I was thinking to maybe do my first squid ink risotto for Black Friday but I didn’t have the energy to get it together! So instead we had courgette penne carbonara with a little ham and a good helping of watermelon 🍉 

This is a simple yet balanced family friendly dish. 

Ingredients (for 2 adults, 2 toddlers and little left for toddler lunch tomorrow):

250g penne pasta (we love the wholemeal one)

3 courgettes

1 medium onion, diced, or a good handful of choose frozen onion

1-2 cloves of garlic, finely chopped

30-50g finely chopped ham (optional)

2 eggs

50g plain or Greek yoghurt 

A dash of lemon

Thyme and oregano 🌿 2 tsp finely chopped or 1 tsp dried 

A handful of grated Parmesan and a little more to serve

A good grind of black pepper and more to serve for mummy & daddy

Watermelon, a couple of wedges sliced up 
Method:

Cook the pasta to packet instructions 

Meanwhile start the onion and garlic gently frying and chop the courgette into pieces similar in size to the penne (I usually remove the softer but in the middle and will use it tomorrow when making something that it can get lost in). 

Add the courgette to the frying pan. 

Mix the egg (for a smoother sauce just use the yolks. We use the whole egg to up the protein of the dish), yoghurt, herbs, black pepper and Parmesan together. 

Once the pasta is cooked retain a cup of the pasta water and then drain the rest. Add the water to the courgette mix. 

When the courgette is a little softer than aldente take off the heat and stir in the egg mix and warm through so that the egg is cooked. Add the ham if using, the pasta and the lemon juice and stir well. 

Serve with a little extra grated Parmesan. 

I added the watermelon to the girls plates after I’d finished eating. 

B & W really enjoyed this. W wolfed hers down and so had almost finished before the watermelon arrived. B on the other hand has eaten about half by this point. I often add the fruit or yoghurt during the meal as I find it encourages B to carry on with the main meal alongside. They have a different approach to everything!

Fun practicing with forks tonight 🍴 though hands still very much involved 😍

This meal counted roughly as a portion or non-milk protein, 2-3 portion of fruit and veg, 1/2 portion of milk protein and 1&1/2 portions of starchy carbs. 
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