I didn't grow up eating tuna, but I'd like to start eating it now - cheap and easy and low-cal and good for you. But what do I do with it?
The usual tuna salad - even a calorie conscious version - isn't really an option because I have always disliked mayo based salads. Doesn't really float my boat. But I'm willing to try other things.
Also, what kind of tuna do you get? I got a pouch of albacore in water, but is there a flavor difference between that and the chunk light?
I buy Genova solid light tuna packed in olive oil. Yeah, I know, more calories than the water packed stuff but tons more flavor so for it it's totally worth it. I drain the oil and then dump the can on top of my salad - I don't dress the tuna and I don't add any other dressing to my greens and veggies. I love this salad like wow!
Fresh tuna steaks cooked on the "george foreman lean mean etc" are also really yummy. They are expensive so I don't have them that often but I always love it when I splurge and buy a little one.
I get Trader Joes albacore in water. I think there is a difference between the albacore and others. I like mayonnaise but on another thread a few people said they like to use yogurt for tuna salad.
I have mixed mine with a bit of egg white, panko crumbes(can use bread crumbes or crackers) and some dill and cook with you would a hamburger.
I have also mixed with cut up veggies like green peppers and cucumbers and stirred in a bit of italian dressing. You can eat alone or or crackers.
I've tossed it with finely chopped red onion, a bit of olive oil, oregano & either chickpeas or cannellini beans.
I've sauteed minced garlic in olive oil, added red pepper flakes & a squirt of anchovy paste, poured in diced tomatoes & cooked it down to a simple sauce, then stirred tuna through that. You can use this as a sauce for whole wheat pasta --preferably rotini or something that would hold sauce -- or again, mix it through some beans.
I've also made patties with it -- Google "pabuca" and "tuna," which should turn up some recipes.
There's also Salad Nicoise, if you've got green beans & olives lying around.
I've tossed it with finely chopped red onion, a bit of olive oil, oregano & either chickpeas or cannellini beans.
I've sauteed minced garlic in olive oil, added red pepper flakes & a squirt of anchovy paste, poured in diced tomatoes & cooked it down to a simple sauce, then stirred tuna through that. You can use this as a sauce for whole wheat pasta --preferably rotini or something that would hold sauce -- or again, mix it through some beans.
I've also made patties with it -- Google "pabuca" and "tuna," which should turn up some recipes.
There's also Salad Nicoise, if you've got green beans & olives lying around.
That sounds totally delicious, and YOU look fabulous!
I mix tuna with either grated red onion or green onion tops, some tomatoes, sometimes thawed peas, and a sweet mustard vinaigrette I make with plenty of red wine vinegar, salt, pepper, a smidge of mustard, and a touch of splenda (half a pack at most). Sometimes I eat the mixture with crackers and sometimes I mix in extra dressing and eat it with spinach. I use solid albacore in water... at first, I weirded out at the thought of eating tuna with a sweet vinaigrette, but it's really yummy imho~
I like to make tuna waldorf salad. A can of tuna with chopped celery, cubed apple and walnuts. And maybe a little curry powder.
I always use 0% greek yogurt.
I get Albacore packed in oil, I agree with the other poster the tuna packed in water has no flavor. I drain off the oil and rinse with a little water and still have good flavor. I usually make tuna sandwiches and skip the bread or have it open face I usually use hard boiled eggs, tuna and mayo, but there is a world of ingredients that you can use with tuna.
Tuna salad I'll use WF ranch (yyaa for 0 calories!) and a bit of pureed chick peas to add texture. Then all the celery, onion, and I'm crazy but love to add the sugar free (splenda) sweet pickles chopped up.
I love to use it in a quick stir fry with a bit of low sodium soy or teriyaki sauce. I just toss it in a non stick pan pre heated (I don't cook with oils) and a serving of stir fry frozen veggies. With consistent tossing the frozen veggies have enough ice to keep everything unstuck and in the end I toss in the little bit of sauce. DELISIOUS!
I love adding it to my fritattas. I use egg beaters so I can afford to toss in a serving of meat also if I want. In case you've never made a fritatta here's my modified version (minus some of the oils etc.). I chop my fresh veggies lets say zucchini, yellow squash, onion, mushroom, tomato, and a few green beans. Add the tuna and quickly pan "fry" the veggies till lightly cooked but still crisp using a small frying pan. I use chicken broth to lube the pan rather then oil. pre sheet the oven on broil. Let the pan with the veggies sit a second or so while you get the egg beaters, a 1/2 cup (2 eggs worth). Slowly pour the egg mix over the veggies covering evenly and gently move the pan to let the egg fill all crevices in the veggies. Then let it sit on the stove till 3/4 the way cooked (DO NOT MIX OR STIR) and then take the pan and put it in the oven and broil it the rest of the way cooked till there is a bit of browning on the top. Gently slide it onto a plate and you have this standing egg dish that is DELISH! I typically drizzle with salsa and go to town.
I can get chicken of the sea tuna for just $0.50 a can at my local Winco when on sale so I stock up. Each can has 2 servings. Can't beet $0.25 for a serving of protien!!!!
I get the no salt added kind. Sometimes I mix it with lf cream cheese and some pepper and thyme. Then I eat it on the multigrain pita crackers from TJ's. Or I will mix it with avocado and have it in a wrap or a sandwich. I have mixed it with hummus too. My favorite splurge/"comfort food" currently is the TJ's reduced guilt mac & cheese with tuna mixed in.
I'm a big fan of chopping up lots of veggies (my normal is squash, celery, egg whites, peppers, mushrooms) and adding in salsa and a bit of hot sauce. You can top a lite ww english muffin to it, I've topped rice cakes with it, or add the mix to cabbage leaves!
What to do with tuna?
