Garlic Broccoli Noodles

Peanut butter sandwiches for lunch everyday? Really? Is this your life with preschool-aged children or just mine?

I have a 5-year-old that wants peanut butter sandwiches everyday for lunch and sometimes for dinner too.  Don’t get me wrong.  I enjoy a peanut butter sandwich and I love how easy it is to fix, but after awhile I am ready for a change.

Last week, after eating peanut butter sandwiches 4 days in a row, I felt if I ate it for one more meal, I would turn into a peanut.  We needed a new lunch option.  It needed to be easy and something the kids would eat.

Enter leftover spaghetti noodles and some vegetables I had on hand.

I melted some non-dairy margarine (olive oil would be divine) in skillet and added a spoonful of minced garlic, fresh broccoli, red peppers, the noodles and spinach.

My five-year-old was skeptical.  My three-year-old just stared at it.

What did they think of it? Did they eat it?

The five-year-old responded, “Good.” Five minutes later when the 3-year-old finally decided to try it, she just said “Mmmm.”

(And as I write this now, the kids looked at the picture and exclaimed,  “That was good. We should make it for the rest of the family.”)  🙂

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Garlic Broccoli Noodles

2 Tbsp non-dairy margarine*

1 Tbsp minced garlic (a little less, if you aren’t a garlic lover)

1 cup broccoli, cut in bite-sized pieces.

1/2 red pepper, diced

4 cups cooked spaghetti noodles (cooked in salted water)

2 handfuls of spinach

Salt and pepper to taste

Melt the margarine or oil in a skillet over medium-high heat.  Add the garlic, then broccoli, then red pepper.  Let saute for 3-5 minutes, while stirring every minute.  Turn heat to medium.  Add the cooked noodles.  Cook 5 minutes or until noodles are heated, stirring occasionally.  Add spinach and cook until wilted.

Serve while hot.

*For a different flavor, use some sesame oil with margarine or oil.