Pasta Salad

Pasta salads have never really appealed to me. I can count maybe three times in my life when I've actually tried a bite of one. But, in my quest to find healthy, easy foods I kept coming across different variations of pasta salads. When my October 2011 issue of Parents magazine came in the mail I discovered "Wheel's Up Pasta Salad" and adapted it to the recipe below. Each of the ingredients I had on hand and I thought it looked like something my kids may enjoy (and I may even like it too).

As with most newly introduced foods my kids immediately started examining the salad, touching it and naming the different parts. But, none of it went into their mouths. I had my own portion so as I was taking bites we would talk about how it tasted. I was pleasantly surprised at how much I liked its simple and lightly sweet flavor.

My little ones eventually picked out some of the apples, cucumbers and raisins to eat but never touched the pasta. This was very odd since these noodles are their favorite when topped with pasta sauce. Regardless, the amount of pasta salad each ate was barely noticeable. Our policy is not to pressure the kids into new foods (as difficult as that can sometimes be when you take the time to prepare something good), but it was offered again at dinner and the next day for lunch and dinner. Each time they picked through and ate what they wanted, but never the pasta.

I've found that maybe I should give pasta salads a little more of a chance and since both my husband and I enjoyed it I'll be making it again very soon. It will continue to be an option on our kids' plates, when we have it available, and hopefully they'll begin to enjoy it as well. After all it took us nearly a month to get one of our kids to like broccoli...and that was with us offering it almost daily. :)


Pasta Salad

2c Cooked Pasta
1 Small Apple (cored and chopped)
1/2 Cucumber (seeded and chopped)
1/4c Raisins
2tbsp Olive Oil
1/8tsp Salt
1/8tsp Ground Black Pepper
1 Lemon (cut in half)

1. Place chopped apple in large bowl, take one half of the lemon and squeeze over apples, stir to combine
2. Add pasta, cucumber, raisins, olive oil, salt and pepper
3. Stir until well combined
4. Squeeze remaining half of the lemon over salad and stir

5. Cover and let pasta salad chill in the refrigerator until serving time