TUSCAN KALE & TURKEY SOUP

Yay for soup season!

TUSCAN KALE & TURKEY SOUP

Yield: Serves 6

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Total Time: 40 minutes

Ingredients:
2 cans small white beans, drained and rinsed

5 ½ cups chicken broth

3 tablespoons olive oil, divided

1 pound ground turkey

1 teaspoon fennel seeds

1 ½ teaspoons salt 

¼ teaspoon pepper

3 celery stalks, diced

1 small bulb fennel, chopped

1 medium red onion, diced

2 ½ cups diced sweet potatoes (2 large, peeled)

1 14-ounce can fire-roasted diced tomatoes

¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper

1 bunch Tuscan kale, ribs removed and coarsely chopped

1 cup orzo or rice

Grated Parmesan cheese

Toasted French bread slices

Instructions:

In blender container blend one can of beans with ½ cup chicken broth until smooth. Set aside.

In large saucepan over medium-high heat, in 1 tablespoon oil, cook ground turkey, fennel seeds, salt and pepper until turkey is lightly browned; remove from pot; set aside.

In same saucepot add remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil; Over medium-high heat, cook celery, fennel, red onion and sweet potatoes until tender-crisp, stirring occasionally, about 5 minutes. Add canned tomatoes with their liquid, crushed red pepper, remaining 5 cups chicken broth, pureed beans, small white beans and ground turkey. Over high heat, heat to boiling; reduce heat to low; cover and simmer 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Stir in chopped kale; simmer 5 to 10 minutes longer or until vegetables are tender. Meanwhile, cook orzo or rice. To serve, add cooked orzo to soup. Serve soup with grated Parmesan and toasted bread slices.