Toddler Friendly Spinach Basil Pasta

Is it me, or is it R O U G H to find toddler friendly recipes that are nourishing?! Do you struggle to get your kids to eat veggies? Cuz I do..if you don’t, lucky YOU.  My kids are like masters at finding the one green speck of something in their meals and pulling it out and making a face. I literally have zero idea how they do it, but low and behold, they will discover it, make a face, and look at me like I’ve given them cockroaches to eat. 

Aria will eat cucumbers and carrots, but I always have to trick Rishi into any vegetable. Like father, like son I guess!  That’s right, Rudy isn’t a huge fan either…

I make smoothies with veggies, and most of the time, they will drink those, but the sure fire way to get them to eat anything is if it’s got pasta in it somewhere! Which is why I came up with this super easy creamy spinach sauce to pour over pasta, and get that green goodness in their little bodies. 

We make this at least once a week, and it’s gone within minutes. Truth be told, it really is delicious even for us adults, so it can feed the whole family and you know you’d be getting all types of nourishment for everyone!

I think my favorite part is that it uses minimal ingredients, and comes together in the time it takes your pasta to boil. 

Ingredients:

• 3 handfuls of baby spinach (clearly, I eyeball it..add more if you want though!)
• 2-3 leaves of basil leaves, torn
• 1/4 yellow or red onion chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, sliced
• 1 tbsp of EVOO
• 1 tbsp of cream cheese
• 1 tbsp of water 
• Salt and Pepper
• Pasta, cooked to al dente (If I serve this to the kids, I love to give it to them over ditalini pasta!)

Directions:

1. If you plan to have this with pasta, I’d go ahead and start the process for making that first because your sauce will be way done before the pasta is done!
2. Add the EVOO to a small saucepan over medium heat. Throw in the onions and garlic, and saute until lightly browned and fragrant. 
3. Next, add in the handfuls of spinach, salt, pepper and saute until it’s just wilted. Make sure not to over wilt! 
4. Transfer the mixture to a blender, and add the water, cream cheese, and the torn basil leaves. Blend it up! If you want to add more flavor, get a flavored cream cheese! Sometimes I like to add in the Kraft Philadelphia Onion and Chive cream cheese and it really boosts the flavor. I just use my old Cuisinart little blender that I’ve loved for like 7 years. HA. 
5. At this point, if you think it’s too think add in a teeny bit of water and blend again. Get it to the consistency you like, and pour it over the pasta! 

That’s it! It doesn’t get any easier than that! I’ve tried adding other sautéed veggies in, but I’ve noticed my kids like it in the spinach basil form the most.

Save this one and pin it so you can definitely refer back to it!! It’s too easy not to! Whenever I’m out of the house and my husband has to make the dinner, this is almost what he always comes back to. =) That’s basically my way of saying that it’s fool proof!