Alternative Christmas recipes

We've teamed up with Gemma Shorter, The Food Doctor Nutritionist, to bring you the healthiest and tastiest leftover turkey recipes.

TURKEY & MUSHROOM FILO PIE

One of my favourite recipes for using up leftover turkey is a traditional pie. I’ve
created a lighter twist by substituting puff pastry for filo pastry and crème fraiche
for cream. This is also a great way to use up leftover veg. Store some filo pastry in
the fridge or freezer so you can whip up a pie without needing to go to the shops
between Christmas and New Year.

SERVES 4-6

INGREDIENTS
Drizzle of olive oil or tsp of butter
2 garlic cloves, crushed or chopped
1⁄2 bunch thyme leaves
2 leeks, finely chopped
1 carrot and 1 parsnip (or leftover Christmas veg)
1 tbsp wholemeal flour or cornflour
1 pint or 560ml of chicken or vegetable stock
500g of leftover turkey (dark and/or light meat) torn into strips
200g mushrooms
2 handfuls of spinach
2 heaped tbsp half fat crème fraiche
1 tsp wholegrain mustard
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
150ml dry white wine (optional)
6-10 sheets of filo pastry

1. Preheat the oven to 180 °C (fan 170°C, gas mark 5).
2. In a large pan on a medium heat, add a good drizzle of olive oil or tsp of
butter. Add the thyme leaves and garlic, and fry for 1 minute.
3. Cut the parsnip and carrot into chunks and finely chop the leeks. Add them to
the pan with a pinch of salt and pepper. Cover with a lid and allow to cook for
8 minutes, stirring every few minutes to make sure they don’t catch on the
bottom of the pan.
4. Remove the lid and increase the heat. Sprinkle the flour over the leeks and
give it a good stir.
5. Pour in the stock and stir again. Simmer for 5 minutes until the sauce has
thickened slightly.
6. Add the turkey, sliced mushrooms and white wine if using it, turn the heat up
and bring to the boil.

7. Stir in the crème fraiche, mustard and spinach, and season to taste with salt
and pepper.
8. Pour into a 28cmx15cm pie dish or roasting tin.
9. Take a sheet of filo and loosely crumble it in your hands. Place the filo on top
of the pie filling in the dish and repeat with the remaining sheets. Brush the
pastry with olive oil and bake in the oven for 25 minutes until crisp and brown,
and piping hot.
10. Serve with a side of in-season veg such as kale.

SPICED TURKEY, SWEET POTATO & POMEGRANATE SALAD

After an indulgent Christmas, this salad is light and refreshing, and packed full of
flavour. We’ve added lots of nutritious foods to this salad including kale leaves,
orange and pomegranate. We’ve also included five spice to give it an added kick.
This salad can be enjoyed warm or cold depending on how you’re feeling.

SERVES 2

INGREDIENTS
1 large sweet potato or 2 small ones
1 tsp Chinese five spice
1 large handful of shredded turkey
2 oranges
Baby kale leaves or rocket
1 pomegranate
1 handful or 30g of walnuts, roughly chopped
Goat’s cheese, chopped into chunks
Extra virgin olive oil
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
For the dressing
Drizzle of extra virgin olive oil
Drizzle of balsamic vinegar
1. Preheat the oven to 180°C (fan 170°C, gas mark 5).
2. Wash the sweet potatoes (with the skins on) and cut them into small wedges
or chunks. Drizzle over the extra virgin olive oil and half of the Chinese five
spice, and rub in with your hands. Roast in the oven for 30-40 minutes,
stirring half way through.
3. Shred the turkey and place in a baking dish. Squeeze the juice of 1 orange
and the rest of the Chinese five spice over the turkey. Cover the baking dish
with foil and bake in the oven for the last 20 minutes of the sweet potatoes.
4. Scatter the baby kale or rocket leaves onto 2 bowls or plates.
5. Arrange the cooked sweet potato wedges on top of the leaves.
6. Layer with the warm turkey.

7. Thinly slice the orange and arrange and place on top. Halve the pomegranate
and place palm side down over your hand, gentle smack with a wooden spoon
so that the seeds tumble into a bowl. Sprinkle the seeds onto the salad.
8. Toast the walnuts in a frying pan for 2-3 minutes and scatter on top of the
salad with the goat’s cheese.
9. Drizzle with extra virgin olive oil and balsamic vinegar and serve.

THAI GREEN TURKEY NOODLE SOUP

This recipe uses some of those store cupboard essentials and is a really easy dish to
make and enjoy between Christmas and New Year.

SERVES 4

INGREDIENTS
1 tsp of coconut oil or olive oil
1 white onion, chopped
2-3 heaped tbsp of Thai green curry paste (like Thai Taste)
1 inch of fresh ginger, grated
1 can/tin of reduced fat coconut milk
800ml chicken or vegetable stock
2 tsp fish sauce (optional)
2 large handfuls of turkey meat (white or dark meat)
200g pack of mange tout
200g shiitake or chanterelle mushrooms
4 portions of rice noodles (fresh or dried, prepared as per instructions)
1 fresh chilli, chopped
Handful of fresh coriander, roughly chopped
Handful of roasted peanuts, roughly chopped
1 lime

1. Heat the oil in a large pan, add the chopped onion and fry for 3 minutes.
2. Add the curry paste and grated ginger, and fry for 1 minute.
3. Add the coconut milk, stock and fish sauce, and simmer for 10 minutes.
4. Add the turkey meat, mange tout and mushrooms, and simmer for another 10
minutes or until the veg is tender.
5. Prepare the rice noodles as per instructions and add to the pan.
6. Add half of the chopped coriander and simmer for 2 minutes.
7. Pour into bowls and sprinkle over the rest of the coriander leaves, chilli,
peanuts and add a good squeeze of lime juice.