Got a kid who turns his or her nose up at everything? Well, we’ve got a great dish for those picky eaters who prefer very plain foods. We love this recipe because not only does it satisfy the picky eaters in our family, but the colorful pepper stays nicely crunchy as well. We like serving this cold for lunch, and we use a bit less Parmesan cheese.
Ingredients:
Sea salt
3/4 pound linguine (whole wheat or high fiber preferred)
3 red bell peppers, cored and cut into fine julienne to mimic the size of the noodles
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese, divided
Method:
1. Bring a large pot of water to boil. Add 1 ½ tablespoons salt. When the water boils again add the pasta and cook until just tender.
2. Add the red peppers to the cooking pasta for 1 minute to warm and slightly soften. Scoop out a cup of pasta water and set aside. Drain the pasta and peppers into a colander and transfer to a large bowl. Add the melted butter and half the Parmesan, tossing to coat well. Adjust the seasoning with salt as necessary and add some of the pasta water if the pasta is dry.
3. To serve, twist the noodles into a mound in the center of each plate. Sprinkle the rest of the cheese on top at the table.
Recipe courtesy of Jimmy Schmidt.
Serves 4
A lifelong foodie and a first-time mother, Fanae Aaron had lots of questions about how to teach her son to enjoy a variety of fresh, whole foods. So she sought out a diverse group of twenty award-winning chefs who are also parents. Her book What Chefs Feed Their Kids, Recipes and Techniques for Cultivating a Love of Good Food, published by Lyons Press, comes out November 8th. She learned a lot in the process and now at five years old, while most kids are squarely in the world of pizza, burger and fries, Cody is truly a champion eater!. For more on the book and her blog go to WhatChefsFeedTheirKids.com
