Turning Thanksgiving Leftovers Into Healthy Meals

Thanksgiving. It’s that time of year when the family gets together and everyone delights in the bounteous meals that are prepared. A natural result of this is a great mass of leftover food, which may be the best part of the holiday. Of course, it’s easy to get tired of the same old turkey and mashed potatoes for days on end, but there are some creative recipes you can try out. Here are five.

Moroccan Turkey Salad

Take your leftover turkey, throw it in with cooked rice, shredded carrots, scallions, and olives, and flavor it all with a dressing containing low-sodium broth, orange and lemon juice, mint, cilantro, cinnamon, and cayenne pepper. This recipe originally calls for chicken, but turkey can be easily substituted in this healthy salad.

Turkey Tostadas

Put a Mexican twist on your Thanksgiving favorite by throwing it onto a crispy homemade tostada. Combine with diced tomatoes, onion, avocado, jalapeños, and shredded romaine lettuce, then top it with a bit of cheese, fresh cilantro, sour cream, and salsa for a bit of extra flavor. Since it calls for corn tortillas and plenty of veggies, this recipe is a healthy way to use up leftover turkey.

Cream of Turkey and Wild Rice Soup

Turkey and rice come together again in this delicious soup that is a fall favorite! Flavored with shallots, celery, carrots, parsley, ground pepper, and a bit of sour cream, this is a delicious creamy soup that is certain to satisfy, even while being highly rich in protein and other nutrients.

Turkey and Leek Shepherd’s Pie

Mashed potatoes come en masse this holiday, and you will undoubtedly have tons left over. Put them to good use with a turkey and leek shepherd’s pie. The recipe also uses peas and carrots (which you may also have in rich supply) along with sage, garlic, ground pepper, and some dry white wine for some extra flavor.

Sweet Potato Fritters

Crispy outside, tender inside, these sweet potato fritters are baked in a cornmeal batter with smoked paprika, onion, and poblano peppers. It’s served with pinto beans and garnished with lime wedges, making it a flavorful way to serve leftover sweet potatoes this fall.

So if you’re looking for a way to get out of the same old post-Thanksgiving leftover rut this year, try out one or all of these delicious recipes. Or be creative and try something else entirely like including Syntrax protein supplements with your meals.There’s practically no limit to what you can do with turkey, potatoes, and a wealth of veggies if you put some ingenuity into it.

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