Six Meals from a $6 Turkey (Part 2 of 4) Three Soups Day!

Thanks to our most recent kitchen adventures, we now have refrigerators full of broth and turkey.  It’s time to turn most of that broth, and some of that turkey, into three delicious soups!  Today we will prepare big pots of the following three soups:  Sweet Potato Kale, Turkey Dumpling, and Vegetable Barley.  You will have plenty for now and even more for later, so share!  Accompanied by homemade soup, tomorrow would be a great day to meet the new neighbors or go visit that old friend.  Your kitchen will soon be filled with the fragrant and soothing winter aromas.  Are you ready?

Sweet Potato Kale Soup (makes 12 cups)

This soup is a colorful, nutritional powerhouse!  While sweet potatoes and cannellini beans are nutritious in their own right, few vegetables are as packed full of vitamins and powerful antioxidants as kale.  This leafy, cruciferous vegetable really is a “superfood.”

Ingredients

8 cups of turkey broth

6 cups chopped kale

2 large sweet potatoes, peeled and cubed

2 cups cooked cannellini beans

1/4 cup chopped onion

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon coarse ground black pepper

Directions

Step 1) Simmer broth and sweet potatoes in a large pot until sweet potatoes are tender (not mushy), about ten minutes.

Step 2) Add kale and cannellini beans.  Simmer a few more minutes until warmed through.

Step 3) Place 1 cup of soup in blender, along with onion, salt, and pepper.  Puree and return mixture to soup pot.

That’s it – so easy!  This soup freezes well, and is delicious served with a hearty slice of sourdough bread.

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Turkey Dumpling Soup (makes 12 cups)

Dumplings are a cold weather comfort food best enjoyed fresh.  If you are going to freeze this soup, freeze it without the dumplings.  The dumplings themselves will only take a few minutes to make, right before you enjoy them!

Ingredients

8 cups of turkey broth

3 celery ribs, chopped, including leaves

3 carrots, chopped

1/2 cup chopped onion

1 cup flour

1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper

1/4 teaspoon ground allspice

1 teaspoon baking powder

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

1/3 cup milk

4 cups diced (cooked) turkey

Directions

Step 1) Combine broth, celery, carrots, and onion in a large pot.  Bring to a gentle boil.

Step 2) In a small bowl, combine flour, pepper, allspice, and baking powder.  Add oil and milk.  Mix with a fork until just combined.

Step 3) Using two teaspoons, drop dumpling dough into gently boiling soup as shown.  Simmer, covered, for 10 minutes.  Do not stir or lift lid for 10 minutes.

Step 4) Stir in diced turkey and heat through.  Enjoy!

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Vegetable Barley Soup (makes 12 cups)

Barley makes a satisfying, low cost addition to plant-based meals.  A good source of fiber, barley also contains important minerals such as manganese, selenium, and iron.  This soup freezes well, and actually tastes best after the flavors have been allowed to blend for a day or two.

Ingredients

8 cups of turkey broth

1 cup pearl barley

3 carrots, chopped

3 celery ribs, chopped, including leaves

6 cups chopped kale (or, collard greens make a tasty substitution)

1/2 teaspoon coarse ground black pepper

1 teaspoon salt-free seasoning blend

Directions

Step 1) Bring broth and barley to a boil in a large pot.  Reduce heat and simmer for 30 minutes.

Step 2) Add carrots, celery, kale, pepper, and seasoning blend.  Simmer until carrots are tender.

Done!  If you have leftover turkey broth, freeze it in small (2 cup) containers.  Broth makes a savory addition to many recipes, and your checkbook will thank you for avoiding those overpriced cans at the market.