Funny that we have a separate word for ground beef – hamburger – but no special word for ground turkey. And why they chose “hamburger” is a mystery since there’s no ham in beef. Perhaps we should call ground turkey “duckburger” or maybe not.

ground turkey veggie soup

start adding veggies

add carrots and beans

add bits of cheese

Make this turkey veggie soup! Don’t wait, I’m serious. Yes, even if it’s hot, you will love it. It’s full of vegetables, ground turkey and black beans. The seasonings are light, but present enough that the soup didn’t require a lot of extra salt.
I just made this up yesterday and can’t wait for the left overs. Normally I only crave chocolate – let’s be honest – but today I’m looking forward to this wonderful soup. (Could my taste buds be maturing? Nah, I don’t think so.) Oh and this is a gluten free option.

Ingredients
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 onion, diced
1 green pepper, diced
4 stalks celery, diced
4 large carrots, diced (OK, yes, you’re going to chop a bunch of veggies unless you buy them frozen and chopped.)
1 1/4 pound ground turkey
2 TBS olive oil
3 cups chicken broth
1 can (15 oz) black beans, rinsed
1 can (15 oz) diced tomatoes and all the liquid
1 tsp dried basil
1 tsp tumeric
2 tsp oregano leaves
1 tsp white pepper
1 tsp salt
1-2 oz Matzarella or Feta cheese for garnish.

Directions
Heat the oil in a large kettle on medium heat.
When the oil is hot, add the onion, celery, pepper and garlic and sautee gently for 3-5 minutes.
Remove the vegetables and set aside.
Brown the turkey in the same pan until browned.
Add the bullion, beans, tomatoes and the spices.
Cook for about 10 minutes to blend flavors.
Add the diced carrots and continue to cook another 10 minutes or so.
Right before you serve the soup, sprinkle small chunks of cheese into each dish.