You all know my never-ending love for leftovers.
I might, just might like leftovers more than the first go around. There’s just something about the challenge and the creativity of it. A new spin that makes it so much more enticing.
I have to tell you, this my friends is how you do leftovers in taco form. Butternut Turkey Tacos with Cranberry Sauce to be exact.
They’re quick, easy and always delicious. Plus healthier than you think.
While you may be dreading cooking the obnoxiously large meal because it is tradition and wondering what in the world you are going to do with all of the leftovers, let me take some stress off you and help you realize that it isn’t just sweet relief, instead there is a little excitement in these leftovers.
The Basics of Leftovers
The basics of a “talked about” second day meal is how you incorporate the components, new + used + sauce.
It is vital that you pay close attention to those three components and those three things alone in putting together a head turner of a recipe. So again, this is what you need to consider:
- The old component
- At least 2 new ones
- A sauce to pull it all together
If you have those down you’re going to create a head turner. Take for instance this example, Butternut Turkey Tacos with Cranberry Sauce. Here’s how it worked…
- The old component: Turkey, Butternut Squash, Cranberry Sauce
- The new components: Corn (grain-free) Tortilla Shell, Black Beans, Taco Seasoning, Cilantro and Avocado <- SEE you need at least two new components if not multiple more 😉
- The sauce: In this case it is Homemade 5 minute Caesar Dressing.
That’s it. That’s how you make old food lip smackin’ good.
The Health Benefits
Of course being a nutritionist that just happens to love really delicious foods, I am also on the lookout for the health benefits of leftovers. To be honest, it is hard to pinpoint the exact nutritional benefits simply because I don’t know how you like to cook. But what I can say is that if you are trying to eat real, wholesome, nutritious foods and you cook with these foods, your second meal is sure to be just as healthy.
So basically if you cook once and eat twice you are gaining double the nutrients plus oodles of less stress. Yep, utilizing leftovers from your already prepared and amazingly healthy home cooked meal you are preventing stress, preventing a time crunch and the urge to go out to eat, so in the end, yeah it’s pretty much healthy.
High fives all around.
Back to the Main Show
So to pull it back to these Tacos, I’ve officially declared (as if I have food powers or something) any night of the week acceptable for Tacos. Which can only mean one thing…. I see Butternut Turkey Tacos with Cranberry Sauce in your future for the day after Thanksgiving.
Heck, who knows, your family may just show up for the meal after the meal next year.
Okay, no disrespect to the big show but seriously, you can’t stop staring can you? Obviously my family like them as well. I could barely get the pictures snapped before this food fest began.
Yes, we do own a Dining room table, and no, this picture is not taken on it. Instead it is a basket just two and half feet off the floor making it the perfect height for little hands…. and wait a big one as well. If you must ask, there are downsides to having a food nerd of a wife who thinks its necessary to take pictures of everything.
If you ask the hubs (who seriously needs a nickname other than “the hubs”) he hasn’t had a warm meal in nearly two years (Do you hear the world’s smallest violin? Yea me too!)
But seriously, taco bar must happen ASAP. Your family will thank you and you’ll thank yourself. On the table in less than 20.
This is how we do it! Mwah!
P.S. Leave a comment below to come up with a new nick name for “the hubs.”
Goat wrangler….cowboy…..
- 8-10 small tortillas (or corn tortillas)
- 2-3 cups shredded turkey
- 1 cup black beans, drained and rinsed
- 2 cups cubed butternut squash, precooked
- ½-1 cup chicken broth
- 1 Tbsp taco seasoning (can use homemade)
- 1 cup cranberry sauce
- Homemade Caesar Dressing
- Avocado, cilantro, parmesan cheese (optional)
- In a medium saucepan place, shredded turkey, black beans, butternut squash, taco seasoning and add chicken broth.
- Cook over low-medium heat until simmering. Let broth simmer off for 5-10 minutes.
- Meanwhile, heat tortilla shells and prep caesar dressing.
- To assemble, place turkey butternut squash mixture inside shell and top with cranberry sauce, caesar dressing, avocado, cilantro and a sprinkle of parmesan cheese.
- Enjoy!
