I Was Craving Soup! Light and Lean Turkey Vegetable Soup (Slow Cooker)

Light and Lean Turkey Vegetable Soup

I was craving soup last night as I was driving home from the Denver International Airport.  I noticed the temperature was as cool as 46 degrees in some places on my long drive home. I got home just a few minutes before midnight.  We walked the dogs later than usual today since we slept in late, but it was still a nice cool, crisp morning.  It feels as though fall has come quickly this year, but then again... it is almost October!

After our walk, I went grocery shopping for soup ingredients.  My soup is VERY loosely based on a recipe for "Hamburger Soup" that I found HERE on a nice cooking blog called Yellow Bliss Road.  I kind of took the idea and ran with it, changed up most of the ingredients, and added in a ton of vegetables.  The primary idea I kept was using canned broth and a can of tomato soup for the liquids in the soup.  I made my soup in the slow cooker (Crock Pot) and it was done in about 4 hours. This recipe could also be easily made on the stove top.

Light and Lean Turkey Vegetable Soup

1 pound Honeysuckle White 99% lean ground turkey, cooked and crumbled

1/2 yellow or sweet onion, diced

1/2 green bell pepper, diced

2 ribs of celery, diced

32 ounces chicken broth, low sodium and/or fat free if desired

1 can Campbells tomato soup (10 3/4 ounces)

1/4 teaspoon onion powder

1/4 teaspoon garlic powder

1 teaspoon dried Italian seasoning (herbs)

***

1 pound Birdseye Classic Mixed Vegetables (corn, carrots, peas, and green beans), thawed

1 tablespoon cornstarch mixed with 1 tablespoon cold water

salt, black pepper, granulated sugar

Place the first nine ingredients [turkey through dried Italian seasoning] in a slow cooker (Crock Pot). Stir, cover, and simmer on LOW for 3 hours. 

Increase slow cooker (Crock Pot) to HIGH setting.  Combine the cornstarch and water in a small bowl; stir until dissolved.  When the soup starts to boil, add in the cornstarch slurry and the thawed mixed vegetables; stir all to combine.  Cover and allow to simmer for an additional 20 to 30 minutes.  Soup will thicken slightly.  Taste for seasoning; add in salt, black pepper, and a little granulated sugar as desired to adjust the seasoning. Enjoy! 

Soup really is good for the soul...