Thai Pea Soup (AKA Green Monster Soup)

How do you hide veggies? Ahh easy, with an immersion blender. These are relatively inexpensive items you can buy at Walmart, Target or a home goods store. The great thing about this item it makes everything nice and smooth and creamy. Well if you ever tired to get a child to eat vegetable soup you will know what I am talking about. Think about what fun vegetable soup can be if you can eat it with a straw. Also if your children can't see what they are eating, it may be easier to get them to eat that serving of carrots.

Soups are a great way to pack in the veggies, but buying canned soups is expensive and unhealthy. You can make soups at home so easily. When you make it yourself, you control the ingredients. My favorite soup, Thai Pea Soup, or to the 6 year old, Green Monster Soup.

1 Tbls canola oil
1 Small Sweet Onion
1 Large Carrot
1 Large Parsnip
1 Stalk of Celery
1 Clove of Garlic
1 Bay Leaf
1 bag of dried split peas
6 cups of chicken or veggie stock (Homemade preferred/recipe to follow)
14oz can of Coconut Milk
1/2 cup cashews, chopped
1/2 - 1 teaspoon ground chili pepper (optional)
salt and pepper to taste

In a Large Pot (Dutch Oven works best)over Medium heat add 1 Tbls of oil. Grate with a box grater onion, carrot, parsnip and celery, add bay leaf, cook till vegetables are tender. Grate garlic then add peas, salt, pepper and ground chili pepper, heat through about 1 minute. Add 6 cups of stock. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer 1/2 hour, till peas are tender. After cooked take immersion blender and blend soup till smooth. While blending add coconut milk in small batches.
Serve hot and garnish with chopped cashews.

This is such a great recipe to get those veggies into any diet. It's sweet and savory plus low in fat and high in nutrients. For younger children I tend to leave out the chili pepper or add a small amount. This is also a great recipe to get children in the kitchen with you. They can use the box shredder and help with the veggies. The older children can even use the immersion blender, with your supervision of course. I hope you enjoy!