Thanksgiving is over, and I hope you all had a great time however you chose to celebrate the holiday! Now that the big meal is done, we are faced with lots and lots of leftovers. Growing up, I remember the most popular thing to do with those turkey day leftovers was to make a turkey and cranberry sandwich on a carb-loaded dinner roll. Over the years I’ve learned that maybe that isn’t the healthiest way to eat those leftovers. Obviously my diet has changed since becoming a vegan, but even if you do eat meat, there are better meal options. There is a definite lack of vegetables and a surplus of carbohydrates, sodium, and sugar in that turkey/cranberry sandwich. Sure, it’s easy to whip up, but I want to encourage you to make some healthier choices with your leftovers. Here are two great ways to eat up those leftovers that are both easy (cause who wants to work to make a meal after you spend weeks preparing for the big one?) and HEALTHY (because everything you put in your body should be good for!)
Soup | It is fall / winter after all, what could be better than a nice warm soup? Get some vegetable broth sizzling over the stove and throw in your leftover turkey with some squash and green vegetables. If, like me, you don’t eat meat, skip the turkey and mix in some beans or lentils to make it a little more filling. This is a quick and easy way to work with your leftovers, and it tastes great too!
Stir-fry | This is another very easy way to work with your leftovers. Just throw your turkey, vegetables, and sweet potatoes in a big wok, and make a veggie loaded stir-fry dish. Mix in some quinoa to make it a little more filling. You could also serve your stir-fry over spinach and other leafy greens for a hearty salad!