Happy Hump Day! I figured everyone could use a bit of a mid-week pick-me-up, and being that this is the first week of OCTOBER ? what a better way to do so than with another healthy and easy FALL INSPIRED recipe! You have probably noticed by now that making soup (particularly in the fall/winter) is one of my favorite seasonal celebrations ? (check out my Healthy Broccoli Cheddar & Quinoa soup from last week). I absolutely love the feeling of curling up on the couch in these brisk months with a warm bowl of soup. SO, I want to share with you another one of my favorite soup recipes perfect for whipping up in the kitchen this Wednesday evening!
I came up with this recipe purely by accident one night while trying to roast some veggies to eat alongside my chicken breast. When I pulled out the chicken and noticed it had gone bad, I had to get creative! I have to say I was (surprisingly) very pleased with the results and, after a bit of recipe adjusting, I am so eager to now share it with you all! ? This recipe is another one that is ideal for weeknights as it is a relatively quick fix AND it is perfect for packing in lunches. To make it even more of a winner, this soup has ALL the good stuff you love to swoon over in the fall! ?
I have again included the nutrition label below – you will enjoy the healthy punch that this yummy meal packs ??. Check out the instructions below to bring this meal to your home this evening! ???
Ingredients:
- 1 Butternut Squash
- 1 red onion
- 2 Tsp Minced Garlic
- One large (or two smaller) red potatoes
- 1 Large (or two smaller) Zuchinni
- 3/4 can yellow corn
- 1 package ground turkey
- 3/4 C quinoa
- 1 can (or 1/2 carton) veggie broth (chicken broth will do as well)
- Handful cheddar or mozzerella cheese to taste (mozzarella tastes slightly better but is more of a pain to eat)
- 1/4 cup half/half or milk (add more to desired creaminess – half and half works best!)
- Seasonings to taste – Salt & Pepper plus a dash of ginger, nutmeg, cumin, cayenne pepper ?, and a bit of pumpkin spice!
Instructions:
1. Prepare and Roast Veggies – Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Peel the butternut squash and roughly chop into 1/2 inch chunks. Slice and half the zucchini as seen below. Toss the veggies with a dash of olive oil and some salt/pepper onto a baking sheet. Roast for about 20-25 minutes (or until veggies are tender and lightly browned).
2. Prepare Turkey Sausage – Roughly chop red onion into 1 inch slices and mince garlic. In a medium-large stock pot over medium-high heat, toss onions/garlic with a dash of olive oil and salt/pepper until lightly browned and opaque – about 5 minutes. When onions are ready, leave them in the stock pot and add the turkey sausage, mashing and breaking up with a fork. Cook the sausage with the onions until the sausage is no longer pink – about 3-4 minutes. When meat and onion mixture is ready, remove from heat and set aside in a small bowl for later!
3. Prepare broth and potatoes/quinoa – Heat up veggie broth in the stock pot used for sausage until it begins to boil. Chop potatoes ?(skin on for fiber ??) into small chunks – (1/4 inch pieces). Then, add the potatoes AND quinoa into the boiling broth and cook (covered) until tender – about 10 minutes.ÂÂ
4. Add Veggies/Sausage to broth - Once potatoes are tender, add the roasted veggies ? and drained Corn ? to the boiling broth and reduce heat to a simmer. Simmer for about 2 minutes, then add the sausage/onion mixture back into the soup.ÂÂ
5. Finish Broth – Add half/half (or milk) to pot, adjusting amount to desire. Add seasonings and salt/pepper to taste. Simmer uncovered, stirring occasionally, for about 4 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in desired amount of cheese (omit cheese if you like the way it taste without ?).
6. Serve – With a dash of mozzerella on top and a multigrain roll or crackers for dipping ????. Tastes better with a good glass of Cabernet ???.
I challenge you to stop by the grocery store this evening and pick yourself up these ingredients and your favorite bottle of vino ?! Put some music on and enjoy the process of making this tasty meal. Then, light your favorite fall candle, take a load off, and enjoy the taste of October while you unwind and regain some strength to finish this week strong ??! Cheers to the (almost) freakin’ weekend! ???
-Kelsie