I’ll be honest, my son Cameron is a … decisive eater, at least for now. I followed all the tips and tricks to get him to onto new foods too – he did baby-led weaning mostly, and even though he just turned three, he is a massive help in the kitchen which is also supposed to help kids feel more inclined to try new foods. Nope. He can grab nearly any ingredient I ask for out of the fridge or pantry, he helps put away our groceries, can chop some basic fruits and veggies with his special knife and cutting board, knows not to touch a hot stove, and can even help load and empty the dishwasher – lifesaver since I am now 33 weeks pregnant with baby number 3. But still, nope, not into trying new things (yet). And while Cameron isn’t the most adventurous eater (like his 16-month-old sister happens to be), I am still reaping the benefits of us spending time together in the kitchen, showing him how to follow instructions, how to measure ingredients properly, and teaching him all of my recipes and tricks to get a wholesome and quick meal on the table.
One thing I love to do is teach Cameron about food and dishes that originated in other countries. Luckily, in the midst of the pandemic, Cameron became really into the show Super Wings. During one of the first episodes, Jet (a transformer plane thingy) flies to Beijing, China to help a restaurant owner make dumplings since he had a large order that he had trouble getting out on time. Cameron asked me, “What’s a dumpling?” ….”My son! WHAT IS A DUMPLING? I thought you would never ask! Let me show you!” Right then and there, we whipped up some easy wonton soup with everything I had on hand. Even though he didn’t eat any of it – I can tell you IT’S GREAT, and so can my husband and daughter. I can also tell you that now I have a little helper who is fantastic at peeling shrimp!
I hope your family enjoys this recipe as much as 3/4ths of our family did, but more importantly I hope you enjoy the time spent with your little ones if you happen to make this together like we did.
Ingredients:
- 1-2 teaspoon of sesame oil
- 2 teaspoons of chopped or grated ginger
- 6 cups of chicken broth or stock
- 1 tablespoon of soy sauce (to start, but add more to taste)
- 1 teaspoon of Sriracha or chili garlic sauce
- 1 bag of frozen wontons (roughly 30 wontons)
- 2 green onions, sliced
- Bok choy (optional)
- Medium/Large or Jumbo shrimp, peeled and deveined (I use half a bag of frozen large shrimp and thawed right before putting in the soup)
- Chopped cilantro (optional)
Directions:
- In a large pot, add your sesame oil and sautéed your chopped or grated ginger until fragrant (like 30 seconds)
- Next, add in your chicken broth/stock, soy sauce, and sriracha.
- Bring to a boil and taste to ensure the right saltiness. If you are using a low sodium broth, you may want to add more soy sauce.
- Once the soup begins boiling, add in your wontons, green onion and bok choy, if using.
- Boil for about 3 minutes and add your peeled shrimp. Shrimp are done when no longer opaque and have firmed up a bit. Typically, once shrimp is added, you’ll cook the soup another 2-3 minutes depending on the size of the shrimp.
- You’re done! Ladle the soup into some bowls and top with cilantro, extra sauces or whatever you wish!
