Fall Vegetable Soup with Ground Turkey

Weeeellllllll technically I guess it is winter, but doesn’t fall vegetable soup sound better? The prep for this is really similar to the Greens and Beans soup recipe. This has white beans in place of black eyed peas, turkey instead of ham, and adding the butternut squash really changes things up.

I heated up a bowl for lunch yesterday. I couldn’t finish it all AND was full till passed my usual dinner time. This is Heart-y (notice with a capital H) and delicious and healthy. Perfect for cold-ish February days. Note: I say cold-ish because in Oklahoma it’s been beautiful and in the 70s by the end of the day but the mornings are cold still. This is for sure not typical though.

Bonus tip: To cut down on prep time I like to make soup when I have leftovers to use up. So if I have meat already cooked or leftover roasted veggies, I toss those in a soup. Viola! A homemade meal is ready in no time.

Ingredients
– 6 cups chicken or vegetable stock
– 1/4 cup olive oil
– 1 lb cooked ground sausage or turkey
– 2 cups chopped fresh or frozen leafy greens (I used collard greens.)
– 1/4 cup chopped onion
– 2 cups peeled, cubed and seeded squash (I used butternut.)
– 2 cups cooked or canned white beans
– Salt, black pepper, and cayenne pepper to taste (Start small and add more as needed. I add just a dash)

Directions
1. Heat olive oil in large pot over medium heat. Add onions and squash and a sprinkle  of salt and pepper. Cook until onions are soft and translucent, stirring occasionally.
2. Add stock, white beans, leafy greens, and cooked ground meat.
3. Bring to a boil and then simmer for 20 minutes or until squash is tender. Season with salt, pepper, and cayenne pepper to taste.
4. Serve and enjoy!