Counting Soup Recipe

2 cups peas, fresh and lightly steamed, or frozen
2 cups corn kernels, fresh or frozen
2 cups firm tofu cubes
2 cups grated carrot
1⁄3 pound green beans, cut into 1-inch pieces and steamed until tender
2⁄3 cups alphabet noodles, cooked according to package directions
4 cups vegetable broth, heated

1. Place frozen peas, if using, in a colander and run under room-temperature tap water to thaw. Drain thoroughly; transfer to a bowl. Repeat with frozen corn.
2. Place all ingredients except the broth in separate bowls. Arrange bowls on the table in the following order: tofu, carrots, peas, corn, green beans and noodles. Place a regular dinner spoon in each bowl.
3. Let the children go through the line with a medium-size soup bowl, counting in the prescribed number of spoonfuls of each ingredient: 1 spoon tofu, 2 spoons carrots, 3 spoons peas, 4 spoons corn, 5 green beans, 6 spoons noodles.
4. Ladle warm broth over the top. Serves 6.

Recipe by Mollie Katzen, www.molliekatzen.com

Relish Cooking with Kids, June 2007.

Per serving: 260 calories, 6g fat, 17g prot., 38g carbs., 9g fiber, 460mg sodium.