The cool thing about this recipe is that it really breaks up into two parts. So, if your kids help, they can really feel like they made half of the meal...or maybe even the whole meal π While the recipe does take you the entire 28 minutes, what you're doing in that time frame is pretty basic. It's mostly a simple process of chopping veggies, tossing them with oil & spices, boiling stock, and monitoring the cornmeal as it turns into polenta. More simply: chopping, tossing, boiling, & monitoring. Lol.
While your kids are helping out, you can also pause to discuss which FOOD GROUPΒ each ingredient belongs to and share some fun facts about this meal's featured ingredient: CORNMEAL.
π΄food groups1π΄
- Fruit: none
- Veggies:Β mushroom, bell pepper, broccoli, zucchini, garlic
- Grains:Β cornmeal
- Protein: none
- Dairy:Β butter, cheese
1For information about food and health, go to ChooseMyPlate.gov.
π½Cornmealπ½
- Cornmeal is the powder made from grinding dried corn kernels.
- You can make so many things with cornmeal. Polenta, cornbread, pancakes, tamales, cookies, tortillas, the list goes on....
- Cornmeal has a lot of nutrients, especially fiber, iron, and zinc. Together, these nutrients help prevent heart disease, strengthen your immune system, and help your body heal from injury.Β
- Whole wheat cornmeal is healthier than regular cornmeal. Regular cornmeal is steel rolled and then stripped of some nutrients in order to make it more shelf stable. Whole wheat cornmeal, on the other hand, is stone ground and not stripped of those nutrients. The processing makes whole wheat cornmeal more nutritious, but also more perishable.
Here are some creative ways for your kid to be your personalΒ Sous Chef as you make our Rosemary Polenta with Roasted Veggies.Β Simply hover over each image for details. Make sure your little dudes wash their hands before starting!
π΄Veggiesπ΄
To prep the veggies for roasting, kids can:
Chop Veggies
Mince Garlic
Measure & mix spices
Mix the veggies
We're big fans of these kid-friendly knives.
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Β Note: This post contains affiliate links.
π΄Polentaπ΄
To make the polenta, kids can:
Bring Broth to a Boil
Whisk in the cornmeal
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*Note:Β For toddlers especially, these tasks require adult supervision and/or assistance, as items may be sharp, hot or otherwise dangerous.Β
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