Greens + Protein Recovery Soup

Whenever my husband and I need a warm, comforting meal that’s also healthy (and not a salad), we turn to some version of this soup. It’s endlessly adaptable—you can swap in whatever greens you have on hand and use any protein you like. Great protein options include ground beef or chicken, shredded chicken, meatballs, or sausage (either sliced or crumbled). As for greens, hearty varieties like cabbage, kale, bok choy, or collard greens all work beautifully.

Ingredients:

• 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

• 1 lb of ground turkey

• 1 yellow onion; diced

• 1 tsp of paprika

• 1/2 tsp of turmeric

• 1/2 tsp of garlic powder

• 1/2 tsp of onion powder

• 1 tsp of salt

• 1/2 tsp of pepper

• 3 cloves of garlic; minced

• 2 quarts of chicken stock (pre-made or homemade)

• 2 tbsp of chicken bouillon

• 2 (15 oz) cans of chickpeas; drained

• 1 bunch of rainbow chard; stems and leaves cut into 1 inch pieces

• Handful of lacinato kale; cut into 1 inch pieces

• 1 bunch of dill; leaves roughly chopped

• Juice of 1/2 lemon

In a large pot, heat olive oil over medium heat. Once hot, add the ground turkey, breaking it into chunks with a wooden spoon or spatula. When the meat is about 80% cooked through, add the onions along with the paprika, turmeric, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and pepper. Stir well to coat the meat and onions in the spices, then let it cook for another five minutes. Add the garlic and cook just until fragrant.

Pour in the chicken stock and stir to deglaze the pan, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom. Stir in the chicken bouillon paste until fully dissolved, then add the chickpeas. Bring the soup to a low simmer and let it cook gently for about 20 minutes.

You can keep the soup simmering until about 20 minutes before you're ready to serve. At that point, add the greens—chard, kale, and dill—and stir until they’re just wilted. Turn off the heat, finish with a squeeze of lemon juice, and serve with some crusty bread.