. . . stone soup

We love themed gardens.  From habitat gardens for birds, butterflies, and bees, to plant dye gardens and Fairytale gardens, they are oh so much fun for kiddos and adults alike! We particularly love our Stone Soup sharing garden, so much in fact. . .

. . . we just had to make Stone Soup. . .

. . .  packed with a rainbow of veggies. . .

. . . and paired with a beautiful loaf of bread. . .

. . . perfect for sharing with a few new friends around a spring table.

 

Stone Soup

Ingredients:

• 1 onion chopped
• 3 medium carrots sliced
• 2 cups of chopped green beans (1" pieces)
• 2 cups of thinly sliced red cabbage
• 4 cups of chicken broth
• 1 28oz can of whole peeled tomatoes
• 1lb boneless skinless chicken breast
• 2 cups water
• 2 bay leaves
• 2 sprigs of thyme
• 4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 2 cloves garlic minced
• 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
• Salt & pepper to taste

Sauté the onion in 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Add the bay leaves and thyme and continue cooking for a few more minutes. Add the carrots and cook for another 2 minutes.

While the carrots are cooking pour the whole peeled tomatoes into a bowl and crush them with your hands.  Add the tomatoes, chicken stock and water to the pot. Bring to a boil.

When the soup comes to a full boil, add the chicken to the soup. Cover and boil until the chicken reads 180 on an instant read thermometer (about 20 min).

Remove the chicken and shred it using two forks to pull it apart. Add the chicken back to the pot and reduce to a simmer.

Add the green beans and garlic to the pot.  While the green beans cook, sauté the cabbage in a separate pan with 1 tablespoon of olive oil. After a minute add the vinegar and continue cooking until the cabbage is tender but not overcooked.

When the green beans are tender the soup is done. Stir in the remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil and salt and pepper to taste. Add the cabbage to each bowl individually when you are ready to serve and make sure to have some good bread on hand to dip in the broth!

 

With the Kids: Share the Stone Soup Fable with your children. Go on a walk to find a stone or use the one from this sweet garden kit (scrub your stone clean before using) Make the soup together and invite the kiddos to act out the story by asking for the different ingredients from the "villagers" Talk about the importance of sharing with your community and how growing a garden together can be a great way to make new friends. Think up different version of this recipe to try in the future. Invite a few friends over to share the soup!

 

Happy Cooking!

~ Sarah