This week, we are learning the importance of MyPlate by making a spin on an Italian classic – spaghetti bolognese! It’s so important to teach children from a young age to identify the grain, protein, and vegetable in their meal because when you eat a variety of food from each group in the right proportion, you will get all the nutrients and minerals your body needs to stay healthy and feel satiated throughout the day. Unfortunately, a recent study from the CDC shows that 90% of Americans aren’t getting enough of fiber from fruits and vegetable, which they recommend filling at least half of your plate with. As a chef educator, we have to tackle this issue by teaching the students how to cook vegetables in a delicious way and one dish that’s always a crowd pleaser is our bean bolognese and zucchini noodles!
The students first chop and saute all of our aromatics – onions and garlic. Then we cook the vegetable that take longest to cook starting with carrots, mushrooms, then bell pepper. Next we add drained canned beans (we’ve used chickpeas, pinto, kidney beans, etc. – they all work great!) to substitute the protein that’s traditionally found in ground beef. Season everything generously with salt, pepper, and Italian seasoning, then deglaze with tomatoes (canned and/or fresh) and a splash of water. While we let this simmer, the fun part starts – spiralizing the zucchini to make “zoodles”! The students cut both ends of the zucchini then I taught them how to use the spiralizer which creates long, thin, noodles in seconds. We’ve experimented with other varieties of squashes, carrots, and eggplants, but zucchini is always the fan favorite.
If you’re serving this dish to a really picky eater with sensory issue, I recommend blending the bolognese into a smooth sauce, but those that are adventurous eaters usually love the variety of texture in this bolognese. Combine the zoodles into the bolognese and let it soften for 2 minutes. Optionally, grate some parmesan cheese to finish it off, and watch how all these students devour a plate of tasty and comforting vegetables!
