According to many parents I know, peas are liked by most kids. They’re cute, they have a great vibrant green color, and they’re sweet to eat. They are also a perfect starter vegetable for babies just learning how to feed themselves. Small enough for little fingers and soft enough for those who are overly concerned with choking (that would be me!), they are an easy vegetable to always have on hand. And I can’t think of many other vegetables that taste almost as good frozen as they do fresh. That’s why I always keep a bag of frozen sweet peas on hand. Great as a side dish sautéed with a pinch of salt and pepper and even better when added to pasta with ricotta cheese, fresh lemon and mint. Ready in minutes, requiring very little ingredients, delicious enough for the whole family to enjoy together, and loaded with whole grains, calcium, protein, Vitamin K, folic acid, B6 and dietary fiber, this dish is a win-win. Or as I like to call it, summery freshness in a bowl.
- 1 lb. small shaped whole-grain pasta (I used quinoa fusilli)
- 2 cups frozen sweet peas, defrosted
- 1 cup pasta cooking water
- 1 cup ricotta cheese
- Juice & zest of 1 lemon
- 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh mint
- ½ cup grated parmesan cheese
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook pasta according to package directions - 2 minutes before pasta is done, add the peas to the pot. Reserve one cup of cooking water and drain peas and pasta together.
- Return peas and pasta to the pot while hot and toss with ricotta cheese, lemon juice, zest and olive oil. Slowly add in the cooking water, ¼ cup at a time, stirring well until all of the pasta is coated evenly with the cheese. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
- Remove pasta from heat and stir in the mint and parmesan cheese. Serve and enjoy.
[…] adapted from one of my favorite kid-friendly food blogs–Feeding Audrey. I tweaked a couple things (made an easy recipe just a bit easier) because I often have no […]