This warming soup is packed with all kinds of healing properties!  It’s a perfect use for your leftover cooked turkey and a nutritious one for post-holiday cooking.  It’s a simple one-put meal, that is both easy to prepare and uses basic ingredients, you may already have on hand. If you don’t have turkey, you can use chicken instead. This soup can be made in your slow-cooker, adapted to your Instant Pot, or made easily on your stovetop. Below I have provided directions for both stovetops and for your crockpot.  This recipe makes enough for at least 8 servings, so if you choose to make the full recipe, you can even freeze half for a later date.

Ingredients

  • 4 cups cooked turkey, cut into bite-sized pieces
  • 8 cups water or turkey/chicken broth (or a combination of both)
  • 2 cups diced potatoes, peeling optional (I prefer redskin for nutritional value)
  • 3 medium carrots, peeled and diced
  • 3 small to medium-sized stalks of celery, diced
  • 3 garlic cloves, crushed
  • 1 small onion, diced
  • 1/2 cup uncooked rice (or other grain of choice i.e.. quinoa, bulgar, barley)
  • 1 tablespoon turmeric powder
  • 1.5 teaspoons powdered ginger (or more to taste)
  • 1.5 teaspoons powdered cumin (or more to taste)
  • 1.5 teaspoons dried parsley
  • Salt and fresh ground black pepper to taste (Note: black pepper enhances the medicinal benefits of turmeric when cooked together) I add about 1 tsp salt
  • 1 lemon
  • Optional: fresh cilantro or parsley to garnish, chopped

Slow Cooker Directions

  1. Place all of your ingredients in the slow cooker in the order listed above, except for cilantro and lemon.  Peel lemon and add three strips of rind.  Set remaining lemon aside until soup is cooked.
  2. Cook on low for 8 hours or on high for 4 hours.
  3. Before serving soup, squeeze in the juice of a lemon to taste.  You can add all of the juice or just half of the lemon yield, depending on how much lemon flavor you prefer.  Then garnish with fresh cilantro or parsley.

Stovetop Directions

  1. Heat 1-2 tablespoons of olive oil or avocado oil in a large pot on medium-low heat.  Add garlic and onion. Cook until translucent, being careful not to burn. Stir in carrots, potatoes, and celery.  Sauté, turning frequently with a spatula, so all vegetables soften easily.
  2. Then add cooked turkey, broth or water, rice, turmeric, cumin, ginger, parsley, salt, and pepper. Peel the lemon and add three strips of rind.  Set remaining lemon aside until soup is cooked.
  3. Bring soup to a boil, then reduce to a simmer. Cook for at least 30 minutes until flavors are well-blended, rice is cooked, and all vegetables are tender.  When cooked, squeeze in lemon juice. You can add just half of the lemon yield or more, depending on how much lemon flavor you prefer. Then garnish with fresh cilantro or parsley.