By Spring 2036 continued. Maya is two and a half and she is, I am not exaggerating, the most interesting person I know. Diego brings her on Sundays sometimes and she walks into the kitchen like she owns it — which she does, in some sense, because ownership is conferred by intention and she fully intends to be in this kitchen, eating things, examining things, asking about things in her growing vocabulary of two-word declarations. "Papa cook." "Hot pot." "Maya try."
I've been cooking for her and with her. Not in a structured way — I don't put on an apron and announce a lesson. I just cook and let her watch and ask. She watched me make red chile sauce last Sunday and asked about the dried chiles, what they were, where they came from. I told her they came from New Mexico, where Papa's father lives, where the dirt is a different color than Colorado dirt and where green chile grows in the summer heat. She said: Maya go? I said: someday, we'll take you. And we will.
I've also been on the phone more with Marco. He finished his first full year of assistant coaching and he's thinking about applying for a head coach position at a smaller school nearby. He called to talk it through and I mostly listened, asking questions at the margins. He doesn't need advice as much as he needs an audience that takes him seriously. I try to be that. I remember what it felt like at thirty-two to want to be taken seriously and to be terrified of the responsibility at the same time. I told him: if you want it, go get it. He said: what if I fail? I said: then you'll know things you don't know now. He was quiet for a moment and said: that's either very wise or very easy to say. I said: probably both.
Maya watching me work — those small hands reaching toward the dried chiles, that voice asking where things come from — reminded me that the best thing I can pass down isn’t a technique or a recipe card but a habit of curiosity in the kitchen. I wanted to pull together the recipes I reach for most on those Sunday afternoons: unfussy, honest food that holds up to a toddler’s scrutiny and a grown man’s hunger, the kind of dishes Marco could make in a rented apartment near whatever school hires him next. These sixteen recipes are that list.
16 Healthy Kid-Friendly Recipes
Prep Time: Varies | Cook Time: Varies | Total Time: 20–45 min per recipe | Servings: 4
Ingredients
- 1 lb boneless, skinless chicken breast or thighs, cut into bite-sized pieces
- 2 cups broccoli florets
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
- 1 cup cooked brown rice or whole-grain pasta
- 1 can (15 oz) low-sodium black beans, drained and rinsed
- 2 medium sweet potatoes, peeled and cubed
- 2 cups baby spinach or chopped kale
- 1 medium zucchini, sliced
- 2 eggs
- 1/2 cup plain Greek yogurt
- 1/4 cup shredded low-fat cheddar cheese
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1/2 teaspoon cumin
- Salt and black pepper to taste
- Fresh lime juice, for serving
Instructions
- Roast the sweet potatoes. Preheat oven to 400°F. Toss sweet potato cubes with 1 tablespoon olive oil, a pinch of salt, and garlic powder. Spread on a baking sheet and roast 20–25 minutes until tender and lightly caramelized.
- Cook the chicken. Heat remaining olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Season chicken with onion powder, cumin, salt, and pepper. Cook 6–8 minutes, turning once, until cooked through and lightly golden.
- Steam the vegetables. Place broccoli florets and zucchini in a steamer basket over 1 inch of boiling water. Cover and steam 4–5 minutes until bright green and just tender. Remove from heat.
- Warm the beans. In a small saucepan over low heat, warm the black beans with a splash of water and a pinch of cumin for 3–4 minutes. Stir in baby spinach and cook 1 minute until just wilted.
- Prepare the eggs. Scramble or soft-boil the eggs to preference. For young children, scrambled with a small knob of butter works well.
- Assemble the bowls. Divide brown rice or pasta among four bowls. Top with chicken, roasted sweet potatoes, steamed vegetables, and the bean-and-spinach mixture. Add cherry tomatoes fresh.
- Finish and serve. Dollop each bowl with Greek yogurt, sprinkle with shredded cheddar, and squeeze fresh lime juice over the top. Serve warm.
Nutrition (per serving)
Calories: 420 | Protein: 36g | Fat: 11g | Carbs: 48g | Fiber: 9g | Sodium: 320mg