Turkey Bean and Kale Soup

Did someone say they wanted to eat something healthy?

We've been enjoying this soup since Christmas and when it was gone I went right back to town to buy more dried beans.

If you cleaned up your turkey carcass after Christmas dinner by putting it in the freezer,

it is a good time now to pull it out and try a new soup.

This Turkey Soup is full of nutrition with a dose of goodness in every spoonful with dark leafy greens and beans.

I always keep dried beans in my pantry and Kale is readily available during the winter months.

• 1 turkey carcass
• 4 litres of water or about 1 gallon
• 1 500 gram bag of great northern beans (about 2 cups)
• 3 stalks celery - diced
• 1 large onion - diced
• 4 carrots - diced
• 1 large bunch of kale - torn into bite sized pieces  ( to make about 6 cups)
• 1 bay leaf
• 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon thyme

1. Put the turkey carcass in a large stock pot and cover with water.
2. Bring to a boil and simmer several hours.  (If you have a very large turkey carcass you might want to double the amount of water and then reserve half of the stock for another soup.  Freeze it in a ice cream pail.
3. Put the dried beans in a large saucepan and cover with water that is several inches above the beans.
4. Bring to a boil.  Boil 2 minutes and turn off heat and let sit an hour.  Strain.
5. Turn off the heat and strain the soup into another large pot.  Let the bones cool and pick of the meat and return it to the stock.  Discard the bones.
6. Turn the heat back on and add the beans and seasonings.
7. Simmer for an hour and a half and then add the vegetables, and simmer an additional hour or until the beans are tender.
8. Taste the soup and if necessary add a chicken bouillon cube to bring the flavour to your liking.