Twenty-Five Tasty Recipes Using Leftover Turkey (or chicken) and Happy Thanksgiving Everyone!

If you happen to end up with some, here are 25 Tasty Recipes Using Leftover Turkey (or chicken!)

(Updated with more new ideas for turkey leftovers November 2013.)  I love to write round-up posts spotlighting my favorite recipes, but the problem with food blogging is that every year you try more recipes that end up being favorites.  That's why I'm updating my previous post of 25 Tasty Ideas for Leftover Turkey with a few new ideas from 2013.  After I finish this, I'm finalizing my grocery list, going shopping, and then I'm going to take the rest of this week off and spend some time with my family.  (Here are all the Thanksgiving Recipes in case you still need them!)

This year, and every year  I love the idea of a holiday dedicated to feeling gratitude, something I try to focus on every day.  And without turning this into a long list of all the things I'm thankful for, let me acknowledge how much I feel blessed to have a life filled with family, friends, interesting work, and all the cooking tools any food obsessed person could ever want, not to mention an amazing new kitchen where I have fun using them!  And on Thanksgiving and every other day I also give thanks for the people who read this blog and leave nice comments or send e-mails that enrich my life. 

Now here's my updated list of 25 Tasty Recipes Using Leftover Turkey (or chicken),  And for all my U.S. readers, I wish you a wonderful Thanksgiving celebration that's filled with love and good food.

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Recipe for Slow Cooker Lemony Turkey (or chicken) Soup with Spinach and Orzo

If you have leftover turkey this year, make this Slow Cooker Lemony Turkey Soup with Spinach and Orzo!  You can always make the soup with chicken if you don't have any turkey.

I realize plenty of people haven't even started looking for Thanksgiving Recipes (and here are my Top Ten Favorite Thanksgiving Recipes if you need ideas.)   But in the crazy world of food blogging, if I want people to find my ideas for leftover turkey, I need to post them well before Thanksgiving so search engines will index them and they'll get shared on Pinterest.  And truthfully, this Slow Cooker Lemony Turkey Soup with Spinach and Orzo was so delicious I couldn't wait to share it.  I gave some of the soup to my sister Pam, and everyone at her house pronounced it to be a keeper; in fact Pam asked when the recipe would be on the blog.  Of course, if you're not going to be having any leftover turkey, you can certainly make this with chicken instead.

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Recipe for Easy Brussels Sprouts Gratin with Swiss and Parmesan

This Easy Brussels Sprouts Gratin with Swiss and Parmesan is a bit of a splurge, but it's perfect for Thanksgiving!

For weeks now I've been sharing Thanksgiving Recipes to give my readers plenty of healthy Thanksgiving options.  I like getting started early, but now I've already posted my Top Ten Thanksgiving Recipes and yet there's no doubt this Easy Brussels Sprouts Gratin with Swiss and Parmesan would have made it on to that list if I'd tested the recipe sooner.  But even so, it's the weekend before Thanksgiving, and this recipe is just too amazing to save for another year.  These delicious brussels sprouts are the siblings of several other easy vegetable gratin recipes I've made through the years, and any of those recipes can be assembled earlier in the day and then put in the oven to finish cooking while you carve the turkey and make the gravy. And I tested this out on my gorgeous niece Alyson who stopped by to pick up some soup, and she gave it an enthusiastic two thumbs up!

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Recipe for Rich Salad with Hearts of Palm, Avocado, and Radicchio from The Silver Spoon

Maybe because of the pricey ingredients, this vegan salad with hearts of palm is called Rich Salad!

(For Phase One Fridays I highlight Phase One recipes from the past that have been my personal favorites, and all during November I've been spotlighting vegetables and salads that I'd love for Thanksgiving.  Now it has been brought to my attention that not everyone wants salad for Thanksgiving (you know who you are) but personally I'd love a salad like this to balance out the other higher-carb foods.  Check out the my Top Ten Thanksgiving Recipes or all the other Thanksgiving Recipes if you're still working on your menu!)

I love hearts of palm, a tasty and low-glycemic delicacy that I learned to like years ago when I worked at Le Parisien, a French Restaurant in Salt Lake that's no longer in business.  For years I would rarely buy them at grocery store prices, but that changed when Costco started selling them in two-packs of 25 oz. jars at a price that was a lot more affordable.  Now they're something I always have in my pantry.  Still this salad using them includes avocado, radicchio, butter lettuce, and pine nuts, all things that aren't really everyday ingredients which may be why it's called Rich Salad!  But when you need something for a special dinner party, this is a delicious salad that's sure to impress, and if you can get those two-packs of hearts of palm from Costco, you can have it a little more often.

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Kalyn's Top Ten Favorite Thanksgiving Recipes (and ten honorable mentions!)

My ten favorite Thanksgiving recipes, plus ten honorable mentions!

(Updated 2013)  Thanksgiving is almost here, and it's time to narrow down your menu!  I love Thanksgiving, both the idea of giving thanks for our lives of abundance and also the wonderful food that's enjoyed on that day.   For the last nine Novembers now I've been testing recipes that might be good for Thanksgiving and adding them to my list of Thanksgiving Recipes if they make the cut!  My standards are pretty high about what shows up on the blog, so when I try to make a list of all-time favorites for Thanksgiving it's not easy to narrow it down to just the top ten favorites you see here.  In the end I couldn't pick just ten, so I had to include ten "honorable mentions" which are also great recipes.

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Thanksgiving Green Bean Salad Recipe with Blue Cheese, Dried Cranberries, and Pecans

Thanksgiving Green Bean Salad has Blue Cheese, Cranberries, and Pecans, and it can be made ahead!

There's a lot to love about this Thanksgiving Green Bean Salad.  Not only is it Thanksgiving-dinner-worthy in the flavor department, but you can cook the beans and marinate them in the dressing, and toast the pecans, crumble the blue cheese and measure the cranberries all in advance, so when it's turkey dinner time all you need to do is toss the salad together.  The salad is great at room temperature too, so you don't even need much fridge space.  I'm calling it Thanksgiving Green Bean Salad because there are a few ingredients here (like dried cranberries and blue cheese) that are a bit of a splurge if you're trying to lose weight, but I'd definitely indulge in this salad on Thanksgiving.  

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Ten Favorite Deliciously Healthy Sweet Potato Recipes that are Perfect for Thanksgiving

Ten of my favorite healthy sweet potato recipes, just in time for Thanksgiving!

Healthy sweet potato recipes for Thanksgiving!  Just say NO to brown sugar and mini-marshmallows.

For many, many years I was one of those people who would wrinkle their nose up at the mere mention of sweet potatoes (or yams as they are often mistakenly called.)  I didn't think I'd ever like them, but then I tried Spicy Sweet Potato Fries and had a sweet potato epiphany.  I realized that what I didn't like was those overly-sweet dishes with sweet potatoes, brown sugar, and mini-marshallows,  the ones that so many people serve for Thanksgiving.  Since then I've experimented with different ways to prepare sweet potatoes sans marshmallows.  A few years ago I picked six favorite sweet potato recipes, and now I'm updating this post with four more.  That's a total of Ten Favorite Deliciously Healthy Sweet Potato Recipes to recommend for your Thanksgiving table.  Even if you're one of the people who like those marshmallow-topped holiday sweet potato dishes, I bet some of my favorite recipes for sweet potatoes for might be things you'd like to add to your sweet potato options.

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Recipe for Roasted Sweet Potatoes and Red Onions with Feta

You could have these Roasted Sweet Potatoes and Red Onions with Feta for Thanksgiving, but I'd happily eat this for a Meatless Monday main dish.

I realize these Roasted Sweet Potatoes with Red Onion and Feta may be a tough sell with some people who love sugary sweet potato casserole, but I loved them and so did my nephew/cooking assistant Jake who never used to like sweet potatoes at all.  I've been trying out savory sweet potato recipes for a few years now, and somewhere along the way Jake realized he *does* like sweet potatoes when they aren't topped with brown sugar/and or mini-marshmallows.  I also think that roasting the sweet potatoes is a wonderful trick to bring out their natural sweetness, and combining them with something salty like Feta cheese gives that wonderful salty-sweet combination that is so appealing.  I'm adding this to the Thanksgiving Recipes on the blog, but quite seriously, I'd also be very happy with a big dish of this for a Meatless Monday dinner as well.

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Recipe for Barely-Blanched Broccoli Salad with Feta and Fried Almonds

Barely Blanched Broccoli Salad with Feta and Fried Almonds is a nice change for Thanksgiving!

(I had to miss Phase One Fridays yesterday so I could post my tribute to Lis, but there are so many Thanksgiving recipes I want to share before the big day that I decided just this once we could have Phase One Saturday; this recipe is something I think everyone would love for Thanksgiving!)

Even though there's a great list of Low-Glycemic Thanksgiving Recipes in the recipe index, every year I have fun testing new ideas that might make it onto the Thanksgiving table.  Last year my favorite new Thanksgiving recipe was probably 100% Whole Wheat Stuffing "Muffins" with Sausage and Parmesan, a dish I worked on for several tries until I got it just right.  It's too early to tell what's  going to be my favorite from Thanksgiving 2011, but I know that this Blanched Broccoli Salad with Feta and Fried Almonds is something I'll be making over and over.  If you like broccoli, Feta, and almonds, be sure to try this dish even if you don't make it for Thanksgiving.

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Recipe for Sun-Dried Tomato Pesto or Spread (and a tribute to Lis - Queen of the Daring Bakers)

(Updated November 2013 - One of the best things about blogging is the amazing way that people you'll never meet in person can touch your life in the virtual world. This week the food blogging community was stunned and saddened to learn about the death of Lisa Cifelli, co-founder of The Daring Bakers, who died at the far-too-young age of 44.  Through The Daring Bakers, Lis encouraged others to challenge themselves with amazing recipes for baked creations of every type, and her enthusiasm and generosity was part of the reason this blogging event eventually had thousands of contributors every month.  I was never a Daring Baker, but I enjoyed following along each month as the bakers shared their posts, and I "knew" Lis through other events like the one featured below.  She will be greatly missed by all who knew her, and I'm dedicating this post to her memory.)  

My Italian is pretty basic, although I studied it a bit when I was going to be traveling to Italy, and I'm learning ingredient names from my great friend Ilva's blog. But I know enough Italian to guess that Festa al Fresco means something like a feast of fresh ingredients. So when I heard Ivonne of Creampuffs in Venice and Lis of La Mia Cucina were hosting La Festa al Fresco, I was excited about participating in the biggest virtual food bloggers picnic ever.

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Ten Favorite Deliciously Healthy Green Vegetable Recipes that are Perfect for Thanksgiving

Here are Ten Favorite Deliciously Healthy Green Vegetable recipes from Kalyn's Kitchen that are perfect for Thanksgiving! 

Everywhere I look these days I see Thanksgiving recipes, and for people like myself who like to try at least one new recipe every year, narrowing down your choices can be a challenge.  I want to give you lots of options, so in this post I'm sharing ten favorite deliciously healthy green vegetable recipes I think are perfect for Thanksgiving.  Every Thanksgiving dinner needs plenty of green vegetables to balance out all those less diet-friendly choices, right?  

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Recipe for Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Avocados and Pecans

Roasted Brussels sprouts are already amazing, and they get kicked up a notch with avocado and pecans!

For years I wasn't much of a brussels sprouts fan, and then I tried roasted brussels sprouts.   Roasting them gave the brussels sprouts an amazing nutty flavor (and the fact that the recipe had balsamic vinegar, parmesan, and pine nuts didn't hurt a bit.)  Since then I've made two more variations of roasted brussels sprouts, both equally delicious, so I probably didn't really need this recipe on the blog.  But when I spotted a recipe in Food and Wine that combined brussels sprouts, avocado, and pecans, I couldn't get that flavor combination out of my mind.  

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Recipe for Vegetarian Penne Pasta with Butternut Squash, Mushrooms, Scallions, and Goat Cheese

This delicious Vegetarian Penne Pasta with Butternut Squash, Mushrooms, Scallions, and Goat Cheese has just enough goat cheese to add an interesting flavor boost.

I've already confessed to being a butternut squash addict, and I'm always craving it at this time of year.  And even though I wrote a post about How to Peel and Cut Up a Butternut Squash, sometimes I can't resist those package of pre-cut butternut squash that show up at Costco every fall.  This delicious Vegetarian Penne Pasta with Butternut Squash, Mushrooms, Scallions, and Goat Cheese is a recipe I came up with that used half a two-pound package of pre-cut squash with some brown Crimini Mushrooms, a generous amount of chopped scallions, and just enough goat cheese  to keep it interesting.  You can use Feta if you're not a fan of the more pungent goat cheese, and some people might like to add some freshly grated Parmesan at the table.  This recipe does have a few steps, but it's quick enough for an easy week-night dinner, and perfect for Meatless Monday.

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Barely-Cooked Green Beans with Tahini-Lemon Sauce (plus 10 More Green Beans Recipes for Thanksgiving)

Barely-Cooked Green Beans with Tahini-Lemon Sauce and Parsley are a great Thanksgiving side dish!

(For Phase One Fridays I highlight Phase One recipes from the past that have been my personal favorites, and this recipe I first tried for the countdown to Thanksgiving last year is now something I love to make whenever I have fresh green beans.  If you buy those thin green beans at Costco, they're perfect for this.  And if you're looking for a Thanksgiving recipe that everyone can enjoy, this recipe is Paleo, Gluten-Free, and Vegan!)

Thanksgiving is kind of a fun paradox.  Even though it's a food holiday where most people have traditional favorites that they make every year, it's also the biggest time of year for food magazines, cooking shows, and food bloggers to recommend new possible Thanksgiving menu options.  I've been suggesting diet-friendly Thanksgiving Recipes for the last seven years, and that includes quite a few recipes for green beans (including Roasted Green Beans with Mushrooms, Balsamic, and Parmesan, which has turned into one of the most popular recipes ever on the blog.)  This new recipe for Barely-Cooked Green Beans with Tahini-Lemon Sauce and Parsley was quick enough to be super-easy for Thanksgiving, and it was something that Jake and I gobbled up when we tested the recipe.  If you don't feel adventurous enough to have this for Thanksgiving I hope you'll try it another time, because these beans are really good!

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Ten Favorite Deliciously Healthy Salads that are Perfect for Thanksgiving

All these deliciously healthy favorite salads would be perfect for Thanksgiving!

The annual food lover's countdown to Thanksgiving has officially begun!  I know there are people who would be happy with just turkey, stuffing, rolls, green bean casserole, and pumpkin pie every year for Thanksgiving dinner, but those people are probably not reading food blogs.  For those of you who love to try just one or two interesting new dishes every year, I've started sharing Thanksgiving suggestions on Facebook (are you following me there?)  I think every Thanksgiving dinner needs a special salad that's just a little bit unusual, so here are ten of my favorites.  (And if you're really in the mood to start planning the menu, take a look at all the Thanksgiving Recipes.)

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Low-Sugar and Whole-Wheat Pumpkin Banana Bread Recipe

This Low-Sugar and Whole-Wheat Pumpkin Banana Bread is hard to resist!

I'm not an expert baker, and when I decide to try to adapt a baking recipe for a low-sugar and whole-grain version, I usually expect it will take several tries to come up with a result that's a winner.  So I was happily surprised when this recipe for Low-Sugar and Whole-Wheat Pumpkin Banana Bread turned out perfectly the first time!  I loved this slightly-sweet pumpkin banana bread, and Jake also pronounced it to be "excellent."  (And he's not a big pumpkin fan, and doesn't always like my low-sugar experiments, so I consider that to be high praise.)

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Spicy Sweet Potato Fries Recipe

These Spicy Sweet Potato Fries are deliciously vegan for Meatless Monday!

(Updated with better photos and step-by-step instructions, November 2013.)  I try to post a meatless main dish every week for Meatless Monday, but some weeks it just doesn't work out.  Last week I tried out an idea for a meatless pasta dish, and it was definitely tasty.  Unfortunately, the photos were so unappetizing that the recipe still needs work.  Luckily, I did manage to get some good photos this week to update this favorite recipe for Spicy Sweet Potato Fries.  The first time I made this recipe, I took one bite and knew immediately I'd be making these sweet potato fries over and over.   My favorite sweet potatoes fries are not only meatless, but this recipe is deliciously vegan.  Who knows, this just might become your favorite way to cook sweet potatoes?

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South Beach Diet Phase One Recipes Round-Up for October 2013 (Low-Glycemic Recipes)

Kalyn's favorite Phase One Recipes for October 2013 were Greek Salad Spaghetti Squash Bowl,  Slow Cooker Chickpea Stew, Chicken Paprikash, and Turkey and Black Bean Mexican Cabbage Bowl.

It's time for the monthly Round-Up of South Beach Diet Phase One Recipes that I've posted during the previous month or spotted on other food blogs.  You can tell it's Fall by scrolling through these recipes; I spotted lots more soups and not many salads, and cauliflower seems to be Veggie of the Month for October.  I doubt many people start a diet in November, so I hope it doesn't seem cruel to draw attention to Phase One when everyone's thinking about Thanksgiving Recipes.  But in January when you're looking for food that's a bit lighter and lower in carbs, you might enjoy looking back through my Low-Glycemic Recipe Round-Ups like this one! (And for those who try to stick to a low-glycemic eating plan even during the holidays, more power to you!  I do my best, but it's hard this time of year.)

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Recipe for Shredded and Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Toasted Almonds and Parmesan

Roasted Brussels Sprouts are a wonderful side dish, so don't save them just for Thanksgiving.

(For Phase One Fridays I highlight Phase One recipes from the past that have been my personal favorites, and these Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Toasted Almonds and Parmesan are amazing.  And since today officially starts the Countdown to Thanksgiving 2013, I'm recommending this recipe as a Thanksgiving side dish.  But don't save them just for Thanksgiving, please try these for dinner soon!)

Now that roasted brussels sprouts have turned me into a brussels sprouts fan, I've been paying attention to how people cook the little guys, and lately I've noticed brussels sprouts being shredded into thin strips. When I looked for recipes, I found shredded pan-fried brussels sprouts, but not shredded and roasted ones, but since I love the leaves that fall off and get extra crispy when you're roasting brussels sprouts, I decided to try it and see how they turned out. I'd say it was a success, since I made these today and ate the entire bowl for lunch! I realize that some families have very determined brussels sprouts haters (and I'm looking at my sister Pam when I say that) but I'm adding this to my growing list of Thanksgiving Recipes as another option if people in your family are open-minded about brussels sprouts.

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