Turkey, Kale, & Wild Rice Soup

Thanksgiving was wonderful, and I hope everyone had a marvelous holiday of eating and gathering with friends and family! I am so thankful for so many things! My family, my giddy and magnificent daughter, my soon- to- be husband, our new homestead, inches upon inches of snow, and succeeding in my life here in the northern most reaches of the north shore of Lake Superior to name a few things. I am also thankful for everyone who helped along the way, to get me where I am right now. Life is awesome and it somehow feels like it's only just beginning....

Leftover turkey is humble, yet most are grateful for it. It's versatility is endless. Turkey sandwiches are probably on the menu for many folks this week. I thought I'd add a new recipe to the leftover turkey category. I am forever trying to add an element of healthiness to our everyday eating which you'll get a glimpse of in the following recipe. We are a pretty healthy bunch, but there is always room for improvement.  Eating real, whole foods is our main goal. Paying attention to quantity and quality. For instance, a whole pie may not be the best choice for breakfast. A slice would be better. But if you did over indulge in a whole pie, tomorrow is a new day. It's best if that pie is homemade and not some weird pastry made by a lady named Sarah Lee. I think that eating should be enjoyable, and balancing that factor with trying to stay in shape and eating well in the hustle and bustle of everyday life can be a challenge. I start by stocking our fridge with healthy choices. I seldom buy soda, candy, or packaged foods. If it's not available in our house, chances are greater that we won't be consuming it. I always have on hand plenty of fresh fruits and vegetables. They play a major role in my everyday cooking.  It's easy to put together a recipe such as the following, when you have great ingredients on hand.


Turkey, Kale & Wild Rice Soup:

2 pieces of bacon, chopped (optional)
1 small onion, chopped
2 medium carrots, chopped
2 celery stalks, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 small sprig rosemary, minced
1 tsp dried thyme
1 tsp dried sage
6 cups chicken stock
1/2 cup white wine
2 cups left over turkey, chopped
2 cups cooked wild rice
1 small bunch kale, chopped
sea salt, to taste
black pepper, to taste

In a large stock pot, over medium heat, saute the bacon until crisp and golden. Remove the bacon from the pot, leaving the bacon fat. You can omit this step and start with a drizzle of olive oil in a large stock pot over medium heat.  Add the onion, celery, and carrot to the fat or olive oil and saute about 5 minutes, or until the onions just begin to turn translucent. Add the garlic and the herbs and saute a few minutes more. Add the wine and deglaze the pan. Add the stock,  turkey, and the wild rice and reduce the heat to medium low. Allow everything to simmer together about 10 minutes. Add the kale and simmer an additional 10 minutes. Taste the soup and adjust the flavors, adding sea salt and black pepper to taste.

Garnish the soup with fresh lemon zest, chili flakes, and/ or Parmesan cheese. A drizzle of toasted sesame oil and some fresh chives would be equally nice.
A few add ins to play around with; a cup of roasted cherry tomatoes, a variety of root veggies (parsnips and golden beets along with the carrots), or using a different grain in place of the wild rice such as red quinoa or barley. Have fun creating a wonderful bowl of soup! Belly up!!