HOMEMADE KIDS SOUP

HOMEMADE SOUP

Taking soup regularly helps kids to keep fit. Though the aroma of a pot of homemade soup simmering on the stove is always enticing, it can be intimidating for many cooks to prepare. But homemade soups need not eat up hours of kitchen time. In fact, they don’t even require much in the way of culinary know-how. There are plenty of shortcuts to get them on your table so your kids can reap an assortment of health benefits. Research shows that regular exposure to certain foods can improve a person’s tolerance. Cooking kale, spinach or Swiss chard in a soup rather than steaming them in water increases the amount of the B vitamin folate.

INGREDIENTS:

·  500ml low salt vegetable stock (from a cube is fine)

·  small piece fresh root ginger, grated

·  1 garlic clove, grated

·  2 tsp soy sauce and 2 tsp sugar

·  85g leftover cooked chicken

, shredded

·  handful mixed vegetables (try beansprouts, sweetcorn, sliced carrot and mangetout)

·  150g pack straight-to-wok noodles (or use 85g/3oz dried, cooked according to pack instructions)

·  2 spring onion

, sliced, to serve

·  juice 1 lime

PREPARATION:

1. Put stock, ginger, garlic, soy sauce and sugar in a saucepan, then heat. Simmer for 5 mins. Take off the heat, pour into a microwave-safe bowl, then cool. Throw in chicken and veg, cover, then chill for up to a day.

2. When ready to eat, remove from fridge, then add the cooked noodles. Microwave on High for 2 mins, stir, then cook for 1 min more or until piping hot. Divide between two bowls or mugs, sprinkle with spring onions and add the lime juice.

Here are a few creative tips for soup in a flash:

• Add chopped leafy greens or pre-washed baby spinach to a store-bought tomato soup. 
• Simmer frozen vegetables and grated ginger in a low-sodium broth and top it off with a splash of sesame oil. To make it a main course, add frozen grilled chicken strips and simmer for 10 minutes before adding the vegetables.
• Add drained and rinsed canned legumes such as chick peas or kidney beans to a prepared vegetable soup or broth to boost your family’s intake of beans and peas.
• Add packaged coleslaw mix or broccoli slaw to a prepared broth. Throw in a can of diced tomatoes.
• When making larger amounts of soup, freeze the extra in labelled containers for quick use.
• There are many combos that can be palate-pleasing, so get your kids involved in coming up with some super soup ideas.