Thanksgiving, Gratitude, & A Leftover Creation

Thanksgiving is a time to show gratitude, be thankful, and eat delicious food. Often we wait until the holidays to spend time with family and voice what we are thankful for. Gratitude and acknowledgement should be a year round practice. In order to get more of what you want in life it is important to show gratitude for what you already have, no matter how small, and let it be know. Make it a daily practice acknowledge yourself and one person for something they have done well. Write down 3 things your are grateful for each day, in doing so you will invite more of that into your life.

For some people the holidays can be a challenge when trying to stick to a specific eating style. as I mentioned in a previous post one way to get around this is to bring dishes to share. For Thanksgiving, I brought three side dishes to share with my family. Roasted root vegetables including: sunchokes, sweet potatoes, delicata squash, parsnips, and onions. Cauliflower mash with roasted garlic. Roasted broccoli, Brussels sprouts. green beans, with bacon and mushrooms. All were a hit and I had very little left over, but what I did have I made into this amazing layered leftover trifle. Taking components from each dish, with a little extra cooking and some bonus ingredients, to make this P.R.E.P. meal come together. Love these Good Cook Baking Dishes  Recipe made in a loaf pan size.

Layer 1: Green Bean Casserole

P.R.E.P. recipe- 2 cups green beans, 1/4 cup sauteed mushrooms, 1/2 cup roasted onions, sauce: 1 cup roasted parsnips, 2 oz cream cheese, 1/4 cup sauteed mushrooms, 1/4 cup Chicken Stock or water, blend in Vitamix until smooth. If you have leftover green bean casserole use it here or try my refined version.

Layer 2: Turkey and Un-Stuffing

P.R.E.P. recipe- 1/2 lb organic ground turkey, 1 stick celery, 1/3 cup chopped onion, 2 cloves garlic, chopped herbs: 1 tbsp fresh sage, 1 tsp fresh thyme, 1 tsp rosemary. Saute in 1 tbsp butter and olive oil, until meat is cooked and veggies are softened. Using all the flavors and ingredients in a traditional stuffing minus the bread, you won’t even miss it. If you have leftover stuffing and turkey you can use it in this layer.

Layer 3: Roasted Broccoli and Brussels Sprouts with Bacon

P.R.E.P. recipe- 1 cup trimmed and halved Brussels sprouts, 1 cup broccoli florets, 4 pieces bacon. On a baking sheet lined with a silicone mat lay out bacon on one half, I use Hempler’s brand its thick cut and no nitrates, and veggies on the other. Place in un-preheated oven set to 375 degrees and roast for 25 minutes, the bacon will be done before the veggies, remove bacon and spread veggies on entire baking sheet to absorb bacon grease (yummy) allow veggies to cook until softened but not mushy. Chop bacon and mix with broccoli and Brussels sprouts. You can use any other vegetable leftover you might have for this layer.

Layer 4: Sweet Potato and Cauliflower mash

P.R.E.P. recipe- 2 cups roasted sweet potatoes, 1 cup cauliflower mash, 2 tbsp sour cream optional, blend in  Vitamix or Food Processor. To make the cauliflower mash, in a 375 degree oven for 30-40 minutes roast 1 head cauliflower chopped into florets, until very soft, or 1 large bag of cauliflower florets from Costco. Drizzled with avocado oil or olive oil season with salt, pepper, onion powder, and 4 cloves of garlic in the skins. Remove skins before blending,  add 1/4-1/2 cup chicken stock and cauliflower puree in Vitamix, food processor or other blender until smooth. A mash of any sort will work to top off this leftover masterpiece.

This recipe is simply a template, you can refine to fit your eating style and what leftovers you have on hand from Thanksgiving or any occasion for that matter. Make it your own and be creative. I would love to hear what combinations you come up with!