Quick, healthy recipes for your Thanksgiving leftovers

LOS ANGELES (KABC) -- Gelsons dietician Jessica Siegel is a master at taking the tried and true Thanksgiving spread and turning it into something special.

While we all love our family favorites, Thanksgiving can be a bit beige so Siegel said why not brighten up the rest of those holidays with lots of produce.

"I try to make half my plate vegetables - no matter if it's a regular day or a holiday," she said. "So it's like taking your turkey in a totally different direction. This is a lot of north African flavors that you just don't associate with Thanksgiving. So it's a completely different meal the next day."

She shreds turkey in chicken broth. The broth is then saved for dried cranberries, mint, parsley, jalapeno peppers and spices like turmeric and cinnamon.

"Next I'm going to make my turkey and avocado tostada salad. This is a family favorite that we actually eat year-round," Siegel said.

All of it is cooked down for something savory. She also adds grains like quinoa or brown rice to the mix. Then she uses dark meat leftovers for a turkey tostado salad.

"They're really filling. They're great for controlling blood sugar. They're a great source of plant protein and fiber," she said.

Brightly colored veggies in a bowl and diced cilantro, jalapeno, red onion, corn and black beans are also added. The lime juice, olive oil, salt and pepper dressing is simple. Then you just shake it all up and pour.

A fun take on a turkey sandwich is this - a turkey cranberry quesadilla with asiago and Swiss cheese.

"The tortilla I used is the healthiest option. It's a flourless, whole-sprouted grain tortilla. It is a more firm tortilla so it really holds up well," she said.

These different dishes add some flavor so there's no waste this Thanksgiving holiday. To see the recipes, click here.