What’s better than Thanksgiving itself? Thanksgiving leftovers. Nothing beats getting to enjoy your favorite meal a few more times after the big day. But after a while, you start to find yourself craving meals that are lighter and healthier.

We all know it’s simple enough to throw together a turkey sandwich, but there’s no reason you can’t get creative. So, if you have tons of leftovers, don’t let them go to waste. There are so many ways you can incorporate your traditional Thanksgiving dishes into healthy, balanced meals. Not to mention, if leafy greens didn’t make it to the dinner table this year, try including them now!

Whether it’s putting leftover turkey on a kale salad for a protein boost, making a pot of cream of turkey soup with sautéed collard greens, or whipping together a sweet potato and stuffing casserole baked with greens – the options are truly endless.  

To get you started, here are a few ways we get creative with our Thanksgiving leftovers. Feel free to share with us in the comments how you enjoy yours!

Sweet Potato Kale Casserole

Grab your leftover sweet potatoes and a bag of Nature’s Greens Kale and in just 35 minutes, you can have this Sweet Potato & Kale Casserole. It takes less than 10 ingredients and just 5 minutes to prep!

Fresh Cranberry Sauce With Maple Collard Crisps

If you’ve got cranberry sauce to spare, this dish will do the trick. On a baking sheet, bake a layer of collard greens with maple syrup and coconut oil on top, then garnish with warm cranberry sauce. Ready to enjoy in under 10 minutes!

Winter Farro Salad

Happen to buy one too many sweet potatoes? Simply dice them into cubes and let roast for 25-30 minutes for this Winter Farro kale salad. If you’re really hungry, you can add some chopped turkey too!

Heart Healthy Mustard Greens

The name says it all. Get all the nutrients you need with this quick dish. Sauté your mustard greens and ground turkey in a pan of vegetable broth, pepper, and honey to serve!

Turkey and Collard Cassoulets

If you have a little extra time on your hands and love turkey as much as we do, try out our Turkey and Collard Cassoulets recipe. It’s perfect to pack for your upcoming week of work or for dinner with the family! Have prepped to cook in just 10 minutes.