This simple, beautiful soup costs about $12 (cost of ingredients used) and is on the table in 25 minutes. Any questions? Seriously, it takes that long to pick up takeout. Oh, and it’s 262 calories per serving, perfect for an evening when you aren’t feeling ravenous. A maripoix plus fresh thyme, beef broth and escarole make it light and healthful.
Your favorite small ravioli or tortellini gives it substance. Make sure to cut your escarole (or spinach) into bite-size pieces so it doesn’t become too overwhelming to eat. Escarole is a fall/winter sort of green that holds up wonderfully in soups. If you can’t find it, just chop up some baby spinach. Also, be sure to cut your carrots (we suggest tri-color for asthetic purposes), onions and celery nice and thin to avoid too-crunchy vegetables, as they don’t have much cook time.
Tips (unsponsored): We love the ravioli and tortellini at Trader Joe’s. Just choose the kind that looks best to you, as long as they are small.
We LOVE Kitchen Basics brand stocks. This is probably the pitch on their commercial (we wouldn’t know, haven’t seen a commercial in ages), but it’s true: pour some KB chicken stock into a clear cup and some chicken broth of another brand into another cup. The KB stock is much darker than the broth because there is much more flavor in the stock, which includes vegetables. And, honestly, we don’t buy the regular as opposed to the “reduced sodium” stock and it has never posed a problem with an end result tasting too salty.
Have your kids tear escarole or spinach as you chop and sprinkle individual serving with cheese. As you prepare and eat this dish together with your family, teach them about some of the health benefits they are providing their bodies:
- Escarole is high in fiber, which helps prevent diabetes.
- Celery is great for healthy digestion.
- Carrots have alkaline, which purifies your blood.
Clearly, the word “ravioli” is Italian, but we can’t let Italy dominate our learning facts, can we? Let’s learn a few things about Costa Rica and it’s people:
- Children go to college at age 15. Education is very important in Costa Rica.
- Costa Ricans LOVE water sports.
- Casadao, made up of rice, cabbage, beans, meat and plantains, is a favorite dish.
Adapted slightly from: Ravioli and Vegetable Soup
- 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 small onion, diced
- 3 medium carrots, halved lengthwise and sliced
- 3 stalks celery, sliced
- 1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme
- 4 cups beef or vegetable STOCK
- 1 9 -ounce package small cheese ravioli or tortellini
- 1 small bunch escarole or 5 cups spinach, roughly chopped
- Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
- 3 tablespoons grated parmesan cheese
- 8 slices whole-wheat baguette
- Heat the olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the onion, carrots, celery and thyme and cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables begin to soften, about 6 minutes. Add the STOCK and 1 cup water and increase the heat to high. Cover and bring to a boil, then add the ravioli. Reduce the heat to medium and simmer until the ravioli are tender (see label for approximate cooking time).
- Add the escarole to the soup and cook, stirring, until wilted. Season with salt and pepper. Ladle the soup into bowls and sprinkle with the cheese. Serve with the bread.
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