Quick Healthy Lunch: Quesadilla And Soup

Preparing a quick healthy lunch for kids can sometimes feel so overwhelming. Right before nap time (at our house anyways), I need to time things perfectly to get lunch on the table and into everyone’s bellies before naptime meltdowns set in.

I need something quick and easy – that won’t be a battle to get anyone to eat – but I still want it to be as healthy as possible. Recently, we enjoyed this easy quesadilla and homemade chicken soup that takes less than 15 minutes to whip together (including clean-up)!

Homemade Chicken Soup

I prefer homemade chicken soup so I can control the amount of sodium and know the quality of ingredients I’m using. Premade organic chicken soups are too pricey, but making my own is cheaper than any canned version!

To make things a bit easier, I often buy the cartons of organic chicken broth at Costco (6 for $8) but I make and freeze my own stock whenever possible.

Add one carton of chicken stock (about 6 cups) to a stock pot on medium heat and add in 1 cup of pasta and 1-2 cups of chopped veggies of your choosing. I prefer celery, carrots, onions, garlic, and sweet peppers — I also try to have the children cut up the vegetables as often as possible. You can also add some cut up pieces of cooked chicken, or grill a piece of chicken at the same time to add before serving.

Cook the soup until the pasta is cooked through, about 10 minutes.

Cheese and Veggie Quesadilla

Heat your frying pan to medium-heat and start shredding cheese (the kids love helping with this step, too!) I like to use my ceramic frying pan because it requires no butter or oil.

I simply add some grated cheese (and some grated veggies if I have time) to half of a tortilla, fold it in half, and add it to the frying pan. Turn over once golden brown, about 3 minutes each side.

Cut into triangle wedges, and serve with salsa or guacamole if your kids like either.