6 Recipes You Can Make Straight From Your Garden

Kids love to be involved in planting the garden, and what better way to teach them about gardening than having them eat what they have grown and produced! Here's 6 easy recipes that involve ingredients your children can grow and pick from the garden:

Gazpacho: Kids may not like the sounds of this on the surface, but they will love the results. This cold soup allows them to use their tomatoes and cucumbers from the garden. Finely chop up plenty of fresh picked tomatoes and cucumber for the start. Then add in some canned tomato juice to thicken and add to the base. Then you can customize this to your kids taste and add in jalapeno if they like it spicy or just cilantro for that perfect spice twist. Top with sour cream and tortilla chips and you have a healthy and delicious meal or snack fresh from the garden.
Pasta Primavera: No matter what type of veggies you have, this is a perfect way to cook them up. Take green beans, squash, zucchini, carrots, peppers, onions, and whatever else you have pulled from the garden. Then toss in olive oil and garlic for the perfect way to cook them up and make a simple but nice sauce. Cook up some pasta that you can toss in with the veggies and sauce and then top with plenty of parmesan cheese. The kids will be eating it up and love that their garden made this meal!
Corn and Black Bean Salsa: Every kid loves dip, no matter what type it is. If you combine fresh corn and red peppers from the garden with black beans, you've got that perfect little dipping sauce packed full of nutrients. Add in a bit of vinegar and olive oil, some garlic salt and black pepper, and give it a spicy twist if your kids like it. Then get out the tortilla chips and watch the kids go crazy over this garden fresh snack!
Veggie and Turkey Roll Ups: This is a fabulous new twist on the classic sandwich, and it's great that it's from your own garden. Take some tortilla or flatbread and spread it with hummus or cream cheese. Top with fresh veggies such as cucumber, tomatoes, lettuce, peppers, and whatever else you get from the garden. Then top with turkey and some cheese if you like, and roll it up. A sandwich has never been so good and they will gobble it up for a great new lunch idea!
Pesto Pasta: Initially kids may think that a green pasta sauce is not their thing, but they will soon learn that this is a great dish to try. Take all the fresh basil that you can pull out of the garden and throw it in a blender with olive oil, pine nuts, and plenty of parmesan cheese. Then top the pasta with this sauce. Add chicken and some fresh zucchini. The perfect Italian dinner in a flash!
Minestrone Soup: This is a great way to use up some of the fresh veggies that you get from the garden and make a nutritious lunch or dinner. Start with a chicken broth base and throw in fresh broccoli, cauliflower, green beans, zucchini, and fresh herbs if you have them. Then cook in some pasta and white beans to make a great and filling soup!

Making food from your garden with the kids is a fun way to use up the veggies and make a great and nutritious meal. These recipes are easy to make for kids of all ages and a great way to have them learning about cooking in the kitchen. Written by Chris Molnar, editor of Themeaparty.com, a website filled with theme party ideas, kids crafts, recipes and party tips. Chris is a work at home Dad who recently hosted an Elmo birthday party for his youngest daughter, and is planning an outdoor butterfly-themed party for his eldest in a couple weeks.