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Kid's Meals Home | Lynn Fredericks intro
From Lynn Fredericks, author:Cooking Time is Family Time
Tuscan Bean Soup/Ribollita
This is a surprisingly fast and easy version of an age old Italian Tuscan soup, utilizing a
nutritious combination of white beans, greens and tomatoes. It can double as a complete
meal or a first course. The fresh greens such as kale and broccoli rape are an excellent source
of calcium, important to the diet of both children and adults for strong bones! While you can
substitute other greens, the bitterness of the broccoli rape provides the ideal flavor balance to
the sweetness of the tomatoes. My kids can't get enough of this! While they are never big on
leftovers, this is one meal I can serve the next day, or for lunch or dinner on the weekends.
1. Cut off the ends of the onion and let small children peel it. Smash the garlic with a knife to
loosen the skin and let little ones peel it as well. Older children can begin chopping the onion
and garlic with your supervision. While the older children are chopping, have little ones help
wash and dry the greens. Now they can tear the greens into 2 and one-half inch long pieces
and discard the rough stems.
2. In a small pot, bring the broth to a simmer over medium heat. In a large pot, heat the olive
oil over low heat, add the onions and garlic and cook until translucent, stirring occasionally,
about 10 minutes. While the onions are cooking, help younger children to open the cans and
drain the beans and tomatoes.
3. When the onions are cooked, have the children carefully add the greens in handfuls to the
pot. Children, with oven mitts and long-handled wooden spoons, can take turns stirring
frequently until the greens wilt, approximately 5 minutes.
4. Now they can pour the beans into the pot. Add the chicken stock, ladling carefully with
hands protected by the oven mitt. Then everyone can take turns squishing tomatoes one by
one into the pot with clean hands - seeds are guaranteed to fly! Little hands can pluck the
thyme leaves from the stem and drop them into the soup. Stir over medium-high heat for
another 5 minutes. Adjust the seasoning with salt and pepper to taste. When you are ready
to serve, have the children break the bread into small pieces and add as much as desired to
the soup. Ladle into soup bowls and serve.
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makes 4 servings
Ingredients:
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