There are many reasons to look forward to the fourth Thursday in November: spending time with loved ones, a day of rest and relaxation, and bountiful servings of turkey, stuffing, and all your favorites. But if you find yourself saddled with too much food, here are some easy and delicious ways to turn your Thanksgiving leftovers into feasts unto themselves!
TURKEY SALAD WITH CRANBERRY VINAIGRETTE DRESSING
After all that heavy, rich food on Thanksgiving, detox with this refreshing salad! The only leftover you really need is cranberry sauce for the dressing, but other than that, customize your salad with whatever you want.
Ingredients
Cranberry sauce vinaigrette
- ½ cup cranberry sauce
- 2 Tbsp. vinegar (balsamic, apple cider, or white)
- 2 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
- ¼ cup water and more as needed
Salad
- Spring mix or any type of lettuce
- Shredded turkey
- Pecans
- Sliced cucumbers
Instructions
In a small bowl, combine cranberry sauce, vinegar, oil, and water and whisk until smooth. Taste and adjust as needed. If dressing is too thick, add water 1 tablespoon at a time.
Arrange salad ingredients on plates and drizzle with cranberry vinaigrette. Enjoy!
TURKEY GNOCCHI SOUP
If you love the chicken gnocchi soup at a popular Italian restaurant chain, this recipe is for you! Made with similar ingredients (but turkey instead of chicken!), you’ll find yourself making this soup throughout the year and not just when you have leftover turkey.
Ingredients
- ¼ cup butter
- 1 medium onion, diced
- 1 Tbsp. minced garlic
- 2 medium carrots, peeled and thinly sliced
- ¼ cup all-purpose flour
- 2 cups vegetable or poultry broth
- 1 cup heavy cream or half and half
- 1 cup shredded turkey
- 1 cup baby spinach
- 1 package gnocchi
- Salt and pepper to taste
Note about gnocchi: You can find shelf-stable potato gnocchi in the pasta section at the grocery store. But to increase our veggie intake and decrease carbs, we used cauliflower gnocchi we found in the frozen vegetable section.
Instructions
In a large saucepan, melt butter over medium heat until it starts to bubble. Add onion, garlic, and carrots and sauté until tender. Add flour and stir well until evenly combined.
Slowly stir in broth and heavy cream. Mix well until smooth and bring to a boil.
Reduce heat to medium. Add turkey, spinach, and gnocchi, and season with salt and pepper to taste. Simmer until gnocchi is cooked, stirring occasionally.
THANKSGIVING LEFTOVER CRUNCHWRAP
Whether you’re a fan of the moistmaker or The HotBobbie, sandwiches are a popular way to consume Thanksgiving leftovers. But consider making a crunchwrap with turkey, mashed potatoes, stuffing, and any other leftovers you may have. The following ingredients are just suggestions, so feel free to customize your crunchwrap however you want! Oh, and if you have extra gravy, use it as a dip for your crunchwrap to take it to another level.
Ingredients
- Tortillas
- Mashed potatoes
- Stuffing
- Green bean casserole
- Turkey slices
- Cranberry sauce
- Shredded cheese
- Cooking oil
- Gravy, warmed
Instructions
Spread mashed potatoes in the center of each tortilla, top with stuffing, green beans, turkey, cranberry sauce, and cheese.
Note: If you stuff your crunchwrap too much or your tortillas are too small, cut a small circle of tortilla and put it on top of the ingredients before folding.
Fold the edges toward the center, creating pleats.
In a nonstick pan, heat thin layer of oil over medium heat. Place crunchwrap seam-side down and cook 3 to 5 minutes or until golden brown. Flip crunchwrap and cook until golden brown.
Cut in half and serve!
Happy Thanksgiving!
