Ingredients:

• 1/2 large onion, chopped small
• 4 stalks of celery, chopped small
• 2 tsp olive oil
• 1 tsp dried thyme
• 1/2 tsp poultry seasoning
• 1 tsp finely minced fresh garlic (or more)
• 10 cups chicken broth
• 2 T vegetable soup base
• 8 oz. brown Cremini mushrooms, washed and cut into bite-sized pieces
• 1 1/2 lbs. ground turkey
• 1 lb. small cubes of butternut squash
• 1 1/2 cups baby kale leaves or chopped kale leaves
• 1 cup cauliflower rice
• 2 T balsamic vinegar
• Himalayan sea salt and fresh ground black pepper to taste

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Chop the onion and celery into small pieces. Heat 2 tsp. olive oil in the bottom of the soup pot, add chopped vegetables, and saute until they're starting to brown, about 4 minutes.
2. Add the dried thyme, poultry seasoning, and minced garlic and cook 1 minute.
3. Add the homemade chicken stock and vegetable soup base and start to simmer the soup.
4. While soup simmers, cook the turkey over medium-high heat, breaking apart with the turner as it cooks. Let the turkey get nicely browned, about 8-10 minutes.
5. While the turkey browns, wash the mushrooms and cut into bite-sized pieces.
6. Add turkey and mushrooms to the soup and simmer 20 minutes before adding the squash.
7. Cut butternut squash into small cubes, about 1/2 to 3/4 inch square. (It's preferable if they're not all the same size, the smaller ones will dissolve into the soup more and the larger ones will create texture.)
8. Add the chopped butternut squash to the soup and simmer 20 minutes before adding the cauli-rice and kale.
9. Wash the kale. When the soup has simmered 20 minutes with the butternut squash, add the cauli-rice and kale (and a tiny bit more water or stock if needed) and continue to simmer 20-30 minutes more.
10. Taste soup and add salt and freshly ground pepper to taste.
    Stir in the balsamic vinegar - start with 2 tablespoons and then see if you want more. Serve soup hot.