Tyler Florence helps parents encourage healthy eating

Put down the dinosaur-shaped chicken nuggets, parents — real food (even veggies!) can be enjoyable for little ones to eat, too. In his new cookbook, “Start Fresh: Your Child's Jump Start to Lifelong Healthy Eating,” father and chef Tyler Florence hopes to empower mom and dad in the kitchen, providing them with tips and recipes to “put their kids on the path to making good food choices throughout their lives.”

“There is a lot to be said for making food for your child from fresh, whole foods and having them be aware of that from an early age,” Florence says. “And it’s much simpler than most people think — no fancy equipment, minimal time ... so it’s not like you’re chained to a stove.”

Some recipes, like Florence’s One-Pan Lasagna, are even designed for the whole family to share. “This recipe requires just one pan and takes 25 minutes, start to finish. Adults love it and so do kids. For the youngest ones, just blend it to smooth out the texture, and they are sure to eat it up along with everyone else.”

Q&A: Talking with Tyler Florence

How do you sum up the “Start Fresh” philosophy?   

With childhood obesity rates skyrocketing, it’s more important than ever for kids to develop healthy eating habits right from the very start. Unfortunately, parents are bombarded by marketing intent on convincing them that they don’t know how to feed their children — that they are somehow powerless and the only thing kids will eat are chicken nuggets in the shape of dinosaurs. The truth is that parents do have the power to make a huge difference in what kids will consume — all they have to do is cook for them. By exposing them to real, whole foods and a variety of fresh ingredients and flavors, parents will be putting their kids on the path to making good food choices throughout their lives.

Is it setting a bad precedent when busy parents feed baby out of the jar?

Sadly, most commercial baby food tastes terrible — no amount of airplane tricks and choo choo noises will disguise that fact from your child. But obviously, as someone who launched their own organic baby food company (Sprout), I understand that there is a need for the convenience that is offered by a packed baby food, which is why we worked very hard to create a product that is essentially the same as the recipes I have been making for my own kids at home — the recipes in “Start Fresh.” As a chef and a father, I think there is a lot to be said for making food for your child from fresh, whole foods and having them be aware of that from an early age. And it's actually much simpler than most people think — no fancy equipment, minimal time, and you make it in batches that you can store and freeze, so it's not like you're chained to a stove every single day. Once parents give it a try, I am certain they will be hooked.

What are the first steps in incorporating more healthy, tasty foods into a baby’s diet?

Most pediatricians consider 4-6 months the perfect time to start introducing solid food into your child's diet. This is also the time during which they start forming lasting preference for foods, so it's critical to expose them to the freshest flavors and the most densely nutritious foods you possibly can. At the earliest stage you will want to whip up super-smooth purees — the smoother the puree, the more likely you are to have success (babies have a gag reflex that's triggered by even small particles). Carrots, butternut squash, and apples are a good place to starts.

Some foods try to “hide” veggies in kids’ meals. Shouldn’t we be encouraging the idea that veggies are yummy instead? Any tips on doing just that?  

Again, the key is introducing veggies as early as possible. They won’t like everything so don’t give up if his first reaction to a new flavor is less than enthusiastic. You have to offer certain foods a few times, with varying degrees of success, to get a sense of what will go on the menu permanently. Roasting is also another great way to get kids to enjoy veggies. It works with everything: broccoli, green beans, brussels sprouts. Cut the vegetable into small, consistent pieces, drizzle on some olive oil and season with a touch of salt. Spread it on a rimmed baking sheet and put it in a 350-degree oven until it’s caramelized. The natural starches turn into sugars, which of course kids love!

What makes the One-Pan Lasagna a meal that’s perfect for the whole family?  

We've all probably spent hours making lasagna, carefully layering all the ingredients, and let's face it — it always comes out looking sort of sloppy anyway. Forget all of that. This recipe requires just one pan and takes 25 minutes, start to finish — plus, most importantly, it is full of great flavor. Adults love it and so do kids of all ages — for the youngest ones, just blend it to smooth out the texture and they are sure to eat it up along with everyone else.

RECIPE

One-Pan Lasagna

Enough for four to six adults, or eight kid servings

Ingredients

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 pound lean ground grass-fed beef
1 can (28 ounces) whole peeled tomatoes, preferably San Marzano
4 baby carrots, scrubbed
1 small yellow onion, cut into wedges
1 garlic clove, thinly sliced
1 cup organic chicken stock
½ cup part-skim ricotta cheese
3 ounces fresh spinach leaves, stems removed and coarsely chopped
4 lasagna noodles, broken into 1½-inch pieces
4 ounces fresh mozzarella, cubed

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 400°F. In a large, ovenproof skillet, heat oil over medium heat until shimmering. Add the beef and cook, breaking up with a wooden spatula, until the meat has browned (five to seven minutes).

Meanwhile, combine the tomatoes, carrots, onion and garlic in a food processor and chop until coarsely ground — but not completely smooth. When the meat is browned, pour off any accumulated fat.

Add the tomato mixture, stock, ricotta and spinach and combine thoroughly. Bury the lasagna noodles in the sauce, and sprinkle the mozzarella evenly over all. Bake the lasagna uncovered until the cheese is melted and bubbling, 10 to 15 minutes. Remove the pan from the oven and let stand uncovered for 10 minutes. Serve warm.


Follow Amber Ray on Twitter @AmberatMetro.