Five ways with leftover turkey

Boxing Day and beyond sees the turkey sandwiches rolled out, which, frankly, doesn’t add up to the most exciting festive spread. So why not try these five tasty ideas instead – those leftovers will soon be polished off…

1. Spicy wraps

Combine a handful of shredded cooked turkey with a little reduced-fat mayonnaise mixed with ½ tsp curry paste, then spread on a wholemeal tortilla wrap. Top with lettuce, sliced tomato and cucumber, chopped chilli and fresh coriander to taste, then roll up.

2. Quick pizza

Mix bite-size cooked turkey pieces with some barbecue sauce in a bowl. Top a thin ready-made pizza base with a little more barbecue sauce, some thinly sliced red onion, chopped tomatoes, torn reduced-fat mozzarella and the turkey. Bake in a hot oven until heated through.

3. Head to the Med

In a bowl, combine chopped cooked turkey with chopped tomatoes and celery, some chickpeas and prepared couscous. Drizzle with a little olive oil and lemon juice and season with black pepper, toss again briefly, then serve. 

4. Satisfying spuds

Mix chopped cooked turkey breast with grilled lean bacon, chopped avocado, a little lemon juice, reduced-fat sour cream and some black pepper. Serve with hot jacket potatoes.

5. Oodles of noodles

Make a tasty salad by combining cooked and cooled noodles with a handful of chopped cooked turkey, some sweet chilli sauce, roasted peanuts and finely chopped chilli, a handful of fresh coriander and lime juice to taste.

…And don’t forget the stock!

Instead of binning the carcass the minute the meat has all gone, it makes sense to use the turkey bones to make your own low-salt stock:

Put the stripped turkey bones in a baking tray with 2 sliced carrots, 1 sliced onion and 2 sliced celery sticks, then roast in a hot oven for 30 min. Transfer to a large saucepan or stock pot and add around 3 litres water, 1 tsp crushed peppercorns and 2 bay leaves. Bring to the boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for 1½–2 hr. Cool, strain through a sieve, then portion into freezer bags and freeze for up to three months. Defrost to use in soups and casseroles.

Use up leftover ham

There are always a few slices in the fridge... here's a great, healthy way to use up your leftover ham – it could soon become a festive season favourite!

Ham pasta bake

prep 10 min cook 30 min serves 4

250g penne or rigatoni

2tbsp low-fat spread

2½tbsp plain flour

500ml skimmed milk

1tbsp Dijon mustard

75g slow-roasted tomatoes

150g cooked lean ham

100g goat’s cheese or
reduced-fat feta, crumbled

1 Preheat the oven to 200°C/fan 180°C/gas 6. Cook the pasta according to the pack instructions. Drain, then return to the pan.

2 Meanwhile, melt the spread in a saucepan over a medium heat, then stir in the flour and cook for 1 min. Take off the heat, then slowly add the milk, stirring until combined. Put the mixture back on the heat and stir until it thickens. Reduce the heat and simmer for 2 min. Take off the heat, then stir in the mustard.

3 Pour the sauce over the drained pasta, then stir in the tomatoes and ham. Transfer to a 2 litre baking dish, top with cheese, then bake for 15–20 min until golden and hot.

Per serving: 476kcal, 26.6g protein, 12.3g fat, 5.9g saturates, 69g carbs, 12.5g sugar, 5.6g fibre, 2.1g salt, 240mcg calcium, 2.4mg iron

For more pasta bakes using up your festive ingredients – from stilton to sprouts – get a copy of Healthy Food Guide magazine’s Winter issue, out now, or download the iPad edition from the App Store or Newsstand.