Introduction
As parents, it can be a struggle to come up with delicious and nutritious weeknight dinners that the whole family will enjoy. Kids can sometimes be picky eaters which adds to the challenge when trying to create meals that are both healthy and kid-approved. Well, get ready for your worries about kid-friendly weeknight dinners to be no more! We have just the meal for you: Whole Wheat Pasta with Spinach Pesto. Not only is this dish delicious but also offers numerous health benefits like improved digestion, skin and hair health - all thanks to its nutrient-dense ingredients! On top of that, it’s easy enough for even young kids help cook – making dinner time an enjoyable bonding experience!
A kid-friendly dinner using whole wheat pasta with spinach pesto
Making dinner doesn’t have to just be a mundane task – it can be fun and educational for the kids too! To bring some creativity and excitement to your weeknight dinner, try out the kid-friendly meal of whole wheat pasta with spinach pesto. Not only will this flavorful dish taste delicious, but it also provides essential nutrition benefits due to its inclusion of fresh spinach and whole wheat. Kids will love it – and so will you! So ditch the boring meals, and start making every dinner a family-friendly adventure.
It’s easy to make and can be ready in under 30 minutes
Quick and tasty meals are a must-have in any family's arsenal of recipes. Kid Friendly Weeknight Dinners offers an ideal solution with its delicious whole wheat pasta and spinach pesto, which can be ready in under 30 minutes! That's right - this nutritious meal is full of iron, vitamin A, and protein, but it can still be enjoyed quickly by busy families who still want time to relax together. The great thing about Kid Friendly Weeknight Dinners is that everyone, not just the kids, can savor all the flavor without feeling overwhelmed from long cook times or difficult ingredients.
The nutrition benefits of the meal
Kid Friendly Weeknight Dinners just got healthier! This delicious whole wheat pasta dish is packed with nutrition benefits to keep your family feeling their best. The whole wheat pasta provides a balance of high fiber content and low fat content that helps your family maintain a healthy diet. It has all the delicious flavor while combatting empty calories, making this meal an ideal pick for any night. Whole-wheat pasta, compared to traditional refined pasta, reduces the impact on blood sugar because of its protein and fiber content. In addition, think about adding protein, healthy fats and fiber to the dish. This results in a lower ratio of pasta and a higher ratio of blood-sugar-balancing ingredients.
The spinach pesto sauce is truly the star of this dish, taking it over the top in terms of nutrient benefits. Not only is it rich in antioxidants that help reduce free radicals in your body and protect against chronic diseases, it's also incredibly low in saturated fats making it a heart-healthy option. Kids will love the taste and parents can feel good about putting a nutritious meal on the table each night!
List of ingredients you’ll need to make this dish
For delicious and healthy weeknight dinners, this kid-friendly pasta dish is the perfect solution. The simple ingredient list includes whole wheat pasta, spinach, basil leaves, garlic, pine nuts, Parmesan cheese, extra virgin olive oil, kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper. Make sure to have these items on hand and you'll have a hearty dinner the whole family will enjoy! Not to mention, this meal is packed with nutritional benefits such as Vitamin A from the spinach, Vitamin C from the basil leaves and concentration boosting monosaturated fatty acids from the olive oil. So add some flavor and nutrition to your night in — it’s easy to whip up this scrumptious dish!
Step-by-step instructions on how to cook the meal
Are you looking for a delectable and nutritious weeknight dinner that the whole family will love? Look no further! Whole wheat pasta with spinach pesto is a delicious dish that is simple to make and provides lots of health benefits. Start by bringing a large pot of salted water to a boil, then drop in your favorite type of whole wheat pasta. While the pasta cooks, it’s time to make the flavorful spinach pesto. Place a few handfuls of fresh baby spinach in a food processor and pulse until smooth.
Then pour in some extra virgin olive oil, garlic cloves, Parmesan cheese, pine nuts, salt, pepper, and lemon juice; process until everything is blended together into a paste. Remove your cooked noodles from the pot and transfer them to a bowl. Top the noodles with several spoonfuls of Spinach Pesto and stir until everything is combined. Dinner is served! The combination of whole wheat pasta and spinach pesto not only tastes great but also contains minerals like iron and magnesium which are key players in energy production and metabolism support, plus they’re wonderfully high in vitamin A which helps boost immunity! You can’t do better than that when it comes to weeknight dinners. Here is another whole wheat pasta recipe you can try.
Ways to customize this dinner for your family's tastes
When it comes to mealtime, variety is key! Customizing your family's favorite kid-friendly dishes can help keep dinnertime fresh and exciting. With this weeknight dinner idea of whole wheat pasta with spinach pesto you can easily add a protein like grilled chicken, or some roasted vegetables to mix things up. Not only does this provide delicious variety but it also increases the nutritional benefits of the meal. Beans and legumes are excellent sources of plant-based proteins that pair perfectly with this dish. And if your family isn't too keen on pesto, you can easily switch it up; try adding diced tomatoes or marinara sauce for a little something extra. Whatever changes you make, have fun with it! Here is a list of different ways to make whole wheat pasta.
Conclusion
Kid-friendly weeknight dinners are a great way to help your family get their essential nutrients without sacrificing time and taste. Building meals around high-fiber, plant-based whole wheat pasta dishes like spinach pesto is one smart choice for helping your kids maintain good health. With its speedy prep and cook guide and nutrient content, spinach pesto is a winner for parents, who want their children to experience the taste of delicious home cooking, while also getting some nutrition education. Make it even easier on yourself with YFN Academy's health and fitness classes for kids--teaching them valuable habits that will stick with them no matter how old they get! So what are you waiting for? Get cookin' and sign up for YFN academy today!
Sources:
Delallo, Gina. “Is Whole Wheat Pasta Good for You?” Delallo, 19 June 2017, https://www.delallo.com/blog/is-wholewheat-pasta-good-for-you/#:~:text=Whole%2Dwheat%20pasta%2C%20compared%20to,blood%2Dsugar%2Dbalancing%20ingredients.
Larousse, Jean. “25 Easy Whole Wheat Pasta Recipes We Love.” Insanely Good Recipes, 18 Oct. 2022, https://insanelygoodrecipes.com/whole-wheat-pasta-recipes/.
Stewart, Martha. “Spinach-Pesto Whole Wheat Pasta.” Martha Stewart Living, 20 May 2020, www.marthastewart.com/1050363/spinach-pesto-whole-wheat-pasta.
