tunaSALAD

 my twist on the classic dish.

i kicked it up a notch in the healthy department, with a nice dose of veggies & vegenaise!

i make this recipe about once a month.  it's great for lunches; as a salad, as a sandwich or with a spoon!     

as i do with many things, i make a big batch of it so we have it for a couple days.  this way we have healthy choices available & ready to eat.  i find that the odds of making healthy choices skyrocket (particularly for my husband) when there are pre-made options waiting for him in the fridge.  because if he has to think about it, or make it, i can assure you that it will most likely involve cheese, meat, cheese & meat:) 

so for us, this is a good one to have in the fridge!  the protein & good fats from the tuna make it very filling and with a rainbow of veggies, it's colorful & nutrient rich too!  it twists up the classic tuna salad a bit, which i know to consist of: tuna, mayo, onion & celery.  not that there is anything wrong with that version, however, these days i do my best to add-in veggies & good alternatives when & wherever i can.  i want to promote health & healing in our bodies...through the foods we eat the majority of the time.  and i let's just face it, i never rrrreally liked mayo anyway.  

which brings me to vegenaise, a mayonnaise alternative, that can be found in most grocery stores(typically in the egg section or the health food section of the store).  vegenaise is low in saturated fats, cholestral-free & low in sodium.  it also does not contain dairy, gluten, egg, wheat, yeast, corn or starch and there are soy free options available too!  all of that making it a great choice if you have food allergies or practice a way of eating that supports heart health.

now how about that lettuce?  i just think it looks completely delicious, full of life and absolutely beautiful!  and what makes it even cooler is that i know where it was grown & it's right down the road!  it's from a local company located in burton, oh  Great Lake Growers.  they have an awesome philosophy to "consistently deliver the absolute freshest, cleanest, highest quality, local produce".  such an outstanding and admiral approach to have, especially when it comes to food!  i love their approach, their products & the fact that i am supporting local producers when i buy it!  good for me/us & good for them:)

in fact, i thought that the lettuce was so pretty, that i was hesitant to use it.  but then i thought, well unless i'm going to put it in a vase on the table, i should probably eat it!  so i used that amazing lettuce as the backdrop for my tunaSALAD today.  it was the perfect choice for presentation & most importantly...taste!  

ingredients.

4cans  albacore white tuna in water

1/2cup cucumber

1/4-1/2 cup onion (depending on your taste)

1cup peppers (i used a red, orange & yellow combo)

1/2cup celery (i remove the skins) 

1/4cup carrot

1/2cup vegenaise

1/4cup mustard

sea salt & pepper to taste

how to.

drain cans of tuna and add to a medium sized mixing bowl.  dice cucumber, onion, peppers, celery, carrot and add to the bowl.  add vegenaise, mustard & sea salt/pepper to taste.  stir it all together & place in the refrigerator.  i like to leave it in there for at least an hour...to chill & let the flavors come together a little bit before serving.  

simple serving ideas.

add a scoop to a bed of greens & garnish with tomato.

make a sandwich with it, adding the tomato & the greens too!

put it in a wrap, using a tortilla or a big leafy green.

eat a scoop of it with a spoon:)

or make a tuna melt.  add a scoop to a piece of bread, top with cheese & bake in the oven on 350, until cheese melts & the bread is crispy!

on ice cream...just kidding!!! :o

enjoy! e.