It seems like every other day I meet kids who refuse to eat pretty much everything. Mamas are always telling me their kids only eat frozen chicken nuggets, certain brands of cheese sticks, and other “kid” food. I definitely hear that kids refuse to eat anything plant based all the time.
I mean, I get it! Dinner is HARD!
Everyone is tired, crabby, hungry… its a sucky time of day. The very last thing you want to do is fight with kids about what they are eating. It totally makes sense in a tired parent brain to just feed them food you know they will eat. Its much better to know they are full and everyone is happy than to spend an hour fighting and have them go to bed hungry, right?
Wanna know my #1 secret to get kids interested in eating their veggies in a fun way?
Grow a garden!
I have a facebook live video that totally explains it all in more detail (which you can watch here) but basically – kids love to be involved! Giving them the opportunity to help care for, harvest and prepare their own food teaches them not only responsibility and a love of nature, but it also gets them super interested in checking out what they are growing! And while you are at it – give them a paring knife (and some super supervision) and let them help slice the veggies a little, too!
Skillet Pesto Chicken and Veggies
Ingredients
- 2 TBSP Olive Oil
- 1 pound boneless, skinless chicken thighs
- 1/3 cup sun-dried tomatoes in oil
- 1 pound asparagus
- 1/4 cup basil pesto
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes
Instructions
- Slice the chicken thighs into strips.
- Drain the sun dried tomato oil off and roughly chop.
- Heat a large skillet over medium heat with 2 TBSP olive oil.
- Add the sliced chicken thighs and season with salt, half of the chopped sun-dried tomatoes, and cook on medium for 5-10 minutes, flipping occasionally.
- While the chicken is cooking, cut the cherry tomatoes in half, and trim the ends off of the asparagus and cut into 2" pieces.
- When the chicken is cooked through, remove to another plate and keep warm. Keep the oil in the pan, and then add the asparagus and the rest of the dried-tomatoes and cook for 5 minutes, or until the asparagus is cooked but not limp.
- Add the chicken back to the skillet and add the pesto and the cherry tomatoes, and stir to coat well and the chicken is reheated, about another minute or two.
- Serve, and Enjoy!
Nutrition Information:
Yield:
4Serving Size:
1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 377Total Fat: 25gSaturated Fat: 5gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 19gCholesterol: 142mgSodium: 322mgCarbohydrates: 9gFiber: 3gSugar: 3gProtein: 33g
Angela
Wednesday 8th of November 2017
This recipe was so yummy and refreshing! My picky hubby and son loved the flavor of the chicken. They hate tomatoes though but that just meant more tomato goodness for me :-)
Kid-friendly Gluten Free Meal Plan - Meal Planning Blueprints
Friday 25th of August 2017
[…] I digress. Okay, go make these yummy dinners but before you do, print out the meal plan that’s all made-up-fancy with a grocery list for ya. You’re welcome. […]
Robart
Sunday 28th of August 2016
Very nice post. Thanks
Val
Friday 22nd of July 2016
This looks delicious and a perfect summer meal! I'll be pinning it for later!