So, I have to admit that I’ve been wanting to try this recipe with my kids for a long time, but I was a little concerned that my picky eater would spit out the spinach fettuccine at first taste. My solution? DON’T tell them spinach that has turned the pasta green until AFTER they have eaten it! Sure enough, they were all asking for seconds.
Serves 3-4 people, prep time less than 20 minutes.
Healthy Recipes for Kids: Pasta Birds Nests
Healthy Pasta Birds Nests for Kids Ingredients
1/2 stick butter, softened
1 tsp garlic paste or one crushed clove of garlic
1 tsp basil
1/2 tsp oregano
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1/2 tsp onion salt
12 oz package of spinach fettuccine noodles (or other long noodles that are either green or brown, like whole wheat noodles)
1 container of cherry tomatoes
1 package of pre-made puff pastry or can of Pillsbury Crescent Recipe Creations (basically unscored cresent roll dough)
You will also need a bird cookie cutter or a good eye for cutting out bird shapes
How to Make Healthy Pasta Birds Nests for Kids
Combine the butter, garlic, basil, oregano and onion salt together, and stir into a garlic butter paste (yum.)
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Next, roll out your puff pastry or crescent roll dough and cut out as many birds as you can fit (with my cookie cutter and the Pillsbury dough, I got 10 birds out of it). Place them on an ungreased nonstick cookie sheet. Spread the garlic butter on the top of the birds as shown. You won’t use all of the garlic butter, save the rest for the pasta.
Bake the birds according to the bread package directions. Check them early, as I baked mine for about 11 minutes and the package called for 13 minutes. The smaller your birds, the less time they need to bake.
Cook the spinach fettuccine according to the package directions. Drain and toss with the remaining garlic butter and salt to taste.
Place the noodles onto your plate and spread out the noodles a bit to make a well in the center. Place your cherry tomatoes and baked garlic bread birds into the “nests” and enjoy!
