Kids are weird. They're peculiar for lots of reasons, but in today's example, I'm talking specifically about their relationship with food.
My little munchkin has gone through his own trials and tribulations with eating in his short 14 months of life, and I'm fairly certain they are to blame for the silver strands that are sprouting from my head. Though he seemed eager to begin solids around the 6 month mark, his interest wavered a few weeks later and he refused all forms of solids for many months to follow. We tried every trick we came across to get him back into the groove, but nope. He just wasn't into it.
Once he decided that eating solids was back on his radar, he was the best little eater around... for about a month. And then we went from loving finger foods to wanting to be spoon fed. Adoring scrambled eggs to abhorring them. Being wild about black beans to deciding they're better suited for pitching practice.
My dreams of homemade purees and snacks have been shot down more than once. And while he will indulge my yearnings and take down one of my homespun concoctions every so often, he is sure to keep me guessing as to what each day will hold. {For the record, his options include only "real" food.}
Currently, we are having to dip all foods in hummus for them to make the list of things he will consider putting in his mouth. {Not counting toys, lint, crumbs under the couch and anything else that looks remotely intriguing. Go figure.}
He's often curious about the foods he sees us eating and asks for a taste, which has made me more accountable about the things I'm allowing in my own diet. {And has lead to the occasional bout of hidden Nutella-eating, I'm not gonna lie.}
This Roasted Tomato Soup is among the recent "winners" passing the toddler test.
This soup came about when I ran myself ragged around the holidays and wound up with an annoying head cold. After spending a good 8 hours straight on my couch watching Anne of Green Gables surrounded by mountains of tissues {some for my runny nose and some because of Matthew Cuthbert and Gilbert Blythe}, I needed something quick, easy and warm to eat. I roasted a big container of cherry tomatoes, added a few ingredients for flavor and then blended it all up with my newest favorite kitchen tool: my OXO Illuminating Digital Immersion Blender.
Whether I'm attempting to make food for Cole or blending sauces or soups for the grown-ups, this thing makes life so much easier. You don't have to worry about splashing and splatters because the intuitive digital controls steadily increase or decrease the blending speed, and the silicone shaft helps to protect your bowls and cookware while you use it. It even has a soft-glow LED light that lets you see what you're blending if you're working with a deep pot or don't have great lighting.
The only way this blender could get better is if it guaranteed that my kid would eat the finished product... and then cleaned up the kitchen. In this case, one out of two isn't so bad.
Either way, you'll end up with a nice batch of tangy homemade soup that's great whether you're looking for a fast bite, a cold-soothing meal or a toddler-approved food.
I'll take the victories wherever I can get them!
Roasted Tomato Soup
1 16 oz. container of grape tomatoes
1/2 cup chicken broth
2 cloves of garlic, smashed
Approximately 1/4 cup basil leaves
Plus: Olive oil & salt to taste
1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Toss the whole tomatoes with about a tablespoon of olive oil, then season liberally with salt.
2. Bake for 25-30 minutes until the tomatoes start to burst and blister in parts. Remove from oven and cool slightly.
3. Pour the tomatoes & their juices into the blending beaker if using an immersion blender and add chicken broth. Blend to desired consistency.*
4. Pour the blended soup into a saucepan over medium heat, and add smashed garlic cloves and basil leaves. Bring up to a simmer and cook for about 10-15 minutes.**
5. Remove smashed garlic cloves and wilted basil leaves, or blend the basil into the soup directly in the pot with your immersion blender.
Serve hot with croutons, crackers or a hot grilled cheese. Mmm....
*If you like your soup on the chunky side, don't blend it completely. For silky, smooth soup, run it through a fine mesh strainer to catch the seeds and sediment. If you don't have an immersion blender {get one!}, simply use a regular blender.
**If your soup gets too thick, just add a little more chicken broth or water.
Note: This soup is creamy without adding cream, but you can add a bit of cream or half and have for a tomato bisque-type soup. It's great either way!
Disclosure: I was sent an OXO Immersion Blender for review. As always, the opinions you see here are all my own!
