The K5 - elementary education for parents

The K5 Contributor and chef Carlin Greenstein has some great idea for spring cuisine and what you can make with your kids:

Springtime is a fantastic time to orient your kids with your local farmer’s market.  After a long winter in the Northeast, the arrival of springtime brings more color and vibrance offering a great opportunity to introduce new fruits and vegetables at home.  When you bring your child to the farmers’ market, you not only offer the chance for them to meet and chat with the farmers that actually grow the food but you also teach them how different seasons present new offerings.  In my experience, most city kids think that vegetables grow in the supermarket!

Here is a sneak peak of what to look for in the coming weeks at the market:

-ramps (aka wild leeks)

-asparagus

-parsnips

-kale

-fiddleheads

-radishes

-lettuces

Try these two simple and kid pleasing recipes at home once with your springtime bounty:

Scrambled eggs with ramps and asparagus

Serves 4

All the ingredients in this dish can be found at the farmers market now!  Asparagus is rich in Vitamins A and C and Folate, fiber rich too.

1 tablespoon butter

1/2 cup thinly sliced trimmed ramp bulbs, stems and green tops (set aside the tops)

6 medium asparagus spears, trimmed, cut diagonally into 1/2-inch pieces

8 large eggs, beaten to blend

sea salt & freshly ground pepper

Melt butter in medium nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add ramp bulbs and stems to skillet; sauté 3 minutes. Add green tops and asparagus; sauté until ramps are soft and asparagus is al dente, about 8 minutes.

Add eggs to skillet and gently stir until eggs are very softly set, about 2 minutes. Season to taste with sea salt and pepper.

Divide eggs between 4 plates and serve immediately.

Roasted parsnip puree

Serves 4

Roasting brings out the rich earthiness by caramelizing the natural sugars of the parsnip.  Kids will love the sweet flavor and smooth texture of the puree, it beats the pants off of mashed potatoes!  Parsnips are rich in Vitamin C and Folate.

2 lbs parsnips, peeled, cores removed and chopped

3 Tbsp butter, melted

1 1/2 cup water or chicken broth

1/8 teaspoon nutmeg

sea salt and pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 400°F. Peel parsnips, make a cut off the top of the fat end of each parsnip. This will show you extent of the inner core. Often this core is stringy and woody, especially at the larger end of the parsnip. When you are prepping the parsnips, cut around this core.

Place chopped parsnips in a medium sized bowl, add the melted butter and stir to coat. Lay out the parsnips on a roasting pan in a single layer. Roast in the oven for 20 to 25 minutes, at 400°F, until lightly golden, turning the parsnips once half-way through the cooking.

Put cooked parsnips into a blender or food processor. Add 1 1/2 cups water or broth, and pulse until puréed to the desired consistency. Add more liquid if necessary. Add nutmeg, sea salt and pepper to taste.