Your Thanksgiving meal is nothing but a distant memory today; on average we consume 4,500 calories from this one meal alone! Between the appetizers, alcohol, main dish and desserts my guess is you aren’t feeling great.

Our liver, kidneys and lungs do a great job of detoxifying our bodies from harmful toxins and pollutants; today is about getting rid of the bloated, full feeling you have from overeating. So here we go!

Drink Water: lots of it, to the tune of one gallon.

Exercise: Don’t delay; don’t think about it, just to it. Exercise is completely underrated during the holidays. It’s the best way to control your weight alone with portion control on “non-holiday” days.  Physical activity is also a great way to control stress and anxiety during the holiday season.

Eat healthy: Focus on fresh foods such as fruits, vegetables, lean protein (white meat turkey) and whole grains. Eat like this on a regular basis and you’ll find that days like Thanksgiving, Hanukah and Christmas may have no affect on your weight at all.

Healthy Post-Thanksgiving Meal Tip: Create a flavorful and festive Turkey stir-fry. Simply combine sautéed fresh mixed vegetables with left over turkey breast and serve with a small portion of left over plain sweet potatoes.

Left over Turkey Stir-Fry

Prep: 5 minutes

Cook time: 10 Minutes

INGREDIENTS:

• 1/2 green bell pepper
• 1 red bell pepper or 1/2 red and 1/2 yellow bell pepper
• 1 can baby corn
• 2 tablespoons soy sauce
• 3 tablespoons water or chicken broth
• 1 teaspoon wine or dry sherry
• 1/2 teaspoon sesame oil
• 1 teaspoon cornstarch
• 2 garlic cloves, peeled and chopped
• 1 tbsp canola oil (for stir-frying)
• 2 cups cooked chopped turkey breast

DIRECTIONS:

1. Wash, remove the seeds from the bell peppers and cut into thin strips.
2. Rinse the can of baby corn in warm water and drain thoroughly.
3. Combine the soy sauce, water or chicken broth, wine or dry sherry, and sesame oil in a small bowl. Whisk in the cornstarch and set aside.
4. Heat the wok and add oil, drizzling it around the sides. When the oil is hot, add the bell peppers, and stir-fry until aromatic.
5. Add the baby corn, stir-fry briefly, and then add the garlic. Continue stir-frying.
6. Give the sauce a quick stir. Make a well in the middle of the wok and add the sauce, stirring quickly to thicken.
7. Add the turkey, stir to combine, and serve hot over brown rice or with left over potatoes.

Recipe by: Jacqueline Gomes, RDN, MBA