Turkey Vegetable Soup

Being that I am still following my elimination diet/detox I have been eating alot of turkey these days, since my alternate protein sources are limited to mostly nuts and seeds.

Don't get me wrong, I've had my share of seeds, nuts, fish etc, however I needed to expand my eating and needed a warm comforting soup. This one summed it all up and even Bill (my non soup eater) ate it up and loved it.  It just goes to show that you never know how something is going to turn out, you just have to be open to try.

I love creating something out of whatever I happen to have on hand. I've varied this soup a few times over the past two weeks and tried more carrots, used sweet potato, omitted the cabbage, left it chunky, pureed it all. The possibilities, as usual, are pretty much endless.

Clean out the fridge Soup

·         1 large carrot – peeled and diced

·         2 celery stalks – diced – leaves and all
·         ½ acorn squash – peeled and diced
·         ½ bag cabbage coleslaw mix
·         2-3 cups leftover turkey
·         2-4 cups of broth (depending on how thick you want it)

1. Cook the first 4 ingredients in a soup pot for approximately 20 minutes – until tender and cooked down
2. Add water or stock to the pot if required
3. Once cooked add 1 cup of turkey stock (or chicken or veggie stock)
4. Run through the blender until smooth
5. Add an additional 1-3 cups of broth to reach your desired consistency –continue running through the blender
6. Add back to pot
7. Add 2 – 3 cups of leftover turkey
8. Sea salt to taste

Serve warm

This can be seasoned to your liking (suggested seasonings include garlic, pepper, rosemary, bay leaves, thyme, savoury, poultry seasoning).

I am on an elimination/detox, therefore kept it fairly simple. I used homemade turkey stock and found that this soup did not require any further flavour. It creates a thick rich broth with a generous amount of protein from the turkey.

My stock was homemade:

·         Turkey bones

·         3-4 whole celery stalks – leaves and all
·         4 good slices of ginger
·         Water to cover

1.      Let cook on low overnight in the crock pot

2.      In the morning strain through a colander or sieve

3.      Discard everything but the liquid (you can pick off any remaining meat from the bones at this point and set aside

4.      Once cooled pour into mason jars and freeze for up to 6 months or keep in the fridge for up to a week.

Uses for homemade stock:

·         Use in soups and stews

·         Use it to cook rice or pasta or to boil your potatoes in

·         Use it to make mashed potatoes

Possibilities are endless, use your imagination.