Calling all pasta lovers: there’s a new pasta on the scene and it’s changing the dinner game big time! It’s time to talk about Veggiecraft Farms and their mouth-watering vegetable-based pastas. Using just three simple ingredients – cauliflower, peas, and lentils – Veggiecraft Farms has created nutritional pastas that are high in fiber and protein, packed full of vitamins, and low in sodium and carbohydrates. Needless to say, these natural, vegetable-based pastas will make for a filling, well-balanced dinner that the entire family is sure to enjoy!

From the Mouth of a Kid:

I love the spaghetti the most! The noodles are fun to eat!

From the Eyes of a Parent:

I absolutely LOVE Veggiecraft Farms because the pastas are packed full of so many nutrients and it tastes just like regular pasta. I never thought I’d see the day when my kids begged for cauliflower, lentils, and peas for dinner, but they can’t get enough of the Veggiecraft Farms spaghetti! They’re great for families with food allergies because they’re gluten-free and dairy-free. On top of that, the Veggiecraft Farms website has some great pasta recipes that don’t take long at all to prepare, and the high protein from the vegetables means full stomachs and happy faces in our household!

Flavorful Features:

Veggiecraft Farms makes both spaghetti and penne pasta shapes. You can purchase them separately in packs of four or get the variety pack, which includes two boxes of penne and two boxes of spaghetti. Check out their website for some delicious pasta recipes, including Cauliflower Pesto and Sundried Tomato Pasta.

The Icing on the Cake:

In addition to being non-GMO, these high protein pastas are vegan and kosher. The cauliflower is a great source of Vitamin C, vitamin K, and omega-3s, while the lentils give you sustained energy. Additionally, the peas are rich in antioxidants and full of vitamins which aid in eye health.

Time to Eat?!

Veggiecraft Farms pasta is full of protein and doesn’t take long to prepare, which makes it the perfect meal for family dinners. Any extras can always be refrigerated and eaten for lunch the next day!

www.veggiecraftfarms.com/pages/our-story

www.facebook.com/veggiecraftfarms

The Creative Kitchen™, LLC, teaches children about food and how to cook in a fun, safe, and educational manner. Targeting families with children ages two to teen, the company focuses on teaching, writing creative content and curriculum, special events, recipe development, spokesperson work, webisode production and consulting to present educational and entertaining content through food-related activities. The founder, Cricket Azima, is an expert in cooking for and with children. She inspires kids to express themselves creatively through food and cooking, while complementing lessons with traditional educational material such as social studies, math, arts, science, and more. Visit www.thecreativekitchen.com for more information.

This Cinco de Mayo, spice up your every-day guacamole with these mouthwatering mix-ins from our friends at iVillage. Get the kids involved by letting them mash the avocados and choosing which ingredients to add!

Guacamole con Granada

This recipe, from New York’s Toloache restaurant, has apple, mango, and pomegranate seeds for a fresh, fruity twist.

Click here for the recipe.

Artichoke-amole

What if all your favorite party dips joined together to form the supergroup of spreads? Part guacamole, part artichoke dip, part tapenade, this creamy green spread is 100 percent tasty–and surprisingly healthy to boot!

Click here for the recipe.

Green Pea Guacamole

This recipe cuts calories and fat by substituting green peas for some of the avocado. Serve with baked tortilla chips for guilt-free snacking!

Click here for the recipe.

Eat your peas, please! Ring in the spring with these fresh and tasty recipes from our friends at Cooking Light. These recipes utilize fresh springtime bounty and are sure to please every palate. 

Spring Pasta with Fava Beans and Peas

The vibrant colors of spring shine in this elegant, seasonal pasta dish. Choose firm, bright fava bean pods free of black marks—avoid pods on which the outline of the beans inside is pronounced, indicating older favas.

Click here for the recipe!

Strawberry-Avocado Salsa with Cinnamon Tortilla Chips

Make the chips in advance, cool completely, and store in an airtight container until ready to serve.

Click here for the recipe!

Grilled Chicken with Spicy Rhubarb-BQ Sauce

When you think rhubarb, you may only think pie, but that’s selling it short: The rosy stalk packs enough bright tanginess to transform a variety of dishes. Here, paired with smoky heat and sweet tomato, it makes homemade BBQ sauce sing.

Click here for the recipe!

The Creative Kitchen™, LLC, teaches children about food and how to cook in a fun, safe, and educational manner.  Targeting families with children ages two to teen, the company focuses on teaching, writing creative content and curriculum, special events, recipe development, spokesperson work, webisode production and consulting to present educational and entertaining content through food-related activities. The founder, Cricket Azima, is an expert in cooking for and with children.  She inspires kids to express themselves creatively through food and cooking, while complementing lessons with traditional educational material such as social studies, math, arts, science, and more. Visit www.thecreativekitchen.com for more information.

When talking about food and cooking, we typically think of how it tastes. However, this three-pea pasta salad is as pleasing to the eyes as it is to the palate. This dish from our friends at ArchetypeMe and Cricket Azima is simply sweet and gorgeous green! Treat your family to a bright and refreshing pasta salad for those warm summer nights or weekend picnics. Although the stars of the dish are small in size, each pea variety is bursting with crisp, fresh flavor.

What Matters to Mom?

Protein Power-Up:

Toss in a can of tuna or a pound of shredded cooked chicken breast not add protein.

ADULT-ERATE IT:

Spice up this pasta salad by adding red pepper flakes, to taste.

IN A PINCH:

If Meyer lemon-infused olive oil is not within reach, traditional olive oil and lemon juice make a perfectly pleasing substitution.

Yields 12 servings

Ingredients:

1 pound small cut pasta, cooked (i.e. small shells or orzo, but fettuccine and other shapes work, too)

1 pound frozen peas, defrosted

8 ounces (about 2 cups) fresh snap peas, chopped into 1/2 inch pieces

8 ounces (about 2 cups) fresh snow peas, chopped into 1/2 inch pieces

3/4 cup chopped fresh mint

1/3 cup Meyer lemon-infused olive oil or 1/4 cup olive oil plus the juice of two lemons

Salt and pepper, to taste

Instructions:

1. In a large bowl, combine pasta, peas, snap peas, snow peas, and mint.

2. Add Meyer lemon olive oil and season with salt and pepper, to taste.

3. Stir well to combine and serve.

The Creative Kitchen™, LLC, teaches children about food and how to cook in a fun, safe, and educational manner.  Targeting families with children ages two to teen, the company focuses on teaching, writing creative content and curriculum, special events, recipe development, spokesperson work, webisode production and consulting to present educational and entertaining content through food-related activities. The founder, Cricket Azima, is an expert in cooking for and with children.  She inspires kids to express themselves creatively through food and cooking, while complementing lessons with traditional educational material such as social studies, math, arts, science, and more. Visit www.thecreativekitchen.com for more information.