by Dr. Michelle Hagel ND
Thanksgiving dinner doesn’t mean that we have to gorge ourselves at the dinner table. There are a lot of healthy choices when it comes to leftovers after Thanksgiving dinner. Turkey is an excellent source of protein, b vitamins, choline, phosphorus and potassium. Then just skip the gravy, potatoes, and stuffing and load up on the veggies! I have included a recipe for a turkey bowl, a great leftover alternative. The best of all it’s not about saying no to dessert it is about finding a good alternative like the black bean brownies recipe below – I bet you won’t be able to tell the difference!
Enjoy the holiday weekend it is a great time to practice thanks and gratitude to yourself and others.
Turkey Squash Bowls
- 2 Delicata Squash (small)
- 2 tbsps Extra Virgin Olive Oil
- 1 lb Extra Lean Ground Turkey
- 1 tbsp Poultry Seasoning
- 1 tsp Sea Salt
- 1/2 cup Frozen Cranberries (thawed, or use fresh)
- 4 cups Microgreens
- 2 tbsps Balsamic Vinegar
- Preheat the oven to 350F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Rinse the outside of the squash and slice in half lengthwise. Brush the flesh with a small amount of olive oil and place face-down on the baking sheet. Bake for 30 minutes.
- Meanwhile, heat the remaining oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the turkey and saute until cooked through and browned. Break it up into tiny pieces as it cooks.
- Once the turkey is cooked through, stir in the poultry seasoning, sea salt and cranberries. Turn the heat to the lowest setting to keep warm until your squash is cooked.
- Remove squash from oven and stuff each half with the turkey/cranberry mix. Serve with microgreens and a drizzle of balsamic vinegar. Enjoy!
Black Bean Brownies
- 2 cups Black Beans (cooked)
- 3 Egg
- 1/4 cup Coconut Oil (melted)
- 1 tsp Vanilla Extract
- 1/4 tsp Sea Salt
- 3/4 cup Cocoa Powder
- 1/4 cup Coconut Sugar
- 1/4 cup Raw Honey
- 1/2 tsp Baking Powder
- 100 grams Dark Organic Chocolate (chopped and divided)
- 1/4 cup Sliced Almonds
- Preheat oven to 350 F and line a 8 x 8 baking dish with parchment paper.
- Add the cooked black beans and eggs to a food processor. Turn it on and add the coconut oil. Let the food processor blend until the black beans are very smooth.
- Add vanilla, salt, cocoa powder, coconut sugar, honey and baking powder to the black bean batter. Blend until all incorporated.
- Add half of the chocolate to the brownie batter and pulse until it is mixed in.
- Transfer brownie batter to the prepared baking dish and smooth into an even layer. Sprinkle the remaining chocolate and the sliced almonds evenly over top of the brownies.
- Bake for 30 to 35 minutes. Let the brownies cool completely before transferring to the fridge for at least 4 hours before cutting into squares. Enjoy!