The Chicken Pastina My Toddler Adores
L: Tracy Malechek-Ezekiel R: Photograph by Scott Semler, food styling by Rebecca Jurkevich, prop styling by Maggie DiMarco
When my son, Remy, was born, I figured he would be a little gourmand. My husband/business partner, Arjav, and I speak the same food language, appreciating a delicious variety of ingredients and cuisines. Remy wouldn’t be one of those picky kids (it wasn’t in his DNA!); we’d give him whatever we ate.
We were right at first. He devoured everything and questioned nothing. Before he turned one, his favorite dish was boiled bitter greens drizzled with good olive oil and Maldon salt. Then, when he was a year and a half, he suddenly rejected the same vegetables he once enjoyed. Now if he sees a veggie-looking thing, he’ll eat around it.
While he’s in this period of denying visible vegetables, we still find ways to be creative about giving him the nutrients he needs. Since taste isn’t the issue, Arjav and I have found success mincing veggies and weaving them into Remy’s meals. For example, I’ll toss finely chopped sautéed mushrooms with torn Oaxacan cheese for quick whole wheat quesadillas. He’s also a fan of savory chickpea pancakes, heartened by grated zucchini, rosemary, and nutty Comté. Pesto is another hit; we often go green, blending boiled frozen peas with hazelnuts, garlic, and Parmesan, or red, opting for sweet peppers, pine nuts, and Pecorino, slathered on steak.
A current favorite for our whole family is chicken pastina, a cozy Italian grandma–inspired soup traditionally made when someone is sick. The first time I made a big batch for Remy, he ate it all in three days. The cooked mirepoix gets blitzed with chicken broth, but once it’s added back to the pot, the soup turns into a creamy, comforting dish, without a carrot or celery chunk in sight.
With these variations the key is to leave a plate of whole vegetables on the table during mealtime. We point each of them out and let Remy explore. This way we can show him what he’s eating is part of a bigger picture, and he can make positive connections with where his food comes from on his own terms.
Remy hasn’t gotten to the point where he’s snacking on stalks solo just yet, but we definitely won’t get him there by force. Recently, we planted an herb garden in our backyard, and he has been helping me manage it in the mornings. He loves smelling the herbs and is starting to connect the dots of how tending to something with care can lead to a tasty meal in the kitchen. We trust he’ll find his way to devouring everything again in his own time.
Blended Pastina Soup
Originally Appeared on Bon Appétit
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