The following includes two weeks of reported crime in Pacific Palisades.
Burglary/Theft From Vehicle
17000 Pacific Coast Hwy, October 30 between 12 a.m. and 12 p.m. Suspect entered victim’s unlocked vehicle and removed property, suspect fled with property to unknown location.
500 Los Liones Drive, November 4 at 12 p.m. Suspect entered secured vehicle, removed victim’s property and fled in unknown direction.
15900 Pacific Coast Highway, November 4 between 10 and 11:45 a.m. Suspect entered secured vehicle, removed victim’s property and fled in unknown direction.
1200 Corsica Drive, November 5 at 10:30 p.m. Suspect gained entry into victim’s vehicle, took victim’s property and fled in a vehicle.
15100 Pacific Coast Highway, November 5 between 10:45 and 11:45 a.m. Suspect gained entry into secured vehicle, removed victim’s property and fled location.
500 Los Liones Drive, November 10 between 2 and 3:30 p.m. Suspect entered secured vehicle, removed victim’s property and fled location.
Theft
Sunset Boulevard & Pacific Coast Highway, November 2 at 8:30 a.m. Suspect entered business, took items and fled without paying for the items. Suspect was arrested.
15100 Pacific Coast Highway, November 3 between 8 and 11:30 a.m. Suspect removed victim’s property from location and fled in unknown direction.
800 Haverford Avenue, November 6 at 12 p.m. Suspect removed victim’s property (construction tools) from location and fled.
800 Alma Drive, November 6 at 10:30 a.m. Victim left property at location, victim returned next day and property was missing.
Aggravated Assault
400 Swarthmore Avenue, November 8 at 6 p.m. Suspect and victim are related. Suspect approached victim in stairway, suspect held knife overhead, victim, in fear, fled to friend’s house and called police. Subject placed on mental evaluation hold.
Grand Theft Auto
15100 Sunset Boulevard, November 9 at 4:50 p.m. Vehicle taken from parking lot. Vehicle unsecured with keys inside.
Provided by LAPD Senior Lead Officer Brian Espin. In case of emergency, call 911. To report a non-emergency, call 877-275-5273.
Loved reading about Level Up LA, Pali High students (and other area schools) helping elementary school kids, volunteerism at its best, and also very cool about those teenage Palisadian water polo players going to Uganda in the summer to help teach the sport to kids over there. Inspirational!
Parking
Anyone else notice the increase to the Caruso parking structure fee to $5 for the first hour?
Daylight Saving Time
I agree with Time Change. It is so outdated and just plain scientifically wrong for your body. Congress should fix it.
Deck the Halls
The Holiday lights are dazzling and it is so fun to drive around and look. Is it too much to ask for the bright lights to be turned off at a reasonable hour for sleep? 11pm perhaps? Thank you!
Canyon Place
It was interesting to hear about the proposed Canyon Place plans for Chautauqua Boulevard. I would love to have an office in a building like that.
Spooky
Congrats to the Creep Your Crypt winners! I really do feel like Palisadians leveled up their decor this year especially!
Belle Vie
Mmmmm reading about Belle Vie at The Draycott made my mouth water. Perhaps it is time to book a reservation.
Got something to say? Call (310) 454-1321 or email 2cents@palipost.com and get those kudos or concerns off your chest. Names will not be used.
The Office of Councilmember Traci Park, in partnership with the City of Los Angeles Bureau of Engineering and office of State Senator Ben Allen, will virtually host an “informative meeting” on the proposed Potrero Canyon Pacific Coast Highway Pedestrian/Bicycle Bridge Project on Tuesday, December 5, from 6 to 7:30 p.m.
“A pedestrian/bicycle crossing from Potrero Canyon Park to Will Rogers State Beach is needed to provide safe access from Pacific Coast Highway,” according to an event flyer. “As part of the 2021-22 state budget, the California Legislature authorized $11 million for the Potrero Canyon Pacific Coast Highway Pedestrian Bridge.”
The meeting can be joined via Zoom at zoomgov.com/j/1603256176?pwd=SnNMU2d1ZkZySytPb3Z5WS9CQUVYZz09 or with Meeting ID 160 325 6176 and Passcode 533703.
—SARAH SHMERLING
Winter 2024 Sages & Seekers | Palisades Charter High School
Enrollment for the winter 2024 session of Sages & Seekers, which beings in January online and in-person, is now open.
“Sages & Seekers’ mission is to develop empathy, combat social isolation and dissolve age-related segregation within our communities, while meeting the universal and compelling need of both young adults and elders to make sense of their lives,” according to its website. “This is achieved by creating a sense of intergenerational community in our programs, through the art of authentic conversation.”
The program combines Sages (adults 60 years and older) and Seekers (students ages 15 to 24).
In addition to online programming, Sages & Seekers will offer sessions at Palisades Charter High School on Wednesdays from 3:15 to 4:30 p.m. on January 24 and 31; February 7, 14, 21 and 28; and March 6 and 13.
For more information or to sign up, visit sagesandseekers.org. The deadline to enroll is January 10, though spaces may fill up before, so early enrollment is encouraged.
—SARAH SHMERLING
Open House | The Village
Several merchants on Via De La Paz will host a holiday party open house on December 2 from 12 to 4 p.m.
Among those participating are Village Pilates, Vivian’s Boutique, Lena’s Skin Retreat, David Tishbi Jewelry, Bruce Lurie Gallery, BE ROSY and Loomey’s Toy Boutique.
Karin Reitinger, owner of Village Pilates, recently moved to a new studio on Via De La Paz after 20 years.
The event will feature “yummy treats” and giveaways.
—SARAH SHMERLING
Palisades Gift Shop Pop-Up | Palisades Village
Palisades Gift Shop will host two pop-up shops at Porta Via Pacific Palisades in Palisades Village on November 30 and December 7 from 3 to 5 p.m.
The shops will feature “new products and holiday items.”
—SARAH SHMERLING
Wellness Wednesdays | Palisades Branch Library
Palisades Branch Library will host a Wellness Wednesday session on November 29 starting at 10:30 a.m.
“It’s a busy month in the library, so our Mindful Mondays is Wellness Wednesdays for two sessions in the month of November,” according to the library. “Join us for a morning of mindfulness and meditation. Taught by Silvi Winthrop, a certified meditation and mindfulness instructor.”
Attendees are encouraged to RSVP in advance by emailing silviwinthropcounseling@gmail.com.
National League of Young Men Palisades/Brentwood Chapter hosted a fall philanthropy all-league event at Calvary Christian School in September. During the event, more than 100 coats and 60 men’s pants were collected for One Warm Coat Drive, which will support St. Francis Center and One Voice. Participants also assembled 250 hygiene kits for Hope in a Suitcase, as well as wrote 160 letters for Operation Gratitude, wrapped 60 books for J3 Foundation and made almost 190 dog toys for LA Animal Services.
The group is actively recruiting for its class of 2028. For more information, email membership@nlympalisades.org.
Photos courtesy of Kate Burke
Pacific Palisades-based environmental nonprofit Habits of Waste recently honored Vice President of Film Strategy and Operations at Universal Pictures Sam Enoch during the organization’s fourth annual Sustainability Dinner, which took place at a private residence on Santa Monica Beach.
HOW Founder Sheila Morovati was joined by Universal Pictures Sustainable Film Production and Content Director Kimberly Burnick to name Enoch as the 2023 Hero Award recipient for his efforts to develop The Greener Light Program, which is “leading the way” as Hollywood “combats climate change through sustainable productions, both on screen and off.”
The evening was emceed by fellow Palisadian and former Honorary Mayor Kevin Nealon.
Photos courtesy of Habits of Waste
Calvary Christian School hosted its annual community service kick-off assembly in October, launching community service efforts for its students in TK through eighth grade and their parents—a program that dates back 16 years.
“With meaningful partnerships with over 15 local organizations, students are given the opportunity to serve in a wide variety of ways during their years at Calvary,” according to a statement from the school. “Service efforts and field trips allow students to have first-hand experience with serving the underprivileged, those suffering from homelessness and hunger, veterans, families in foster care, the elderly, children with differing abilities, and more.”
This year’s kickoff highlighted a new partnership between Calvary and Operation Mend.
Photos courtesy of Calvary Christian School/Victory Ludwig
Pacific Palisades-Based Clothing Lines Offer Ways to Shop Local This Holiday Season
By LILY TINOCO
and SARAH SHMERLING
I
n need of clothes and gift ideas? Shop local by supporting these Pacific Palisades-based clothing lines.
LATE Clothing LA
LATE Clothing LA, founded by Paul Revere Charter Middle School student Lalia Susini in 2021, has a line of loungewear available for purchase.
Prior to the launch, Lalia suffered an accident at home on October 22, 2020, which resulted in left-side paralysis and brain damage. She remained in critical condition for five days.
Lalia spent nearly three weeks at Cedars Sinai before being transferred to Children’s Hospital Los Angeles, where she participated in physical and occupational therapy for the next two years.
“The loungewear line was created shortly after Lalia was released from inpatient care at Children’s Hospital Los Angeles in 2021,” according to a statement from the brand. “Beginning in 2022, Lalia and her brother, Maxou Susini, joined forces to design and continue the efforts of LATE Clothing. The siblings have been lucky enough to see directly where their contributions have benefited the rehabilitation department of CHLA.”
A portion of proceeds from sales have, and “always will be,” donated to the hospital.
LATE Clothing offers an assortment of T-shirts, tank tops, sweatshirts and sweatpants, jackets, hoodies, and accessories. The line has also collaborated with Palisadian Jamie Lee Curtis, launching the My Hand in Yours collection.
“I love that so many people in our community continue to support LATE,” Lalia said. “I met Jamie Lee Curtis at CHLA and immediately we wanted to do a collaboration to support the hospital we both love and admire. Even in the middle of awards season, Jamie and I were creating our sweats and planning ahead for our next collaboration.”
The collaboration features a special edition hoodie and sweatpant.
“Adorned with the My Hand in Yours logo over the heart, it’s a wearable testament to our mission of compassion and giving,” according to the item description. “Every purchase directly contributes to Children’s Hospital Los Angeles, helping us extend our hand of support.”
lateclothingla.com
City Threads
Run by Highlands residents Joe Willis and Shayna Samuels, Palisadians can turn to City Threads for children’s clothing and comfortable basics.
City Threads was founded by Samuels in 2002 while Willis was in graduate school at USC. When Samuels needed assistance with the growing company, Willis agreed to help for six months and “here we are,” he previously said.
Their objective, the two explained, was to create items that boast a good quality and nice fabric, are super comfortable, and remain at a fair price point. And everything is made in Los Angeles.
Willis and Samuels said that it has been “a long and interesting road.”
“We learned as we went,” the couple said. “We drove all over LA and had to quickly figure out how to make clothing by asking the experienced patternmakers, sewers, fabric salesman, cutters and dye houses who [had] been doing it for decades and were willing to share their knowledge.
“We [would] see what was selling well and try to make more for the next season, which worked for a time, but then times would change, significantly … We’ve had to overhaul our entire line multiple times to keep up, and through these changes, though difficult, the journey helped us transform our brand into a more authentic expression of what we love about clothes.”
City Threads began with zip-hoodies adorned with an embroidery of city names—hence the name City Threads—and has expanded to a complete collection of basics for babies, boys, girls, women and men.
“Our motto is that comfort comes first, and that has guided us to select the softest fabrics and comfortable styles that fit well and feel good,” Willis and Samuels said.
Alongside essential tops, bottoms, dresses and leggings, City Threads also offers organic cotton underwear and pajamas, 100% cotton athletic wear, and UPF 50+ swimwear.
The Fall & Winter Collection, with “soft and cozy thermals” and “soft and warm heavier thermals,” is now available.
The Palisadian-Post has partnered with locally founded environmental organization Resilient Palisades to deliver a “green tip” to our readers in each newspaper. This edition’s tip was written by Lisa Kaas Boyle, an environmental attorney and member of the zero waste committee of Resilient Palisades.
When I was a child with no money of my own, I was forced to get creative with gifts for my family. This led me to some thoughtful coupon books and crafts of questionable merit.
My own children inherited this handmade gift wizardry, resulting in coupons for good behavior, no-sewing-required clothing made of strips of old sheets, and fabulous earrings made from paper clips and beads that I really would have worn but for my allergies to anything but gold posts.
Now that the holiday season is upon us, I think back to these gifting practices with a chuckle and a smile. Even adult gift-givers can enjoy a break from costly consumerism and waste by focusing on meaning, practicality and sustainability. Here are a few idea sparks for this holiday season:
Make Some Dates. We live in a city of incredible cultural resources. Why not make a list of things to do that your friends and family would enjoy? Make coupons redeemable on any given day for theater, symphony, sporting events, opera, zoo, ice skating, museums or concerts. You can email the season for our wonderful arts institutions to the recipient and ask them to advise you of their selection by a certain date so you can set your calendar with them and purchase the tickets if necessary.
Pass Along an Heirloom. Why hold on to things we don’t use if someone else in your family has expressed an interest or need for that item? Just make sure through subtle means that this gift will be appreciated.
Be of Service. What are you able to do well? Organize? Cook? Clean? Babysit? Paint? Garden? Make a certificate for service for so many hours. Include when it is redeemable. Make sure to follow up with your recipient, as they may be shy to take the offer.
Gifts in a Jar. Do you have some good recipes for cookies, granola, spiced tea, etc. that you can artfully present in mason jars? No waste and all taste. You could also make your own salt baths or sugar scrubs to gift in mason jars. Spend some time online for ideas.
Be an Exercise Buddy. Offer a regular meeting time and place to be agreed upon for an exercise class or outdoor activity.
Do you have a Gift Garden? A gift of fruit or produce from your garden is thoughtful and can be presented in a ceramic bowl that will be reused over the years.
Memberships. How about a membership to a local cultural institution with an offer to arrange transportation and accompany the recipient for the first visit?
Classes. If you know the special interests of your recipient, you can gift them a class that will nurture that interest. Research local classes in art, exercise, cooking, etc.
Sustain an Independent Bookstore. Give a gift certificate from a nearby bookstore like DIESEL, A Bookstore in the Brentwood Country Mart or Zibby’s Bookshop, owned and operated by Palisadian Zibby Owens, in Santa Monica.
Music. Make some mix CDs with specific themes, moods or genres of music that your recipient can enjoy in their cars or home. Include liner notes and cool art for the case. Google how to make a mix CD if you haven’t done this before. It’s a lot easier today than in the old mix-tape days. Enjoy the gift-giving season.
For additional tips on how to have an environmentally sustainable holiday, check out the most recent edition of 90272 Magazine.
By Damon Raskin, M.D. | Special to the Palisadian-Post
Q:With the holidays coming up, I know there is plenty of opportunity for over-indulgence. My plan is to enjoy the season and resume normal eating/drinking habits in January. Are there any long-term effects from a short period of time of over-indulging or am I in the clear?
‘Tis the season to be jolly! And it’s also the season to eat the fun but fattening foods you have been looking forward to all year.
The Thanksgiving table is usually filled with multiple kinds of carbs, sugar and sweet desserts, and these are not things you should be denying yourself on this special day. You can go on the internet to find advice on how to not overeat or be tempted by all this deliciousness, but that is not healthy for your soul. And that is not the question for today!
The whole point of the holidays is to share food and drinks with family and friends, and not feel guilty when doing so. As a medical professional, I am giving you permission to eat what you want on two or three days of the year. You will not gain any significant amount of weight if you indulge a couple of times but eat right and exercise the rest of the year.
Now that being said, I am not advising that you overindulge for two months out of the year. Just because your house or office is full of See’s Candies or those caramel popcorn bins does not mean you stop eating healthy for the full two months of the “season.” If you do, you can indeed gain weight, which can then affect other medical conditions, such as high blood pressure, high cholesterol and diabetes.
For some of my patients, I have seen that throwing away their inhibitions completely tends to be a slippery slope and can be difficult to stop for weeks or months. It is important, therefore, to really know yourself and your body.
Make conscious decisions about food and drinks, and know that you will have two or three “cheat days” to eat whatever you want. You just need a game plan to get back on track after the special meal.
In fact, to avoid putting on holiday weight, try to eat healthfully most of the time, so you can safely indulge in those foods and drinks you have been hankering for and not feel guilty. If you engage in mindful eating, you will also enjoy your meal more and will stop before you are painfully stuffed.
Remember that you do not have to eat everything on your plate. Eat the foods you really love during these meals and say no to some that you just feel so-so about.
Slow down while eating these indulgent foods, so you can really savor the flavor. Remember that these meals are not just about the food, but also about spending time with those you love. These foods can release a flood of dopamine, which brings pleasure and can definitely improve mood short term.
It is definitely OK to let go of any guilt while eating because there are really no bad foods in moderation. I have a patient who once told me: “Don’t feel guilty, just eat the dang pie!” I love her philosophy. But I would caution you to just eat one piece and not the whole dang pie.
With Thanksgiving season underway, I had the pleasure of sitting down with Susie Sarich, founder and CEO of SusieCakes, to get a behind-the-scenes look at how she and her team prepare the bakery for the holiday rush, as well as learn more about the traditions and challenges that come with it.
Introduction to SusieCakes
SusieCakes is an all-American, homestyle bakery. They bake on site from scratch (butter, flour, sugar, eggs) every day from recipes based on both of her grandmothers’ handwritten three-by-five-inch recipe cards.
Sarich grew up in Chicago, and both of her grandmothers, Mildred and Madeline, lived across the alley from each other. In fact, this is how her parents met.
Sarich’s father was a firefighter who worked long shifts. Sarich spent a lot of time with her grandmothers, both of whom were amazing cooks and bakers. Much of Sarich’s childhood was spent in their respective kitchens, watching them cook and bake while they shared stories.
Thanksgiving Traditions
Thanksgiving is Sarich’s favorite holiday. It symbolizes coming together with friends, family, and loved ones, expressing gratitude, and enjoying great food.
Sarich shared that she has always loved dessert best. Her favorite Thanksgiving memories involve dinner being finished with everyone gathered around the table enjoying coffee or a glass of port. The pies would be brought to the table, and her relatives would chat for hours on end, sharing stories of their past and playing board games.
Special Thanksgiving Offerings
SusieCakes’ Thanksgiving menu boasted top sellers such as pecan pie, pumpkin pie and apple crumble pie, along with a pumpkin cheesecake, baked on a graham cracker crust, and a cranberry orange cake. The bakery also offered frosted sugar cookies shaped like turkeys, along with cupcakes and mini cupcakes specially decorated for Thanksgiving.
Preparing for the Rush
The preparation for Thanksgiving at SusieCakes starts early in November. The team meticulously follows a checklist daily, ensuring everything is in place for the big day. From folding thousands of boxes to following specific baking schedules and ingredient preparation, each step is crucial for a successful Thanksgiving rush.
Sarich noted that the Wednesday before Thanksgiving between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. is a well-choreographed process. There is a table set up at the front of the store, with a greeter and runners going back and forth, gathering the thousands of guest orders. In fact, SusieCakes will sell over 10,000 pies companywide for Thanksgiving.
Popular Thanksgiving Treats
Pies reign supreme during the Thanksgiving season, with pumpkin, apple and pecan being the most popular choices. Additionally, frosted sugar cookies and cupcakes add a festive touch to the menu.
A lot of people celebrate birthdays on Thanksgiving. Sarich said there are far more “Happy Birthday cakes” that go out for Thanksgiving than one would imagine.
Challenges and Solutions
The Thanksgiving season brings unique challenges due to the high demand. Staffing for peak seasons can be a struggle. Today there is not a market of seasonal workers available.
In addition, they have only so much capacity, therefore they need to streamline their offerings. For example, although lemon cake and snickerdoodle cookies are beloved items, they remove them from the menu during November and December.
Sourcing ingredients starts as early as August: SusieCakes uses their historical sales data to forecast the demand and purchasing needs. However, every year there tends to be one ingredient that is hard to source.
This year their supplier let them know they would not be able to fulfill the entirety of their whole pecan order. Given the team was prepared, they were able to find a secondary supplier to meet the demand.
Team Collaboration
Team collaboration is a key ingredient at SusieCakes during the Thanksgiving season and throughout the year. In fact, Sarich said her passion is hospitality. She knew at a young age she wanted to serve people and make them happy.
Sarich attended Cornell’s School of Hotel Administration, and spent many years working in restaurants in a variety of front of house and management positions. She saw many women leave the industry because it was hard to have time for a family, let alone go out for a date.
When she started SusieCakes, it was important to her to provide a place for the team to be able to have a career without having to sacrifice the life they wanted.
At the beginning of November, Sarich hosts a company meeting with her general manager and head bakers to make sure everyone is on the same page and understands the day to day checklists that must be completed in order to satisfy the Thanksgiving demand. The Monday before Thanksgiving, the team celebrates each other’s efforts with a special breakfast or luncheon.
Customer Interaction
Sarich said she spends a lot more of her time in the stores throughout November and December. She said she loves engaging with guests and enjoys hearing how SusieCakes becomes a part of their holiday traditions.
Sarich shared the story of a woman who would come to the Brentwood store the Monday before Thanksgiving and order a few hundred small pies. After a few years of doing this, Sarich finally asked the woman what she did with the pies. The woman told her that she delivers them to individuals at senior living facilities who may be celebrating the holiday alone. To this day Sarich said she remains touched by this woman’s generosity and loves that SusieCakes is a small part of that.
Personal Favorites
Pecan pie holds a special place in Sarich’s heart, but she admitted to loving all the Thanksgiving treats SusieCakes has to offer. The nostalgic aroma of cinnamon is a favorite flavor that permeates the holiday season.
My personal favorites are her soft and chewy chocolate chip cookies and the Vanilla Celebration Cake.
Advice for Home Bakers
Sarich offered practical advice for home bakers, emphasizing the importance of planning in advance. Desserts, such as pies, can be prepared ahead of time.
She also mentioned that baking a pie crust can be a challenge. Baking is a science, and pie crusts can be finicky. Sarich’s tip is to make sure all of the crust ingredients are cold.
Placing Orders
SusieCakes is closed on Thanksgiving Day and the Friday after, as it is important to Sarich that she and her team receive a well-deserved break.
Thanksgiving is all the more special to her because of what she and her team are able to accomplish in such a short period of time. In all, SusieCakes is not just about baking: It’s about creating moments of joy and tradition for their guests.
Visit SusieCakes in Brentwood at 11708 San Vicente Boulevard or online at susiecakes.com where nationwide shipping is available.
101 Sawtelle Boulevard Los Angeles, CA 90064 310-479-5400
By MERV HECHT | Restaurant Critic
There are a lot of good restaurants in Pacific Palisades and Santa Monica, and some wonderful sushi havens. But I have not found any yakitori.
When I was in Japan recently, we enjoyed sitting in front of an expert yakitori chef and savored the delicious grilled chicken skewers one at a time.
Upon returning home we decided to see if we could find the same thing here.
First, we tried one spot, but we couldn’t figure out how to make a reservation online and they never answered the telephone. When I stopped by to make a reservation, the maître’d’ was not very friendly, and said they were fully booked up and I would need to call. So, I gave up on eating there.
Then our little family group went to Yakitoriya on Sawtelle. There were just four seats available at the bar, so it was perfect.
The chef was very busy but still had time to joke around with my son, Spencer, in Japanese. I have no idea what they were talking about but there was a lot of laughing.
We ordered hot sake, cold sake and beer, and a lot of different skewers and other dishes.
The best skewer to my taste was the chicken with a slice of truffle on top. I’m usually not a big fan of black truffle, but this one was perfect with the juicy chicken stick.
My sister ordered a fried chicken breast, which was cooked to perfection with a delicious crust and a salad on the side. Another great dish was the sliced duck breast, unusually lean and flavorful.
Skewers of various kinds kept flowing under the window on to our plates, including various vegetables and bacon-wrapped scallops.
This was so much fun and so delicious that we decided to do it once per week.
The Sawtelle area is now one of the busiest places in Los Angeles for dinners. There is a wonderful Korean restaurant that serves very spicy tofu soup that I love, and a new Chinese restaurant recently opened serving all kinds of dim sum.
And of course, there is Jonathon Gold’s favorite noodle shop on the corner, but it’s quite a wait to get in. The same is true of the sushi bar across the street that has the sushi on a rotating moving belt. My grandchildren love that place, but it too has become so popular that it’s a wait to get in.
In the two or three blocks filled with restaurants, there are wonderful choices, but for us, Yakitoriya was the star.
Merv Hecht, like many Harvard Law School graduates, went into the wine business after law. In 1988, he began writing restaurant reviews and books. His latest book, “The Instant Wine Connoisseur, 3d edition,” is available on Amazon. He currently works for several companies that source and distribute food and wine products internationally. Send comments to mervynhecht@yahoo.com.
Some people love it, and some … not so much, but odds are most of us will eat plenty of turkey for Thanksgiving dinner this week. In fact, statistics show that 88% of Americans will be tucking into their traditional Turkey dinner this year.
I personally love a good turkey dinner. In the UK, where I was raised, it’s our Christmas Day meal, so some years, if we go back to see family for the holidays, we get to eat it twice.
But did you know that 70% of people polled said that they enjoy the leftovers of their turkey dinner more than the original meal? Simple turkey sandwiches, a tasty turkey pot pie, a quick turkey chili, or a very rich, and probably pretty unhealthy, turkey tetrazzini—it’s not surprising the leftovers are a winner, there is much you can do with the leftover meat.
The best thing is it is healthy and good for us, too. Low in fat, rich in protein, and packed with vital vitamins and essential minerals.
My family favorite for leftover turkey dinner is creamy enchiladas. Shredded turkey meat, vegetables, sour cream and cheese, all baked in soft tortillas and ready in just 45 minutes—delicious.
So, this year, make sure you save some turkey and some room for leftovers.
Ingredients
Serves 4 to 6
3 cups cooked turkey breast, shredded with a fork
2 tbsp olive oil
1 large onion, chopped finely (and two garlic cloves if you want to add)
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp dried oregano
½ large yellow pepper, chopped finely
1 zucchini, chopped finely
2 to 3 tbsp sour cream
1 bunch fresh cilantro, chopped
16 oz jar of tomatillo green salsa (Herdez Mild Salsa Verde)
Salt and pepper to taste
1 cup mixed Mexican cheese, grated
1 pack of flour tortillas (large) 6 to 8 (or use corn for gluten-free)
Directions
Set oven to 400 degrees, lightly oil a large rectangle baking or glass dish. Sauté onion in olive oil in a large frying pan for five minutes till soft. Add yellow pepper and sauté for five minutes, then zucchini, cumin and oregano for a further five minutes till soft.
Add shredded turkey and mix well. Add half of the green salsa to moisten it, and cook on low heat for five minutes.
Add sour cream, a handful of grated cheese and cilantro, mix well, and take off the heat; add salt and pepper.
Place a tortilla on a plate and spoon in filling (two to three tablespoons) in a strip in the center, then roll tightly and place in the dish. Fill all the tortillas equally to complete the dish, then pour the rest of the green salsa down the middle and sprinkle with grated cheese (you can also add chopped black olives).
Cook for 20 minutes or until bubbling at the sides and slightly brown on top.
Serve with extra cilantro and sour cream on the side if you wish, and a shredded green cabbage slaw dressed with lemon juice, ½ tsp salt and a tiny drizzle of olive oil, or a crisp green salad.
For this and more inspiration from Laurent-Kocher’s healthy recipes and a “how-to guide” to planning healthy home-cooked dinners, her first book, “Step Up To Dinner,” is a must-buy. To purchase a copy, arrange a fun group workshop or book a private consultation, email ruth@uptotheplate.org or go to uptotheplate.org, and you can follow Laurent-Kocher on Instagram @upto_theplate.
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