Unique and Easy Recipes for Turkey Leftovers

When Thanksgiving has come and gone, we are left with loads
of leftovers, especially lots of turkey! 
Well, here are 2 easy and different recipes to use, this way the turkey
won’t go to waste, and you won’t be eating turkey sandwiches all week!  These recipes are from Clean Eating
Magazine, are very healthy, and are delicious!  Enjoy

Turkey Pasta Casserole        

Serves 6, Hands-on time 30 minutes, Total time 1 hour 5
minutes

Ingredients:

• 1 cup 1% low fat milk
• 1 ½ tsp arrowroot
• 6 oz shredded low fat cheddar cheese (about 2
  cups)
• ½ cup low fat plain yogurt
• ½ tsp fine sea salt
• Olive oil cooking spray
• 8 oz whole wheat rotini pasta
• 2 carrots, peeled and cut on a diagonal into ¼
  inch slices
• ½ red onion, cut into ¾ inch dice
• 1 ½ cups bite-size broccoli florets
• 1 ½ cups bite-size cauliflower florets
• 8 oz cooked skinless turkey breast, cut into ¾
  inch dice (about 2 cups)
• ¼ cup chopped flat-leaf parsley leaves
• 1/3 cup sliced unsalted raw almonds

 Instructions:

1. In
   a medium saucepan, whisk together milk and arrowroot.  Place over medium heat and cook, stirring, until mixture
   comes to a simmer and thickens, about 3 minutes.  Remove from heat and add cheese, whisking until melted.  Whisk in yogurt and salt, cover and set
   aside.
2. Preheat
   oven 375F.  Coat a 2-qt casserole
   dish with cooking spray.
3. In
   a large pot of boiling water, cook pasta according to package directions.  Three minutes before pasta is done,
   stir in carrots and onion.  Two
   minutes before pasta is done, stir in broccoli and cauliflower.
4. Drain
   pasta and vegetables and return mixture to pot.  Stir in cheese sauce, turkey and parsley.  Transfer to prepared casserole dish,
   sprinkle with almonds and bake until almonds are toasted and casserole is
   heated through, about 20 minutes.

Nutrients per 1 1/3 cup serving:  Calories 319, Fat 7.5g, Sat. Fat
2g, Monounsaturated Fat 2 g; Polyunsaturated Fat 1g, Carbs 35 g, Fiber 8 g,
Sugars 7g, Protein 29 g, Sodium 420 mg, Cholesterol 40 mg

Turkey Quesadillas with Green Salsa

Serves 2, Hands-on time 25 minutes, Total time 30 minutes

Ingredients:

• 10 oz tomatillos (4 to 6), husked and rinsed
• ½ jalapeno pepper, stemmed, halved lengthwise
  and seeded
• ¼ white onion
• 15 small tender sprigs fresh cilantro
• 2 cloves garlic
• Fine sea salt, to taste
• 2 whole wheat tortillas (9 or 10 inches each)
• 2 oz shredded low fat Colby and Monterey Jack
  Cheese blend or Mexican cheese blend (about ½ cup)
• 2 oz cooked skinless turkey breast, shredded
  (about ½ cup)

 Instructions: 

1. In
   a medium saucepan, bring 3 cups water to a boil over medium-high heat.  Add tomatillos and cook for 5
   minutes.  Add jalapeno and cook
   until tomatillos and jalapenos are tender, about 2 minutes.  Using a slotted spoon, transfer mixture
   to a blender.  Add ¼ cup cooking liquid,
   onion, cilantro and garlic and puree until smooth.  Season with salt and set mixture aside to cool.
2. Arrange
   tortillas on a work surface. 
   Sprinkle cheese on half of each tortilla, leaving a 1-inch border at the
   edges.  Arrange turkey over top,
   dividing evenly, then fold tortillas in half over filling.
3. In
   a large nonstick skillet, cook quesadillas over medium heat, covered, until
   golden brown on the bottoms, 3 to 4 minutes.  Carefully turn over and cook, uncovered, until golden brown
   and cheese is melted, 2 to 3 minutes.
4. Cut
   each quesadilla into 4 or 6 wedges and serve with salsa.

Nutrients per serving (1 quesadilla and 1/3 cup
salsa):  Calories 314,
Fat 6g, Sat. Fat 1.5g, Carbs 40g, Fiber 4g, Sugars 8g, Protein 21g, Sodium 469
mg, Cholesterol 20 mg

Estelle L. Benoit, RD, LDN