Healthy Lunches for Kids:
Minestrone
An all in one soup that is hearty and filling, this Mediterranean dish can be more like a comfort food that is low in fat, easy to prepare and is perfect for any kids lunch.
(serves 4-5)
Ingredients:
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 cups vegetable or chicken stock
1 Polish or Hungarian sausage cubed
1 potato cut into cubes
1 carrot cut into cubes
¼ cup red kidney beans (pre-soaked if you’re using dried beans)
1 can stewed tomatoes diced or puréed
1 stalk celery chopped
1 medium onion chopped
2 cloves garlic macerated
½ cup uncooked whole wheat pasta
1 tsp Italian seasoning
Salt & pepper to taste
Parmesan cheese
Whole wheat croutons
Instructions:
1. In a large pot, sauté garlic in oil, just before it turns a golden brown add onions and continue to sauté until onions become transparent.
2. Add the cubed sausage and sauté for another minute.
3. Add your stock and the potatoes, carrots, kidney beans, stewed tomatoes and celery.
4. Bring everything to a boil.
5. Once your soup has been boiling for about two minutes, lower the heat and allow it to simmer until the vegetables are just right.
6. When the vegetables are about done increase your heat a little bit and add the uncooked pasta.
7. Season with Italian seasoning, salt and pepper.
8. Once the pasta is al dente, turn off the heat.
9. Top with croutons and parmesan cheese.
Nothing can be more comforting than a bowl of hearty filling soup. Don’t just stick to the vegetables listed; you can put in anything and everything that comes to mind. Experiment with zucchini, chick peas and whatever may tickle your fancy or appeal to your kids. If you have left over whole wheat spaghetti noodles, then you can use that instead of uncooked pasta, just remember to put it after everything has is done so it does not become overcooked.
A bowl of this soup will have about two servings of vegetables, one serving of meat, grains and dairy (depending on how much croutons and cheese you put).
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