HELP KIDS – CHILDREN INTERNATIONAL
8 Super Healthy Foods We Guarantee Your Kid Will Eat
Pesto pasta with chicken and cherry tomatoes
Preparation Time: 10 Minutes
Cooking Time: 13-17 Minutes
Serves a family of 4-5
Children seem to love pesto, even those who shy away from green foods! Making your own is easy and it keeps very well, although you can use 1⁄3 cup pesto from a jar instead. Vegetarians can replace the chicken with cubed fresh mozzarella.
10oz pasta, such as farfalle, fusilli, or spaghetti
1oz bunch of fresh basil stems discarded
½ garlic clove
1⁄4 cup pine nuts, lightly toasted
6 tbsp olive oil, plus 1 tsp extra
1⁄4 cup grated Parmesan cheese, plus extra for serving
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1–2 tbsp boiling water
1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
1 heaping cup cooked chicken,
Shredded
1. Cook the pasta in boiling water according to the package directions. Meanwhile, make the pesto: Put the basil leaves in a food processor with the garlic. The process to a purée, then add the pine nuts and process until the nuts are minced, stopping and scraping down the sides of the processor bowl as necessary. Keep the motor running and trickle 6 tbsp of the olive oil into the processor.
When all the oil is mixed in, add the Parmesan and salt and pepper to taste, and pulse three or four times to combine. Add just enough boiling water to thin slightly.
2. Drain the pasta and set aside. Put the extra 1 tsp oil in the empty pasta pan and add the tomatoes.
Cook them gently until just softened, 2–3 minutes.
Add the pesto and chicken and heat through for 1–2 minutes (the chicken must be piping hot). Add the cooked, drained pasta and toss everything together. Spoon onto serving plates and serve with extra Parmesan
12-18 months
Lasagna al forno
Nothing is more of a crowd-pleaser than a big dish of baked lasagna-at any age and any time of year! Mixing the meat and cheese sauces may sound odd, but it makes the sauce taste richer.
Preparation Time: 1 Hour
Cooking Time: 35-40 Minutes
Serves a family of 4–5
1 tbsp olive oil, plus extra for greasing
1 red onion, chopped
1 carrot, peeled and grated
3⁄4 cup chopped cremini mushrooms
1 garlic clove, crushed
14oz can crush tomatoes
1⁄4 cup tomato paste
2 tbsp ketchup
1lb ground round
2⁄3 cup beef stock
1 tsp light brown sugar
¼ Tsp dried oregano
9 no-boil lasagna noodles
3⁄4 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
1⁄4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
Cheese sauce
1⁄4 cup cornstarch
21⁄2 cups milk
1⁄2 cup mascarpone
Freshly grated nutmeg
1. Heat the oil in a large, deep frying pan and cook the vegetables gently until soft and lightly browned.
Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute. Transfer the vegetables to a blender and add the tomatoes, tomato paste, and ketchup. Blend until smooth. Set aside.
2. Brown the beef in the pan, then add the tomato mixture, beef stock, sugar, and oregano. Simmer until thick, about 30 minutes. Season to taste.
3. Make the cheese sauce by mixing the cornstarch in a saucepan with a little of the milk until smooth. Whisk in the remaining milk. Bring to a boil and cook, whisking, until thick, about 1 minute. Remove from the heat and stir in the mascarpone. Season to taste with nutmeg, salt, and pepper.
4. Lightly oil a large rectangular baking dish (about 11 x 7 inches). Mix half of the cheese sauce into the meat sauce. Spread 2 tbsp of the remaining cheese sauce over the bottom of the dish, and then put on a layer of three lasagna sheets. Spoon half of the meat mixture over this, and then add another layer of pasta. Spoon the remaining meat mixture on the pasta and top with a final layer of pasta. Cover with the remaining cheese sauce and scatter the grated cheeses over the surface.
5. Preheat the oven to 375°F. Bake the lasagna until golden brown on top and cooked through, 35-40 minutes. Test by inserting a knife down through the centre; you should feel no resistance.
Let stand for 10 minutes before cutting and serving.
6. The unbaked lasagna can be kept, covered, in the refrigerator for up to 24 hours. It can also be frozen wrapped well in foil; when needed, thaw in the refrigerator for 24 hours. To bake chilled or thawed lasagna, preheat the oven to 350°F. Bake for 40 minutes, and then increase the oven to 400°F and bake until golden brown on top and piping hot, about 10 minutes longer. Let stand for 10 minutes before cutting and serving.
