Thanksgiving is a time to indulge— so please do so! From the pies to the bready side dishes, to every rich sauce known to man, the entire meal is chock full of mouthwatering foods. BUT— sometimes the food is better the day after. It’s a crime to let those leftovers spoil in the fridge! That being said, here are 5 healthy twists to Thanksgiving leftovers:
- Pumpkin Pie Smoothie: Got leftover pumpkin purée? Spoon it into a blender with bananas, oat milk, cinnamon, and protein powder (optional). If you’re feeling fancy and have some pecans on hand— chop those up and sprinkle them on top to make a smoothie bowl. You could also put some granola on top or some type of cereal. This drink is both delicious and sweet!
- Microwave sweet potatoes: I love sweet potatoes. I repeat, I love sweet potatoes. There is no reason whatsoever to reserve sweet potatoes for holidays. I digress— poke some holes in your sweet potato and throw it in the microwave for four and a half minutes. Fry up a couple of eggs and while they’re still raw in the pan, season them with salt and cinnamon. Just trust me ok? Take out your sweet potato and season it with salt, sugar, and cinnamon. Dig in!
Photo by Iris Dannelley
3. Cranberry Sauce Oatmeal: Do you have any leftover cranberry sauce? Heat up some unflavored oatmeal and top it with the sauce! This cranberry oatmeal tastes almost as great as a Yankee fall scented candle.
4. Cauliflower / Cauliflower Rice: If you’re utterly stuffed to the brim with Thanksgiving stuffing, instead of eating leftover turkey with stuffing or mac ‘n cheese, pile some cauliflower rice onto that plate for a balanced post-Thanksgiving meal. You could even make cauliflower rice! Top it with cheese, salt, and some olive oil. Cauliflower is a blank slate, it tastes good no matter how you season it! So go crazy. What’s in the spice cabinet?
Lighter Thanksgiving Salad: Popular thanksgiving salads include a lot of sweet dressing. To lighten this heavy dish up, mix the salad in a bowl with extra spinach or any other type of leafy green. This will make the sweet, decadent dressing less concentrated and make for a less intense and more filling salad.
Sometimes eating delicious Thanksgiving foods leaves people with a sense of guilt. This unpleasant feeling makes for a bittersweet end to a delicious day, one that may or may not have included a belly ache. Don’t let my ideas deter you from eating the food in its traditional form. True wellness is about feeling good physically and mentally. Listen to your body, it will tell you what you need! Sometimes we need another slice of pie— other times we need a smoothie.