3 Healthy Christmas Leftover Recipe Ideas

So Christmas is over and Boxing Day is here. You've made sure not to overindulge thanks to our article on how not to overindulge this Christmas and now you're looking for healthy Christmas leftover recipe ideas. With an inevitable surplus of turkey and no one wanting to do much cooking, these quick and easy meals will see you through to the New Year without doing damage to your waistline. 

Posh Hash Browns

Christmas is always the time when we throw caution to the wind and eat things we wouldn't usually eat. Chocolate for breakfast anyone? But trying to avoid this will benefit you in the long run and prevent that post-Christmas regret. Instead, try making these delicious posh hash browns for breakfast to start your day right. 

Serves: 2

Ingredients

• 300g cooked roast potatoes
• 150g turkey
• 2 tbsp flour
• 3 medium eggs
• 1½ tbsp vegetable oil

Method

1. Cut the potatoes and turkey into small pieces and add to a bowl.
2. Season, toss with the flour and mix in 1 beaten egg.
3. Press everything together and press firmly into 4 patties (about 8cm across and 2cm deep).
4. Chill for at least 15 minutes, or for up to 12 hours.
5. Heat the goose fat (or oil) in a heavy-based, non-stick frying pan. Add the hash brown patties and cook on the lowest heat for 10 minutes, until a crust has formed. Flip over and repeat on the other side, until golden and piping hot in the centre.
6. Remove from the pan and keep warm.
7. Return the pan to a high heat.
8. Add the eggs to the fat in the pan.
9. Fry for 1-2 minutes, spooning the excess fat over the yolks, until cooked to your liking. Season and serve on top of the hash browns.

Festive Fresh Salad

Throwing together a healthy salad with the leftovers you find in the fridge can be a fun and easy way of using up ingredients that might otherwise go in the bin. This fresh festive salad uses the smoked salmon and garnishes that tend to go forgotten when everyone is tucking into their cold turkey sandwiches on Boxing Day.

Serves: 1

Ingredients

• 75g smoked salmon
• 20g capers
• Handful of shredded lettuce
• 8 cherry tomatoes
• sprinkling of pine nuts
• 40g cheese of your choice (the crumblier the better!)

Method

1. Assemble the salad however you see fit.
2. Splash some lemon juice over the top to bring out the flavour, or use olive oil
3. Enjoy!

GF Vegan Nut Loaf Muffins

It's important to remember the vegetarians and vegans at this time of year, as well as those with Coeiliac disease who need to follow a gluten free diet! Especially if you are not the one cooking this Christmas, it can be hard to find something suitable to eat. These vegan nut loaf muffins are gluten free, high in fibre, and can be enjoyed by everyone.

Serves: 12

Ingredients

• 200g quinoa
• 2 diced onions
• 3 garlic cloves
• 1 diced carrot
• 150g walnuts
• 400g can lentils, drained and rinsed
• 3 tbsp ground flaxseed
• 3 tsp gluten-free soy sauce
• 30g dried cranberries
• a small handful of spinach

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 180C (gas mark 4) and line a muffin tray with 12 muffin cases.
2. Prepare the quinoa by soaking it in water.
3. Add the onions, garlic, and carrot to a food processor and blend until roughly blended. 
4. Add all remaining ingredients, except the quinoa and spinach leaves, to the food processor and blend again until smooth.
5. Spoon the mixture into a large bowl and add the cooked quinoa and the spinach.
6. Mix well, season to taste, and spoon your mixture into the muffin cases and bake in the preheated oven for around half an hour. Check to make sure they're fully cooked through, and leave them for another few minutes if necessary. 
7. Enjoy!