My kids are weird eaters. I don’t get it. They LOVE chicken nuggets and all that unhealthy kids stuff that we parents feed them when we are busy and need something quick. My youngest 3 are TOTAL bread eaters too. Rolls, biscuits, bread sticks – they want to eat that and nothing else when we serve it.
When it comes to healthy stuff, they are picky as all get out. No tomatoes, no corn with 2 of them, no peas with a different 2, fruit is a mixed bag (seriously, they end up exchanging mixed fruit pieces…). Making a meal that is healthy and that EVERYONE like is a challenge (and that includes Racer, he is the most picky of them all)!
So tonight for dinner, I made Lentil Soup with dumplings. I used this recipe with some modifications – Lentil and Vegetable Soup with Dumplings. I didn’t have carrots or celery, so I left those out. I only had dried onions, so I used those. I used whole wheat flour. I’m trying to save money, be frugal and clean out my pantry (since we will FINALLY be moving) and I’m using what I’ve got!
So I made it and the little kids LOVED IT! Gorilla and Girlie – who typically love bread stuff – wouldn’t touch the dumplings, but had 2 bowls of lentil soup. Blue said she like it – and that was after a hard day of weeding the flower bed. I had 2 bowls with dumplings. We put either parmesan or shredded colby-jack on it because we are a cheese loving family.
I’m not sure how Racer and Professor will react when I make it again. I think both will like the dumplings (which turned out GREAT – far better than the last time I made them). I guess we’ll just have to see. Anyway, I have enough lentils left to make another batch before we move. I’m glad to have found something healthy that most if not all will eat. I’m sure if I put the carrots and celery in though, that will ruin it for several (what’s this stuff?), so I think I’ll just leave those out from now on.
Who knew cleaning out the pantry and lentil soup would be so good?
P.S. As I was cleaning out the pantry, I also found multiple un-opened jars of baking powder, opened cans of spices and lots of things that I never use. We all need to go through our cabinets like we are moving every once in a while. You never know what you might find.
Rev. Kris Mares 