How to use your left overs the healthy way

I love the holidays, I love indulging in my favourite foods and I especially love having tons of leftovers, after the Christmas rush! It’s like having Christmas all over again but with a twist of new meals to come. I usually end up with having TONS of turkey, roast vegetables and seafood platters left behind! However don’t just throw them in the bin yet! Here are a few recipes to make the best use of your holiday left overs and a tip to prep your skin while cook at the same time.

First up: Turkey Potato Soup, which I make anytime I have leftover turkey or chicken. (You can also easily make this vegetarian by using potatoes and vegetables). I love making soup because they are easy to whip up, light and flavourful and they work with just about anything you have still sitting in the fridge.

Turkey Potato Soup

Preparation time: 10 minutes Cooking time: 25 minutes

Ingredients:

• 2 tablespoons Olive Oil
• 4 cloves Garlic, crushed
• 1 medium Onion, diced
• 1/2 Tablespoon Kosher or Sea Salt
• 1/2 teaspoon fresh cracked Black Pepper
• 2 medium potatoes, cut into small cubes
• 2 cups of cooked and cubed turkey breast
• 2 ½ cups of organic chicken stock ( if you are making this vegetarian, use water of vegetable stock)
• 1 medium carrot, cut into small cubes
• 3 tablespoons of fresh chives
• 4 sprigs of fresh thyme

Method:

1. In a large pot over medium heat, add olive oil and garlic. Cook 1 minute, then add onion, salt, and pepper. Cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
2. Add chicken stock, potatoes, carrots, and thyme and then bring to a boil, stirring along the bottom of the pot to prevent sticking.
3. Reduce heat to a simmer for 10 minutes. You can use this wait time to your advantage with a beauty mask while you wait! Nothing beats a mask that only takes a few minutes to draw out impurities and keeps your skin hydrated and beautiful.This is why I love SkinB5’s 5-minute purifying mask! It actually does the job and takes no effort at all! Once you apply the mask evenly, let it dry for 5 minutes and wash with lukewarm water! Don’t forget to moisturize! Don’t worry you still have a few minutes left before you’re needed for the next step.

1. After your skin is renewed you can now go back to the stove to remove the soup from heat and discard thyme. Blend until smooth. Return soup to the pot.
2. Heat soup over low heat. Add diced turkey. Allow to heat for at least 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
3. Serve in warm bowls and garnish with chopped chives, bread or gluten free crackers/bread for gluten free. Enjoy!

I love roasted vegetables they are nutritiously delicious on their own as a meal. However, I did promise you some new meals and I think you’ll like what’s coming! It's super quick, packed with tons of protein, vitamins, and minerals and there perfect for breakfast time! Can you guess what it is? It’s time for roasted vegetable omelette, please!

Roasted Vegetable Omelette

Preparation time: 5 minutes Cooking time: 5 minutes

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon of oil
• A handful of leftover cooked roasted vegetables.
• 2 eggs
• 3 tablespoons of milk
• Salt and pepper to taste

Method

1. Break the eggs into a bowl and beat together with the milk, salt and pepper.
2. Heat the oil in a deep non-stick frying pan over a medium heat and roasted vegetables fry for a few minutes.
3. Pour the egg mixture into the hot skillet and allow them to cook until sides and center have firmed up, about 2 to 3 minutes. Carefully flip and cook an additional 1 minute.
4. Turn the omelet out onto a plate and if you like a cheese omelette, simply grate your raw cheese over the top of the hot omelette and it will melt right into it. Delicious!

Note: You can serve with some slices of bread and place on a baking sheet, drizzle with olive oil and toast at 350 degrees for 5 minutes.

Lastly, if you have seafood platters left, they need be used quickly. What’s quicker than serving them with your favourite dipping sauces? Here are my two favourite sauces I use to serve with any type of seafood dish.

Seafood sauce #1

Preparation time: 10 minutes Cooking time: N/A

Ingredients

• 1 cup (300g) whole-egg mayonnaise
• 2 tbsp. tomato sauce
• 1 tbsp. lemon juice
• 2 tsp Worcestershire sauce
• 1/2 tsp Ground Paprika

Method

Combine the mayonnaise, tomato sauce, lemon juice, Worcestershire sauce and paprika in a small bowl. Cover with plastic wrap and place in the fridge to chill for 15 minutes.

Seafood sauce #2

Ingredients

• 1/2 tsp ground cumin
• 1 ripe avocado, halved, stone removed, peeled
• 1 clove garlic, crushed
• 1/4 cup (60ml) lime juice
• 2 tbsp. olive oil

Method

To make the avocado & lime dressing, toast cumin in a saucepan over low heat for 1 min or until aromatic. Process in a food processor with avocado, garlic, lime juice and olive oil until smooth. Season to taste with salt and pepper

I hope these recipes help you get back into a healthy routine for January and help celebrate healthier habits. So what are your favorite recipes for leftovers?