If you’ve prepared a Thanksgiving meal this week, you’ve got leftovers. It may be a little or it may be a lot. Regardless, there is certainly something you’re wrapping up after you’ve all pushed back from the table satiated and content.
For some of us, the list of meals to be crafted with Thanksgiving leftovers is long and familiar. It rings of comfort-food like hot turkey sandwiches with reheated sides. But maybe those traditional standbys are difficult for your household. You worked hard to create a delicious, allergy-friendly meal that avoided wheat or dairy or anything else your family and guests may be allergic to. Maybe those old familiar leftover meals aren’t exactly allergy-friendly. Here are a few options that might become new favorites.
Coconut Turkey Curry
If you’re not allergic to coconut, Ahead of Thyme’s Sam & Dan have a recipe worth checking out! Their Coconut Turkey Curry is a quick (about 30 minutes!), one-pot recipe that’s full of flavor as written, and better yet for allergy families, can be adapted as needed.
Easy Leftover Turkey Soup
Cold nights when the sun has set early are the perfect fit for a big bowl of a hearty soup. The Pioneer Woman’s take on turkey soup is one worth looking at. If you’re avoiding wheat, you’ll need to substitute the 3 tablespoons in the recipe for something else that can help thicken the mixture in step 1. Cornstarch and arrowroot are good options. As written the recipe also calls for orzo. You can use rice or another wheat-free favorite if you need to.
Turkey Pozole Verde
You can really kick up your leftover game with this recipe for Turkey Pozole Verde from Bon Appetit. Traditionally this dish is made with pork and hominy, but this recipe swaps out the pork for your leftover turkey. Hominy may not be something you're familiar with. It’s corn, but not the sort of leftovers you’ve got from Thanksgiving dinner. You can pick up a can of it in your supermarket if it’s not already a staple in your kitchen. Not quite ready for the full burst of flavor in this dish? That’s okay. You can adapt the heat by making changes to the amount or type of peppers you use. Just aim for a rich, hearty flavor you can enjoy!
Big Salad with Cranberry Vinaigrette
Tossing some leftover turkey and steamed veggies in with your favorite greens is a quick and healthy way to use up some leftovers. Keep the Thanksgiving theme going by using up some cranberry sauce in your salad dressing. Paleo Gluten-Free Guy Don has three different twists on the concept that are worth checking out.
Warm Up With Chili
Dice up your leftover turkey for this Simple Turkey Chili recipe by Epicurious. The recipe calls for ground turkey, and sure, you can do that too, but if you need to adapt to work with what you’ve got, go for it. Remember, experimenting to put your own twist on things is a good thing.
This recipe does suggest topping your bowl of chili with sour cream. If you’re avoiding dairy, the Minimalist Vegan has some vegan sour cream alternatives that could work for you. Just be sure to read labels if you’re grabbing a sour cream alternative from the supermarket shelves. Some dairy subs utilize tree nuts or soy to create their smooth, creamy goodness.
