If you’re trying to sneak more veggies into your children’s diet, pasta is always a good place to start – consider sautéing mushrooms with the peppers or throwing in baby spinach or arugula at the very end.

Yield: 4 servings

Bring six quarts of salted water to a boil. Cook spaghetti until al dente. Strain spaghetti, reserving 1 cup of cooking water.

Add oil to a large sauté pan on medium-low heat. Add peppers, and season with salt and pepper. Cover and cook, stirring occasionally, until very soft, about 15 minutes.

Add butter and garlic, and cook for 2 minutes. Add 1/2 cup pasta water, lemon juice, parsley, and spaghetti. Mix pasta well, adding remaining pasta water if necessary, and serve.