Onions And Our Children Should Be Friends
I know, I know, onions can be a very polarizing vegetable. They have a strong, sometimes bitter or spicy flavor, especially when eaten raw. Kids and adults have balked at meals that included onions, regardless of the flavor they bring to the dish and regardless of whether they are cooked or raw. But onions are nutritional superstars, folks! They're important to the long-term health of us all, and when prepared well, they're delicious.
Onions are a vegetable, so of course they're filled with vitamins and minerals that are important to include in your child's diet. But Onions also contain phytonutrients, which are the basis of proper cell growth and life. Your kids should be eating onions for no other reason that they'll feel better physically because at the cellular level things are working properly. Onions are also high in flavonoids, which are cellular compounds that are anti-inflammatory, anti-allergic, anti-cancer, anti-microbial, and anti-diarrhea. Looking at this list of benefits, every mom can see how onions can benefit their child. This vegetable is a powerhouse! Studies have even shown that several servings of onion per week significantly lowers risk for certain types of cancer (colorectal, laryngeal, and ovarian).
One evening at a social function, I ended up talking to someone who enjoys a vegan diet. I asked her how she got good flavor into her cooking without using chicken or beef bouillon. She indicated that she she used a lot of garlic and onions in her cooking. Trying to incorporate more onions into my family's cooking has helped to wean me off prepared stocks and bouillons, thus more fully enjoying the flavor of onions while lowering our sodium intake and trimming our grocery budget.
Whether you eat them cooked or raw, their nutritive qualities of onions are the same. When cooked into a soup, the phytonutrients get transferred to the water in the soup, so even if your kids don't enjoy crunching on onions, they'll still benefit from foods flavored by onions. Here's a recipe for a healthy noodle and vegetable soup that retains all the benefits of onions. The onion is sliced in half, put into the soup to flavor the broth, and then the onion itself is discarded before serving. For moms and dads of picky eaters who care about providing their children with healthy meals, this recipe is a win-win.
Pasta with Vegetables Soup
4 carrots, peeled and chopped
4 stalks celery, chopped
1 onion, halved
2 garlic cloves, smashed
2 bay leaves
1 can or 2 cups beans, any variety
Salt and pepper, to taste
4-6 oz. pasta, uncooked
1/4 c. fresh parsley or 2 tbsp. dried parsley
6 cups chicken broth (or 6 cups water + 6 tsp. chicken bouillon)
In a large pot over medium-high heat, put in chicken broth, carrots, celery, onion, garlic, bay leaves, 1 tsp. salt, 1/2 tsp. pepper and bring to a boil. Add pasta, cover pot and lower heat to a simmer. When pasta and vegetables are cooked (about 10 minutes), remove from heat. Remove onion halves and bay leaves and discard them. Add beans and parsley. Season to taste and serve warm.
Onions are a vegetable, so of course they're filled with vitamins and minerals that are important to include in your child's diet. But Onions also contain phytonutrients, which are the basis of proper cell growth and life. Your kids should be eating onions for no other reason that they'll feel better physically because at the cellular level things are working properly. Onions are also high in flavonoids, which are cellular compounds that are anti-inflammatory, anti-allergic, anti-cancer, anti-microbial, and anti-diarrhea. Looking at this list of benefits, every mom can see how onions can benefit their child. This vegetable is a powerhouse! Studies have even shown that several servings of onion per week significantly lowers risk for certain types of cancer (colorectal, laryngeal, and ovarian).
One evening at a social function, I ended up talking to someone who enjoys a vegan diet. I asked her how she got good flavor into her cooking without using chicken or beef bouillon. She indicated that she she used a lot of garlic and onions in her cooking. Trying to incorporate more onions into my family's cooking has helped to wean me off prepared stocks and bouillons, thus more fully enjoying the flavor of onions while lowering our sodium intake and trimming our grocery budget.
Whether you eat them cooked or raw, their nutritive qualities of onions are the same. When cooked into a soup, the phytonutrients get transferred to the water in the soup, so even if your kids don't enjoy crunching on onions, they'll still benefit from foods flavored by onions. Here's a recipe for a healthy noodle and vegetable soup that retains all the benefits of onions. The onion is sliced in half, put into the soup to flavor the broth, and then the onion itself is discarded before serving. For moms and dads of picky eaters who care about providing their children with healthy meals, this recipe is a win-win.
Pasta with Vegetables Soup
4 carrots, peeled and chopped
4 stalks celery, chopped
1 onion, halved
2 garlic cloves, smashed
2 bay leaves
1 can or 2 cups beans, any variety
Salt and pepper, to taste
4-6 oz. pasta, uncooked
1/4 c. fresh parsley or 2 tbsp. dried parsley
6 cups chicken broth (or 6 cups water + 6 tsp. chicken bouillon)
In a large pot over medium-high heat, put in chicken broth, carrots, celery, onion, garlic, bay leaves, 1 tsp. salt, 1/2 tsp. pepper and bring to a boil. Add pasta, cover pot and lower heat to a simmer. When pasta and vegetables are cooked (about 10 minutes), remove from heat. Remove onion halves and bay leaves and discard them. Add beans and parsley. Season to taste and serve warm.