Hearty Turkey and Vegetable Soup

Hearty Turkey and Vegetable Soup

Knowing that vegetables are good for me, I sometimes get a little carried away purchasing more than I can eat. Today, I took a little survey of what I had on hand.  I decided to take it all and put it in a  big pot of soup and it turned out great!  I feel good eating this knowing that is chock full of vitamins and fiber, but I also feel good about no food going to waste.

Hearty Turkey and Vegetable Soup

1 to 2 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil

1 large sweet onion, diced

3 large carrots, diced (or use a few handfuls of baby carrots)

3 large ribs of celery, diced

1/2 red bell pepper, diced

4 cloves of garlic, finely minced

2 tablespoons tomato paste

1 1/2 teaspoons dried Italian seasoning

1 can (14.5 ounce) diced tomatoes (I used a can with no added salt)

4 cups (32 ounce carton) chicken broth

1 pound (approximately 2 1/2 to 3 cups) cooked leftover turkey

fresh baby or tender spinach (I used about 8 ounces from a 10 ounce bag)

salt and pepper to taste

Option:  serve each bowl of soup with a few tablespoons of cooked quinoa

In a large soup pot, heat the olive oil, over medium heat.  Add in the diced onion, celery, and carrots.  Add a pinch of salt and some freshly ground black pepper. Cook, stirring frequently, over medium heat for about 7 to 10 minutes, or until veggies begin to soften a bit. 

Add in the garlic and bell pepper, as well as the tomato paste and dried Italian seasoning.  Stir well to coat the veggies with the tomato paste and dried herbs, and cook an additional 2 to 3 minutes.   

Next, add in the diced tomatoes and chicken broth.  Cover with a lid, bring to a boil, and then reduce to a simmer, and allow to cook undisturbed for about 15 minutes over low heat.

Add in the chopped cooked turkey and spinach, stir to combine; cover with a lid and allow to simmer and additional 10 to 15 minutes, or until vegetables are desired tenderness.  Season soup with salt and black pepper as desired.  I only added a pinch of salt to the carrots/onions/celery when they were sautéing, as I knew the turkey and the chicken broth I was using were both already was seasoned with salt.