| - |
Quick,
healthy, and tasty tuna recipes
Ideal
for those women who are on a diet
|
|
|
By Erin
Rogers
The
tuna casserole has been a favorite dinnertime standby for many
years. And for good reason - canned tuna is cheap, easy to
store, nutritious, quick to prepare, and appeals to kids and
adults alike. As good as a tuna casserole can be, when
served too often - eyes can begin to roll! Now's the time
to expand your tuna repertoire. Here are several ideas for
using our favorite fishy in new dishes.
(Related:
Smart
eating)
Tuna
patties: Like
crab cakes or salmon patties, make
little cakes with tuna, egg white, breadcrumbs and
seasonings.
Fry in a little olive oil for a very tasty and quick lunch or
dinner. They are even better with some fresh-squeezed
lemon juice.
|
 Open-Faced
Tuna and Tomato Melts: Slice French bread crosswise.
Lightly spray with cooking spray (sprinkle with a touch of
garlic salt if desired) and brown under broiler. Mix tuna,
a small amount of light mayonnaise, chopped celery, and
seasonings. Spread on broiled bread slices. Top with
sliced tomato and a small amount of mozzarella cheese.
Sprinkle with Italian seasoning. Broil under cheese is
melted and tuna is heated through.
Tuna
Salad Stuffed Tomatoes: Use same tuna mixture as described
above. Hollow out tomatoes (but don't throw away - eat the
insides!). Scoop tuna mixture into tomato shell.
Tuna
Pasta Salad: Cook some whole wheat pasta (shells, macaroni,
penne, etc) according to package directions. Stir in tuna,
light sour cream or mayonnaise, chopped veggies - such as
celery, green onion, green or red bell pepper, cucumber,
asparagus, broccoli or cauliflower, and seasonings. Chill
before serving if desired.
Tuna on
Salad: Tuna is also a great topping for a tossed
salad. Simply flake it and add your other favorite
vegetable toppings and low-fat dressing.
Tuna
Roll-ups: Mix tuna as described in 'Tuna Melts' above.
Spread on low-fat or fat-free tortilla, add a generous amount of
sliced tomatoes and lettuce and roll up.
To
keep all of these dishes healthy, just make sure you don't
overdo the mayonnaise. A little goes a long way.
Light mayonnaise still adds a great flavor and texture.
You can also try substituting plain fat-free yogurt. What
you can use liberally are dried or fresh herbs, ground black
pepper, and other salt-free seasonings. Tuna packed in
water is a healthier choice than that packed in oil. You
will also want to experiment with the different varieties of
tuna, such as albacore, for even more taste dimensions.
You can even buy tuna now in plastic envelopes that you don't
have to drain. Because tuna is so versatile, you'll
probably be able to come up with endless variations on these and
other recipe ideas. So, go grab that can opener and enjoy!
Recommended articles: Low
carb diet for weight loss
How to
cut fat from your diet? About the author
Erin Rogers, a work-at-home mom of two, is the founder of
Health-E-Meals.com, providing practical healthy living resources for busy people. Visit her website to sign up for the FREE newsletter, 'Dinners on the Double' - offering a quick and healthy, no-recipe dinner idea each week. Other available services include quick and healthy recipes, healthy cooking articles, fitness and motivation tips, healthy living web links, and lots more! Erin can be reached via
email. A FREE copy of the
book of recipes is available here for
download.
|
