Soup Day
Any meal we cook in a space where are children are present is a lesson in the strengthening of the sensory system and process. If the children are invited into the process, many other capacities will be enlisted and called upon, such as fine motor processings, visual and auditory skills as well as a sense of belonging and community.
If a child has the opportunity to help create a meal, a sense of self-esteem, independence, and agency is elicited. This contributes to a willingness and desire to eat and be nourished by the food that is served.
Truth: It takes more time and a giant dose of patience to involve your child in food prep. Their willingness to eat and be nourished will be worth every effort!
Chopping:
Create the space. Set out cutting boards, knives, peelers, and match-stick sized veggies for your child to chop.
Easy veggies to chop: green and yellow zucchini, potatoes, greens (which are fun to tear with fingers....more fine-motor work!). Root veggies are really nourishing for young children. Pre-pre carrots, celery, beets, turnips, parsnips, yams, in match-stick sizes. You can do this days beforehand.
Peeling is fun too!! I'm a fan of veggie skins, so if you peel carrots, beets, parsnips or potatoes, considering saving the peels for later. You could chop the peels up finely and add them to the soup or save them for future veggie stock.
Buttercup Soup Prep Songs
Peel, peel, peel and chop, chop, chop.
Peel, peel, peel and chop, chop, chop.
This is how we make our soup.
This is how we make our soup.
Cut off the bottoms and cut off the tops,
What’s left in the middle we’ll put in the pot!
Soup Recipe:
Line the bottom of the pot with millet and some cooking oil. Toast millet and add an onion. Sauteé until onion is translucent. Add as much minced garlic as you prefer.
Add some red lentils. Sauteé a few moments longer, taking care not to burn the garlic.
Add water and a bay leaf.
Add veggies chopped into itty bitty fairy-sized bites. Root veggies like carrots, parsnips, yams/sweet potatoes and beets are especially good for children.
Add rice noodles.
Add bouillon cubes (we use Rapunzel brand).
Simmer until veggies and noodles are cooked.
Season with Tamari, nutritional yeast (golden sprinkles), herbs of your choice, and butter.