Wild Rice, White Bean, and Turkey Soup
A brain-healthy soup for your Thanksgiving leftovers
Hello, everyone. I am popping into your inbox briefly today with a nourishing soup that makes great use of Thanksgiving leftovers.
When I created this Wild Rice, White Bean, and Turkey Soup for my book, I wasn’t thinking about Thanksgiving at all. Instead, I was highlighting a cooking technique for lean ground meat like chicken and turkey. Gently braising the meat in water and salt keeps it tender and flavorful. In the book, I call this soup brothy, substantial, and delicious. It is all those things plus a nourishing after-the-holiday meal using things you may have on hand right now: stock, herbs, carrots, celery, and leftover shredded turkey.
If you celebrated yesterday, I hope everything was delicious and fun. I hope you managed some downtime, too. As I mentioned last time, I floated a new tradition this year: homemade blue corn tortillas instead of bread. These were fun to make and so fresh and delicious. And challenging! I have much to learn about the craft of making tortillas. We loved the fresh corn flavor and vibrant blue color of the masa—blue because this variety of corn is bursting with brain-healthy anthocyanins! Today turkey and cranberry sauce folded into tortillas will really the spot. And this soup is all we are having for dinner tonight.
RECIPE: Wild Rice, White Bean, and Turkey Soup
If using leftover turkey to make this soup, omit the ground turkey and water. Add the salt and pepper to the carrots, celery and onions as they cook. Stir in 2 cups of shredded cooked turkey with the beans. Consider reducing or omitting the soy sauce in the recipe if your turkey is already very salty. And don’t skimp on the herbs!