Chocolate Zucchini Cupcakes

Labor Day Weekend and large gatherings?  Back-to-school snacks?  End-of-the-summer bounty?

It was tough choosing just one of these topics to feature in my weekly recipe blog until I looked through an old Taste of Home magazine.  I was searching for a new idea on how to put my family’s bountiful zucchini to good use when a photograph of a delectable-looking chocolate cupcake with a pull-quote caught my attention. The lady who submitted the recipe wrote, “I’m always asked for this recipe, which makes a tasty treat after school, after lunch or after supper.  My grandkids love these cupcakes and don’t believe there are veggies in them!”

With Labor Day and family get-togethers around the corner, I thought cupcakes would be the perfect addition to a family picnic. Not to mention, getting kids to eat veggies without even knowing it is like a dream come to true!  I thought to myself, “I don’t even have to count this as a dessert.  Why these cupcakes really count as a serving of vegetables rather than a dessert.  Perhaps I could eat two of them – one from the fruit/vegetable group and one as dessert.”  (How’s that for rationalization, ladies?  Of course, I won’t share this thought with my kids!)

What’s your favorite way to sneak veggies to your kids?