[By Jamie Epting, MS, RD, CDN, FAND, System Director of Clinical Nutrition – Acute Care, St. Peter’s Health Partners.]
For many, Thanksgiving is THE food holiday, with special once-a-year dishes and family traditions that make the day memorable and comforting. A whole turkey is likely the centerpiece at many of those feasts, with the USDA predicting the consumption of 40 million turkeys across the U.S. this Thanksgiving. That’s a lot of leftovers!
In fact, once the big day is over, it’s hard to figure out just what to do with all those leftovers. You can only consume so many turkey dinners, right? Well, here are some of my favorite healthy ways to make them new for another meal.
Turkey Soup
As the weather continues to get colder, who doesn’t crave a warm, comforting bowl of soup? Whether you boil your own turkey carcass or use store-made broth, this is an easy, healthy meal.
Cube up some of your leftover turkey and lots of vegetables, add them to your broth and simmer for two to four hours. Towards the end, add some rice or pasta and cook to your liking; orzo is my personal favorite. This meal will be loaded with immunity-boosting antioxidants to help you stave off those winter illnesses going around, plus it has lots of liquid to help keep you hydrated.
Turkey Salad
You can make so many kinds of salad with turkey. A turkey Caesar salad is one of my favorites, but you can also make a turkey taco salad with all your taco night favorites.
Additionally, you can dice up leftover turkey, mix in a little mayo or Greek yogurt, some leftover cranberries (sauce or dried) and a sprinkle of cinnamon to make a turkey salad that will be the star of any sandwich or wrap. This is another great opportunity to get more veggies into your diet by mixing in onion, celery and garlic; the more veggies, the more health benefits!
You can also pair cranberries and almonds or walnuts in a turkey salad that is crunchy, savory and a little sweet. This recipe from Bowl of Delicious is perfect for using up any leftover turkey: https://www.bowlofdelicious.com/turkey-salad-with-cranberries-and-walnuts/.
Sweet and Savory Cranberries
This tiny fruit is loaded with health benefits and full of antioxidants that help fight cancer, heart disease and other degenerative diseases. It is also known to help prevent inflammation, urinary tract infections, and support digestive health.
Leftover cranberry sauce is delicious at breakfast; add it to a bowl of oatmeal, spread on whole grain toast, or blend into your morning smoothie. Fresh cranberries are also delicious paired with sweet potatoes and butternut squash. Roast them with fall spices like ginger and cinnamon for a lovely side dish at lunch or dinner.
I hope you try some of these ideas with your leftovers this year. On behalf of all of us at St. Peter’s, I offer you best wishes for the happiest holidays with your family and friends!
St. Peter’s Health Partners has a FREE physician referral and information line to help you find a primary care or specialty provider in 2024: 518-525-2CARE (518-525-2227). You can also visit http://www.sphp.com/find-a-physician to find a provider at one of the many practices within St. Peter’s Health Partners Medical Associates.
