Blueberry Turkey Panzanella Salad

Disclaimer: By posting this recipe I am entering a recipe contest sponsored by U.S. Highbush Blueberry Council and am eligible to win prizes associated with the contest. I was not compensated for my time.

So, this twist on an Italian peasant dish was created from three inspirations that came together:

1) Wondering why I only cook turkey one day out of the year?
2) The current trend of using fruit & spices, which are usually designated to sweet recipes, in savory preparations
3) A recent craving for a simple bread salad

All the above inspirations were sparked when I learned about the “Mama’s Plate Update” Blueberry Blogger Recipe Contest. There are many days I wish we had access to a blueberry bush  because we go through them like mad in this house. My 5 year daughter likes to make “blueberry soup“ (1. add blueberries to bowl, 2. pour in the milk, 3. eat with a spoon.) but that’s really as fancy as it gets – 99% of the time, we are just eating them out of hand.

So I got to thinking about using blueberries in any type of recipe besides a dessert (reference inspiration #2 above.) Here Thanksgiving leftovers (turkey, days old baguette, extra blue cheese crumbles and pecans) sure came in handy. I used blueberries both in the salad and as a base for the Blueberry Lemon Vinaigrette dressing.

The result? An explosion of flavors and textures that definitely woke up my lunch time routine. My early new year’s resolution is to cook turkey more often and use the leftovers to make this salad.

Do you have any favorite savory fruit recipes? How often do you cook turkey (if ever)?