You know what this week is for—Thanksgiving leftovers! By now you’re surely tired of reheating the same old side dishes every night, and like most families, I’m betting you still have some leftover turkey. Here are a few of my favorite healthy ways to get creative with what’s left in your fridge. So many of us just make typical Thanksgiving sandwiches (turkey, cranberry sauce, gravy) and don’t even think that there are other ways to use post-holiday food for a week of delicious meals. Turkey is a great and healthy lean protein and is incredibly versatile. I rarely toss out anything—you can even use the carcass for delicious soul-satisfying soup! No need for any new ingredients to shop for this week—most of these are basics you probably already have on hand.
Post-Thanksgiving Soup
1 turkey carcass, all meat removed
8 cups chicken broth
4 cups chopped leftover turkey, dark and white meat
2 carrots, chopped
1 onion, chopped
1 stalk celery, chopped
1 bay leaf
2 cloves garlic, minced
Pinch of sea salt
Pinch of freshly ground black pepper
1. In a large pot, combine the turkey carcass, carrots, bay leaf, celery, garlic, and broth and bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover, and simmer for an hour and a half, stirring and skimming occasionally.
2. Strain broth, reserving vegetables, then add turkey and veggies back in and heat through. Transfer hot soup carefully to a Vita-Mix or blender and process until smooth.
Turkey Salad Sandwiches
1 cup chopped, leftover turkey breast
1/4 cup canola oil mayonnaise
2 tbsp dried Bing cherries
Pinch of sea salt
1 tbsp Dijon mustard
2 stalks celery, chopped
8 slices whole-wheat bread
Lettuce
Tomato
1. In a mixing bowl, combine all salad ingredients and toss well to coat. Let sit in fridge overnight or for a couple hours to let flavors set in. When ready to serve, toast bread and divide salad equally among sandwiches, stacking each with lettuce and tomato.
Next page: Sweet Potato Biscuits and Mashed Potato Griddle Cakes
