"Easy As ABC" Alphabet Soup Recipe

I have recently gone back to school to study nutrition, which leaves me very little time for making meals. Lately, I have been trying to make dinners that double as my children's lunches the next day. Soup works very well for this, but I need to keep things exciting in order to keep my children interested and willing to try it. This alphabet soup is easy and quick to make, delicious and nutrtious, and makes a great dinner or lunch. Don't tell your children there is zucchini in it! Serving it with fresh bread or buns makes it extra filling and something to dip, which is, in all honesty, one of the most fun things about eating soup. Trying to scoop out the letters in your name is also a fun thing to do.

Ingredients:

2 tsp olive or canola oil

2 carrots, diced

2 celery ribs, diced

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 small zucchini, diced

5 cups vegetable or chicken broth

1/2 cup bottled strained tomatoes, passata

1 cup alphabet noodles

1/2 cup corn kernels

Directions:

In a medium-sized pot, heat oil over medium-high heat. Add carrots and celery and cook for 5-7 minutes, or until carrots and celery become slightly softened. Add garlic, cook for another 2 minutes. Do not allow garlic to burn. Add zucchini, cook for an additional minute.

Add broth and strained tomatoes. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 7-10 minutes. Add alphabet noodles, cook for 5-7 minutes, or until pasta is soft. Add corn and cook an additional 5 minutes.

Serve with crackers, fresh bread, or buns.

(Makes 6 servings)

For more quick and easy, kid-friendly recipes, try these Busy Mom Chicken Fingers or this Kid-Friendly Baked Ziti.

^{Adapted from Canadian Living}