Barley Soup with Turkey & Butternut Squash

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Ingredients:
1/2 cup barley, dry (+2 cups of water for cooking)
2 Turkey legs, cooked, cut into bite-size pieces
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 large onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 small butternut squash, fresh, cut into pieces
1 tablespoon tomato paste
Salt and ground pepper
1/4 teaspoon dried oregano
1 cans (14.5 ounces) reduced-sodium beef broth
2-3 cups of water
2-3 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley for garnish

Preparation
1. In a small pot, put dry barley and water and cook it for 30 minutes. Drain the water, rinse barley.
2. Meanwhile, clean the turkey meat of bone, cut it into pieces. Clean and cut butternut squash. Chop onion and mince garlic.
3. In a pot, heat olive oil. Add onion and garlic and cook for 1-2 minutes. Add butternut squash and cook for 5 minutes stirring often. Add turkey, oregano, salt, pepper and tomato paste. Mix everything and cook for half a minute or so.
Add cooked barley, chicken broth and 2-3 cups water; bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer, partially covered, for 15 minutes. Add more water to thin soup, as needed. Season with more salt and pepper, if necessary.
4. Ladle into bowls; sprinkle with parsley or any fresh herbs.
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Nutritional info per 1.5 cup: makes 6 servings
    * Calories: 167
    * Fat: 5g Carbs: 17g (fiber: 3.6g) Protein: 13g

Lentil Soup with Smoked Turkey

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Ingredients
      Smoked turkey leg and breast, cooked, skin and bones removed, 6-8oz
      Olive Oil, 1 tbsp
      Garlic, 2 cloves, chopped
      Carrots, raw, 1/2 medium (2oz), chopped
      Celery, raw, 1 large stalk, chopped
      Onions, raw, 1/2 large, chopped
      Bay Leaf, 2 whole
      Pepper, black, ground, 1/2 tsp
      Diced Tomatoes, 1 can, 15oz, with the juice
      Chicken Broth 99% Fat Free, 2 cups (1 15oz-can)
      Lentils, dry, 1 cup
      Water, 4-6 cups
      Potatoes, raw, 1/2 cup (5oz) cut in pieces
      ** Goat cheese or Parmesan for garnish (optional)

Preparation
1. Cut smoked turkey meat into bite-sizes. Chop garlic, onion, celery and carrot.
2. Heat olive oil in a pot, reduce the heat to medium-high and cook chopped vegetables till tender, 5-7 minutes.
3. Open canned tomatoes and broth.
4. Add ground black pepper, tomatoes, turkey, chicken broth and water into the pot. Mix very easy.
5. Add dry lentils. Stir them in.
6. Cook the soup at very low heat partly covered for 40 minutes till the lentils are done.
7. Cut the potatoes. Add them to the soup and cook it for 10-15 more minutes till the potatoes are done.
8. Serve right away, garnished with goat cheese or Parmesan.

Nutritional info: 8 servings (1 1/2 cup)
    * Calories: 117
    * Fat: 3.5g Carbs: 14.5g (fiber: 4g) Protein: 8.5g