Top food blogger Anya Kassoff knows that when her daughter Paloma helps out in the kitchen, she’s much more likely to gobble up her healthy creations. So when Kassoff set out to create her gorgeous vegetarian cookbook, The Vibrant Table (Roost Books, $35), she was sure to include recipes for families to cook together. Here, a favorite appetizer, which includes plenty of nutritious vegetables and just a touch of whimsy.

Directions

To prepare the tartlet shells:

1. Preheat the oven to 390° F.

2. In a large bowl, combine the flour, salt, and baking powder. Add the olive oil and mix with your hands. Start adding water a little at a time, kneading the dough as you go, until it is soft and no longer sticky.

3. Roll the dough into a thick log and cut it in half. Wrap one of the portions with a piece of plastic wrap to keep it from drying. Roll the other half out 1/8-inch thick and cut out as many flowers as you can with a cookie cutter. Reroll and re-cut the dough until all is used up. Repeat with the second portion.

4. Lightly oil 18 muffin cups. Tuck a flower into each cup, lightly brush with water, and prick each shell several times with a fork. Bake for 13 to 15 minutes, until golden brown.

To prepare the honey-roasted sweet potatoes:

1. Preheat the oven to 400° F.

2. Whisk together the olive oil, vinegar, honey, and salt and set aside. In a large bowl, combine the sweet potatoes and shallots, add the dressing, and mix.

3. Spread the sweet potato mixture evenly on an aluminum foil–covered baking sheet and roast for 20 minutes. Take the sheet out of the oven, add the kale, and mix to incorporate. Roast for another 20 minutes or until the sweet potatoes are fully cooked. Transfer the vegetables to a medium bowl.

4. Squeeze some lemon juice over vegetables and add the pecans, if desired. Gently stir to coat.

To prepare the balsamic-glazed roasted beets:

1. Preheat the oven to 450° F.

2. In a medium bowl, combine the beets with 1⁄2 Tablespoon of the olive oil, season with salt, and mix to coat. Transfer the beets to a medium baking dish and cover with aluminum foil. Roast for 15 minutes or until beets are soft when pricked with a knife.

3. In a small bowl, whisk together the ghee, honey, vinegar, and ginger, if using. Take the dish out of the oven and pour the glaze over the beets. Cover again and bake for another 5 minutes.

To Assemble: 

1. Fill the flower shells with the vegetable mixture.