I’ve been looking forward to this WIAW for several days, because it’s a chance to show some creativity with Thanksgiving leftovers. On Friday, also known as “the morning after” the big feast, I kicked things off with a double dose of leftover dessert. A slice each of grain free Pumpkin Pouffle and Pumpkin Apple Spice Loaf. One topped with peanut butter, both dotted with chocolate chips. I figured the time to start my lower sugar attempt was not the same time I cut out most grains. One step at a time! You may have seen photos from this morning on Instagram…
Lunch was a big portion of an omelet made with leftover turkey. Not the Turkey Kale Frittata I shared as a good leftovers recipe, since we decided not to make kale as a veggie side dish at our table, but delicious all the same. I had a sweet potato on the side, one that didn’t make it into the roasting pan on the big day. I also had some baby carrots and cucumber slices.
For an afternoon snack, I was lucky that my dad bought some out-of-season and therefore pricier strawberries while I was home. I try to eat mostly seasonal produce, but in the winter when it’s just apples and bananas all the time, I really miss melon and berries.
Of course when I was hungry later on before dinner, I had the usual apple, with some natural peanut butter. Un-pictured because I spooned it out of the jar.
Dinner was a salad with pumpkin goat cheese (eaten at the counter while we were heating up all the leftovers), followed by a grilled salmon burger and leftover roasted butternut squash. A very orange plate, and if you think about all the pumpkin and sweet potato and carrots going on earlier, a very orange day. But orange foods are awesome, aren’t they?
For dessert, since I’d already eaten leftovers of the offerings at Thanksgiving, I used some of the extra canned pumpkin to make another of those microwave pumpkin chocolate chip scones I was eating last week.
What’s your favorite way to use up leftovers?
Do you prefer to eat leftovers in their original form, or make a new dish?
Best orange food?
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renaissancerunnergirl 
Whenever I have leftovers, I usually have them in their original form. I often make a bigger batch of dinner so I have leftovers for the next day that I only need to reheat.
Best orange food? By far pumpkin, but kaki is pretty great too, and sweet potato, and salmon is awesome, and oranges (although peeling them always seems too much of a hassle for a snack, so I juice them instead). You are right – orange food is awesome! 🙂
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Somehow I dipped out of Thanksgiving with zero leftovers! That’s what happens sometimes when you travel for the holidays. I think I would probably eat them in their original form though because it’s the one time of the year that I get a lot of things. Favorite orange food… Butternut Squash!
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Wow you really did get creative! My sister in law made a turkey + pasta bake that sounded really cool! I mostly just ate leftover cornbread dressing in a bowl 😉 haha
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I agree that I miss in season fruit! I can’t wait until they’re all back in season – give me watermelon!
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Oh man, I can see why you were excited for this WIAW – so much good stuff! That breakfast looks like heaven 🙂 I’m Canadian so our Thanksgiving was weeks ago but this is majorly making me wish I had some leftovers right now!
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Oh man, I am swimming in leftovers. A lot of things went to the freezer portioned for me to pull out & have an easy side dish. And a few things made “tv dinners” as I call them. AKA Tupperware full of leftovers. Ready for the microwave & my belly.
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I love thinking of different ways to repurpose the leftovers. 🙂 It’s always exciting. We had about 2-3 days of leftovers. We made turkey tetrazzini and a huge thing of turkey soup.
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Pumpkin goat cheese? I’m super intrigued by this.
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It’s amazing. I found it at Stop & Shop so it isn’t a super fancy, Whole Foods only type of thing!
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Yum – I love all of that orange food. I would be happy eating sweet potatoes any day of the week for all three meals!
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I have an abundance of cranberry sauce so I’ve been throwing it into EVERYTHING. Using it as jelly, as a recovery drink after running, into parfaits etc. I love that we have so much!
My favorite orange food I pumpkin bisque or squash. Both are great.
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I hear ya on the orange everything..my typical day has orange at least twice lol. Hey gotta keep that tan going all year round right? 😉 Favourite orange thins by far is kabocha and sweet taters (although the purple ones are my favourite)
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