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If there’s anything better than Thanksgiving dinner itself, it’s Thanksgiving leftovers. But however delicious leftovers may be, it can get old eating the same meal every day for a week. Here are five nontraditional recipe ideas for using up all of that leftover turkey.
Toasted Turkey and Avocado Sandwich
A turkey and avocado sandwich is the perfect balance of carbs, fats and protein. Toast two slices of wheat bread, pile on the turkey and put some sliced avocado on top. You can even top with some leftover cranberry sauce to give your sandwich a fresh fruity taste!
Turkey Cranberry Salad
Registered Dietician Stacey Jones says that although you should enjoy all Thanksgiving foods in moderation, to keep things healthy, eat as many vegetables as possible. “Veggies are always a good option to decrease overall calorie content,” Jones says. That being said, Jones adds that it’s all about how you cook the veggies. She suggests roasting them or eating them raw instead of putting them in a casserole or cooking them in butter. To create a delicious and healthy salad, mix your raw or roasted veggies (green beans, corn, etc.) with some lettuce and top with leftover turkey and cranberry sauce. If you prefer your salad with dressing, try raspberry vinaigrette to complement the cranberry.
Turkey Tacos
Turkey tacos are the perfect way to spice up your leftovers. Use soft or hard shell tacos, then add your leftover turkey, corn, and whatever else you prefer. Adding salsa and fresh lettuce and tomato is great because while providing you with nutrients, they also have a very low calorie count.
Turkey Vegetable Soup
Turkey soup is one of Jones’ favorite leftovers recipes. To make it, throw your leftover turkey, whatever vegetables you have, and whichever broth you prefer into a pot and heat. This recipe is very flexible and can be made however you prefer. Jones recommends making it with noodles, but make sure you put some veggies in there as well.
Turkey BLT Wrap
Using a whole-wheat wrap, add turkey, lettuce, tomato, and crumbled bacon. Use turkey bacon as opposed to regular if you want to reduce the overall fat and calorie content of your wrap. For added flavor, you can even add some leftover sweet potatoes.
There you have it, five ways to use your leftover Thanksgiving turkey while keeping your taste buds happy. Try one of these recipes and let us know what you think!
