We devised this simple recipe in order to encourage our daughters to get used to eating green-colored food. Both of them still love this dish, even though they both eventually graduated to other green vegetables.

This dish is mild and incredibly smooth and is an easy way to introduce your children to green vegetables. The zucchini provides a light, almost fluffy, melt-in-your-mouth texture, so that the spinach tastes airy and almost sweet. If you think the dish is still bitter (although I never do), add a tiny bit of honey before serving (or reduce the proportion of spinach to zucchini).

Serve in a small bowl; I find that a little goes a long way with this puree. Top it with tiny dabs of butter in the form of a happy face; your children will love to watch them melt.

• 1 medium-to-large zucchini, peeled and chopped (2 cups)
• 1 cup water
• 2 or 3 big handfuls of baby spinach leaves (about 1 cup, tightly packed)
• Optional: 1 teaspoon butter and, if the spinach is slightly bitter, a small spoonful of honey

1. Place the zucchini in the bottom of a pot with 1 cup of water (not too much!). Bring to a boil over high heat, lower the heat, and simmer until the zucchini becomes transparent, about 2 minutes. Immediately add the spinach leaves, letting them wilt for a minute or so. Don't overcook the spinach! Drain the vegetables, saving the cooking water.

2. Remove the pot from the heat and blend until perfectly smooth, using as much cooking water as necessary to achieve the desired consistency.

Tip: This dish freezes wonderfully well and reheats quickly. But you may want to add a little water when reheating, as it tends to thicken slightly after being frozen.