Delicious green salad perfect for balancing your Thanksgiving plate and a Turkey Wild Rice Soup that uses leftover Thanksgiving Turkey
The time to celebrate– is just two weeks away!
Registered Dietitian Nutritionist and Healthy Living Blogger Tara Rochford has been busy planning the fun and festive recipes she will be making, and today, she’s sharing them with us!
Tara says she adores all of the indulgent, traditional Thanksgiving foods (and I’m the pie-maker for our family gatherings!), but she also loves the balance of a flavorful green salad filled with foods of the season.
This green salad is packed with shaved Brussels sprouts, roasted sweet potatoes, pecans, cranberries and topped with a very simple homemade dressing.
Some of the health benefits of this salad are:
● Brussels sprouts are packed with nutrients like vitamin K which aids in blood clotting, vitamin C which helps our body absorb iron, and so many other vitamins and minerals.
● Sweet potatoes contain high amounts of vitamin A which is great for our eyes and may be beneficial for gut health due to the fiber and antioxidants
● Pecans have monounsaturated fatty acids making them healthy for our hearts
● Cranberries are also rich in many vitamins and fiber
Fall Sweet Potato and Brussels Sprouts Salad
Yields: 6 Servings
Ingredients:
2 cups of sweet potatoes, washed, rinsed and diced
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
5 oz baby spinach spinach or mixed greens (the entire container!)
2 cups Brussels sprouts, thinly cut into shredded pieces
¼ cup dried cranberries
¼ cup chopped pecans
For the dressing:
¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
1 teaspoon maple syrup
1 teaspoon dijon
¼ teaspoon salt
Dash black pepper
Directions:
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Line a baking sheet with a silicone baking mat or parchment paper. Place the diced sweet potato on a lined baking sheet and toss with 1 tablespoon olive oil. Bake for 20 minutes. Allow to cool for about 10 minutes.
- In a large bowl, toss together the greens, shredded Brussels sprouts, dried cranberries, pecans, and cooled sweet potato.
- In a separate smaller bowl, whisk together the olive oil, apple cider vinegar, maple syrup, dijon, salt and pepper.
- Just before serving, toss the salad with the dressing.
Turkey and Wild Rice Soup
In the first segment, we shared a yummy cold-weather salad recipe that you could enjoy on Thanksgiving day (or any other fall/winter day!), and now I’m sharing a tasty soup recipe that uses up leftover turkey. This year has me craving all the comforting foods and this soup has comfort written all over it. Pairing the Brussels and greens salad with this soup makes for a delicious meal any night of the week.
Whether you’re using Thanksgiving leftovers or just craving a bowl full of comfort, this recipe has you covered.
Turkey and Wild Rice Soup
Yield: 6 servings
Ingredients:
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil (maybe garlic infused olive oil)
3 large carrots, diced
2 celery stalks, diced
¼ cup dried chives
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon black pepper
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1 teaspoon dried parsley
5 cups broth
1 teaspoon low sodium tamari
1 cup wild rice
2-3 cups shredded chicken or turkey OR 1 14 oz can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
Directions:
- Heat a large pot over medium heat and add the olive oil.
- Add the carrots, celery, chives, salt and pepper. Allow to cook and soften for about 5 minutes.
- Add the thyme, parsley, broth, tamari, and wild rice. Bring to a boil, then cover and reduce the heat to low. Allow to simmer for 30 minutes.
- Add the turkey, chicken or chickpeas and allow to simmer uncovered for 20-30 minutes.
You can find these recipes and more from me at:
tararochfordnutrition.com
Tara Rochford Nutrition on Facebook and @TaraRochford on Instagram
Tara Rochford
Registered Dietitian Nutritionist and Healthy Living Blogger at Tara Rochford Nutrition
http://tararochfordnutrition.com
Instagram @tararochford
Facebook Tara Rochford Nutrition
Pinterest Tara Rochford Nutrition