Bunchland

Eden Hertzog is now a mom…and still hungry

It has been a year of firsts for me and the little guy. Cracking into motherhood is no small feat, and for him – cracking into life is no small feat either. I was thinking just yesterday how good it is that babies come into the world enlightened, otherwise how would they put up with us mommies as we learn the ropes? I was thinking this while driving on the 400, when he was supposed to be sleeping, when there was supposed to be no traffic, but instead we were in gridlock and he was screaming and I wanted to scream too. Had to laugh instead.

He is almost 10 months old, and the changes and milestones seem to be happening daily: crawling, doing some version of talking, pulling up on things, dancing, but most importantly – discovering food! Yes, I have an eater on my hands. He loves everything so far. This makes me incredibly happy, because I love food too.
We spent last week at a cottage with my sister and her two kids, and I was all excited because I wanted Cedar to have his very first pasta dinner. This is a rite of passage for babies – that moment when it’s no longer about pureed pears, but real food instead. He slurped those noodles like it was nobody’s business.

Here’s the recipe, it’s simple and summery and has some veggies in it too…

Cedar’s First Pasta
Ingredients:

• 1 box of spaghetti (whatever version of it you like)
• 2 bunches of spinach, roughly chopped or torn
• 6 Basil leaves, chopped
• 1 pint of grape or cherry tomatoes, halved
• ¾ cup of grated parmesan
• Olive oil
• Salt and Pepper

Fill a large pot with water and set to boil. Add a sprinkle of sea salt. Do not put oil in your pasta water! The Italians would not be pleased…
Prep your veggies while somehow keeping baby entertained. Cook noodles until al dente (usually 12 mins for Spaghetti). Before straining noodles, reserve ½ cup of the pasta water. Strain noodles, put the element to medium-low and put the noodles back into the pot. Put the pot on the stove, add a couple good glugs of olive oil, and throw in all of your ingredients – yes, including the cheese.  Add your reserved pasta water and stir the whole mess together until the liquid has evaporated. Add salt and pepper to taste. It’s so easy you will thank me.  
Put a bunch of noodles on the highchair tray, then sit back and watch the show. If you don’t have a baby, well – enjoy the fact that you will not be cleaning noodles out of your hair and get a good night’s sleep for the rest of us.

Eden Hertzog is the Baker Babe and mom behind New Moon Kitchen.