Toddler Pasta Bake

Hi. Moriah here again. Hope you enjoyed Grandma Shirley's Banana Bread. I'm back with a savory item. I call this one Toddler Pasta Bake. This is what I make when I have left over veggies and marinara sitting in the fridge and not much time to prepare dinner. This meal is much better than tossing or composting those leftover veggies. I call this 'Toddler' Pasta Bake, but don't let the name keep you parents and older kids from enjoying it too.

Read on for the recipe...



Ingredients
1 cup uncooked whole wheat pasta (elbows used here)
1/2 (25-28oz) jar your favorite marinara (or homemade)
1/2 tbsp. olive oil
1/4 zucchini diced
1/4 yellow onion diced
1/2 small carrot diced
shredded mozzarella

Directions
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

2. Cook pasta according to package directions.

3. Heat olive oil over medium heat and add veggies. Cook 5 minutes or until veggies are tender. Note: I steam the carrots first because they never soften up enough for my liking. If you steam the carrots, no need to saute them with the onion and zucchini.

4. In a mixing bowl, add pasta, marinara, veggies, and stir to incorporate.

5. Separate into 3-4 ramekins for individual servings or a small baker for family style.

6. Cover generously with shredded mozzarella and bake for 10 minutes or until cheese has melted to your liking.

Variations: Add in ground turkey or meat for more protein. Spinach and squash are also dice additions in the veggie department.

Note: If serving this to a toddler, obviously transfer from hot ramekin to a safe plate and let cool. The mozzarella is stringy, so after it's cooled, I tear the mozzarella into safe bits.