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YOU MATTER Cooking

Cooking nutritious food is a life skill that helps you grow into a healthy adult. Along with learning how to cook, it’s also important to understand why nutrition matters. There’s a big difference between feeding and fueling your body. You feed your body to survive, but when you fuel your body with healthy, nutritious food, you thrive. You perform better, you feel good and you look your very best.

Because you matter, this recipe is filled with nutritious ingredients that will help you thrive. It’s also easy and delicious! Have fun learning some interesting food facts and new cooking skills as you make this recipe. And don’t forget to share photos of your cooking experience using #MATTERnation!

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During the making of this recipe, you will learn and practice how to:

• Read and follow a recipe
• Brown meat and boil pasta
• Chop onion and fresh basil
• Determine accurate measurements
• Make healthy food choices
• Taste new ingredients

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List of Ingredients

In Your MATTERbox:

Turkey Coupon for 1 lb. ground turkey
1 (15 oz) can low sodium tomato sauce
1 (15 oz) can diced tomato
1 (2 oz) packet Italian seasoning
1 (12 oz) box whole-wheat penne pasta

Shopping List:

1 medium onion
2 oz. fresh basil
Grated Parmesan cheese
Salt & pepper

Other: 

1½ cups water

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Questions about Ingredients

If you’re doing this in a group, allow everyone a chance to share their answers.

Are there any ingredients you’re not familiar with?

What is your favorite ingredient in this recipe? Your least favorite? Why?

Will you be willing to taste this recipe even if you don’t like a particular ingredient?

Which of these ingredients seem healthy to you and why?

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Fun Food Facts!

Because you matter, these ingredients were chosen specifically to help your body perform at its very best. This recipe uses whole-wheat penne pasta. Do you know the difference between whole grains and refined grains? Grab a pencil and paper to test your knowledge with the quiz below.

A. Whole Grains                                 B. Refined Grains

1. Which contains all three parts of the grain?

2. Which has significantly more B vitamins, minerals, and fiber?

3. Which has the bran and germ removed during processing?

4. Which type of grains are these: brown rice, wild rice, oatmeal, and popcorn?

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Answers

1. A: Whole grains contain all three parts of the grain: the bran, germ and endosperm. Each part contains important nutrients that are essential to good health.

2. A: Whole grains are significantly more nutritious than refined grains because they contain all three parts of the grain.

3. B: Refined grains go through a process to remove the bran and germ, making the flour softer and giving it a longer shelf life than whole grain flour. That may sound appealing, but many nutrients are lost in the refining process, making refined grains less healthy than whole grains.

4. A: They are all whole grains.

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Congratulations!

You increased your knowledge of nutrition!

Ready to cook?

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Don’t forget!

• Wash hands before cooking
• Respect one another in the kitchen; work together as a team
• Knives must be signed out and signed back in on sign-out sheet
• Wash and dry dishes afterward
• Return your kitchen space to as clean as you found it

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Getting Ready to Cook

After you’ve washed your hands, you can being prepping:

1. Open your MATTERbox and set out all contents.

2. Gather your shopping items.

3. Collect your cooking tools:

• Knife
• Cutting board
• Large pot
• Measuring cups and spoons
• Large mixing spoon

4. Wash all fresh ingredients.

5. Open all cans, being careful with the lids.

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Recipe Directions

It’s important to read through all the directions before you begin. Step-by-step directions will follow.

DIRECTIONS

1. In a large pot, brown 1 lb of turkey on medium heat, stirring occasionally.
2. Add 1 packet of Italian Seasoning and 1 medium diced onion, stir. Cook until onion is translucent (clear) and tender.
3. Add the tomato sauce, diced tomatoes, 1½ cups of water and uncooked pasta and stir to combine. Let mixture come to a boil.
4. Turn heat down to low, cover pot and simmer for 15 minutes.
5. Check for liquid to have been mostly absorbed and pasta is tender. If still firm, return cover and cook 2-3 more minutes.
6. Add salt and pepper to taste. Top with fresh basil and Parmesan cheese.

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Before you begin, dice the onion. Check out the video to see how it’s done. Then click Continue for written instructions.

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Now you try it!

Read the directions carefully before you attempt to cut on your own. If you’re unsure, ask an adult to help you. Remember to keep your fingertips away from the knife at all times!

1. Cut off the stem. Be sure not to cut the root (hairy) end.

2. Set the onion cut side down so it’s stable and not wobbling around. Cut it length-wise through the root (hairy) end. The root is what holds the onion together, so you want to make sure you have cut the onion so both pieces have the root at the ends.

3. Peel off the outer papery layers.

4. Lay one piece flat side down and make cuts lengthwise into it, cutting to the root. Since we are dicing for this recipe, the strips being cut into the onion should be close together.

5. Turn the onion piece and carefully cut widthwise, working from the front to the root. Watch as the onion falls apart into perfectly chopped pieces!

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Step-By-Step Directions

Step 1

In a large pot, brown 1 lb of turkey on medium heat, stirring occasionally. As you stir it, you’ll want to break it up into small pieces.

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Step 2

Add 1 packet of Italian seasoning and 1 medium diced onion, stir. Cook until onion is   translucent (clear) and tender.

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Step 3

Add the tomato sauce, diced tomatoes, 1½ cups of water and uncooked pasta and stir to combine. Let mixture come to a boil.

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Step 4

Turn heat down to low, cover pot and simmer for 15 minutes.

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While pasta mixture is cooking, prepare your basil.

You will chop it using a technique called Chiffonade. Watch the video to see how its done!

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Now you try it!

1. Stack 3 or 4 basil leaves and roll them up together.

2. On a cutting board, carefully cut the rolled leaves into narrow strips, keeping your fingers away from the knife at all times. Hold down the leaves lightly with the knuckles of your hand while you chop.

3. When you’re done, loosely separate the slices with your fingers. Ta da!

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Congratulations!

You mastered the skills for this recipe!

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Step 5

After 15 minutes, check for liquid to have been mostly absorbed and pasta is tender.  If still firm, return cover and cook 2-3 more minutes.

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Step 6

Add salt and pepper to taste. Top with fresh basil and Parmesan cheese.

Enjoy!

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So…what do you think?

While eating your delicious creation, ask yourself the following questions. If you’re doing this in a group, go around and have everyone answer the questions to compare your answers.

What was most challenging in making this recipe?

 Did the taste of any of these ingredients surprise you?

Would you make this for your family or friends? Why or why not?

What other ingredients would you add to make it more to your liking?

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When you’re done, clean up your area. Wash all dishes and cooking utensils and put everything back where you found it.

Leftovers can be put into a container and refrigerated for up to 3-4 days.

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Congratulations!

You mastered the One Pot Pasta Meal!

Share the photos of your cooking experience using #MATTERnation!

Click Continue for one more step before you’re done…