what my kid eats these days

Besides this granola, I have found a few recipes recently that a) Jacob likes, b) Fraser and I also like and that c) don't take a lot of effort to make. Oh, and they both involve vegetables.

We found this one in Weeknights with Giada. I have another of Giada De Laurentiis's cookbooks and enjoy it, but I found this one to be more accessible as far as ingredients go. I'm more likely to have all these one hand. I made this recipe one night and it was so good, we've just started calling it "Amazing" instead of the "pasina with peas and carrots" that it's called in the book. I modified this slightly.

Pastina with peas and carrots, aka Amazing

serves 6

8 oz. box pastina or other small shaped pasta
1/4 c. olive oil
1 large yellow onion, finely diced
4 medium carrots, peeled and cut into 1/2 in. pieces
2 c. low sodium chicken broth
2 c. frozen petite peas
1 c. (8oz) cream cheese, at room temp.
1 c. (8oz) mascarpone cheese, at room temp
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1/4 c. fresh basil leaves

Cook pasta according to directions. Drain and transfer to large serving bowl.

In large skillet, heat oil over medium heat. Add onion, cooking until soft, about 7 mins. Add carrots and broth and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 5 mins.
Add peas to pan and cook 2 mins, until peas are warmed through and carrots are soft. Remove pan from heat and add cheeses, 2 tsp. salt and 1/2 tsp. pepper. Stir until mixture forms a sauce.
Pour sauce over pasta, season to taste. Garnish with fresh basil.


This next recipe comes from my friends, Jenny and Ethan Hecht. It's a chard tart that is super easy to make, delicious and something that Jacob has always loved. I have adapted it slightly.

Chard Tart

1-2 bunches chard (the original recipe calls for 1 bunch, but I have uses 2 with good results)
1/4 tsp. salt 
1/4 tsp. pepper
olive oil (about 1 Tbs.)
2 Tbs. fresh basil or 1 1/2 tsp dried (I have occasionally skipped this because I haven't always had basil on hand. I've used garlic salt or garlic powder instead)
3-4 eggs (original calls for 3 but when using more chard, I use another egg)
1/3 c. whole milk or heavy cream or half-n-half (I usually use whole milk because I always have it, unlike the others)
1 c. grated Parmesan

Heat oven to 375.
Cut chard into strips and saute, seasoning with salt, pepper and other spices. 
In a small mixing bowl, add eggs, cream and cheese. Mix well. 
When cooked down and tender, remove chard from heat and spread out in 9 in. pie pan. Cover with egg mixture, shaking the pie plate slightly to make the egg spread out. 
Bake for 25 mins or until middle is firm and top is just starting to brown. 


I apologize for not having pictures to show you. Much more tantalizing that way. I didn't even think about it either time we most recently had these dishes! Alas... you'll have to just make them for yourselves.