Thanksgiving has come and gone — and, quite likely, so too has the traditional Thanksgiving food. Sure, you may eat turkey in sandwiches or chopped up on a salad other times of the year, but fresh cranberries, sweet potatoes and pumpkin aren’t always in many folks’ meal rotations.
[See: 7 Healthy Ways to Gobble Leftover Thanksgiving Turkey.]
They should be. These foods are nutrition powerhouses, not mention flavorful, available and versatile. Plus, the beautiful reds and deep oranges provide some eye candy to an otherwise drab plate. Here’s how and why to use these ingredients all year:
1. Pumpkin
You may enjoy that slice (or two) of pumpkin pie on Thanksgiving and an occasional pumpkin muffin or pumpkin spice latte throughout the season, but there are so many other ways to use pumpkin. For example, canned pumpkin can be added to oatmeal, hummus or used as the base of a pumpkin curry sauce. If you have leftover pumpkin, it can be frozen into ice cube trays and later added to soups, stews, sauces, smoothies and quick breads or muffins. Keep in mind that pumpkin lends itself equally well to sweet and savory applications, so ginger, cinnamon and nutmeg pair as well as cumin, curry, garlic and cayenne do.
[See: These Healthy Seasonings Are Tasty Substitutes for Sugar and Salt.]
Keeping pumpkin in your dietary rotation can be an easy way to reach your suggested vegetable intake. Canned pumpkin is low in calories, too, and has fiber, vitamin C, potassium and plant nutrients (phytochemicals) including lutein, which is good for eye health, and beta-carotene, which is good for lung health.
2. Cranberries
Let’s think beyond dried sweetened cranberries or jellied cranberry sauce. Fresh cranberries are gorgeous in color, low in calories and high in fiber. They also contain vitamin C and antioxidants, which can keep your cells healthy, as well as substances that may lower the risk of cavities and urinary tract infections.
Fresh cranberries can be sauteed with broccoli or roasted with Brussels sprouts and squash. Add some cinnamon, ginger or even a pomegranate balsamic vinegar to cut the tart taste a bit. Consider making a relish or chutney with cranberries, orange juice, candied ginger and chopped pistachios or walnuts. This is delicious as a spread on a turkey sandwich, added to oatmeal or a smoothie, or mixed into goat cheese or cream cheese for a dip or spread.
3. Sweet Potatoes
For Thanksgiving, my mother makes a bourbon sweet potato casserole that should probably be served with a warning to not eat and drive! But other times of the year, sweet potatoes don’t need as much dressing (or boozing) up to enjoy. A little bit of butter, a splash of pineapple juice or grated orange peel complement the natural sweetness of this vegetable. In addition to eating them baked or as ” toast,” try sweet potato noodles, which you can buy at some supermarkets or make yourself with a spiralizer. Just toss them with broccoli and ricotta, spinach and pesto or a spicy marinara sauce with shrimp.
[See: 8 Food ‘Scraps’ You Didn’t Know You Could Eat.]
Sweet potatoes can also be pureed and used as the base of a soup with chicken broth, curry and garlic. They can also be sliced and roasted with other vegetables; grated and used for potato pancakes; thinly sliced and baked as sweet or savory chips; or used in muffins, brownies or smoothies. If you have leftover sweet potatoes from your Thanksgiving feast, cut them, freeze them in small quantities or ice cube trays and add them to chili, sauces or soups. No matter how you eat them, you’ll benefit from the vegetable’s fiber, vitamin A, vitamin C, manganese, potassium, beta-carotene and anthocyanins.
More from U.S. News
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3 Thanksgiving Foods You Should Eat All Year originally appeared on usnews.com
