Tallarines Verdes: A recipe for picky eaters | Virginia Photographer

Happy Wednesday, Lovelies!

Okay, picky eaters.  If you have kids, you may have experienced a picky eater.  Probably not as picky as our six year old, but kids can be pick-key.  It seems like all kids love French fries and chicken nuggets. 

Expanding the menu can be extremely difficult but very important.  Kids need a variety of foods to fill nutritional needs of their growing bodies and minds.  Additionally, kids with an expanded palate will enjoy and adapt to new food experiences: restaurants, school lunches, friend’s homes, etc.  Extreme picky eaters who continue to be picky eaters into adulthood may actually have a eating disorder called Selective Eating.  (for more, see here.) 

Kids normally go through a picky eating phase.  Breastfed and prolonged breastfed children may be less picky eaters.  (See the National Institutes of Health among other sources)  My three year old daughter was breastfed long after 12 months, and is less picky than even my fiancé, and never went through a picky eating stage.  Could be breastfeeding; could be environment.

Anyway, have a picky eater?  Here’s how you can have a dinner that everyone likes!

Green Spaghetti/ Tallarines Verdes/ “Green Macaroni and Cheese”

Protein

½ red onion

3 spoons of garlic

1 “gloop” of olive oil

6 Cups Spinach

6 Cups of Basil

1 4-inch-ish wheel of queso fresco (“fresh cheese”)

1 “gloop” of olive oil

3-ish pinches of salt

4 “gloops” of condensed milk

1 package of fettuccini

First, start your protein cooking.  We love to BBQ, so throwing a couple of chicken legs on the grill is perfect.  This recipe is great with skirt steak.  I think it could be great with tofu as well—just don’t tell Mi Amor.

Next, salute onion and garlic in the “gloop” of olive oil till onion wilts- about 3 minutes.

Next, in a blender, combine spinach, basil, your onion/ garlic salute, queso fresco, a bit more olive oil, and salt.  Note: queso fresco is salty.  Saltiness varies by brand.  Don’t add more than 3 pinches of salt until you taste the blended product.

As the blender combines ingredients, add condensed milk a gloop at a time. Blend until silky smooth.  Taste and add salt as needed.

Prepare fettuccini per package instructions.  Drain and add green cheese mix.

Serve “green macaroni and cheese” with your protein.  Heck, you could even serve it with chicken nuggest.