Alphabet Soup

School lunches can be both fun and easy when you buy a special soup Thermos for your child. Brightly coloured Thermoses are available at most supermarkets and drugstores and come in children’s sizes. Fill them with long, thin noodles to slurp up or bicycle-, star-, and alphabet-shaped noodles, which you’ll find at specialty cook shops. It is very low on seasonings so it’s perfect for picky eaters. Try making this Alphabet Soup as an easy weekend dinner, then serve leftovers for lunch during the week. To add protein, add 1/2 cup (125 mL) red lentils.

4 cups (1 L) hot water
2 Tbsp (60 mL) vegetable broth powder
1 Tbsp (15 mL) tomato paste
2 Tbsp (30 mL) olive oil
1/4 to 1/2 cup (60 to 125 ml) alphabet macaroni or pasta noodles
1 small onion, diced
1 celery stalk, diced
1 small carrot, diced
1 small potato, diced
1/2 cup (125 mL) green beans or any vegetable your child likes such as tomato or green bell pepper
1/2 cup (125 mL) green peas or corn
Sea salt and pepper to taste

In medium saucepan over high heat, add water, vegetable stock, tomato paste, and olive oil. Bring to boil and add noodles, onion, celery, carrot, potato, green beans, and peas. Cook 10 to 12 minutes. Serve hot or pour into preheated Thermos. Serves 4.

source: "School Lunch Recipes Your Kids Will Love", alive #275, September 2005