This post was originally published in November 2008. Happy Thanksgiving, everybody!
Every year, I suspend my healthy diet for one heralded November day. No, not Election Day, during which I’m usually too queasy to eat – but that most glorious of bird-based holidays, Thanksgiving.
Then, 24 hours later, I enter an equally magical shame spiral, since I’ve just consumed enough calories to keep me alive for eight years without ever having to eat again.
This year, I’m going to desperately try to avoid all that, hopefully by using at least 25 of the following 38 inexpensive, frugal leftover recipes. (Well … okay, 24.) I found them via a thorough, highly scientific search-and-paste process, not unlike previous Beef, Party Food, and Salad Dressing searches. In this case, here’s what determined a dish’s appearance on the list:
- As always, if the recipe comes from an aggregate site, the reviews must come in at 80% approval or above, or have no reviews at all (in which case, they must look really, really good).
- It was a little difficult to find low-fat recipes, since stuffing and mashed potatoes aren’t exactly health foods (meaning: they don’t miraculously lose their calories on Black Friday). So, I attempted to keep each recipe NWR, or Nutritious Within Reason. There’s little added butter, oil, dairy, lard, mayo, or canned soup in each dish.
- If possible, I included notes about lightening the dish under each title.
- As for price, there aren’t any exotic ingredients included, so costs should be pretty low. Caveat: you might have to purchase a little ginger or a bunch of green onions or something.
- There is no Turkey Tetrazzini. Because I hate it. Muahahahahahaha!
All Recipes: Apple Curry Turkey Pita
Use low-fat yogurt in place of regular to cut fat and calories.
All Recipes: Hearty Turkey Soup with Parsley Dumplings
All Recipes: Southwestern Turkey Soup
Bon Appetit: Asian Turkey-Noodle Soup with Ginger and Chiles
Bon Appetit: Cranberry Citrus Sorbet
This sounds AWESOME.
Bon Appetit: Pork Chops with Cranberry Port and Rosemary Sauce
CHG: Leftover Turkey Stew
CHG: Turkey Chili
Use turkey bits instead of ground turkey, add to pot with tomatoes
CHG: Turkey Noodle Soup
Sub in cooked turkey for chicken.
CHG: Turkey With Shallot Apricot Sauce
Sub in turkey for chicken, and use leftover warmed turkey
Chow: Turkey Pad See Ew
A little high in fat, but delicious-sounding just the same.
Confessions of a Stay-at-Home Mom: Thanksgiving Leftover Casserole (scroll down)
Sub in fat-free evaporated milk and make sure you use 2% cheddar.
Confessions of a Stay-at-Home Mom: Turkey Stock
Cooking Light: Cold Soba Noodles with Turkey
Cooking Light: Fiery Turkey-Pâté Crostini
Cooking Light: Turkey Pizza
Cooking Light: White Turkey Chili
Epicurious: Turkey Burritos with Salsa and Cilantro
Humina.
Epicurious: Turkey and Sweet Potato Sandwich
Fabulous Foods: Turkey Pasties
Fine Cooking: Turkey Soup with Ginger, Lemon, and Mint
Fine Cooking: Turkey and Sweet Potato Hash
Fine Cooking: Turkey Tortilla Soup
Food Network/Cathy Lowe: Turkey Soup with Rice
Food Network/Cathy Lowe: Turkey Stuffed Peppers
Food Network/Emeril Lagasse: Turkey and Vegetable Soup
Food Network/Michael Chiarella: Next Day Turkey Soup
Food Network/Ocean Spray: Smoked Turkey and Cranberry Gourmet Pizza
Food Network/Rachael Ray: Turkey Corn Chili
Food Network/Rachael Ray: Turkey and Stuffin’ Soup
Frankly, the picture kind of squicked me out here. But the reviewers (and there are quite a few) seem to LOVE it, so go nuts.
Food Network/Robin Miller: Turkey Soup with Egg Noodles and Vegetables
Looks like a good, quick recipe. Very well rated.
Food Network/Sunny Anderson: Second Day Turkey and String Bean Pot Pies
The Oregonian: Soba Noodle Salad With Cranberries and Apple
The Oregonian: Turkey Picadillo
The Oregonian: Turkey, White Bean, and Escarole Soup
Seattle Times: Chili-Rubbed Turkey Sandwich With Red Onion Salsa
St. Louis Eats: Nigella Lawson’s Vietnamese Turkey Salad
Wise Bread: Turkey and Stuffing Casserole
~~~
If you like this post, you might also dig:
- 1 Chicken, 17 Healthy Meals, $26 Bucks, No Mayo
- 65 Cheap, Healthy, One-Dish Meals with Good Leftover Potential
- Seriously, Eating: 40 Recipes From the Other Website I Write For
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