On a winter’s day, there is nothing better than homemade soup to warm a hungry tummy. Packed full of vegetables, the following soups are wholesome, nutritious and versatile. Most are designed to be made in bulk and frozen in individual containers for easy, last-minute lunches. In the morning, simply reheat and pour into a preheated Thermos.
Accompanied by some whole grain bread, a chunk of cheese and a piece of fruit or yogurt for dessert, homemade soup is a nutritious lunch your children are sure to love. The puréed texture of many of the homemade soups in this chapter is the perfect way to disguise vegetables for those who are reluctant to eat them. If your child rejects a soup because she spots some vegetables floating in it, try puréeing it another day.
Adding legumes such as chickpeas, lentils, navy beans, black beans, peas and kidney beans to soups is a good way to increase your child’s intake of protein and cholesterol-lowering fibre. In addition to being packed full of vitamins and minerals, legumes are high in fibre and take longer to break down. This means that they supply a steady stream of slow-release energy that will keep your children going all afternoon. Any of the recipes in this book that call for legumes can be made with either canned beans or dried beans that have been soaked and cooked (see this page for cooking instructions).
The majority of the following soups do not contain meat. However, they do call for chicken stock. If you prefer to keep the soups strictly vegetarian, simply substitute vegetable stock for the chicken stock.
Homemade Salt-Free Chicken Stock
Making your own chicken stock is a great way to avoid the high sodium content of most commercial stocks. If you don’t have a chicken carcass on hand, don’t let this stop you from making homemade chicken stock. You can buy inexpensive chicken necks, backs and wing tips from most butchers. If you are in a pinch and don’t have time to make homemade stock, look for salt-free or low-sodium broth at your local grocery store. Be aware that if a broth is labelled “25% less sodium,” it doesn’t necessarily mean that it is low in sodium. In fact, many of these broths are still very high in sodium. For a product to be low in sodium, it has to have a percentage daily value (% DV) of sodium that is 5% or less. A product that is high in sodium will have a percentage daily value of sodium that is 15% or more. If using commercial broth, always taste the soup before adding salt. If the soup contains lots of spices and herbs, it is likely you won’t need to add any salt at all.
1 chicken carcass
1 chicken neck and giblets (if available)
1 onion, quartered
5 large carrots, cut into chunks
4 stalks celery, cut into chunks
1 tomato, quartered
2 dried bay leaves
1 sprig fresh thyme
1 sprig fresh tarragon
10 peppercorns
1 garlic clove
12 cups cold water
• Remove any good-quality meat from chicken carcass. Place carcass, neck and giblets (if available), onion, carrots, celery, tomatoes, bay leaves, thyme, tarragon, peppercorns and garlic in large stockpot. Cover with cold water and bring to boil. Reduce heat to low, and simmer for 3 hours. Remove from heat and let cool.
• Strain stock through fine sieve. Discard vegetables and carcass. Refrigerate until fat congeals on surface. Discard solidified fat.
Yield: Approximately 8 cups
Lovely Lentil Soup
The addition of a few crushed red-pepper flakes gives this soup a mildly spicy flavour that is likely to appeal to most children. However, if your kids are particularly sensitive to spicy food, you may choose to omit the red-pepper flakes. You can always sprinkle them on the adults’ portions prior to serving.
This soup can be served as is or puréed smooth, but we recommend using a hand-held immersion blender to partially purée the soup. This gives it a lovely, slightly lumpy texture.
2 tbsp canola oil
1 large onion, finely diced
2 large carrots, grated
10 garlic cloves, minced
1 tbsp freshly grated ginger
1 tbsp finely chopped fresh mint
¼ tsp crushed red-pepper flakes
2 cups red lentils, rinsed and picked over
8 to 9 cups Homemade Salt-Free Chicken Stock (this page), or salt-free or low-sodium chicken broth
1 bunch fresh cilantro, chopped
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
• Heat oil in stockpot over medium heat. Add onion and sauté until softened, approximately 5 minutes.
• Add carrots, garlic, ginger, mint and red-pepper flakes, and continue to sauté for another 10 minutes, being careful not to burn the garlic.
• Add lentils and 8 cups of chicken stock and bring to rapid boil. Reduce heat and simmer, partially covered, for approximately 40 minutes or until lentils are tender.
• Remove from heat. Using hand-held immersion blender, partially purée soup so that it still has slightly lumpy texture.
• Add cilantro and salt and pepper to taste. If soup seems too thick, add more stock as desired.
Yield: 12 cups
Instructions for Cooking Dried Beans
Dried beans can be used instead of canned beans in any of the recipes. They are less expensive and have a nice firm texture. Before dried legumes (with the exception of split peas and lentils) can be used in a recipe, they need to be soaked in 3 to 4 times their volume of water for 8 hours or overnight. Once soaked, they should be cooked in unsalted water. Place beans in a saucepan and cover with cold water. Bring to a boil and gently simmer until tender. See chart below for approximate simmering times.
|
SOAKED BEANS |
SIMMERING TIME |
|
Kidney beans |
40 to 50 minutes |
|
Black beans |
40 to 45 minutes |
|
Chickpeas |
80 to 85 minutes |
|
Navy beans |
40 to 50 minutes |
|
Great Northern beans |
40 to 50 minutes |
Roasted Carrot Ginger Soup with Chickpeas
3½ lbs / 1.75 kg carrots, cut into 2½-inch chunks
9 tbsp canola oil, plus an extra drizzle
1 head garlic, topped
1 large onion, diced
⅓ cup freshly grated ginger
8 to 10 cups Homemade Salt-Free Chicken Stock (this page), or salt-free or
low-sodium chicken broth
1 can (19 oz/540 mL)
chickpeas, drained and
rinsed, or 2 cups cooked
chickpeas
⅓ cup chopped fresh
cilantro or parsley
(optional)
Kosher salt and freshly
ground pepper
• Preheat oven to 375°F. Line baking sheet with foil or parchment paper.
• Place carrots on baking sheet and drizzle with ⅓ cup oil. Toss to coat. Drizzle a little more oil on garlic, wrap with foil and place on baking sheet. Bake for 45 minutes.
• Heat remaining ¼ cup oil in large stockpot over medium heat. Add onion and ginger and sauté until softened, approximately 10 to 12 minutes.
• Remove carrots and garlic from oven. Unwrap garlic and let cool.
• Squeeze garlic onto carrots and discard skin. Scrape roasted carrots, garlic and juices into stockpot. Using hand-held immersion blender, purée vegetables until smooth. (If you do not have hand blender, remove vegetables from pot and purée in food processor or blender.)
• Add 8 cups chicken stock and chickpeas and stir thoroughly. Bring to boil. Reduce heat and simmer with lid partially on for 20 minutes.
• Remove from heat and add cilantro (if using) and salt and pepper to taste. If soup seems too thick, add extra stock as desired.
Yield: 12 cups
Roasted Winter Vegetable Soup
1 butternut squash (approximately 2 lbs or 1 kg), peeled,
seeded and cut into l-inch chunks
3 carrots, cut into 1½-inch chunks
3 parsnips, cut into 1½-inch chunks
1 leek, halved lengthwise and cut into 4-inch pieces
½ cup canola oil, plus an extra drizzle
1 head garlic, topped
5 tomatoes, quartered
1 onion, diced
2 tbsp ground cumin
1½ tbsp medium curry powder
8 to 10 cups Homemade Salt-Free Chicken Stock (this page), or salt-free or low-sodium chicken broth
½ cup chopped fresh parsley (optional)
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
• Preheat oven to 375°F.
• In roasting pan, toss squash, carrots, parsnips and leeks in ⅓ cup of oil until coated. Drizzle a little more oil over garlic, wrap in foil and place in roasting pan.
• In smaller roasting pan, toss tomatoes with 2 tbsp oil. Place both roasting pans in oven and roast for approximately 50 minutes, or until vegetables are tender.
• Heat remaining 1 tbsp oil in large stockpot over medium heat. Add onions and sauté until softened, approximately 5 to 7 minutes.
• Remove vegetables from oven and unwrap garlic. Let cool.
• Squeeze garlic into stockpot and discard skin. Add rest of roasted vegetables and their juices to stockpot, along with cumin and curry powder, and sauté for 5 minutes.
• Using hand-held immersion blender, purée vegetables until smooth. Add 8 cups of chicken stock, stir thoroughly and bring to boil. Reduce heat and simmer with lid partially on for 20 minutes.
• Remove from heat and add parsley (if using) and salt and pepper to taste. If soup seems too thick, add extra stock as desired.
Yield: Approximately 12 cups 
Save Exploring for Home
Avoid sending your child to school with new or unfamiliar foods. There is nothing more off-putting to young children than a large portion of unfamiliar food. New foods should be introduced at family meals so your children can see you enjoying them. Children are more likely to try new foods when they see others eating them.
It may take as many as 10 to 20 exposures to a new food before a young child will accept it. Don’t assume your child dislikes fish because she rejected it once or even a few times. Instead, continue to offer it as part of your regular meal plan and be reassured that with each exposure, the chance of acceptance increases.
Curried Chickpea and Vegetable Soup
3 tbsp canola oil
1 onion, diced
2 cans (19 oz/540 mL each) chickpeas, drained and rinsed, or 4 cups cooked chickpeas
3 garlic cloves, minced
1½ tbsp medium curry powder
1 tbsp ground cumin
2 tsp ground coriander
½ tsp ground turmeric
8 to 9 cups Homemade
Salt-Free Chicken Stock (this page), or salt-free or low-sodium chicken broth
1 cup chopped Swiss chard or kale
2 carrots, sliced
¾ cup chopped broccoli
¾ cup frozen peas
½ cup chopped fresh cilantro
Kosher salt and freshly
ground pepper
• Heat oil in large stockpot over medium heat. Add onions and sauté for approximately 5 minutes, or until onions are softened.
• Add chickpeas, garlic, curry powder, cumin, coriander and turmeric and sauté for another 5 minutes.
• Add 8 cups of chicken stock and bring to boil. Reduce heat and simmer with lid partially on for 20 minutes.
• Using hand-held immersion blender, purée soup to fine consistency. Add Swiss chard, carrots and broccoli and continue to simmer for approximately 15 minutes, or until vegetables are tender. Add peas and simmer for another 5 minutes.
• Remove from heat and add cilantro and salt and pepper to taste.
Yield: Approximately 10 to 12 cups
Shaking the Salt Habit
Sodium is found naturally in most foods—it’s needed for cells to function properly and to regulate blood pressure. But sodium is also a major component of table salt, and the vast majority of Canadians, including children, consume far too much of it. In fact 93 per cent of children ages 4 to 8 consume more than the “tolerable upper limit.”26 Consumption exceeding this limit is thought to carry a risk of adverse health effects.
High salt intake has been linked to hypertension (or high blood pressure), which is the leading cause of death. In fact, hypertension increases your risk of heart attack, heart failure, stroke, dementia and kidney disease. It is estimated that hypertension accounts for more visits to the doctor than any other ailment.
The problem is that 77 per cent of the salt we consume comes from processed foods—salt that has been added to our food before we even open the package. Twelve per cent occurs naturally in foods, while 11 per cent is added during cooking or at the table.26 Therefore the easiest way to avoid foods high in sodium is to eat a diet rich in whole foods and limit processed foods as much as possible. This isn’t always as easy as it sounds—many foods that appear healthy are actually high in salt. This includes canned tomatoes, canned beans, canned vegetables, breakfast cereals, canned soups, canned chicken broth, etc. When buying these products, look for salt-free or low-sodium options and always rinse the salt off canned beans and vegetables. Keep salty foods out of the lunch box and don’t encourage your children to develop a preference for them.
Beef Barley Soup
When making this soup, choose pot barley over pearl barley. It has been through less refining and is, therefore, higher in fibre.
1 lb (500 g) stewing beef, visible fat removed
1 tbsp canola oil
1 large onion, diced
2 stalks celery, diced
4 carrots, diced
1 sweet red pepper, seeded and diced
¼ cup tomato paste
3 garlic cloves, minced
8 to 10 cups salt-free or low-sodium beef broth
1 can (14 oz/398 mL) diced tomatoes
⅓ cup pot barley, rinsed
3 dried bay leaves
1 tsp dried oregano
1 tsp dried thyme
1 tsp chili powder
⅓ cup chopped fresh parsley
Kosher salt and freshly
ground pepper
• Cut beef into small, bite-sized cubes. Heat oil in large stockpot over medium heat. Add beef and cook for 5 minutes, or until browned.
• Add onions, celery, carrots and red pepper, and sauté for another 8 minutes, or until vegetables are soft.
• Add tomato paste and garlic, and sauté for another 2 minutes. Add 8 cups beef broth, tomatoes, barley, bay leaves, oregano, thyme and chili powder, and bring to boil. Reduce heat and simmer with lid partially on for approximately 45 minutes, or until barley is tender.
• Remove from heat and add parsley and salt and pepper to taste. Remove bay leaves. If soup seems too thick, add extra stock as desired.
Yield: Approximately 12 cups
Understanding Percentage Daily Values (% DV)
Percentage Daily Values (% DV) are listed on the Nutrition Facts tables of packaged foods. They are designed to help Canadians make informed decisions by giving the nutrient profiles of various foods. The % DV can be used to compare food products, helping Canadians choose the products that are higher in the nutrients they want to eat more of and lower in the nutrients they want to eat less of. If a nutrient has a % DV of 5 per cent or less, the food is generally considered low in that nutrient. If the % DV is 15 per cent or more, the food is considered high in that nutrient. The nutrients that most Canadians should be eating more of include calcium, iron, fibre, vitamin A, vitamin D and vitamin C. The nutrients many of us should be eating less of include fat, sugar, saturated and trans fats and sodium.
Chickpea Soup
With or without cheese, this simple soup is a favourite of young children.
¼ cup canola oil
2½ cups packed finely sliced leeks
2 cans (19 oz/540 mL each) chickpeas, drained and rinsed, or 4 cups cooked chickpeas
4 garlic cloves, minced
7 cups Homemade Salt-Free Chicken Stock (this page), or salt-free or low-sodium chicken broth
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
½ cup chopped fresh parsley
Shredded Cheddar cheese (optional)
• Heat oil in large stockpot over medium heat. Add leeks and sauté for 10 minutes.
• Add chickpeas and garlic and sauté for another 2 minutes. Add chicken stock and bring to rapid boil. Reduce heat and simmer with lid partially on for 25 minutes.
• Remove from heat. With slotted spoon, remove 1 cup of chickpeas and set aside. Using hand-held immersion blender, purée soup until smooth.
• Return chickpeas to stockpot and add salt and pepper to taste. Sprinkle with parsley.
• To serve, ladle into bowls or Thermoses, topping each serving with ⅓ cup shredded Cheddar cheese (if using). Stir until cheese melts.
Yield: Approximately 12 cups
TIP: The best way to keep soup hot is to pour it into a preheated Thermos: pour boiling water into the Thermos, put the lid on and let it stand for 5 minutes. Then pour the water out and put hot soup in.
Mexican Black Bean Soup with Chicken
To make this soup vegetarian, simply omit the chicken and substitute vegetable stock for the chicken stock.
2 tbsp canola oil
1 onion, diced
2 carrots, diced
1 sweet red pepper, seeded and diced
1 can (14 oz/398 mL) diced tomatoes
1 cup canned black beans, drained and rinsed, or 1 cup cooked black beans
1 cup diced chicken
1 cup frozen corn
2 tbsp chili powder
1 tbsp ground cumin
1 tsp ground coriander
8 to 9 cups Homemade Salt-Free Chicken Stock (this page), or salt-free or low-sodium chicken broth
1 cup chopped fresh cilantro
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
• Heat oil in large stockpot over medium heat. Add onion and sauté for 5 minutes.
• Add carrots and red peppers and continue to sauté for 5 minutes.
• Add tomatoes, black beans, chicken, corn, chili powder, cumin and coriander and sauté for another 5 minutes.
• Add 8 cups chicken stock and stir thoroughly. Bring to rapid boil. Reduce heat and simmer with lid partially on for 30 minutes.
• Remove from heat. Add cilantro and salt and pepper to taste. If soup seems too thick, add extra stock as desired.
Yield: 10 to 12 cups
Packing for Your Picky Eater
Young children and those with small appetites are easily overwhelmed by large portions. For these kids smaller servings work best. Instead of a whole sandwich, send half a sandwich cut into squares or triangles. Rather than a whole apple, send a few slices with a small piece of cheese. Your picky eater will feel less intimidated by a number of smaller servings.
Packing smaller portions is particularly important for children who are heading to school for the first time. The lunchroom is a busy place and young children are easily distracted. How can they focus on eating when there is so much to see? As disappointing as it may be to find an uneaten lunch, be reassured that this is quite normal and that your child’s appetite will likely increase as the year progresses. In the meantime, keep portions small and make an effort to serve nutritious after-school snacks. If your child is going straight to an after-school activity, pack a snack that can be eaten en route. For tips on creating healthy snacks see Chapter 4.
Chicken Lentil Mulligatawny
2 tbsp canola oil
1 onion, diced
3 or 4 carrots, diced
2 stalks celery, sliced
½ cup diced apple
1 or 2 garlic cloves, minced
1½ tsp medium curry powder
1 tsp ground cumin
½ tsp ground coriander
½ tsp ground turmeric
¼ tsp cayenne pepper
1 cup brown lentils
8 to 9 cups Homemade Salt-Free Chicken Stock (this page), or salt-free or low-sodium chicken broth
1½ cups diced cooked chicken
1 can (14 oz/398 mL) light coconut milk
2 tbsp fresh lime juice
1 cup chopped fresh cilantro
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
• Heat oil in large stockpot over medium heat. Add onions and sauté for 5 minutes.
• Add carrots, celery, apple, garlic, curry powder, cumin, coriander, turmeric and cayenne pepper and continue to sauté for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
• Add lentils and stir until combined. Add 8 cups of chicken stock and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and add chicken, coconut milk and lime juice. Simmer with lid partially on for approximately 60 minutes, or until lentils are tender.
• Remove from heat. Add cilantro and salt and pepper to taste. If soup seems too thick, add extra stock as desired.
Yield: Approximately 12 cups
Drink Milk and Stay Lean!
A study looking at adolescents (ages 12 to 16) found that lower dairy intake is associated with higher body fat.27 Adding to this problem is the tendency for milk consumption to decline and soda pop consumption to rise during the teenage years. This trend is thought to be contributing to the childhood obesity epidemic.
Help your children stay lean and healthy by keeping high-calorie drinks (soda pop, fruit cocktails, energy drinks, fancy coffees, vitamin water, iced tea, etc.) out of the house. Aim to include at least 1 serving of Milk and Alternatives in their lunch box. To do so, add cheese to sandwiches and salads. Milk, fortified soy beverages or even Broccoli and Cheddar Cheese Soup (this page) can be packed in a Thermos, and yogurt with fruit is the perfect accompaniment to any lunch. Remember that Health Canada’s Food Guide recommends reading Nutrition Facts tables to help you choose lower fat dairy products.
Roasted Tomato Lentil Soup
This soup is best enjoyed when tomatoes are in season—late summer or early fall—and therefore at their most flavourful. If you prefer, just omit the lentils for a roasted tomato soup.
4 lbs (2 kg) Roma tomatoes, quartered
½ cup canola oil
½ tsp kosher salt
1 head garlic, topped
1 onion, diced
2 large carrots, grated
¼ cup tomato paste
7 to 8 cups Homemade Salt-Free Chicken Stock (this page), or salt-free or low-sodium chicken broth
¾ cup brown lentils
1 cup chopped fresh basil
Freshly ground pepper
• Preheat oven to 375°F. Line baking sheet with foil or parchment paper.
• Place tomatoes on baking sheet and drizzle with ⅓ cup of oil. Sprinkle tomatoes with salt. Drizzle a little oil over garlic, wrap in foil and place on baking sheet. Roast tomatoes and garlic for 45 minutes.
• Heat remaining 2 tbsp oil in stockpot over medium heat. Add onions and carrots and sauté for 10 minutes.
• Remove tomatoes and garlic from oven and unwrap garlic. Let cool.
• Squeeze garlic into stockpot and add tomatoes and their juices and tomato paste. Sauté for another 5 minutes to blend flavours.
• Using hand-held immersion blender, purée vegetables until smooth. Add 7 cups of stock, and stir thoroughly. Bring to boil, and add lentils. Turn heat down and simmer with lid partially on for approximately 50 minutes, or until lentils are tender.
• Remove from heat and add basil and pepper to taste. If soup seems too thick, add extra stock as desired.
Yield: 10 cups
Chicken Noodle Soup
Any type of pasta or noodle can be used in this soup. Try to find interesting shapes that will appeal to your kids. Alphabet pasta is always a hit.
1½ tbsp canola oil
1 onion, diced
½ tsp dried thyme
2 stalks celery, diced
2 to 3 carrots, sliced
½ sweet red pepper, seeded and diced
2 dried bay leaves
7 to 8 cups Homemade Salt-Free Chicken Stock (this page), or salt-free or low-sodium canned chicken broth
2 chicken breasts, cooked and diced (or approximately 1 lb or 500 g cooked chicken)
3 oz (84 g) dried pasta
½ cup peas
⅓ cup chopped fresh parsley
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
• Heat oil in large stockpot over medium heat. Add onion and thyme and sauté for 5 minutes.
• Add celery, carrots, peppers and bay leaves and sauté for another 5 minutes. Add 7 cups of chicken stock and bring to boil. Reduce heat and simmer with lid partially on for 10 minutes. Stir occasionally.
• Add chicken and pasta and continue to simmer for another 10 minutes or until pasta is al dente. Add peas and parsley and continue to simmer for 5 minutes.
• Remove bay leaves and add salt and pepper to taste. If soup seems too thick, add extra stock as desired.
Yield: 8 to 10 cups
Broccoli and Cheddar Cheese Soup
Because this soup is made with frozen broccoli, it is a snap to make. Take care not to boil the soup once the cheese has been added, or the soup will separate.
2 tbsp canola oil
1 onion, diced
1 tsp chopped fresh thyme
1 garlic clove, minced
2 pkgs (1 lb/500 g each) frozen broccoli
½ pkg (5 oz/150 g) frozen spinach
8 to 9 cups Homemade Salt-Free Chicken Stock (this page), or salt-free or low-sodium chicken broth
2 cups packed, shredded aged Cheddar cheese, plus an extra few tbsp for garnish
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
• Heat oil in large stockpot over medium-low heat. Add onions, thyme and garlic and sauté for 7 to 10 minutes, stirring frequently to ensure garlic doesn’t burn and onions don’t brown.
• Add broccoli, spinach and 8 cups chicken stock and bring to boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 15 minutes.
• With hand-held immersion blender, purée soup until smooth.
• Gradually add 2 cups Cheddar cheese and stir until melted. Simmer for another 5 minutes. Add salt and pepper to taste. If soup seems too thick, add extra chicken stock as desired.
• Serve soup topped with garnish of Cheddar cheese.
Yield: Approximately 10 to 12 cups
Bone Up on Calcium
Calcium is an essential dietary nutrient needed for the building of healthy bones and teeth, as well as the proper functioning of the heart, muscles and nerves. The teenage years are a period of rapid bone growth, and therefore the need for calcium almost doubles during this period. However, we know that one third of children aged 4 to 9 do not get the recommended number of servings of dairy products per day, and these numbers have a tendency to get worse as children progress through adolescence.28 Inadequate calcium intake during childhood cannot be made up for later in life. This is because 90 per cent of adult bone mass has been laid down by the time the average teen finishes his growth spurt (around 17 to 18 years of age). Insufficient calcium intake during childhood increases the risk of both fractures and developing osteoporosis later in life. In fact, many doctors believe the increase in childhood forearm fractures is a direct result of inadequate calcium intake.
Help your children develop strong bones by ensuring they get the calcium they need. Children should drink at least 2 cups of lower fat milk (skim, 1% or 2%) or fortified soy beverage every day and eat a wide variety of calcium-rich foods. These foods include dairy products, canned salmon (with bones), leafy greens, broccoli, baked beans and chickpeas, as well as calcium-fortified foods such as tofu and orange juice.
Italian Meatball Soup
When the meatballs are already made, this soup is very quick to put together.
2 tbsp canola oil
1 small onion, diced
2 carrots, sliced
1 tsp ground cumin
4 to 5 cups Homemade Salt-Free Chicken Stock (this page), or salt-free or low-sodium chicken broth
1½ cups chopped kale
12 Lamb Meatballs (this page)
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
• Heat oil in large saucepan over medium heat. Add onions and sauté for 5 minutes.
• Add carrots and cumin and sauté for another 5 minutes. Add 4 cups chicken stock and kale and stir thoroughly. Bring to rapid boil. Reduce heat and add meatballs. Simmer with lid mostly on for 20 minutes.
• Add salt and pepper to taste. If soup seems too thick, add extra stock as desired.
Yield: 8 cups
Carrot Spaghetti Squash Soup
Because the squash is cooked in the microwave, this soup is very easy to make. The flavour is fairly mild and should appeal to young children. If you prefer a spicier version, you could add 1 tsp of crushed red-pepper flakes, or a little hot sauce to the adults’ portions.
¼ cup canola oil
4 large carrots, grated
1 large onion, diced
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 tsp dried thyme
1 large spaghetti squash (over 3 lbs or 1½ kg)
6 to 8 cups Homemade Salt-Free Chicken Stock (this page), or salt-free or low-sodium chicken broth
½ cup chopped fresh parsley (optional)
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
• Heat oil in large stockpot over medium heat. Add carrots, onions, garlic and thyme and sauté for approximately 5 to 10 minutes, or until softened, being careful not to burn garlic.
• Using tip of knife, pierce squash in 4 places. Place in microwave and cook on high for 10 minutes.
• Cut squash in half lengthways. Using large spoon, gently scrape out seeds and discard. Using fork, scrape spaghettilike strands of squash into bowl.
• Add squash to carrot mixture and continue to sauté for another 15 minutes.
• With hand-held immersion blender, purée vegetables until smooth. Add 6 cups chicken stock, stirring thoroughly, and bring to boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 20 minutes.
• Remove from heat and add parsley (if using) and salt and pepper to taste. If soup seems too thick, add more stock as desired.
Yield: Approximately 10 cups
Roasted Tomato and Red Pepper Soup
This is our favourite soup from The Good Food Book for Families, so we just had to include it. If you cannot find Roma tomatoes, substitute regular ones.
3 lbs (1½ kg) Roma tomatoes, quartered and seeded
3 lbs (1½ kg) sweet red bell peppers, halved and seeded
¼ cup canola oil, 2 tbsp canola oil, plus an extra drizzle
1 head garlic, topped
1 onion, diced
4 carrots, grated
7 to 8 cups Homemade Salt-Free Chicken Stock (this page), or salt-free or low-sodium chicken broth
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
• Preheat oven to 350°F. Line 2 baking sheets with foil or parchment paper.
• Lay tomatoes and red peppers on baking sheets and drizzle with ¼ cup oil. Drizzle a little more oil over garlic, wrap in foil and place on baking sheet. Bake tomatoes, peppers and garlic for 45 minutes.
• Heat remaining 2 tbsp oil in large stockpot over medium heat. Add onions and carrots and sauté for 10 minutes, or until soft.
• Remove vegetables from oven. Unwrap garlic and let cool. Squeeze garlic onto tomatoes and discard skin. The edges of peppers will likely have blackened. If so, cut these edges off and discard blackened bits.
• Add roasted vegetables to stockpot and sauté for 5 minutes. Using hand-held immersion blender, purée vegetables until smooth. (If you do not have handheld immersion blender, remove vegetables from pot and purée in food processor or blender until smooth.)
• Add 7 cups chicken stock, stirring thoroughly, and bring to boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 20 minutes.
• Add salt and pepper to taste. If soup seems too thick, add extra stock as desired.
Yield: Approximately 10 cups
Japanese Udon Noodle Soup
Once the vegetables are prepped, this soup takes less than 10 minutes to make, which means you can cut up the vegetables the night before and cook this soup in the morning while the children eat their breakfast. Or you can make it entirely the night before and refrigerate it overnight.
4 cups Homemade Salt-Free Chicken Stock (this page), or salt-free or low-sodium chicken broth
2⅓ tbsp low-sodium soy sauce
1½ tsp freshly grated ginger
1 tsp brown sugar
1 star anise (optional)
1 package 7 oz / 200 g udon noodles
1 cup chopped bok choy
1 carrot, grated
½ cup button mushrooms, thinly sliced
½ cup sugar snap peas, ends and stringy bits removed, and chopped into ¼-inch pieces
4 oz / 112 g firm tofu, diced
2 tbsp chopped fresh cilantro
• In large saucepan over medium-high heat, combine chicken stock, soy sauce, ginger, brown sugar and star anise (if using). Bring to boil and add noodles. Reduce heat to low and simmer for 3 minutes.
• Add bok choy, carrot, mushrooms, sugar snap peas and tofu and stir. Simmer for 2 to 3 minutes, or until vegetables are tender-crisp.
• Remove from heat and add cilantro.
Yield: Serves 3 to 4