As promised in last weeks health post, below is a recipe for a healthy way to use your Thanksgiving leftovers. This recipe was offered by Marjorie Buessing of Concord, NH.

An Overflowing Pot of Golden Broth

If you happen to have a bag of 15 Bean Vegetarian Soup in your cupboard you’re all set to start your leftover prep while cooking your turkey. Start the beans soaking today and add your turkey carcass tonight. But if you’re cooking a big turkey with the hope of having a lot of meat leftover for days, then you can always run to the store sometime this weekend for the beans. This recipe is all about the leftovers so it’s adaptable to what you cook on Thanksgiving. The bean soup is an added bonus.

Here’s what you’ll need:

• 1 turkey carcass & juices
• 1 bag of 15 Bean Vegetarian Soup
• 1 to 2 onions
• 2 to 3 carrots
• 2 celery stalks
• 3 to 5 potatoes
• 1 to 2 sweet potatoes
• 3 to 4 garlic cloves sliced
• 1 can of whole cranberry sauce
• 1 bay leaf
• Bell stuffing seasoning
• Your favorite herbs
• Hot sauce or red pepper flakes

After you’ve taken all the meat you want off the turkey, put the carcass and any leftover vegetables that were cooked with or in the turkey in a pot. Add the pre-soaked bean mix without the seasoning packet. Cover the carcass with water and bring to a boil. Then turn the heat down to simmer, add the bay leaf) cover and simmer for 1 to 2 hours.

After it’s simmered for a couple hours take it off the heat and store it overnight in a very cold place, like your porch or garage if you live in the north. If you live in the south you might want to let it cool down on the stove and then store it in the refrigerator overnight.

Next Day – Skim off all the fat & skin. Take the bones out and pick off all the turkey. Cut any big pieces into bite size and store the turkey meat in the refrigerator for later. Throw out the bones and skin and any other bits (like the bay leaf) you don’t want in the broth but leave the beans in.

Finishing touches – Cut the rest of your leftover veggies into bite size pieces (or use uncooked or frozen veges) and add them to the pot, add the garlic, bring it to a boil. Turn the heat down and add the vegetable season pack from the bean soup & hot sauce. Also add the cranberry sauce and any other seasoning you want. Simmer this for 45 minutes or until veggies are cooked.

Add turkey pieces – During the last 15 minutes of simmering add your leftover cut up turkey that you stored earlier. (Just to warm it, it doesn’t get stringy this way.)

Boost Your Health on Holidays

If you are a turkey fan it’s a good idea to ask your grocer if they sell humanely farmed, local free range turkeys, no hormones or additives. At the store I frequent they had two brands like this and one of them was only 20 cents more per pound than the usual mass market farmed turkeys.

Another way to stay healthy during holiday feasting time, is to not overeat, especially not all at once. Instead of having a second helping, make a second plate and store it covered in the refrigerator. You can have it 3 hours later after your first meal is digested.

A third way to balance the usual holiday fare is to drink green smoothies, full of dark leafy greens. You could have one for breakfast before the big feast, and have one for breakfast the next day too, or every day throughout the holiday season. Traditional holiday foods have lots of carbs & sugar, and you may even be getting too much protein. Balance your intake of the less healthy foods with nutrient packed green smoothies and you will feel better throughout the season. You’ll also probably be less likely to overeat and more likely to make healthy choices during the non feasting days.