After Thanksgiving, besides finding myself in a food coma, I know that I still end up eating the leftovers for many days afterwards. Instead of eating the same old mashed potatoes and turkey everyday, there are always great recipes to mix it up and create new from the old. Here are three healthy Thanksgiving leftover recipes to help you recover and still enjoy the massive amounts of food turkey left in the fridge!
- Turkey Salad
This one’s a spinoff of the traditional chicken salad. Take some of the leftover turkey and shred it using two forks. Instead of mixing it with heavy mayonnaise like in traditional chicken salad, try using plain Greek yogurt instead. Stir the turkey and Greek yogurt together until the turkey is lightly covered. Mix in some of the cranberry sauce and whatever other leftovers you want: nuts, green beans, whatever you’re in the mood for! If you have mashed sweet potatoes, smear some onto two slices of whole wheat bread. Or, if you’d prefer, just use the bread by itself. Put some of the turkey salad on the bread and now you have a light Thanksgiving leftover lunch!
- Turkey Soup
This recipe is a classic in my house. Make sure you save the turkey carcass after removing all of the meat from it to use in the soup. Here is an easy recipe to follow.
- Cranberry Sauce Dessert
There’s no denying that pie is the best part of Thanksgiving. After three days of leftover pie, however, I find myself craving a lighter dessert. One of the easiest ways to use the cranberry sauce from Turkey Day is to eat it as dessert! Mix in some cinnamon, allspice, and cardamom. Cardamom is a slightly spicy and sweet spice available at Whole Foods and the majority of supermarkets. These three spices give the cranberry sauce an amazing flavor. Eat plain or put a dollop on a small scoop of vanilla frozen yogurt and you’ll find yourself with a light, fruity, and delicious treat.