Soup and Sammy

Sunday is my day to make a large pot of soup. Hubs likes to take some to work for his lunch during the week and it definitely cuts down on the cost of eating out. I use medication-free turkey in my recipe, as I always try and avoid meat that is high in growth-hormones and antibiotics, but you can certainly use whichever meat you are accustomed to. The addition of Creole spice gives this delicious soup the perfect amount of warmth. Did you know that spicy foods speed up the metabolism and help in digestion among other benefits?

The top 5 benefits of spicy foods:
1. Spicy foods speed up the metabolism, which helps in weight loss.
2. Capsaicin (in jalapenos) is great for cancer prevention
3. Spice stimulates the digestive juices in the stomach*
4. Spice increases blood circulation
5. Spicy foods are known to improve sleep patterns

*If you have a tendency toward heartburn after eating spicy foods, it usually means that your stomach isn't producing enough stomach acids. The tendency is to take an antacid, but this actually exacerbates the problem, because antacids are alkaline.Your stomach really needs more acid to digest the food. The best remedy for heartburn is to take a teaspoon of apple cider vinegar. If you have difficulty taking the vinegar on its own, you can chase it with a small glass of water, but for the most effective remedy, its best to take the vinegar straight.

And what would a great bowl of soup be without a yummy 'sammy' (aka sandwich)? One of my favourite herbs is often under-utilized tarragon.Tarragon pairs beautifully with chicken, so I decided to combine a melange of tangy, sweet, crunchy, and fragrant to create a scrumptious sandwich filling, that is super satisfying as well as simply delish!

Creole Turkey Soup
Click HERE for printable recipe

Ingredients:
1 1/2 lbs ground turkey
1 large onion, chopped
3 Tbsp olive oil
4 stalks celery, chopped
3 carrots, diced
3 garlic cloves, crushed
10 cups low sodium chicken stock 
2 large cans low sodium diced tomatoes
(with juice)
1 tsp salt
1/4 tsp smoked paprika
2 tbsp creole spice ( recipe to follow)
1 tsp oregano
2 bay leaves
pepper, to taste
1/2 cup long grain rice, raw

Method:
1. Heat olive oil in a large stock pot over medium-high heat. Add turkey and cook until nicely browned. Add spices, stirring to combine with meat and cook for about 5 minutes to release the spice flavours. Add celery, onions, garlic and carrots and continue to cook another 10 minutes. Add stock, tomatoes and bay leaves. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer, covered for about 1 hour. Add rice and continue to cook an additional 20 minutes, or until rice is done. Serves 10. 

Creole Spice Mixture

Ingredients:

2-1/2 Tbsp paprika
2 Tbsp salt
2 Tbsp garlic powder
1 Tbsp freshly ground black pepper
1 Tbsp onion powder
1 Tbsp cayenne
1 Tbsp dried oregano
1 Tbsp dried thyme

Mix all spices together and store in a glass jar for up to 3 months.

Tarragon Chicken Salad
click HERE for printable recipe

Ingredients:
2 cups cooked chicken (use leftovers or a store bought ready chicken)
1 stalk celery, chopped
1/2 gala apple, chopped
1 Tbsp red onion, minced
2 Tbsp mayonnaise
1 tsp white wine vinegar
1/2 tsp tarragon
1 tsp Dijon mustard ( I use the Maille brand)
3/4 tsp sea salt
1/8 tsp black pepper

Foccacia bread

Method:
1. In a small mixing bowl, combine mayonnaise, vinegar, tarragon. Dijon, salt and pepper. Set aside.
2. Coarsely chop chicken. Place in bowl and add celery, apple and onion. Toss to combine. Add dressing and mix together gently. Chill until ready to use. Serves 4.