Oh yes, we all have the struggles to get more greens, especially herbs, into our children’s diet. My kids would eat the chopped parsley or chives I sprinkle over soups but they would complain about the same herbs in another dish. So it is always a gamble if they would actually eat it or not.
Surprisingly there is one meal, where they would load up their plate with herbs. YAY! Pasta with Pesto!
There are good alternatives to traditional wheat pasta
Tastewise I would love noodles, but nutrition- and health-wise, I try to avoid refined flour and wheat products as often as possible. It is stripped off all nutrients and acts inflammatory in the body. Luckily, by now, the supermarket shelves offer quite a variety of alternatives. While I skip the noodles completely, my kids like noodles made from rice, quinoa, amaranth, and corn. In general, I think it is important to choose organic as often as possible, but with products containing corn, it is a must for me in order to avoid GMO-corn.
My children’s taste buds are very opposed, so while I am able to convince my son to eat spaghetti squash from time to time, my daughter wouldn’t even touch it.
The star of this dish is the pesto anyway
Usually, I make pesto with basil, but you can literally mix in every kind of herb you prefer. It is a great way to get these nutrient-dense plants onto their plate.
Flavonoids found in basil provide protection at the cellular level. Orientin and vicenin are two water-soluble flavonoids that have been of particular interest in basil, and in studies on human white blood cells; these components of basil protect cell structures as well as chromosomes from radiation and oxygen-based damage. In addition, basil has been shown to provide protection against unwanted bacterial growth. Essential oil of basil, obtained from its leaves, has demonstrated the ability to inhibit several species of pathogenic bacteria that have become resistant to commonly used antibiotic drugs.
It is also an excellent source of vitamin K, manganese, and a very good source of vitamin A, C, and copper. Furthermore, the recipe contains Italian parmesan cheese, pine nuts, garlic, salt, pepper and olive oil.
Olive oil is known for its cardiovascular health benefits which are due to the anti-inflammatory properties. In a study, participants also have shown better insulin secretion and better regulation of blood sugar levels following their meal through the addition of Extra Virgin Olive Oil. 1 tbsp provides 13% of your daily recommended amount of vitamin E.
Parmesan has some calcium and vitamin B12 to offer, while garlic is very well studied and known for it’s anti-inflammatory, antibacterial, antiviral, and anti-fungal properties.
Pine nuts are a good source of vitamin K, E, manganese, and magnesium. I usually substitute with walnuts since I always have walnuts in my fridge, but no pine nuts. If you use pine nuts, roast them slightly in a pan to intensify their taste.
Herb Pesto is just a powerhouse of nutrition and I love that it is so versatile. You can choose the herbs, cheese, nuts, and spices you like. You can use it as a pasta sauce, veggie dip, salad dressing or sandwich spread. You can put it literally on anything to enhance taste and especially nutrients.
Mix all the ingredients in a food processor and pulse start to drizzle in the olive oil until the pesto binds together and becomes the consistency you prefer Some children might be very picky with chopped herbs. Process until it becomes a puree like consistency and mix into tomato sauce or other meals. Often it is not the taste rather the texture what children dislike.
Basil Pesto
Ingredients
Instructions
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