Broccoli Pesto Pasta, Finn is 1 and goodbye Formula / Milk!

How do I have a 1 year old?? Time is rude.

Somehow, just like that, Finn is officially ONE. Which means honey is now on the table (literally), and we’re moving into this next phase of food with him. In true Finn fashion, he made a big change overnight. He quit formula cold turkey, showed zero interest in milk, and left us being like, do we throw away all the bottles tomorrow? Not no. Luckily, if you live in this house, calcium is aplenty… cheese is basically a food group. Parmesan, cheddar, mozzarella… you name it, he’s on board. We know Thomas loves the cottage cheese trend.

We’re also kinda starting to say goodbye to purées. The first step is leveling up veggies in ways that are easy for little hands to pinch and self-feed, or turning those veggies into sauces that everyone at the table can love. Think roasted broccoli florets, soft carrot sticks, or pesto that doubles as baby food and a crowd-pleasing pasta sauce.

At one, the big picture when it comes to food is: more variety, more texture, more flavors, and encouraging independence. Meals start to look like smaller portions of what the rest of the family is eating, which makes life infinitely easier (and more fun).

This week we intro’d Broccoli Pesto Pasta which is truly a crowd pleaser for the entire family. It also is excellent on top of some salmon for an extra layer of veggies.

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Broccoli Pesto Pasta

A family favorite that sneaks in tons of veggies, is packed with calcium, and works for everyone from toddlers to adults. No nuts, all flavor.

Ingredients

• Kosher salt

• 12 ounces broccoli florets and stalks, cut into small pieces

• ½ - 1 cup grated Parmesan cheese

• ½ cup packed fresh basil leaves, plus more for garnish

• Zest and juice of 1 lemon, plus more for serving

• ½ cup extra virgin olive oil

• Freshly cracked black pepper

• 1 garlic clove

• 1 pound small pasta (like orecchiette, shells, etc)

Directions

1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the broccoli and cook until tender, 5-7 minutes. Use a slotted spoon to transfer broccoli to food processor. Keep the pot of water on the stove for the pasta.

2. In a food processor, combine the broccoli, Parmesan, basil, lemon zest, lemon juice, and garlic. Pulse until super finely chopped. With the motor running, slowly stream in the olive oil until smooth. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

3. Return the pot of water to a boil and cook the pasta according to package directions. Reserve ½ cup of pasta water, then drain.

4. Return the pasta to the pot over low heat. Add about half of the broccoli pesto and a splash of the reserved pasta water. Toss until the pasta is evenly coated, adding more pesto and pasta water as needed.

5. Transfer to a serving bowl and top with extra Parmesan, fresh basil, and a little more lemon zest. Serve warm.

Pro tip: Any leftover pesto freezes beautifully and is perfect for quick toddler meals or a speedy weeknight dinner. Or add it to some chopped chicken or fish for a veggie / protein loaded meal!