Crunchy Tuna-Egg Salad

I woke really hungry this morning. 
This is unusual for me because I often don't eat anything at all until 2 or 3 in the afternoon. Since I'm still tying to stay strong with a 16-8 or 18-6 intermittent fasting schedule, I know the earlier we eat, the more efficiently our bodies process whatever food we put in them. So. . .today seems like a good day to initiate a time shift! It'll require much discipline though, since once I start eating...my body's like a crazed food disposal system...I'm sure anyone near me can hear it growling: Give Me MORE! But, hey, it's Monday, and I'm up for the challenge!

For me, going way back to my stressful days working as the Department Secretary for a small city Police Department in Wisconsin, I've found tuna salad to be a surprising comfort food. When my energy was low, or I could feel the grey cloud of anxiety or depression approaching; like the leading edge of a low pressure storm front; I'd take a break - walk down to Subway - and buy a tuna sandwich. With lots of added onions, olives, tomatoes, a big drizzle of EVOO, and sometimes cheese. I swear it worked like a charm, every single time, to restore sanity, balance and calm. Their tuna salad was really good and I was told by a couple employees that it was nothing more than tuna and mayonnaise! Since I'm not a minimalist in regard to food prep, that's a hard concept for me.

This time I stopped to taste it after combining tuna, eggs, mustard and mayo. Yes! It was good! But, I kept thinking how much 'better' it would be with sweet pickle, dill pickle, green onion, yellow bell pepper and of course celery - lots of celery. And I was right, it's great. But, as I said, it was also really good at the first taste test! So, feel free to add as much or little, of all these accoutrements, or even others, as you like. Chopped Kalamata olives are good too. Use this as a guide, rather than an exact how-to-type recipe.

In a bowl, chop together, crosscutting with 2 steak knives :

2 hard boiled eggs

2 5oz. UN-drained cans of tuna in EVOO

1T+ spicy brown mustard

1/2 - 2/3c EVOO mayonnaise

Try it now and stop if the flavors are what you like, or you're short on time and want to keep this simple. Proceed if you want something crunchier with other flavors. Chop and add:

1/4c yellow bell pepper

1 celery heart + greens

4-6 green onions

1/3c sweet pickle

1/3c dill pickle

This was great as breakfast at 8:00 this morning with a side of seasoned grape tomatoes, avocado and tiny sweet potato-corn crackers. Mmmm. Happy Monday Everyone! . .Lin

Zingy Tuna Salad

3 5oz. cans tuna

canned jalapeno sliced

2T fresh lemon juice

2T grainy seedy mustard

1/3c± whole milk plain Greek Yogurt

1/3c± mayonnaise 

a celery heart + greens

sweet pickle

dill pickles

1/3c chopped onion

Drain the tuna if you're using tuna "in oil" or in water. The oil used is usually soybean which is not healthy. IF you can find tuna in Extra Virgin Olive Oil, use it! Don't drain it!!!

Put the tuna in a medium glass bowl and add the first ingredients. Chop all the vegetables and stir those in. This tuna salad has a little kick to it.

I'm a fan of crunchy vegetables in my tuna salad. One of the best plain tuna sandwiches I've ever had is the one at Subway. I asked, and theirs is just tuna and mayo. Tuna is very versatile. Serve this with crackers, scoop it onto a tossed salad, serve it in a Romaine lettuce wrap. . .Be creative! Have fun with your cooking! . .Lin

Antipasto-Charcuterie Pasta

I had a little bowl of leftover pasta from the chicken-shrimp thing I made recently. I almost pitched it this morning. Then I noticed olives, pickles, and some other fun ingredients and decided to make this up. . .for breakfast today! 🙃

1c cooked thin spaghetti

1-2T truffle infused EVOO

everything bagel seasoning

Combine these in a little bowl, chop the following and add to the bowl:

1 thick slice Swiss cheese

4 baby dill pickles

5 Kalamata olives

1 big green onion

1/3 ripe avocado

1/2 small tomato

Toss all this together and heat it for 30 seconds in the microwave. Mmmm. . .Breakfast, Lunch or Dinner, or a great, colorful, side to grilled fish, chicken, or steak. Pasta. . .It's not just for Marinara anymore .. 😊 .. Lin  

Sweet 'n Salty Egg Salad

5 hard-boiled eggs
2T mayonniase
2T grainy horseradish mustard
2T plain Greek yogurt
2T chopped pimento
3T capers
3T chopped dill pickle
3T chopped sweet pickle
1sm chopped onion

Chop the eggs and combine in a medium bowl with remaining ingredients.  Today for an early lunch I had this with a simple coleslaw I made yesterday.  Finely slice-chopped green cabbage, a small grated onion and carrot, tossed with a little poppyseed dressing and a big splash of fruity, dark balsamic vinegar, salt, pepper and a little ground celery seed.  Add a few crispy crackers or a rice cake. . .Lin

Orange Green and White Salad

2 med. carrots - sliced

½ head of cauliflower - break into small florets

3 dill pickles - cut in chunks

2 stalks celery - sliced

poppy seed, blue cheese or ranch dressing

fresh ground pepper

Combine everything in a medium glass bowl. Toss and serve. . .Lin

'Pickled-Pink' Vegetables

Simmer the beets in a pot of water, to cover, slowly, untill you can poke them with a fork, that pulls out easily.  Cool, peel and cut into cross sections or quarters.

3        c  water

1-1/2 c  white vinegar

1-1/2  t  black peppercorns

1/3     c  Maple syrup - creates a slightly sweet

              dill flavor, but this can be omitted

1         t  grey Celtic Sea salt - 

               or any non-iodized salt

5  sm    beets - cooked according to directions above

7  med  pickling cucumbers - scrub and cut in chunks

1  med  zucchini - quarter, lengthwise and "chunk"

3  lg      scallions (green onions) - rough cut

2  lg      cloves of garlic - or equivalent - cut in 1/4's

Combine the first 5 ingredients, bring to a boil and pour over all the vegetables in a glass (heat tempered) bowl or crock.  Weigh vegetables down with a plate topped with something heavy, so they're submerged.  When cool, refrigerate for 2-3 days, stirring occasionally and re-submerging.  These will keep in the 'fridge for a couple weeks. . .Lin