Preparing for the Thanksgiving feast is quite a task. You make more than enough, because you don’t know if your evening trip, after dinner, down memory lane is going to warrant going up for seconds.
You pour over the last minute details to make everything perfect for your extended family. You only see them a few times a year, and want to make sure your spread is a correct representation of the put together life you want to prove exists.
When it’s all said and done, you realize that you have an entire fridge of leftovers. When you are overly stuffed, and tired, the thought that you have to do it all again every night for the next week seems unbearable.
Don’t fret. We are here to save the day, and your leftover lunches. Below are some fresh takes on the traditional ingredients, recipes courtesy of Country Living.
Turkey-Cobb Sandwiches
With this sandwich you have the option of making it a lean meal; which is the perfect remedy to get back on your fitness track.
Use white meat turkey, and go light on the blue cheese and bacon. As a mayonnaise substitute, use just a dab of olive oil to cut the calories and fat down considerably.
Serves 6
Ingredients
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3 c. cubed leftover turkey
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2 c. chopped butter lettuce
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1 large avocado
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1 large Roma tomato
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1 small red onion
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4 strip cooked bacon
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2 oz. blue cheese
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4 tbsp. mayonnaise
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1 tbsp. balsamic vinegar
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2 tsp. Freshly ground pepper
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1 tsp. salt
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6 pitas
Directions
- In a large bowl, combine the first 7 ingredients. Set aside. In a small bowl, whisk together mayonnaise, vinegar, pepper, and salt. Add dressing to salad and toss to coat. For each sandwich, fill each of 2 pita halves with 1/2 cup salad.
Sweet Potato Kale Frittata
Sweet potato is such a versatile food. You can go sweet or savory with it and it’s always a hit.
This frittata saves time and calories by combining nutrient rich ingredients in an easy bake dish. The kale can be substituted for spinach or collards if that is what you have available.
Serves 4
Ingredients
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6 large eggs
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1 c. half-and-half
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1 tsp. Kosher salt
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½ tsp. Freshly ground pepper
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2 c. sweet potatoes
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2 tbsp. olive oil
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2 c. firmly packed chopped kale
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½ small red onion
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2 clove garlic
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3 oz. goat cheese
Directions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Whisk together eggs and next 3 ingredients.
- Sauté sweet potatoes in 1 tablespoon hot oil in a 10-inch ovenproof nonstick skillet over medium heat 8 to 10 minutes or until potatoes are tender and golden; remove and keep warm. Sauté kale and next 2 ingredients in remaining 1 tablespoon oil 3 to 4 minutes or until kale is wilted and tender; stir in potatoes. Pour egg mixture evenly over vegetables, and cook 3 more minutes. Sprinkle egg mixture with goat cheese.
- Bake at 350 degrees F 10 to 14 minutes or until set.
Harvest Pumpkin Soup
Soup is the perfect lunch on a cool fall afternoon. It is easy to make double if you have family still in town, and it is light enough to add a slice of banquette on the side.
You can substitute low sodium broth, and reduce heavy cream to save on calories and fat.
Serves 8
Ingredients
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2 tbsp. unsalted butter
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1 large potato
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1 large onion
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4½ c. chicken broth
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1 can pure pumpkin
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salt
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Freshly ground pepper
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¼ tsp. ground nutmeg
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½ pt. heavy cream
Directions
- In a large pot over medium heat, melt butter. Add potato and onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until onion is translucent, about 8 minutes. Add chicken broth and bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat to low, and cook until potato is tender, 10 to 12 minutes.
- Stir in pumpkin. Using an immersion blender, purée mixture until smooth. (Or, use a blender to purée mixture in batches, then return to pot.) Stir in 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1/8 teaspoon pepper, and nutmeg. Increase heat to medium-high and bring mixture to a boil. Cover, reduce heat to low, and cook for 10 minutes. Stir in cream and heat thoroughly. Season with salt and pepper, if desired. Serve hot.
Have fun mixing and matching your leftovers to come up with some new twists on the turkey vegetable combo.
Please let us know in the comments section if you have a recipe that is sure to please, using leftover Thanksgiving ingredients.