Zucchini Pizza Veggie Bites

Today I am partnering up with Produce for Kids to feature a healthy recipe for kiddos featuring produce. As a super fan of vegetables I made these cute little Zucchini Pizza Bites.

Then Mr. Wonderful and I ate two entire cookie sheets full of them for dinner.

Did I mention we are kids at heart?

when you make these, I’d like to encourage you to throw the kids into the mix and have them help you make these because, as we’ve found out with our own kids and grandkids, when kids help cook, they tend to be more adventurous to eat what they’ve helped cook!

• The healthy eating-focused launches May 31 and will run through June 30. It will raise funds for Regional Food Bank of Oklahoma and offer Homeland shoppers healthy meal solutions, recipes and tips.
• Since 2011, Produce for Kids has donated $89,291 to the Regional Food Bank of Oklahoma. With every $200 raised, it supports a child in the “Food for Kids” program for the entire school year.
• The campaign is supported by five participating fresh fruit and vegetable suppliers, representing most major categories of fresh produce. Sponsors include:
  • Avocados from Mexico Mexican Hass Avocados
  • Delano Farms Company Table Grapes
  • Green Giant™Fresh Iceberg Lettuce
  • RealSweet® Vidalia® Onions
  • Victory Garden® Sweet Grape Tomatoes
• In-store displays and signage, featuring the Produce for Kids and Regional Food Bank of Oklahoma logo will be displayed in Homeland produce departments next to products supporting the campaign.
• Visit ProduceForKids.com/oklahoma for more information on how to support the campaign.
• Visit for more than 200 registered dietitian-approved and family-tested recipes, meal planning tools, grocery store specific campaign details, and healthy tips from real parents.
• Follow Produce for Kids on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest and Snapchat (ProduceforKids) for more recipe ideas and healthy eating tips all year long.
• Shoppers will be encouraged to share their own healthy recipes and ideas during the campaign using the hashtag #produceforkids.

Let me show you how I made these little cuties!

Start out by slicing two large zucchini into 1/4-1/2 inch rounds and laying them out, spaced out so the sides aren’t touching on a lined cookie sheet.

Now using a small teaspoon, spread about approximately 1/4 teaspoon of pesto each on one set of bites on one pan.

Then spread 1/4 teaspoon of pizza sauce or marinara sauce on the other set of zucchini bites on the other pan.

Next, sprinkle your choice of cheese on each bite. I used some leftover smoked Gouda on the pesto but mozzarella would be the obvious choice.

Then I sprinkled some crumbled feta on each marinara topped bite on the other pan.  Cheddar or pepper jack would be some other fun choices! And oops! I forgot a picture!

Now on to the toppings.  I thought funny faces on these little bites would be fun so I looked in my produce drawer for some options.

These tri-colored sweet peppers would be perfect.

I sliced them in half long ways and then sliced them into little half rings which would be perfect for little mouths, or flower petals or whatever.

Other options I used were sliced black olives, chopped mushrooms, mini pepperoni’s and chopped broccoli and, as an afterthought later, I added some torn kale leaves because I have LOADS of it in my garden.

Then the fun began!

Can I just say that I really got playful with this and was actually laughing to myself while creating some of these faces?

Broccoli became hair on this guy while black olive slices became his eyes and I stuck on a mushroom nose.

This guy was just a straight-up smiley face!

And you HAVE to have a pepperoni bite in there because …it’s a classic.

This one became a flower.

This is big eyes and a big nose guy!

And with red hair.

And a 

And this one looks like a kid with a mohawk!

You could go on and on with these.

How about a clown with kale hair?

Now you’ll need to pop them into the oven at 350º for ten minutes. You want the zucchini cooked but not mushy and the cheese to be melted.

And let the kids dig in…or the adults…which is what we did!

After all that work, these lasted about 3 minutes.

Zucchini Pizza Bites

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2 large zucchini, sliced 1/4-1/2inch thick

1/4 c. pizza or marinara sauce

1/4 c. basil pesto

1/4 c. shredded mozzarella cheese

1/4 c. feta cheese, finely crumbled

sliced black or green olives

1 T. each sliced colored peppers

2 broccoli florets, chopped

1 kale leaf, torn into small pieces

1 button mushroom chopped

2 T. mini pepperonis

Slice zucchini and lay spaced out on parchment paper lined cookie sheets

On one cookie sheet dollop 1/4 t. basil pesto on each zucchini and spread almost to edges

On 2nd cookie sheet dollop 1/4 t. marinara or pizza sauce on each zucchini and spread almost to edges

Sprinkle with cheese of choice

Use remaining veggies and pepperoni to make cute funny face or designs on each pizza bite

Bake for 10 minutes or until zucchini bites are softened (but not mushy) and cheese is melted.

Other topping ideas:

Crumbled sausage or turkey sausage

Crumbled hamburger or ground turkey

Bacon bits

carrot matchsticks

roasted red peppers, chopped

sun-dried tomatoes

chopped garlic

Smoked gouda cheese, shredded

shredded cheddar cheese

The possibilities are endless!

Nutrition

Calories

795 cal

Fat

40 g

Carbs

82 g

Protein

36 g

Click Here For Full Nutrition, Exchanges, and My Plate Info

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