Low-Fat Holiday Turkey Tortilla Soup

Tired of those Leftovers? Take Them & Create Something Fabulous!

© Kimberly Edwards

Oct 27, 2009

Trying to eat healthy during the Holidays? Here's a fabulous Tex-Mex soup that'll give you that indulgent taste without being extravagantly high in calories or fat.

This recipe may use a bunch of ingredients and takes two hours, but it is sooooo worth it…believe me!

My husband is a track & field decathlete, and always needs low-cal, low-fat alternatives for meals. Now, he is a Southern man through-and-through and loves his soul food, so this is a great negotiation of flavor and healthy eating! Enjoy!

Type: Main Dish

Serve With: Dollop of sour cream or plain yogurt and chopped chives.

Prep Time: 10 min

Cook Time: 1 hr

Yield: Large stock pot full

Nutrition Facts:

This soup is very low in fat. Try reducing the amount of salt for a lower sodium dish. If you like, eliminate the beer from the recipe or use a lite beer for a lower calorie count.

Ingredients:

• 4 cups turkey: You can use leftover turkey with bones and carcass, fresh or frozen turkey.
• 6 large carrots, sliced crossway
• 4 stalks celery, sliced crossway
• 5 cloves garlic (whole)
• Water, enough to fill a large stock pot 2 bay leaves
• * 2 lime leaves (* optional)
• 8 peppercorns (whole)
• 8 coriander seeds (whole)
• 1-1/2 tbsp. (or to taste)
• sea salt
• 2 tsp. ground cumin
• 2 tbsp. cornstarch
• 1 serrano pepper, finely diced
• 1/2 tsp. chili powder
• 3/4 lite beer (or 3/4 of a whole beer)
• 2 tomatoes (diced)
• 1/2 tsp. (or to taste) hot sauce, not Tabasco
• 10 oz. tomato sauce (not pasta sauce)
• shredded cheese – low-fat Tex-Mex or cheddar
• low-fat sour cream
• tortilla chips (baked, if possible) to float on top of soup

Instructions:

1. Add enough water to equal 3/4 stock pot full of cold water with sea salt, peppercorns, 2 lime leaves, bay leaves and coriander seeds.
2. A) If you're using leftover turkey pieces, break them up into parts so they'll fit into the pot and be sure they're covered in water. B) If you're using fresh, uncooked turkey, or frozen turkey, then rinse hem off under cold water and put into pot. Be sure the pieces are covered with water.
3. Wash and chop carrots, onion and celery very roughly. Garlic cloves go in peeled and whole.
4. A) If you're using leftover turkey and bones, allow them to come to a boil slowly, and then turn the heat down to a simmer for about 1.5 hours. B) If you're starting with raw turkey, be sure to lightly simmer for 1.5 hours or until the turkey is tender and falling off the bones. Take one piece of turkey out of the pot to test and be sure the meat juices run clear when you cut into the meat near the bone.
* Tip: Brown foam might rise to the top of the pot. If this happens, simply take a spoon and skim it off and discard. These are the ‘impurities’. You may have to do this a few times before the soup boils clean.
5. When starting with raw turkey, once the turkey is falling off the bone, or after 1.5 hours of simmering with leftover turkey, remove all the turkey out of the pot and allow to cool on a plate. Once it's cool, shred turkey by picking off the bones and pulling apart every piece and keep it aside to add to each individual bowl when serving.
6. Crush garlic in pot with the side of a wooden spoon into the soup.
7. Dice 2 whole tomatoes, 1 serrano pepper and add them to the soup. Continue to simmer. * Tip: If you're using a can of serrano peppers, put the remainder of can into a recloseable freezer bag and freeze for subsequent uses.
8. Add beer, chili powder, cumin, remaining 2 lime leaves, and hot sauce to soup. Continue to simmer. * Tip: The alcohol will evaporate.
9. If you want a thicker soup, whisk cornstarch into same amount of cold water in a small bowl. Add to soup. * Tip: The cornstarch will thicken up the soup and will only reach it’s thickening power when the soup boils. However, if you boil it too much, the cornstarch will lose it’s thickening power. When the soup boils for 1 minute after adding cornstarch mixture (a slurry), turn it down or off.
10. Serve individual bowls for by adding a good amount of shredded turkey, then cover with soup. Garnish with baked tortilla chips, low-fat shredded cheese and low-fat sour cream.

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