Ingredients:

• 2 tablespoons of chicken base paste (you can use salt instead, but start with 1 tablespoon and test it first)
• 4-5 cloves of garlic — chopped
• A handful of fresh basil leaves — about 2-3 tablespoons compressed — torn
• 1 tablespoon of fresh ginger — peeled and chopped
• 1½ cups of cooked chickpeas
• 2 cubes of mild, soft cheese — about a tablespoon each
• 3 tablespoons of olive oil
• 1 to 1½ pounds of lean ground turkey
• 1 medium onion — diced
• 2 medium to large zucchini — chopped
• 1 teaspoon of Italian spices
• Salt and pepper to taste
• About half of a good sized head of cabbage — cut into ribbons 1½ quarts of chicken stock
• ¼ cup of white wine

Equipment:

• Stick Blender
• Soup Pot
• Large Saute or Frying Pan

Directions:

1. Mix the chicken base with a small amount of stock in your soup pot to get it started, then pour in all the stock, garlic, basil, ginger and chickpeas. Bring to a low boil until everything is soft — about 15 minutes.
2. While that’s going, heat the olive oil in the pan and brown your turkey meat with the onion. Add Italian spices, pepper, and a little salt. Once the meat begins to brown, add the zucchini.
3. Add the cheese cubes and blend the contents of the soup pot with the stick blender. Be careful — it’s hot! Once that’s done, you can add the cabbage and the browned turkey/onion/zucchini mixture.
4. Deglaze the pan with the white wine and add that to the pot as well.
5. Lower heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer for 20 minutes — long enough for the cabbage to soften.

The end result is a rich, beautiful stew that is hearty and delicious, as well as good for you. I freely admit that this recipe came about as a result of my trying to find a use for the leftover items in my fridge, but Lena and I both loved it so much that it became a permanent addition to the repertoire.