There are so many reasons why family dinners are important, but in terms of getting my kids to become good eaters, sharing a meal starts to connect good food with togetherness. My goal is to serve a wide variety of foods that include what I want to cook and eat, and not skip a new recipe because we fear the kids won't like it.
When I discovered Harper loves edamame, I started looking for recipes that include this healthy, green vegetable. This Rainbows and Butterflies Pasta Salad from Ellie Krieger hit all the right notes for my kiddos, including a creative name for the dish. I sealed the deal with Harper when I asked if she wanted to make this together.
Ingredients
8 ounces Farfalle (bow tie) pasta
Olive Oil (I like California Olive Ranch evoo)
1 cup corn kernels
1 cup shelled edamame
1/3 cup red bell pepper, diced
2 carrots, shredded on a box grater
1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese
Kosher salt and pepper to taste
Boil the pasta in salted water according to the label directions. drain and toss with a teaspoon of olive oil to prevent sticking and pour into a large bowl to cool.
Add the corn, edamame, bell pepper and carrots. Drizzle with 3 tablespoons olive oil and toss to coat. Add the parmesan, toss and taste for seasoning. Add salt, pepper or more parmesan until you and your kids love it!
We served this at room temperature and continued to eat it cold right out of the refrigerator all week long.