For all the kiddos out there, this one's for you!
St. Patrick’s Day feels like a holiday for play. I think of it fondly and remember being in awe as a kid when the Chicago river was dyed green with vegetable dye, or how I would go crazy over the Shamrock Shake at McDonalds. So! This one is for the kids!
Leprechaun means “small-bodied fellow,” so here are two Wild Rye ways to get in the kitchen with your lil’ leprechauns and share in the baking magic.
Clean Green Pancakes! - Wild Rye’s GF Almond Flour Pancakes are kid-approved and with the simple addition of vegetable powders like Pandan, spinach, or spirulina, you can have festive pancakes with added nutrients instead of artificial colorings. Start with 1 tablespoon if using spinach or Pandan and go up from there if you are looking for a deeper color. With spirulina, you’ll want to use less, so start with 1 teaspoon. You can find spinach powder or spirulina in most grocery stores now, but if you're looking to shop online, my favorite brand for natural food color powders is Suncore Foods. I like their Pandan powder. You see Pandan leaf used in asian cooking. It's used in both savory and sweet applications and has a subtle sweetness, which is welcome in these pancakes and the emerald color it adds is so fun!
Mini Vanilla Cupcakes with Coconut Matcha Frosting - You certainly do not have to make mini cupcakes. If you and your leprechauns are wanting regular cupcakes please, don't let me dissuade you. I just go crazy for mini things and the kids seem to also. Simply bake a Wild Rye Vanilla Cake Mix in a mini cupcake pan (*I highly recommend using cupcake liners for the mini cupcakes. They are much easier to handle and much easier to gift this way*) Our Coconut Matcha Frosting is a wonderful, naturally-colored way to get festive for St. Patty’s Day! Don’t let the matcha scare you away from making this for your kids. It isn’t overpowering and because it's combined with coconut milk powder, the flavor of the frosting is sweet, creamy, and kid friendly. I have had some mamas ask me about the caffeine content in the frosting because of the addition of organic ceremonial grade matcha in our mix. It's minimal. In the entire batch of frosting (enough for 20 full size cupcakes) there is 1 ½ teaspoons of matcha so, not to worry :).
I wish you and your leprechauns luck, fun, and connectedness in the kitchen.
Don’t forget to tag us on Instagram as you bake our mixes. Seeing Wild Rye in the wild is one of my most favorite things and inspires me endlessly! And if you have questions along the way, please email me. Sarah@wildryebaking.com is where you can find me. I’m here for you. We got this.
Big hugs,
Sarah