Southwestern Cream of Turkey Broccoli Soup

This evening I used our leftover Thanksgiving turkey to make soup. I didn't want it to taste anything like Thanksgiving (after 3 nights of Thanksgiving dinner in a row)...LOL. So, I added a different twist to it; I gave it a Southwestern flair by adding a bit of chipotle chile powder for a little spice. I made a creamy turkey and broccoli soup with diced Poblano, red and yellow bell pepper to stay with the Southwestern theme. It turned out great and did not resemble any flavors of Thanksgiving whatsoever. I snapped a couple photos below as well as a couple of new finds I picked up today at the grocery store. One is a dark chocolate roasted almond coconut butter (shredded coconut) and it is lightly sweetened with dates...but still low in sugar (3 grams per serving). The other was an organic fair trade 70% cacao chocolate bar with salted roasted almonds (salted with pink Himalayan sea salt) -- I had a few squares of it and really liked the combination of sweet and salty. Below is the soup recipe and a few photos. Enjoy!

P.S. - Beginning tomorrow, Monday, 12/2 -- Honeyville has a 5-day 20% off sale that runs through Friday, 12/6. That's a savings of almost $8.00 on a 5-lb bag of blanched almond flour if you are running low. Just use coupon code GIFT when you check out!  (affiliate link)

Southwestern Cream of Turkey Broccoli Soup
Makes approximately 6 servings

Ingredients:

4 cups turkey stock (or chicken stock)
1/2 cup sauteed diced peppers (red, green, or yellow bell pepper)
1/2 cup sauteed diced onions, optional
2 cups fresh broccoli florets
1/2 cup heavy cream
1/4 teaspoon ground chipotle chile
Salt and pepper, to taste  
3/4 to 1 teaspoon xanthum gum (add gradually, 1/2 at a time), *optional
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese (or Monterey Pepper Jack cheese)
4 cups diced cooked turkey (or chicken)

Directions:

In a 6 quart stockpot, add stock and broccoli; bring to a light boil/simmer; cook until broccoli is tender, about 5 to 7 minutes. Whisk in 1/2 of the xanthum gum, whisking briskly until well blended. Sprinkle the remaining 1/2 in a little at a time, whisking until the broth begins to thicken.  Once it has reached desired thickness, add cream and ground chipotle chile; stir well.  If necessary, thin sauce with additional broth. Season with salt and pepper, to taste. Stir in 1 cup cheese, blending until melted.  Add turkey to the soup and mix well.  Simmer on low for a few minutes until hot (do not boil). Serve topped with additional shredded cheese, if desired.

*If desired, a few ounces of brick style cream cheese can be used to thicken soup in place of xanthum gum until desired thickness is achieved.