The big day is over and you likely have a few containers of leftovers lying around your house. This could either mean you eat lots of the same thing over and over again for the next few days or you get creative and turn your turkey, sweet potatoes, and cranberries into something much more delicious than they were before.
We’ve rounded up 20 of our favorite recipes from around the web to help you utilize your Thanksgiving leftovers creatively and (mostly) healthfully. Let’s start with the most common leftover item of all: the bird.
Turkey
You can easily chop up leftover turkey and add it to a salad, vegetable soup or sandwich for a quick and easy source of protein. Try these creative and healthy recipes for a unique spin on your Thanksgiving bird.
Turkey Cranberry and Grilled Brie Cheese Sandwich
Curried Turkey and Cauliflower Stew
Sweet potatoes
Sweet potatoes can be so healthy but are often drowned in butter and overcooked to the point that their natural flavor is hardly recognizable. To best utilize sweet potatoes in leftover dishes, think ahead: Simply peel, chop and bake them for serving on the day of and then reserve the leftovers to be added to one of these delicious and healthy recipes.
Sweet Potato, Wheat Berry and Eggs
Sweet Potato Kale Salad (Just add your already-baked sweet potatoes to this healthy and satisfying dish for a light lunch or dinner.)
Chopped Vegetables
A veggie tray is a healthy addition to any Thanksgiving spread. But when there’s nothing but veggies and all of your dip is gone, what do you do with all of your carrots, celery and tomatoes? Try a salad or this simple Greek yogurt dip to help make noshing down on those veggies a bit more enjoyable.
Leftover Bread and Rolls
Nobody wants all of those fresh rolls or homemade loaves of bread to go to waste. Instead, try putting them to use in healthy ways such as french toast bakes, grilled cheese sandwiches and herbed croutons. Leftover bread has never tasted so good.
Grilled Cheese Ham and Sliced Apples
Apple Cider
Cider is a delicious treat to have around on Thanksgiving day as you and your family watch the annual Macy’s parade, play games and visit. But what do you do with it when all your guests have left and there’s still plenty leftover? How about adding it to cocktails, baked donuts or a side dish?
Baked Apple Cider Donuts with Salted Caramel Glaze
Canned Pumpkin
I know from experience that cooks always tend to overbuy on pumpkin puree since you never know when you’ll need to whip up a quick pumpkin latte, pie or smoothie this time of year. But if you’re looking to clean out your pantry try these delicious recipes to enjoy a new take on pumpkin.
Cranberry Sauce
Cranberry sauce graces almost every Thanksgiving table, but what do you do with the leftovers? How about adding it to a healthy, protein-packed salad or a spicy dip for some zesty post-meal snacking?
With these recipes in tow you should have no problems using up all of your Thanksgiving leftovers both creatively and healthfully this year. If you have any favorite recipes of your own be sure to share them in the comments section or hop over and post them on our Facebook page so everyone can enjoy the delicious benefits.
Not enough? Here are 9 more leftover recipes from FitBottomedGirl.