Recipe and Pictures by Denice Hynd RD, MPH

The Holiday season is here and that means we're likely to have leftovers! Often times, we have leftovers of sides and condiments and not a lot of turkey left over, why is that? Probably because we overestimate how much people will eat, or we get nervous at the store and buy more than we need. Regardless of why we have leftovers, it's important to waste as little as possible in this economy. But what if you no longer want to eat holiday leftovers? Answer: upcycle them into a new meal!

Here, we've taken cranberry sauce and topped it over whole grain toast. Instead of cream cheese or butter, we've whipped regular low fat cottage cheese in the food processor to give it a lighter consistency than typical curds. The result is a fluffy creamy cheese spread that is ready to be topped with leftovers.

Topping ideas: red onion, tomatoes, or arugula left over from a mixed green salad, smoked salmon and capers, apricot jam or cranberry sauce, slivered almonds from green bean casserole, pumpkin puree sprinkled with pumpkin pie spice, the toppings are endless.

Why we love cottage cheese toast: texture friendly four our PD friends. A good source of protein, calcium, and vitamin D. Can be made sweet or savory. Fiber from the whole grains promotes healthy bowel movements. Cranberry sauce is a good source of vitamin C and the tanginess pairs nicely with rich foods.