This week, I’m in the beautiful state of Tennessee visiting my Mom and family. So of course, I just couldn’t wait to get my adorable niece and nephew in the kitchen with me along with my own boys for a little culinary adventure! Our mission, to make an easy and delicious pasta dish that highlights the nutritious bounty of summertime veggies.
Kids in the Kitchen: Summer Veggie Pasta
Got a picky-eater? I recommend using veggies your child already likes and just selecting one new veggie for your child to try. Then, be sure to have your child help prepare the new veggie – whether it’s washing it; cutting or peeling it; sautéing it; or all three.
The fact is, kids are more likely to eat what they make. So getting them involved in making a healthy meal is a wonderful strategy for encouraging kids to expand their culinary horizons. Besides, it’s just plain fun to cook together!
My 8-year-old nephew quickly learned to use a simple pairing knife to slice soft mushrooms, while my 10-year-old niece and 11-year-old son sliced the red pepper and zucchini for this delicious summery dish.
As I mentioned in my Strawberry Shortcake Muffins and Honey-Lime Fruit Salad posts, it’s important to correctly teach children how to use sharp tools safely by first demonstrating how to properly use the tool, followed by assisting them in using the tool correctly, and then finally by carefully supervising them as they use the tool on their own.
Learning complex stovetop cooking skills, such as sautéing, is a more advanced task that older children can quickly master once they’ve learned the basics of stovetop safety and have also mastered simpler cooking skills.
Boiling water may be easy, but working with boiling water is not, and should be reserved for older children who have been properly instructed on stovetop safety.
Kids are amazingly fast learners! I’m always surprised at how quickly a child of any age can pick up a new culinary skill. Just look at my adorable one-year-old nephew. He’s learning to mix. We played “mixy-mixy” for just 5 minutes together on the kitchen floor. And look at him go …
Remember, your time in the kitchen with your precious kiddos is so much more than just teaching them valuable cooking and healthy eating skills, it’s about sharing and enjoying time together – building strong bonds and happy memories!
Ingredients
- 12 oz of your favorite gluten-free pasta (or 4 large zucchini spiralized in zoodles)
- 1/4 cup olive oil, divided
- 1/2 cup finely diced yellow onion
- 3-4 cloves crushed and sliced garlic
- 6-8 cups of your favorite organic summertime veggies
- {such as summer squash, zucchini, mushrooms, bell peppers, Swiss chard, spinach, etc}
- Optional: Sundried tomatoes and other flavorful additions like artichoke hearts
Instructions
- If using gluten-free noodles, cook according to package instructions until al dente. Then strain and add a tablespoon of olive oil and season well with sea salt and pepper. Toss well and set aside.
- If using zucchini noodles, spiralize 4 zucchini; set aside.
- Next, slice all of the veggies and gather any additional ingredients such as sun dried tomatoes and artichoke hearts; slice those as desired.
- In a large skillet over medium-high heat, add 2 tablespoons of olive oil to the pan and sauté onions until they begin to soften (about 3-5 minutes). Then, add the garlic and sauté until fragrant (about 1-2 minutes). If using sun dried tomatoes, add those as well. {I also like to add a teaspoon or two of the sun dried tomato-infused oil.}
- Next, add all of the firm veggies {such as squash, zucchini, bell pepper, etc}. Continue sautéing until veggie begin to soften slightly.
- Then, add remaining softer veggies {such as mushrooms, artichoke hearts, chard, spinach, etc.}. Stir well and cover for a minute or two to wilt the greens and cook the mushrooms, if using.
- Reduce the heat to medium and add the cooked pasta, or zucchini noodles to the skillet. Toss well to evenly distribute the veggies. Cover and continue cook to reheat the pasta, or cook zoodles, until al dente.
- Re-season with additional sea salt and freshly ground pepper to taste. Serve with a s simple green salad. Enjoy!
Notes
Recipe Variation: Make it a heartier meal (and appease the meat lovers in your family) by tossing in some Grilled Herb Chicken or Seasoned Grilled Shrimp. Yum!
