Dealing with Thanksgiving leftovers—for every dietary restriction!

Do you have an overwhelming fridge full of Thanksgiving leftovers? If so, keep reading to find inspiration for all diets, from vegans to meat lovers! 

Turkey Pot Pie

(Makes approximately 2 pies, or 12 slices)

This warm, delicious dish boasts light, creamy flavours and smells like fall wrapped in a flaky pie crust. The recipe is completely modifiable (carrots, peas, green beans can be omitted or changed out for other veggies!), depending on what’s left in your fridge. 

Ingredients

• Your family’s favourite pre- or freshly-made pie crust 
• 1 cup yellow onion (diced)
• ⅔ cup butter or oil 
• ½ to ⅔ cup all purpose flour 
• 1 ¾ cup chicken, turkey or veggie broth 
• Seasonings of choice (We use garlic powder, celery seed, oregano, parsley, salt and pepper—if they are fresh, mince them.) 
• ½ cup of heavy cream 
• 1 cup carrots (chopped)
• 1 cups peas 
• 1 ½ cups green beans 
• 3-4 cups leftover turkey

Steps

1. Preheat oven to 400°F (may vary depending on your crust recipe). 
2. In a saucepan (or Dutch oven) melt butter with oil and add onion. Cook until soft and translucent, approximately five to six minutes. 
3. Stir in flour to thicken (creating a roux) and then add seasoning. (Tip: Don’t be afraid of salt.  It brings out the flavours of the other ingredients and adds depth to any dish.) Whisk in broth and heavy cream, bringing the filling to a simmer to thicken it. 
4. Remove pan from heat and stir in your leftovers (turkey, carrots, peas, green beans, etc.) 
5. Grease pie dish(es) and place pie crust inside, then press it into the sides with a fork. Fill the crust with the filling you just made and place another roll of crust on top and crimp the edges with a fork. Poke a few holes in the middle of the pie using a fork, or make a few short, skinny horizontal slices to let steam out. 
6. Bake until the crust is golden brown (approximately 40 minutes, depending once again on your crust recipe).
7. Make sure the pie has cooled slightly before diving in (if you can help yourself!) 

Turkey Soup

(Makes approximately 6 servings)

My dad’s favourite thing to do after making turkey, beef or chicken is to throw the bones into a pot, boil it down and create a bone broth. While I’m not a big meat-eater myself, I trust my dad’s ability to prepare meat products—he did grow up on a farm, after all! 

Besides, homemade broth is extremely nutritious, and we often use it with soup dumplings or ramen too.

If you don’t have time to create your own broth, a store-bought one will do just fine. However, homemade broth has the best flavour, the most nutrients and provides an excellent way to use all the parts of an animal without being wasteful. 

Ingredients

All measurements are approximate. 

Broth	Soup
Turkey carcass  1 onion (roughly chopped) 4 cloves of garlic (grated or smashed) 1 lemon (sliced in half) 1 bay leaf Cold water—enough to cover the turkey	2 tbsp of olive oil  1 small onion (diced)  2 cloves of garlic (diced)  3 to 4 large carrots (chopped into coin-sized pieces)  3 to 4 celery stalks (chopped finely)  1 large bay leaf  Leftover turkey (cut up into small cubes, approximately ½ an inch large)  6 to 7 cups of broth  Approximately 1 ¼ cups of noodles (optional)  ¼ cup of fresh parsley  Seasonings (sea salt, pepper, poultry seasoning)

Steps

If you’re making your own broth: 

1. Place the turkey carcass in a large saucepan or Dutch oven along with a roughly chopped onion, 4 cloves of grated garlic, a lemon sliced in half, a bay leaf and enough water to cover the turkey. 
2. Bring to a boil and then reduce to low heat. Simmer the mixture for approximately 10 hours. 
3. Scoop out the solid fat along the top using a spoon. Then, strain the broth through a strainer (you may want to do this twice). 
4. Let the mixture cool. After it does, you’ll want to spoon the fat off again. 
5. This can be refrigerated or frozen!

For the soup: 

1. Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium heat until it is shimmering (about 1 minute). Add onion and cook until soft and translucent. Add garlic and carrot and cook for an additional two minutes.
2. Stir in celery, broth, turkey and poultry seasoning. Add salt and pepper to taste. Allow to simmer for 15 minutes. 
3. If using noodles, add them into the soup and cook for an additional six to eight minutes, or until cooked through. If not using noodles, simmer the mixture for a few extra minutes. 
4. Remove the bay leaf from the mixture, stir in the parsley and serve. 

Pumpkin Pie Oatmeal

(Makes approximately 1 serving)

I know firsthand how annoying it is to crack open a can of pumpkin purée for a pie, not use it all and watch the remaining purée sit in the fridge for the coming weeks. If you’re too lazy to make another pie, want to be healthier or just want to try out a delicious recipe, this one’s for you. 

Plus, you don’t have to wait until the evening to enjoy this. It’s a staple fall-time breakfast at my house! 

My sister follows a mainly plant-based, refined sugar-free, gluten-free diet, and this recipe ticks all those boxes.

Ingredients

Oats	Maple Pumpkin Butter	Suggested Toppings
¼  cup steel cut oats  1 cup milk of choice (we use oat milk)  ⅔ cup mashed banana  ¼ cup pumpkin purée  ½ of tbsp maple syrup  1 tsp cinnamon  ½ tsp nutmeg  ¼ tsp vanilla  Pinch of sea salt	½ cup pumpkin purée  1.5 tbsp maple syrup 1 tsp of cinnamon ¼ teaspoon nutmeg	Chopped pecans or walnuts  Medjool dates  Extra sprinkle of cinnamon Drizzle of maple syrup

Method 

1. Begin by making the oats. Place all ingredients in a saucepan over medium heat. Once the mixture is bubbling, turn down to medium low, stirring frequently. 
2. When the liquid is partially absorbed (after about 15 minutes), turn down to simmer. Continue simmering until the liquid is completely absorbed (approximately 10 additional minutes). 
3. Next make the maple pumpkin butter. Add all of the ingredients to a food processor, high speed blender or hand blender. Blend until completely combined. 
4. Top the oats with maple pumpkin butter and toppings. Enjoy!

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Featured image by Isabella Stephenson.