Leftover turkey salad with fruit

Although I'm a big meat eater I don't eat much turkey. By the end of Thanksgiving and Christmas I've had all I can stand, but that still leaves me with leftover turkey. There is so much to do with leftover turkey, but one of my favorites is turkey salad with fruit. Leftover turkey makes great turkey salad, and I  love to make a good batch for sandwiches and wraps.

Cherries, apples and raisins

I add a couple of items to the salad to make it all my own, and I think that's why people love turkey salad from leftovers. It's simple, tasty and livens up turkey meat with your own special spin. 



Leftover turkey salad with fruit recipe

• 10 oz. Turkey
• 10 Cherries pitted and quartered
• 2 oz. raisins
• 2 to 3 oz. chopped apples 
• 1.5 oz. Applewood Smoked Gouda shredded
• 3 T Mayo (large helping)
• 1 oz. fine chopped celery
• 1 oz. sliced almonds
• 1 oz fine chopped onions
• 1/2 T butter
• Salt
• Pepper
• Garlic powder to taste
• Tarragon to taste

Onion, celery and almond preparation

Ingredients in the mixing bowl

Heat a pan on medium and add butter. Add almonds, onion and celery to the pan and saute until brown.  Place in a large mixing bowl to cool.

Turkey and fruit preparation

Chop turkey and apples into small pieces. Pit and quarter the cherries and place the turkey, smoked gouda cheese, apples, cherries and raisins into the mixing bowl with the onions, celery and almonds.

Add mayo, salt, pepper, garlic powder and tarragon and mix. Be careful with the tarragon. Tarragon is very strong and overwhelming if you add too much.

Heart healthy alternatives

Turkey salad on Texas toast with lettuce and tomato 

Exclude butter and use a fat free mayo if you prefer, as well as low calorie, low carbohydrate Santa Fe Tortilla instead of bread.  Use pears, cranberries and grapes if you don't like the above fruits, or  fat free shredded cheese.

Although I saute the onions, almonds and celery it's not necessary. I just prefer the taste better when it's sauteed. I also add the smoked Gouda because it gives the salad such a great smokey flavor and adds to the texture.

This turkey salad recipe only takes 15 to 20 minutes to prepare.