Reprinted Start Fresh by Tyler Florence. Copyright (c) 2011 by Tyler Florence. By permission of Rodale, Inc.

Photo by John Lee

Ingredients

1 medium (1 to 11⁄2 pounds) butternut squash, halved lengthwise, seeds removed
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
Salt and freshly ground pepper
12 ounces small pasta shells
1⁄2 cup whole milk
1 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese

Directions
1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
2. Place the squash, cut-side up, on a baking sheet. Drizzle with the olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Bake until tender when pierced with a fork, 30 to 40 minutes. Remove the squash from the oven and allow to cool for 5 or 10 minutes. Leave the oven on and reduce the temperature to 350 degrees.
3. Meanwhile, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the pasta and cook according to the package instructions, or until just al dente. Drain the pasta and transfer to a large bowl.
4. When the squash is cool enough to handle, use a spoon to scoop the flesh into a food processor. Add the milk and puree until smooth. Add the squash puree to the pasta and fold together with a rubber spatula until combined. Grease a 9-inch square or round baking dish. Spread the pasta mixture evenly in the dish and top with the cheese. Bake until the cheese is melted and the top is golden, 5 to 7 minutes. Let stand for 5 minutes before serving.

Makes 4 to 6 adult servings or 8 kid servings

Reprinted Start Fresh by Tyler Florence. Copyright (c) 2011 by Tyler Florence. By permission of Rodale, Inc.

“How great is the idea of a complete Thanksgiving feast all roasted together on a single baking sheet? The flavors are bright and satisfying and the cooking technique is pretty cool. I’m not saying this will replace how you prepare your holiday spread–but then again, it just might. My kids love this dish; it makes a Tuesday night feel like a holiday.”

Photo by John Lee

INGREDIENTS

1 pound boneless turkey breast
1 large sweet potato, scrubbed and halved lengthwise
1/2 cup fresh cranberries
1 small yellow onion, quartered, layers separated
6 fresh sage leaves
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
Salt and freshly ground pepper
1 cup cooked brown rice, warm or at room temperature

DIRECTIONS

Preheat the oven to 400°F.

Arrange the turkey, sweet potato, cranberries, and onion on a rimmed baking sheet and scatter the sage leaves on top. Drizzle with 1 tablespoon of the oil and season with salt and pepper.

Roast uncovered for 25 to 30 minutes, or until the turkey has reached an internal temperature of 155°F when tested at its thickest point with an instant-read thermometer. Let the turkey rest for 10 minutes.

Divide the meal into adult and child-friendly portions. For the kid portions, shred the turkey into small pieces and scoop the sweet potato flesh from the skin. Place in a food processor along with some of the cranberries, onion, and sage. Add a few tablespoons of brown rice. Drizzle in the remaining 2 tablespoons of oil and pulse on and off until coarsely chopped. Serve warm.

Makes 6 to 8 adult servings or 12 kid servings

Posted in: Recipes, Start Fresh

Reprinted from Start Fresh: Your Child’s Jumpstart to Lifelong Healthy Eating by Tyler Florence. Copyright (c) 2011 by Tyler Florence. By permission of Rodale, Inc.

“This is one of the simplest dishes in the book. Pearled couscous, also called Israeli couscous, can be found in most grocery stories. It’s easy to make and can be used as a base for lots of on-the-fly salads.”

Photo by John Lee

INGREDIENTS 1 box (4.7 ounces) pearled or Israeli couscous 2 slices thick-cut bacon, cut crosswise into 1-inch pieces 1/2 pound Brussels sprouts, cut into thin wedges 1/2 cup canned chickpeas, rinsed and drained 2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese DIRECTIONS In a 1 1/2-quart saucepan, bring 1 3/4 cups water to a boil over medium heat. Add the couscous, stir, reduce the heat, and cook uncovered until all the liquid has been absorbed, 5 to 7 minutes. Set aside. In a large skillet, cook the bacon over medium-high heat until most of the fat has been rendered, about 5 minutes. Add the Brussels sprouts and cook, stirring occasionally, until the bacon is crisp and the Brussels sprouts have softened, 5 to 7 minutes longer. Fold in the chickpeas and couscous and stir to combine. Divide into adult and child-friendly portions. Pulse the kid portions in the food processor or fork-mash to the appropriate texture. Serve warm sprinkled with the Parmesan cheese. Makes 2 adult servings or 4 kid servings

Reprinted Start Fresh by Tyler Florence. Copyright (c) 2011 by Tyler Florence. By permission of Rodale, Inc.

Photo by John Lee

Ingredients

1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons buttermilk
1 pound skinless halibut fillet, cut into 1-inch-wide fingers
1 cup panko bread crumbs
2 teaspoons fresh thyme leaves
Salt and freshly ground pepper
1/2 pound assorted baby potatoes, scrubbed and quartered
1/2 pound green beans
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1/2 cup sour cream
2 tablespoons sweet pickle relish
1 tablespoon capers, finely chopped
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper.
2. Combine potatoes and green beans in bowl and drizzle with the oil. Toss to coat thoroughly and season with salt and pepper. Arrange vegetables at one end of baking sheet and put in oven while preparing fish (or about 5 minutes).
3. Pour 1/2 cup of the buttermilk into a large bowl. Add the halibut pieces and turn to coat. In another bowl, stir together panko, thyme, and salt and pepper to taste. Dredge each fish finger in bread crumbs to coat completely, remove pan from oven and arrange fish at other end of the baking sheet.
4. Bake, turning once, until fish fingers are golden, and potatoes are cooked through, about 12 minutes.
5. Stir together the mayonnaise, sour cream, relish, capers, and parsley until well blended. Thin with the remaining 2 tablespoons buttermilk and season with salt and pepper.

Reprinted from Start Fresh: Your Child’s Jumpstart to Lifelong Healthy Eating by Tyler Florence. Copyright (c) 2011 by Tyler Florence. By permission of Rodale, Inc.

“This tastes like Christmas. I was looking for a puree to serve with a quail dish at my San Francisco restaurant, Wayfare Tavern, and after a few trials I landed on this savory combo. It’s crazy good.”

Photo by John Lee

Ingredients:

2 medium parsnips, peeled and cut into 1-inch pieces

1 Bosc pear, cored and cut into chunks

3 dried figs

1 teaspoon grated orange zest

2 tablespoons pure maple syrup

In a saucepan, combine the parsnips, pear, and figs. Add 1 ⁄2 cup water and bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer and cook until the parsnips are tender, about 20 minutes. Let cool slightly.

Transfer the parsnips, pear, and figs along with the cooking liquid to a blender and puree until smooth consistency. Fold in the orange zest and maple syrup and stir until well blended. Serve warm.

Makes four 1/2-cup servings or two 1-cup servings

Reprinted from Start Fresh: Your Child’s Jumpstart to Lifelong Healthy Eating by Tyler Florence. Copyright (c) 2011 by Tyler Florence. By permission of Rodale, Inc.

“Beets and spinach make this salad incredibly nutritious, but it’s the addition of quinoa that catapults it into the realm of superfood! This South American grain is just as easy to make as couscous but packs a lot more protein and has a nice toothy crunch. You’ll find this salad quite delicious and easy to make, so give it a try, especially if you haven’t really played around with quinoa that much.”

Photo by John Lee

Ingredients:

5 small golden beets, scrubbed

3 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil

Salt and freshly ground pepper

1 cup quinoa

1 ounce fresh spinach, stems removed, shredded

3 tablespoons raisins

3 tablespoons crumbled feta cheese

1⁄2 teaspoon fresh lemon juice

Preheat the oven to 400°F.

Arrange the beets on a rimmed baking sheet. Drizzle with 1 teaspoon of the olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Roast the beets until tender when pierced with a fork, 25 to 30 minutes. Let the beets stand until cool enough to handle, then use wet hands to slip the skins from the beets. Cut the beets into quarters.

Meanwhile, in a 11 ⁄2-quart saucepan, bring 2 cups of salted water to a boil. Add the quinoa and cook, stirring occasionally, until all the liquid is absorbed, about 20 minutes. Fold the spinach into the quinoa and set aside.

In a large bowl, fold the quinoa mixture, beets, raisins, and feta together and drizzle with the remaining 2 teaspoons of olive oil and the lemon juice.

Divide the entire recipe into both adult and child-friendly portions. For adults, serve as is. For children, transfer to a food processor and puree or fork-mash, as appropriate.

Makes 4 adult servings or about 6 kid servings

Reprinted from Start Fresh: Your Child’s Jumpstart to Lifelong Healthy Eating by Tyler Florence. Copyright (c) 2011 by Tyler Florence. By permission of Rodale, Inc.

“When your child tastes this for the first time, watch as he thinks about it for a second, and then smiles for another bite. None of the ingredients in this smooth pudding are cooked, so it’s as easy to put together as a smoothie.”

Photo by John Lee

Ingredients:

1 banana, sliced

1⁄4 pineapple, peeled, cored, and cut into chunks

1⁄2 Hass avocado

1⁄2 cup plain whole-milk yogurt

Combine all the ingredients in a blender and puree until smooth. Serve immediately.

Makes four 1/2-cup servings or two 1-cup servings