Hello friends! First off, I just have to say that I’m so happy to be running again! I’ve only been running once a week, 3-4 miles at a time, but I’m lovin’ it. It’s just perfect.
It really is amazing to me how therapeutic running is. It just feels so good to be out in nature, “running away” from the cares of the world, sorting things out in my brain, enjoying some peace and quiet….and exercising to boot! Love it!
AND, right now I have no desire to ramp up my miles or my speed. I just want to run because it’s good for my body, mind and soul. I’m not putting any kind of pressure on myself to run fast or far and it feels so good!
I went on a 3 mile run (~10 minute pace) last weekend and loved every minute.
I actually like running in the cold weather. Strange, I know. I’m actually a huge cold wuss and HATE being cold, so I don’t enjoy the first half mile or so, but then after that it feels perfect.
I’m hoping to keep up my once a week runs throughout the winter. As long as it’s not too icy outside, I’m gonna get out there and run!
I also just wanna say that I’m still going strong with my no sugar challenge! Woot! I feel great and actually don’t want to quit. I’m down a few pounds and feel ever so slightly thinner, which is awesome, but more importantly I feel great!
My workouts have felt so amazing and I feel strong! That is actually a huge sign to me that my body is in a good spot and likes what I’m doing. SO, I’m just gonna keep on going!
I always feel so much better when I cut the sugar and focus on eating better quality foods. Go figure. I’ve also been trying to eat in a calorie deficit so I can lose a little weight. I’m happy that I’ve slowly been dropping a few pounds and my body still feels strong in the process. That tells me that the calorie range I’m in is a good one for me.
I haven’t been counting calories or macros per se, but I’ve just been keeping a rough total in my head. I’ve been keeping things in the 1400-1800 calorie range for the most part. It’s perfect for me.
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Well folks, today I want to share an awesome recipe with y’all. The past few months I’ve experimented with a lot of different recipes. I’ve been trying to find some more dinner recipes that are nutritious, simple to make and kid friendly! I’ve found some good ones and some not so good ones, but the one I’m going to share today is great! My picky eater even sorta, kinda liked it!
It’s Turkey, Kale and Brown Rice soup and I love it!
It’s so good, so full of flavor, so simple, so full of healthy ingredients and so hearty and filling! Yay!
I made it earlier this week and I’ve been eating the leftovers the past couple days and I’m not sick of it yet! In fact, Kev just finished it up last night and said, “This recipe is a keeper!” It’s so good!
I gotta say, I found the original recipe on Food Network. It was a recipe from Giada at Home and it had so many positive reviews! I also found several other similar recipes out there on the internet. So, I looked at all the different variations of the recipes out there, pulled a few things from one, a few from another and then added a few things of my own and I think it turned out just perfect.
As far as what I changed on the original recipe…I added more veggies (zucchini, celery and garlic), increased the amount of turkey and broth, used a large can (28 oz) of crushed tomatoes instead of a smaller can of diced tomatoes (better for picky eaters!) and used uncooked rice instead of cooked rice (why not??)
Turkey, Kale and Brown Rice Soup
Ingredients:
- 1 Tablespoon olive oil
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1/2 cup onion, chopped
- 1 1/3 cup carrots, sliced
- 3/4 cup celery, diced
- 1 medium zucchini, chopped
- 1 large red bell pepper, diced
- 8 cups low-sodium chicken broth (I used chicken bone broth)
- 1 (28 oz) can crushed tomatoes
- 3/4 cup uncooked brown rice*
- I Tablespoon Herbs de Provence*
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 pound ground turkey meat, cooked and broken up into small chunks (about 3 1/2 cups)
- 1 small bunch kale, chopped (4-5 cups)
- shredded Parmesan cheese, optional
Notes:
*You can use cooked rice if you prefer. Decrease the chicken broth to 6 cups and add the rice at the end (when you add the ground turkey and kale.)
*I highly recommend the Herbs De Provence! It is so good, unique and added so much flavor. I had never heard of this spice mix before, but I was able to find it at Walmart.
If you would rather not use Herbs De Provence, you could use your own combination of some of the spices that are included in Herbs De Provence; basil, fennel, marjoram, parsley, rosemary, lavender, tarragon and thyme.
Directions:
- Heat the oil in a large pot over medium-high heat.
- Add the garlic, onions, carrots, celery, zucchini and bell pepper and saute, stirring frequently until the vegetables start to soften, about 3-5 minutes.
- While the vegetables are sauteing, start cooking the ground turkey in a separate pan. Stir frequently, breaking up the meat until it is cooked through.
- To the vegetable mixture, add the chicken broth, crushed tomatoes, uncooked brown rice, Herbs De Provence, salt and pepper.
- Bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover and simmer for 40-45 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Right: after simmering 45 minutes
- Stir in the cooked ground turkey and kale. Simmer 10-15 minutes, or until kale is tender.
- Season with additional salt and pepper, if desired. Top with shredded Parmesan cheese just before serving.
I hope you all enjoy this soup as much as we did! I loved how it was full of so much goodness and nutrition, yet it felt like comfort food!
This will definitely be in the regular rotation around our house, especially in these cold winter months. I hope you all have a wonderful weekend!
I used to make a big pot of minestrone on winter Sundays that was my husband’s favorite, until he found out he was allergic to beans (not a life-threatening allergy, but it was one of the causes of his asthma). After that I made some alterations and came up with nearly this same recipe, which was a huge favorite, but for some reason I kind of forgot about it for a couple of years until this post.
I just made a big pot of this last weekend and everyone loved it so much! Thanks for the reminder 🙂
I love soup in the winter so much! <3 I have so many recipes that I forget about too. Ha ha. I'm so glad your family enjoyed this!