Parmesan Pasta with Zucchini & Turkey

One thing I can say for sure is that having Lola has completely changed my life.  When I started feeding Lola solid food, I decided I wanted to make her baby food homemade.  It made sense to me to cook for her in the same way that I cook for Matt and me.  For the most part, I try to make my food as homemade as possible (with a few processed foods here and there for those nights when I need an "easy" dinner).  I believe in balance.  Everything in moderation.

This is one of Lola's favorite dishes.  It's nice because she can eat it with her hands - she's not that great at using utensils yet.  You'll want to make sure that everything is pea sized or smaller to avoid choking.

Parmesan Pasta with Zucchini & Turkey
2 Large Zucchini, finely diced
1 Clove garlic, finely minced
1 Tbsp olive oil
1 Tsp thyme
1/2 lb ground turkey
1/4 lb Ditalini pasta
2 Tbsp Parmesan cheese

• Cook the pasta for 12 - 13 minutes.  You do want to cook this a little beyond al dente but not too much.
• Meanwhile, heat the olive oil over medium heat and saute the garlic about 1 - 2 minutes until fragrant.  Add the zucchini and cook until softened.  Transfer the cooked zucchini to a bowl and set aside.
• Brown the turkey over medium high heat until completely cooked and no longer pink.  Make sure to break up any large pieces to avoid a choking hazard.  Drain off any excess liquid.
• Strain the pasta.  Add it to the ground turkey along with the zucchini, thyme, and Parmesan cheese.  Allow to cool then serve to that hungry baby!

This will make quite a few baby-sized servings.  You can freeze individual portion sizes, then reheat.  I've even packed some of the left-overs for myself for lunch!