It’s the most wonderful time of the year! The holidays are here and ‘tis the season for big get-togethers with friends and family.
And that means lots of food.
And THAT means lots of leftovers.
It always seems that no matter how well we plan, there is always leftover turkey, ham, sweet potatoes, green beans and mashed potatoes that we have to box up in re-sealable containers and cram back into the fridge.
The extra food after a big, festive meal is enough of a problem. But so many of us seem to attract gift baskets of fruit like bees to a flower.
Looking to free yourself of those cumbersome leftovers and overflowing fruit baskets without having to bribe your family to eat what they didn’t want to finish in the first place? Here are some creative leftover recipes that are not only delicious, they are really easy to throw together because the main ingredient is already prepared! Read on—and you’ll never look at leftovers and fruit baskets the same way again.
The best leftover turkey recipe– Roast Turkey in a Jiffy
22 minutes and turkey’s done! This is a delicious recipe that’s perfect for your leftover turkey.
A delicious way to use your turkey leftovers: Homemade Turkey Pear Sausage Patties
No one will ever know the turkey in this recipe was left over from your holiday dinner. (Don’t worry – we won’t tell.)
Great for leftover salmon: Crunchy Leftover Tacos
Add some spice to your menu with this delicious recipe- and use up any leftover filing you have.
Quick Quinoa Chicken Salad: try this with your leftover turkey
This healthy one-dish meal is a great way to use up leftovers. And if you have leftover quinoa, just chop up some veggies, add this refreshing dressing, and you’re done!
Quick Chicken Quesadilla: one of our favorite chicken or turkey leftover recipes
This quick and easy chicken quesadilla uses your leftover chicken or turkey for lunch in a snap!
Caramelized Onion and Mushroom Focaccia: a savory way to use up leftover dough.
If you have leftover dough, here’s a delicious way to use it up.
Savory Squash Soup: leftover vegetables don’t stand a chance.
This gluten-free, vegan soup gives you a great way to use up extra squash, onion, sweet potato, parsnip, celery and scallions!
Quick and Simple Pasta Primavera: Another light and fresh way to use vegetable leftovers
Use any of your favorite vegetables in this delicious pasta dish.
Simple Lemon Pie: it’s easy as pie!
If you got lemons in a fruit basket, here’s a tasty way to use them.
Fruit Salad or Ambrosia Shake: – a great way to use fruit leftovers
Blend up some leftover fruit salad or use whatever came in a holiday fruit basket to blend up your own unique flavor.
You can use leftover ham in this recipe: Breakfast in a Cup
This breakfast looks impressive and only takes 20 minutes to prepare, start to finish!
What are YOUR favorite recipes to use up leftovers? Tell us in the comments.
I have battled kidney stones and need to eat a diet low in oxalates. Do you have any meal plan that will address this challenge?
Hi, user_mealplan_609881. The Personal Menu Planner may be the best option for you, because there you can select the foods that work for you and avoid the ones that don’t. If you would like a list of foods to avoid, please do repost here, and I will get back to you with one.
I would like to know the 5 foods to avoid if you swouldnt mind posting that…I lack the fortitude to sit through to the end of the presentation! ?
Hi, Kbustin. The video discussed artificial or overprocessed versions of popular foods that should be healthy, but have been manipulated into being particularly harmful to your goals. Rather than giving up on them altogether, we encourage better versions in their original, natural forms. Note that the foods discussed in the video are only examples, and many other popular foods have been similarly affected—so it’s good to read labels, be aware of how a food is made, and choose whole foods as much as possible.
1. Regular “whole wheat” bread – this often also contains refined flours, so it is preferred to select “100% whole” grain products (wheat or other). Even with these products, be sure to read the label and avoid hydrogenated fats or similar ingredients such as mono- and diglycerides.
2. Regular margarine – this is often made from chemically altered fats that create health risks similar to those people are trying to avoid by eating a plant-based product. If you must use a hardened oil, t is better to choose those based on coconut oil, and otherwise to use healthy liquid oils, such as olive, as much as possible.
3. Artificial sweeteners – you can read more about this here: http://www.trimdownclub.com/the-best-way-to-sweeten-your-tea-2.
4. Regular orange juice – If it is in a store, it is likely to have been stripped of what makes it healthy. Even if vitamins etc. have been added back in, it really is not the same. Fresh-squeezed is the way to go.
5. Conventional and overly processed soy – organic is fine, and minimally processed items such as tofu, yogurt, and milk, as well as fermented items such as tempeh and natto are fine. However, most pre-packaged mock meats tend to be a problem.
I desperately want to loose weight else l wouldn’t have joined the programming fingers crossed it will work for me lhave a wardrobe of clothes cannot get on nor my shoes as my feet have swollon as well and ankles l am really ready for the trim down club please help! Thank you
i have 9 chlidren 4 of them are obese and 5 are normal what can i do
Hi, aminahajinur. First, this type of program is good for the whole family, regardless of weight. Second, it can be suited to each person by adjusting portion size – if you would like to list your children’s genders, ages, heights, weights, and activity levels, I can post how to “translate” your portions to theirs.
Please just give facts & cut out all the verbose waffling. I have no time to listen to your long presentations. What are the 5 foods to avoid ?
Hi, Sumner. The video discussed artificial or overprocessed versions of popular foods that should be healthy, but have been manipulated into being particularly harmful to your goals. Rather than giving up on them altogether, we encourage better versions in their original, natural forms. Note that the foods discussed in the video are only examples, and many other popular foods have been similarly affected—so it’s good to read labels, be aware of how a food is made, and choose whole foods as much as possible.
1. Regular “whole wheat” bread – this often also contains refined flours, so it is preferred to select “100% whole” grain products (wheat or other). Even with these products, be sure to read the label and avoid hydrogenated fats or similar ingredients such as mono- and diglycerides.
2. Regular margarine – this is often made from chemically altered fats that create health risks similar to those people are trying to avoid by eating a plant-based product. If you must use a hardened oil, t is better to choose those based on coconut oil, and otherwise to use healthy liquid oils, such as olive, as much as possible.
3. Artificial sweeteners – you can read more about this here: http://www.trimdownclub.com/the-best-way-to-sweeten-your-tea-2.
4. Regular orange juice – If it is in a store, it is likely to have been stripped of what makes it healthy. Even if vitamins etc. have been added back in, it really is not the same. Fresh-squeezed is the way to go.
5. Conventional and overly processed soy – organic is fine, and minimally processed items such as tofu, yogurt, and milk, as well as fermented items such as tempeh and natto are fine. However, most pre-packaged mock meats tend to be a problem.
I have a daughter who is obese (over 300 lbs). If I could get her to join would you create a diet for her specifically?
Hi, dpeirce1. If she joined, our personal Menu Planner application would indeed create a menu plan for her based on the foods she selects as preferred.
What are the 5 foodss to never eat?
Hi, betgrif5. The video discussed artificial or overprocessed versions of popular foods that should be healthy, but have been manipulated into being particularly harmful to your goals. Rather than giving up on them altogether, we encourage better versions in their original, natural forms. Note that the foods discussed in the video are only examples, and many other popular foods have been similarly affected—so it’s good to read labels, be aware of how a food is made, and choose whole foods as much as possible.
1. Regular “whole wheat” bread – this often also contains refined flours, so it is preferred to select “100% whole” grain products (wheat or other). Even with these products, be sure to read the label and avoid hydrogenated fats or similar ingredients such as mono- and diglycerides.
2. Regular margarine – this is often made from chemically altered fats that create health risks similar to those people are trying to avoid by eating a plant-based product. If you must use a hardened oil, t is better to choose those based on coconut oil, and otherwise to use healthy liquid oils, such as olive, as much as possible.
3. Artificial sweeteners – you can read more about this here: http://www.trimdownclub.com/the-best-way-to-sweeten-your-tea-2.
4. Regular orange juice – If it is in a store, it is likely to have been stripped of what makes it healthy. Even if vitamins etc. have been added back in, it really is not the same. Fresh-squeezed is the way to go.
5. Conventional and overly processed soy – organic is fine, and minimally processed items such as tofu, yogurt, and milk, as well as fermented items such as tempeh and natto are fine. However, most pre-packaged mock meats tend to be a problem.