Kid-Friendly Udon Noodle Soup with Veggies

My oldest child is pretty picky. It’s not always easy to come up with things to tempt his appetite, but I keep trying and I love that he’s been open to my creations. His good friend “T” always eats udon noodles, so I knew it was a way to appeal to him. I began to get this vision of an asian soup with noodles and veggies in my head and I thought about it for several days.

At first, I figured I’d roast a chicken and throw pieces in (but that didn’t happen). I figured I’d add carrots and celery and mushrooms. Ben and I discussed it. I discussed it with my daughter Allegra (she’s 4). Then I spoke to Serena Norr about it at the blogger event I attended this past weekend. She suggested putting in baby corn too. I thought about adding baby bok choy or kale. My husband suggested adding snow peas and was adamant about the baby corn.

So when I went shopping this week, I picked up chicken stock, celery, carrots, a can of straw mushrooms. I didn’t see bok choy or the baby chorn – and forgot the snow peas. Two days later, I picked up the baby bok chow and the snowpeas from the Natural on Austin Street in Forest Hills. I never found the baby corn! This is what we came up with. Keep in mind that I didn’t measure ingredients and you can add whatever you wish.

Nancy’s Udon Noodle and Veggie Soup

2 packages Nasoya Japanese Udon Noodles (you will have to cook these quickly by boiling).
4 liquid packages (or cans) of Chicken Stock (can sub with Veggie Stock). I used mostly organic chicken stock from Nature’s Promise
1  1/2 packages of  baby carrots (get organic if possible). I didn’t chop them, but you could.
1/2 a package of celery, chopped
Scallions, chopped (I actually forgot to add these!)
1/4 Nasoya Tofu for extra protein, diced (you could also substitute chicken). I didn’t put a lot in, but as you reheat the soup, add more.
5 or 6 baby bok choys. Put in the amount you think that will be consumed in one sitting.
Optional: Baby Corn

1. Boil water in a medium stockpot and cook noodles for 3 minutes. Drain noodles and set aside.

2. In a large stockpot, heat up stock at a low boil. Throw in carrots and celery

3. Add mushrooms, scallions….

4. Add diced tofu.

5. Add baby bok choy. Stir soup for a few more minutes and serve.

You may want to add salt and seasonings. I only added salt to my husband’s bowl and my bowl.

Did the picky eater love it? He liked it, but didn’t eat the bok choy! However, he ate everything else. Tip: Cut the udon noodles up and give less broth to young kids (they may have trouble eating the big noodles and the soup). I also gave my kids a fork and spoon and let them use whichever one they wanted. We actually loved the bok choy in it (but with picky eaters…. you never know what they will consume).

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Recipe: Nancy's Udon Noodle Soup with Veggies

Nancy Johnson Horn, The Mama Maven Blog

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Prep Time 5 minutes mins

Cook Time 25 minutes mins

Total Time 30 minutes mins

Ingredients

  

• 2 packages Nasoya Japanese Udon Noodles you will have to cook these quickly by boiling.
• 4 liquid 32 ounce containers chicken broth or veggie broth.
• 1 1/2 packages of baby carrots get organic if possible. I didn’t chop them, but you could.
• 1/2 a package of celery chopped
• Scallions chopped (I actually forgot to add these!)
• 1/4 Nasoya Tofu for extra protein diced (you could also substitute chicken). I didn’t put a lot in, but as you reheat the soup, add more.
• 5 or 6 baby bok choys. Put in the amount you think that will be consumed in one sitting.
• Optional: Baby Corn

Instructions

 

• Boil water in a medium stockpot and cook noodles for 3 minutes. Drain noodles and set aside.
• In a large stockpot, heat up stock at a low boil. Throw in carrots and celery
• Add mushrooms and scallions
• Add diced tofu.
• Add baby bok choy. Stir soup for a few more minutes and serve.
• You may want to add salt and seasonings.

Thank you to Nasoya for gifting me with coupons for the Japanese Udon Noodles and Tofu.