Thanksgiving Countdown Day 2: Turkey Leftover Recipe & Holiday Survival Tip!

Happy Sunday! Hope you are enjoying time with your family and remembering all that you are blessed with. We are in the home stretch for another holiday preparation week and I know that you're probably busy making your shopping lists, planning your meals and making final arrangements to get your family home for the holiday.

Personally, I know my family always has a great dinner and they always send me home with leftovers but I never know what to do with them. So this year, I am on a mission to get creative with my meals and continue to enjoy the holiday food beyond the day.

Total Time: 1 hr. 20 min.

Prep Time: 20 min.

Cooking Time: 1 hr.

Yield: 6 servings, about 1 cup each

Ingredients:

1 tsp. olive oil

1 medium onion, chopped

1 medium carrot, chopped

4 oz. sliced mushrooms

2 cloves garlic, finely chopped

1 tsp. finely chopped fresh thyme

2¼ cups chopped roasted turkey breast (approximately 11 oz.)

1 Tbsp. whole wheat flour

½ cup low-sodium organic vegetable (or beef) broth

½ tsp. sea salt (or Himalayan salt), divided use

½ tsp. ground black pepper, divided use

½ cup frozen peas

Hot water

12 oz. Yukon gold potatoes, peeled, cut into cubes

½ small head of cauliflower, cut into florets

¼ cup reduced-fat (2%) milk, warm

1 Tbsp. organic grass-fed butter

Preparation:

1. Heat oil in large nonstick skillet over medium heat.

2. Add onion and carrot; cook, stirring frequently, for 4 to 5 minutes, or until onion is translucent.

3. Add mushrooms, garlic, and thyme; cook, stirring frequently, for 6 to 8 minutes, or until mushrooms are soft and most of the liquid has evaporated.

4. Add turkey and flour; cook, stirring frequently, for 2 minutes.

5. Add broth, ¼ tsp. salt, and ¼ tsp. pepper; bring to a boil, stirring frequently.

6. Add peas; mix well. Place turkey mixture in a 2-quart baking dish. Set aside.

7. Preheat oven to 350° F.

8. Boil water in steamer or large saucepan over high heat. Reduce heat to medium-high. Place potatoes in steamer basket; cook for 10 minutes.

9. Add cauliflower; cook for 8 to 10 minutes, or until potatoes and cauliflower are tender. Remove from heat.

10. Mash potatoes, cauliflower, milk, butter, remaining ¼ tsp. salt, and remaining ¼ tsp. pepper in a medium bowl with a potato masher until smooth. (Add additional milk if mixture is too dry.)

11. Evenly top meat mixture with potato mixture.

12. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes, or until heated through.

13. Serve immediately or cover and refrigerate for up to 4 days.

Variations:

Mashed Potatoes – Substitute 2 to 3 cups leftover mashed potatoes for potato, cauliflower, milk, and butter mixture.

Sweet Potatoes – Substitute 1½ lbs. sweet potatoes for potatoes and cauliflower

(21 Day Fix: 2 green, 1/2 red, 1/2 yellow, 1/2 tsp)

3.  Slow down your eating-Take time when you are eating. Your body is going to tell you when it's full and sometimes we tend to keep eating because the food is there. Put your fork down in between bites, drink water in between segments of your meal and listen to your body. Nothing is worse than the bloated feeling and guilt from overeating.

4. Load up your plate with veggies- This is my personal #1 at the holidays because veggies are always considered a "side dish." But I make the main portion of my plate from the veggie side dishes. Vegetables are packed with fiber, which helps keep you feeling full, so you can fill up on fewer calories and have less room for diet-blowing desserts. Fill three-quarters of your plate with veggies and the other quarter with a lean protein. Personally, I love eating salad, green beans, asparagus, sweet potatoes and peppers!

Need more accountability during the holidays or have personal health and fitness goals to achieve? Message me at ginamariefit@gmail.com. Or fill out the health and fitness focus group application below!

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