Doin' Some Cookin'... Avocado Tuna Salad

Tuna salad sandwiches in my household consist of tuna and mayo. We're simple like that when it comes to tuna. However, with being on this weight loss journey I have branched out and tried a handful of tuna salad recipes and am loving how versatile canned tuna can be and it's a pantry staple. 

This Avocado Tuna Salad has a lot going on but trust me it all works even Little Man loved it and chose a tuna salad sandwich over hot off the grill chicken. So you know this is good. But feel free to opt anything that doesn't float your tuna boat. 

Mayonnaise gets replaced with avocado which helps add creaminess and acts as a binding agent and onions, celery, and apple give it some crunch. 

Avocado Tuna Salad 

Adapted From: HelloHealthy

Makes 2 Servings

Stars of the Show:

• 1 can tuna, drained
• 1/2 avocado
• 1/4 cup celery, chopped
• 1/4 cup red onion, chopped
• 1/4 red apple, chopped
• 1/8 cup walnuts, toasted
• 3 tbsp pickle juice
• 1 tsp dried dill
• 1/2 tsp spicy brown mustard
• 1/8 tsp cumin
• salt and pepper, to taste

And Action:

In a small bowl, mash avocado until smooth. Combine the rest of the ingredients. Serve on toasted bread. Enjoy!

Doin' Some Cookin'... Asian Tuna Salad

Tuna salad is one of my absolute favorites for lunch or a quick snack so canned tuna is a pantry staple. Little Man loves it with just mayo and gets tuna sandwiches packed in his lunch once or twice a week. I on the other hand love variety and obviously trying new recipes so when I came across this recipe for a low-carb tuna salad I knew I had to make this for my lunch this week.

What takes this tuna salad over the top is the dressing, which is a sesame peanut dressing. Reminds me of the peanut dipping sauce they use for spring rolls. Yum!

In this tuna salad you get the perfect balance of tuna, crunch from the cucumbers, and a punch of flavor. You have to try it.

This salad can be prepared the night before by simply keeping the dressing and greens in separate containers, perfect to pack for work lunches.

Asian Tuna Salad

Adapted From: HelloHealthy from MyFitnessPal

Makes 1 Serving

Stars of the Show for the Dressing:

• 1/2 tbsp sesame oil
• 1/2 tbsp rice wine vinegar
• 3/4 tbsp peanut butter
• 1 tbsp lemon juice
• 1/4 tsp soy sauce
• sea salt, to taste

Stars of the Show for the Salad:

• 1/2 can tuna, drained and flaked
• 2 cups spinach
• 1/4 cup cucumbers, quartered
• red onions, chopped, to taste
• sesame seeds, to taste

And Action:

Combine all dressing ingredients in a small container with lid and shake vigorously until mixed. 

In a bowl, toss the salad ingredients until combined. 

Add the dressing and toss to combine. Garnish with sesame seeds. Enjoy!

Doin' Some Cookin'... Tuna Salad

Great news... I finally broke my six week plateau with a 2.2 pound loss this week. That's a total of 16.3 pounds since January 2016. I went through a couple stacks of clothing I put away that didn't fit and I was thrilled to see how many articles of clothing I added to my wardrobe, both tops and bottoms.

One of things that has led to my success with weight loss has been meal planning. Here's what has worked for me:

1. On Friday night after work I go to Starbucks and get a Venti Iced Coffee Unsweetened with Coconut Milk and Cinnamon Powder. Once home I plant myself on the couch since I am exhausted from my work week and I know I've earned some down time. As I go through my favorite blogs and Instagram accounts I bookmark recipes that I just have to make that are Whole30 diet compliant. I bookmark just about every salad and smoothie. These have been my obsession lately.
2. On Sunday morning I go through the recipes I bookmarked and make my grocery list and then head to Whole Foods or Costco. 
3. Every night after I lay Little Man down for bed I create my meal plan using WebMD's Food & Fitness Planner calculating the calories in the recipes and basing my day around my calorie goal. After I'm done meal planning I make Little Man's lunch first and then mine. 

Without a plan in place I have to wing my meals from the local fast food/restaurant options we have close. Believe it or not, I have found diet compliant options at just about every place, except McDonald's and Popeyes. No biggie. The food at these places is shit. Not that I won't get a craving for nuggets and fries on road trips cause that does happen.

Tuna sandwiches are Little Man's favorite and whenever we open a can I make half with just mayo and use the other half to try a new tuna salad variation. I think I may have found a new favorite.

This tuna salad is heavy on the veggies, a tasty way to get them into your diet, and a super easy lunch to throw together. Instead of using mayo I used olive oil and lemon juice.

Tuna Salad

Adapted From: Oh, That's Tasty!

Makes 1 Serving

Stars of the Show:

• 1/2 can of tuna, broke up 
• 1/4 cup red onion, chopped
• 1/2 of a lemon, juiced
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• dried parsley, to taste
• salt and pepper, to taste
• 3/4 cup bell peppers, chopped
• 1/2 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
• 1 tbsp capers

And Action:

Combine all ingredients in a bowl and toss well. Enjoy!

Doin' Some Cookin'... Mediterranean Tuna Salad

Little Man and I love love love tuna sandwiches. There is nothing more refreshing than a tuna sandwich on a hot day and a little unknown until now fact about me... they are my number one late night craving.

I've only made my tuna salad two ways to date:

1. Mixed with nothing but mayo since Little Man likes it this way and I'm forever a 7 year old as well, or
2. Mixed with nonfat plain Greek yogurt, mustard, capers, red onion, and salt and pepper because I can no longer be in denial that I'm growing older.

With early Spring in full effect here in Texas my mind has drifted to vacation planning and one of the destinations that is still on my bucket list is Italy. While researching my perfect getaway I came across this recipe for a Mediterranean Tuna Salad and bookmarked it since it was Whole30 compliant.

When I mixed up the batch of smoked tuna with lemon juice, sliced black olives, mint, and pickled banana peppers I was instantly transported to the coast of Italy. While I may not be able to afford that dream trip again this year because my sights have been set on purchasing a backyard, err, a home and setting aside all additional funds into savings for a down payment I can at least take my taste buds on a tour of Italy without breaking the bank.

I ate this on it's own but if you are following a low carb diet you can serve with sliced cucumbers, stuff the tuna salad into a red bell pepper half, or make a lettuce wrap. Oh the possibilities for a fresh and light meal and for getting out of a tuna salad slump.

Mediterranean Tuna Salad

Adapted From: Mel Joulwan's Well Fed

Makes 2 Servings

Stars of the Show:

• 1 package smoked tuna (or a can of tuna packed in olive oil)
• 5 black olives, sliced
• 2 pickled banana peppers (pepperoncini), sliced into rings
• 5 fresh mint leaves, chopped
• 1 tbsp lemon juice
• salt and pepper, to taste
• 2 tbsp mayonnaise

And Action:

Combine all ingredients in a bowl and use a fork to break up the tuna and combining the ingredients. Take a taste and season as needed. Enjoy!

Doin' Some Cookin'... Tuna Puttanesca with Penne

There are certain ingredients I gravitate towards. Capers and kalamata olives are a few of those ingredients, however, Little Man does not share the same tastes as me so I tend to save recipes I want to try that I know Little Man won't enjoy until the weekend for a mommy only lunch. He sticks to his usual, a peanut butter and jelly sandwich.

Tuna Puttanesca with Penne makes for a delicious and slightly spicy Italian lunch. I love tuna with pasta and this is one of those meals that tastes like it simmered on the stove for hours when it came together in less than 30 minutes and is a healthier pasta choice.

Tuna Puttanesca with Penne

From: Everyday with Rachael Ray

Makes 4 Servings

Stars of the Show:

• salt
• 1 lb penne 
• 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• 2 (6 oz) cans of olive packed tuna, drained
• 4 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
• 3 tbsp capers, drained
• 1/3 cup kalamata olives, halved
• 1 (28 oz) can diced Italian tomatoes
• handful flat leaf parsley, chopped

And Action:

Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Salt the water, add the penne, and cook according to package directions. Drain. 

While the pasta is working, heat a deep skillet with the olive oil. Add the tuna, flaking it with a wooden spoon. Add the garlic and pepper flakes and cook for 3-4 minutes. Stir in the capers and olives and heat until warmed through, about 1 minute. Stir in the tomatoes and parsley, lower the heat a little and simmer for 5 minutes.

Add the pasta to the sauce and toss well to incorporate.