Warm up to turkey barley soup

Hello 2018 = A blank canvas of great health and recipes!

Start the new year with recipes that are great for your heart, brain, energy, well-being and taste fantastic. With frigid temperatures outside, it’s the perfect time to warm up to a hearty bowl of homemade soup full of lean white turkey meat and vegetables.

Plan on cooking a batch over the weekend so you can enjoy it during the week — take it for lunch or reheat for a quick dinner, add a fresh green salad and crusty whole-grain sunflower bread to complete your meal.

HEARTY TURKEY BARLEY SOUP

STOCK:

1 turkey carcass

Spring water (4-5 quarts)

1 onion – quartered

2 carrots, cut into 2-inch chunks

Pinch of dried thyme

1 bay leaf

SOUP:

1 1/2 lbs carrots, diced into pieces

2 onions, diced

3 stalks celery, 1/4-inch slices

1 cup pearl barley

1/2 cup chopped baby Bella mushrooms

1 bay leaf

Sprig of fresh thyme

2 Tbsp chopped fresh parsley

Himalayan salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste

PREPARATION

Place the turkey carcass into a Dutch oven or large saucepan; cover with water.

Add onion, carrots and celery; cover and simmer, skim excess fat from the top of the stock and discard.

Reduce heat, add bay leaf and dried thyme; simmer uncovered for 2 hours. Then strain soup using a fine mesh strainer and return to the Dutch oven, reserving the carcass but discard the onion and carrots. Shred the white meat of the turkey into bite-size pieces, removing all fat and bones and set aside.

Bring the stock to a simmer; add barley stirring frequently as it simmers covered for 30 minutes. Add diced carrots, onion, mushrooms, bay lea, thyme sprig and continue to simmer until the vegetables are tender; add bite-size pieces of turkey.

Remove bay leaves, thyme sprig and season lightly with Himalayan pink salt (better for you!) and lots of fresh pepper; garnish with parsley.