Leftover Turkey or Chicken Vegetable Soup with Kale and Sweet Potatoes

Soup is a perfect solution when you have too many leftovers from Thanksgiving or any other time. Making soup lets you salvage good-quality food without much effort. You can eat it soon if you just can’t get enough leftovers, or you can freeze it if you can't face another bite of turkey for months. 

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This soup recipe can also be a good choice after Thanksgiving or another holiday because it's moderate in carbs, high in protein, and high in fiber and antioxidants. Low-calorie, filling meals can help you get back on track if you overdid it! It can be a meal in itself, or you can serve it with a side salad or whole-grain toast. 

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Since soup is so forgiving, you can use a variety of ingredients. Here are some ideas. 

• Any vegetables, like aging carrots and bell peppers from a vegetable platter, bagged spinach that was intended for a salad, or roasted brussels sprouts. 
• Any cooked skinless chicken or turkey, like leftover Thanksgiving turkey, rotisserie chicken, or chicken breast
• Potatoes, peas, or a cooked whole grain like whole-wheat pasta or brown rice instead of sweet potato

Ingredients:

• 2 tablespoons of olive oil
• 1 medium onion, chopped 
• 2 stalks of celery, thinly sliced
• 2 carrots, diced
• 2 cloves of garlic, minced
• 1 sweet potato, cut into strips or ½-inch cubes
• 8 cups of low-sodium chicken or turkey broth
• 3 cups of cooked turkey or chicken in cubes or shredded
• 2–3 cups of kale, stems removed and leaves shredded
• 1 teaspoon of dried thyme 
• 1 teaspoon of dried oregano
• ½ teaspoon of cumin
• Salt and pepper to taste
• (Optional) 2 tablespoons of lemon juice for serving

Instructions:

1. In a large pot, heat the olive oil. Add the onion, celery, and carrots, and cook for 6-7 minutes, stirring occasionally, until softened. Add the garlic, stir, and cook for 1-2 more minutes, or until fragrant.
2. Add the sweet potatoes, thyme, oregano, cumin, salt and pepper, and broth. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer. Cook for 12-15 minutes or until the sweet potatoes are tender. Add the turkey or chicken and kale. Simmer for 5 minutes or until the turkey is hot and the kale leaves are wilted.
3. Drizzle with lemon juice before serving.

Nutrition information per serving: 260 calories; 8 grams of fat; 1 gram of saturated fat; 500 mg of sodium; 20 grams of carbohydrates; 3 grams of sugar; 4 grams of fiber; 25 grams of protein

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