiple stores to take advantage of sales and to purchase specific products to feed my family. I will definitely add The Grocery Outlet to my list of stores.
The giveaway is now closed. Congratulations to our winner, Stasi. Have fun shopping at the Grocery Outlet!
And for those of you who have a Grocery Outlet near you (you can look here for a store near you), I have a $50 Gift Card for you to win! To enter the contest:
Share your tips on feeding your family on a budget below in the comments.
For extra entries:
Follow the Grocery Outlet on Twitter and leave a comment below that you did.Find your local Grocery Outlet on Facebook, like them and leave a comment below that you did.Follow Family Spice on Pinterest and leave a comment below that you did.Pin any one of these Vegetable Latke pictures and leave a comment below that you did.
Those eligible for the contest must live near a Grocery Outlet (store map here). Contest ends 8/31/2013.
Disclosure: I was only provided a gift card to The Grocery Outlet so I could experience their store for myself. The opinions I expressed are my own. If I didn’t like it, I wouldn’t blog about it.
Laura (Tutti Dolci) says
I love these, such a tasty way to sneak in more veggies!
Hani/Haniela's says
Those look so good, I love veggie latkes. I’m not entering the giveaway they don’t have a store where I live.
Helene D'souza says
Gasp you got your kids to eat veggies!? I remember i was very stubborn, wouldn’t swallow leek and god forbid spinach. Your latkes look very tempting so I can understand that they got “fooled” with the veggies. Nice one Laura! =)
Kierstin says
I tend to buy in bulk whenever possible. We want to add an extra freezer so we can store all that bulk food. I have also bought fresh produce from Costco and shared with a friend so the portions were more manageable.
Kierstin says
Followed on twitter
Kierstin says
Followed Poway grocery outlet
Kierstin says
I follow you on Pinterest 🙂
Kierstin says
Latkes pinned!
john@kitchenriffs says
Good dish! I make something similar (more pancake-like), but you sneak in a whole lot more good stuff than I do. Great picture!
Gina says
Those look great!
We like to purchase things like rice, beans, flour, sugar & salt in the big 25lb bulk bags. Really saves us by not purchasing in the smaller more convenient packaging.
Gina says
Following Grocery Outlet on twittter- @firefam5
Gina says
Following you on Pinterest – pinterest.com/firefam5
Jen @ Savory Simple says
Your photos are so gorgeous! I’ve always loved latkes and these sound wonderful.
Eha says
Not eligible to enter, but love the sound of these latkes and shall copy!! I must have been brought up in a most peculiar household as saying ‘no’ to a food was simply not on: you ate what was on your plate!! Honest injun, I brought up two girls who ASKED for asparagus by the time they were 3-4 . . . ate all kinds of ‘weird and wonderful’ stuff in Japan and China by the same time? Huh, where did I get lucky 🙂 ? All our family said ‘no’ to sweet stuff: still do . . .
Sarah says
These latkes look so delicious! What a creative way to sneak in vegetables. I’ll have to add the recipe to my meal plan for next week…which just so happens to be the primary way I shop on a budget. I make sure to plan all my meals out ahead of time to make sure I’ll make the most out of each ingredient purchased…and then search for coupons to go with the items on my list. Thanks for the great giveaway!
Maureen | Orgasmic Chef says
I found with my own children that if it was fried, they ate it 🙂 These look really good.
Jas@AbsolutelyJas says
I think I must have been a bit strange as a child – I adored both veggies and fruit, and would happily munch away on the usually dreaded broccoli. The only veg I didn’t like was brussels sprouts that had been boiled to within an inch of their life, and my mum would still force them on me despite my otherwise fabulous attitude to veggies. I think she could have hidden them in latkes that looked like this and I would never have known!
Perry says
Is the $50 Gift Card for everyone? Can u explain it?
Laura Bashar says
I disclosed it above. If you live near a Grocery Outlet Store, you are eligible for the contest. They are in the following states: California, Washington, Oregon, Idaho and Arizona. You can look here for specific store locations: http://www.groceryoutlet.com/goiapps/apps/jobs/searchstore.aspx
Suzanne perazzini says
These look great – so crispy. Mothers do what they must to make sure their kids grow up healthy and happy.
Jennifer Greenstein says
I shop around the stores to find the good deals. Buy in bulk when I can. Make dishes that you can freeze and serve at a later time. Love stores like Target and Walmart to purchase grocery items at a cheaper price than the “regular” grocery stores. Looking forward to checking out this new store.
I followed them on FB.
Sorry, I do not use Pintrest… but love your photos!
Nami | Just One Cookbook says
I love family/kids friendly recipes like this! I also “hide” all kinds of veggies in food, and I think that’s a great way to introduce flavors to them that they “think” they don’t like it. When successfully introduced, they will get used to the taste, and when they eat the veggie itself they will think “oh I actually like this”. 😀 We moms have to be creative… Love your latkes – healthy and delicious win-win recipe!
stasi says
I’d love to enter the giveaway – couldn’t tell if I had to do all of those things (I’m not on Pinterest or Twitter so if so, oh well, I can’t enter). If it’s just telling you how we eat on a budget, I can do that! We plan our meals around a well-priced, well-stocked CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) box from a local farm. We get seasonal, certified organic produce for a fraction of retail by buying direct. I always recommend CSA programs – they are such a great way to feed your family really well and they DO save money! Also I love Grocery Outlet, and I have lived within walking distance of TWO of them! Really happy with all the organic/natural products they have at my store in Point Loma. They’re a locally-owned family business, too. I already get their emails & liked the FB page too. Thanks!
Laura Bashar says
Your comment is perfect to enter the contest! Great suggestions and good luck!
Joann Woolley says
When being budget minded I cut out expensive meat – do breakfast for dinner – or do the once in awhile mac & cheese for dinner.
Joann Woolley says
Following Grocery Outlet on twitter @sign4baby
Lisa Brown says
Buy what is healthy, and on sale, use coupons, and don’t trow away food if you can help it.
jslbrown_03 at yahoo dot com
Lisa Brown says
follow on pinterest as http://pinterest.com/lisalu24/
jslbrown_03 at yahoo dot com
Lisa Brown says
pin – http://pinterest.com/pin/277675133248372773/
jslbrown_03 at yahoo dot com
Sean Smith says
Very appreciated for your sharing of the recipe of vegetable latkes. As a mother of two children, nothing can make me happy but making new and yummy food for them.