February 15, 2012

Menu:
Sweet potato, carrot, and kale soup
Snap peas
Mandarin Oranges

I thought that this week could be an orange and green week.  The soup is full of vitamin C and fairly sweet so it's a pretty easy soup for little ones to like.  I just saw snap peas that looked good so I thought that it might be a fun fresh veggie for the kids to eat and "prepare" themselves by picking the ends of off.  Lastly, I thought that the oranges were delicious so I think that the kids will love them too.

Sweet potato, carrot, and kale soup:

• 2 tbs olive oil
• one red onion, diced
• one shallot, diced
• three large carrots, cut into small pieces
• three sweet potatoes, cut into small pieces
• half a bunch of kale, stems removed cut into pieces (any kale will do, I used Lanciato)
• 6 cups vegetable broth
• tsp sage
• tsp coriander 
• salt and pepper to taste.

Heat olive oil in dutch oven (or large pot).  Add onions and shallots.  Cook for about 5 minutes until the onions are soft.  Once soft, add the carrots, sweet potatoes, kale, and vegetable broth.  Cook on medium or medium high until the vegetables are soft. Add sage and coriander.  Use immersion blender to blend vegetables until they are to your liking.  I make it so the soup is really thick and the veggies are completely mixed together with very little chunks.  If you don't have an immersion blender, just put the soup into a food processor or blender.
I eat this alone or if you want to add protein add a tbsp or two of cottage cheese or greek yogurt.