After Thanksgiving Detox Turkey Soup
Thanksgiving has come and gone. And now you’re left with a ton of leftovers piled high in your refrigerator. Since the holidays are notoriously packed with unhealthy foods, drinks & treats, why not use your leftovers to make a healthy dish that helps reboot your body?
Most of us just put our leftovers between a few slices of bread. Instead, I came up with a Detox Turkey & Vegetable soup that will help you get back on track! Not only is it packed with flavor, healthy vegetables & antioxidants, it’s super easy to make and takes advantage of your leftovers!
After Thanksgiving Detox Turkey Soup
Every ingredient in this soup recipe has a purpose. Flavor, nutrition, fiber, etc. One of my favorite things about this recipe is that it’s got a pretty short ingredient list and everything can be thrown into your crock pot!
Detox Turkey Soup Benefits
Turkey
Eating turkey provides a ton of health benefits. It’s a rich source of protein, niacin, vitamin B6 and the amino acid tryptophan. It also has zinc and vitamin B12. I recommend sticking with the skinless white meat because it’s low in fat and high in protein. Turkey consumption can help lower your cholesterol levels. Because it’s low-GI it can help stabilize your insulin levels. The tryptophan (which is what makes you feel sleepy) helps product serotonin, which helps strengthen your immune system. Great for the holidays to keep you from getting sick!
Low Sodium Vegetable Broth
I recommend using low sodium vegetable broth, but you can also use bone broth. Vegetable broth is fairly low in calories and fat, making it a good base for your soup.
Kale
Kale is one of the healthiest foods you can eat! It’s king of the greens! It’s loaded with tons of benefits! This superfood helps your whole body, from your bones to your heart to your digestive system. It’s packed with fiber, protein, vitamin A, C and K as well as calcium and iron!
Kale is great for inflammation because it’s rich in omega 3 fatty acids and antioxidants. Because it’s packed with potassium, that has alkalizing properties, it helps your body eliminate toxins.
Onion
Who knew onions were healthy!? Most of us just know they give people bad breath and make us cry when we cut them. In addition to helping prevent tooth decay, heart disease, asthma and cancer, onions are also great for lowering your glucose levels. By lowering your blood sugar levels and increasing the amount of free insulin in your body, onions can help those with diabetes and help prevent others from developing diabetes.
Garlic
Garlic is one of my favorite ingredients because it gives food a ton of flavor! But it’s also a great blood purifier. Eating more garlic can even help with acne because it purifies your blood from the inside, giving you a healthy glow outside. Eating more garlic is great way to help cleanse your system and flush out toxins!
Carrots
I love adding carrots to my soups because they add a crunchy texture but they’re also highly nutritious. Carrots are a particularly good source of beta-carotene, fiber, vitamin K, potassium and antioxidants. Carrots also contain vitamin C, a great antioxidant. This helps boost your immune system and prevent disease. Vitamin C can help reduce the severity of a cold and the length of time it lasts. Which is especially helpful during the cold months and holiday season!
Mushrooms
Mushrooms are a great ingredient to use in cooking because they give dishes a lot of flavor without adding a lot of fat, calories or carbohydrates. Also, mushrooms are a good source of both insoluble and soluble fiber. Insoluble fiber is crucial to proper digestion, while soluble fiber can slow the rise in your body’s blood sugars after a meal and can also help moderate your blood pressure and cholesterol.
How to Make After Thanksgiving Detox Turkey Soup
Ingredients
- 1 large onion, chopped
- Leftover Turkey meat, sliced
- 6 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 2 carrots, sliced
- 1 bunch of kale, chopped
- 8-10 mushrooms, sliced
- 32 oz low-sodium vegetable broth
- 1 tablespoon fresh rosemary (or other herb)
- Sea salt and pepper to taste
Directions
- Throw all of your vegetables, spices, turkey & broth into a large slow cooker.
- Turn the slow cooker on LOW for 6-8 hours or HIGH for 2-4 hours.
- Check to make sure all of the vegetables are tender and season with salt & pepper to taste.
- Serve & store any leftover soup in airtight containers in the freezer.
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