Crunchy Tuna-Egg Salad ➕ Maple-Pepper Lemonade

This was the perfect breakfast!

I once saw a Chiropractor who often said a big steamy mug of lemon water with pepper was cleansing, anti-inflammatory and a wonderful way to start each day. I've added a bit of honey over the years, then I discovered Maple syrup dissolves so much better, even in cold water, so my take on this healthy, cleansing drink is at the bottom of this post.

This photo is pretty self-explanatory. Since I don't usually measure, I'm not giving exact amounts.

5-6 celery stalks

4-5 mini dill pickles

1 extra large green onion

Chop all these into a medium glass bowl then add a big dollop of mayonnaise, about 1/2T Dijon, a splash of good vinaigrette and a good shake of red and mixed seasonings.

Chop the eggs and tuna and gently mix with the rest of the ingredients in the bowl.

2 pasture raised eggs

1 can of tuna - drained

I had a big scoop of this on a piece of really good, toasted, sourdough bread. A chopped campari tomato and part of a skinny English cucumber. This mug of hot lemonade really brought it all together!

Into a big glass picture, pour about 3/4" of pure Maple syrup. Add twice that amount of pure lemon juice. I buy this amazing stuff in a 2-bottle pack at Costco and now, since discovering it, get nervous when I'm down to that last bottle! I love this!

Next, fill the pitcher half way with cold water, sprinkle in a pinch of black pepper, and about 4 pinches or shakes of cayenne pepper. Stir well, fill the pitcher, stir again. Pour some into a mug, heat and drink. . .every drop! Then refill and drink some more.

If you'd rather have this iced, just be sure to stir well before pouring over crushed or cubes. . .Lin 

Tomatillo Tuna Salad

Combine the following in a medium glass bowl:

1 lg. can tuna - drained
1 chopped mini pepper
3 stalks chopped celery
2/3c chopped sweet onion
2/3c chopped sweet pickles
1/2c chopped kalamata olives
3T± tomatilla salsa
1/2c± mayonnaise

Use just enough mayonnaise to hold everything together. This is great in a lettuce wrap with avocado, a corn tortilla melt with some shredded taco cheese, or like here, in tomato shells.

To sort of quote Will Rogers. . .I can still say. . .

'I never met a tuna salad I didn't like'. .😉. .Lin

Tuna Salad

1 8oz. can tuna - drained

¼-½c finely chopped onion

¼c finely chopped pickles

¼c capers

mayonnaise

Combine ingredients in a medium bowl.  I always use sweet and dill pickles which gives tuna salad more diverse flavor.  Use just enough mayonnaise to hold everything together.  If you want this to be more of a salad, add some chopped radish, celery, golden raisins, frozen peas, chopped sweet peppers, red olives, pasta.  Be Bold - Be Creative! . . . Lin

Vegetable Tuna!

I found a wonderful Asian Market in my travels last week.  They sell little cans of Vegetable Tuna there.  I bought a few.  It's just tuna with a little bit of potato, peas, corn and chopped carrot that cook up during the canning process.  Nothing too unique or different.  

Today it sounded good though since I'm feeling really tired and run down from all the activity of this past week.  I started by steaming a big sliced carrot and a sm.-med. chopped Vidalia onion in a little butter and water.  When that was almost evaporated I drained the oil off the vegetable tuna and added it to the pan.  It seems to be helping.  Energy is returning!  Another quick and easy, way to get a good solid hit of protein when you need it, for breakfast, lunch or dinner. . .Lin 

Dill-Mustard-Ranch Tuna Steak and Vegetables

1 6oz. tuna steak

1 med. sweet potato

1 sm. bunch of asparagus

Sauce: 1 part ranch dressing, 1 part seedy-grainy mustard, a good amount of dried dill weed - combine in a small bowl

Scrub and cut potato into ½" crosscuts.  If there's too many for you, give a couple to your dog! 🐶 They love sweet potato - roasted as a dried dog treat, as well as raw.  They're probably not picky about preparation, and these are an excellent source of nutrition for our fur-buddies.

Sear-cook the cross-sections on medium high heat, seasoning, after flipping, with a little fresh ground sea salt with garlic, coarse ground pepper and a couple pinches of organic cane sugar.  Sear tuna steak in some hot butter, cooking about 3 minutes per side, depending on desired doneness and thickness of the steak.  Mine was almost 1½" thick, and after a total of 6 minutes, searing on pretty high heat, it was medium rare.

This was an excellent piece of tuna, so it was like eating it two ways.  Seared and flavorful outside and basically, sushi in the center!

Steam the asparagus in a little water, drain and season.  After cooking the sweet potatoes, I wiped out the pan then put the tuna in the same hot pan with a little fresh butter.  Plate, sauce the tuna and feed your hungry body!  This is for one serving but ingredients can easily be extrapolated, according to the number of people currently hanging out with you.  This entire plate happened within 20 minutes, from start to finish.  Eating really healthy doesn't have to be time or labor intensive.  Also. . .This doesn't have to be a Dinner or a Lunch. . .I would, and often have, eaten this sort of thing for breakfast!  Be creative and Have Fun! . . .Lin

Kalamata Tuna Salad

I'm having a girls dog-walk and lunch today with my daughter, granddaughter and a good friend of theirs.  These two foods pair well to make an easy, do-ahead lunch.

3/4-1c mayonnaise
2-4T balsamic vinegar
sea salt and ground garlic
black pepper

1 12oz. can tuna - drained

2/3 c chopped kalamata olives

1 sm.-med. onion - chopped

2 stalks celery - sliced thin

1c frozen peas

7oz. pasta - cooked al dente and drained

~ 3-4 oz. capers ~ optional 

Combine the first group of ingredients in a large bowl.  Taste it to see what adjustments are needed, then add everything else.  Toss and chill several hours.  Serve with chopped, seasoned tomatoes and cucumbers. . .Lin


A Favorite Tomatoes and Cucumber Salad

2 med. cucumbers - rough peeled and chopped
2 med. tomatoes - chopped
1 shallot - peeled and sliced
sea salt and ground garlic
black pepper
a big splash of balsamic vinegar
1/2c± extra virgin olive oil
sliced avocados

Combine everything but the avocado in a medium bowl.  Cover and chill a couple hours.  Just before serving, garnish with the sliced avocado. . .Lin

Olive Tuna Salad

Say that fast and it sounds more like a statement than a recipe. Yes, 'I love tuna salad!' I'm convinced it stabilizes my scattered brain, whether from a lot of busyness in life or too much sugar the day before. Try it, it works!

¾c grated carrots

¾c chopped celery hearts

1 med sweet onion

4-5 large garlic stuffed olives

10-12.5 oz tuna, drained

1-2T sour cream

1-2T mayonnaise

fresh ground pepper

Put carrots and next 3 chopped vegetables in a medium mixing bowl. Add the remaining ingredients, combine and chill an hour or so to blend the flavors. Great for sandwiches or with crackers, or – add 1-2 cups cooked small pasta for a Tuna Pasta Salad. . .Lin

Tuna Salad and Vegetables

This is a simple one for a busy summer day.

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Make up your favorite sandwich 'salad'.

Tuna, chicken, ham, turkey, egg and serve it with summer vegetables.

Fresh-from-the-garden; kohlrabi, carrots, celery, broccoli, grape or sliced tomatoes, cucumber.

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Mmmm, now, get back out there and have some fun! . .Lin

Tuna Steak, Etc. for dinner

Dinner tonight was easy and spontaneous.

I realized it was getting late and I was hungry, simple as that.

First, a salad.  I had a couple baby romaines.  Once washed, spun and chopped - I took a big handful and added some sliced Vidalia onion, hearts of palm, and topped with a little sweet red French dressing.  I steamed two sliced carrots, topping them with a little butter, salt, pepper and a pinch of sugar.  The tuna steak was cooked in a tiny amount of butter, flipping it a couple times to brown it up.  It can be served as is or topped with whatever sauce you like.  

This was ready in about 20 minutes. . .Lin

Lemon*-Dill Tuna Cakes

Mix together:

1    egg-beaten

¼c milk

¼c mayonnaise

½t  fresh ground pepper

½t  sea salt

¾t  dry dill weed

      zest of 1 lime*

1T  lime* juice

Whisk the first 6 ingredients together, then add lime or lemon* zest and juice. You'll notice the mixture thickens up right away. The addition of acid, in the form of vinegar, lemon or lime juice, to a milk mixture creates a chemical reaction and thickening. Essentially what you've created is buttermilk which is very flavorful in recipes!

Now add:

1  12oz can drained tuna

½ med onion-finely chopped

1  stalk celery-finely chopped

1c Italian bread crumbs

Combine, shape into patties and fry in a hot mixture of a little extra virgin olive oil and butter.  Pairs well with fresh fruit, raw vegetables and dip, or a salad. . .Lin

Tuna Salad with Colorful Corn-Vegetable Pasta

1c  dry corn-vegetable pasta

12oz  can of light tuna - drained

2    stalks celery - sliced-diced

1    sm onion - chopped

3T  sweet and dill pickles - minced

3/4c    frozen peas - thawed

1/2c±  each:  plain Greek yogurt

            and mayonnaise

~ 1/2c sliced red or stuffed green olives

            optional

salt and pepper

Cook, drain and rinse pasta in cold water.  Combine all the ingredients in a medium bowl.  Add pasta, toss, chill a while and serve.  I included the package of pasta I used since, once cooked, the colors fade a bit and the cooked pasta is difficult to see in the salad.  The slight sweetness of the corn pasta counteracts the acidic flavor of the tuna.  The two go well together. . .Lin

Crunchy Tuna Salad

1 12oz  can tuna - drained
1  med  carrot - grated
3  stlks  celery & tops - chopped
1/4 lg   onion - chopped
1/4 c     chopped pickles

Add enough plain Greek yogurt, sour cream or mayonnaise to hold it all together.  Check seasonings and add salt, pepper, Italian seasonings, seasoned salt, etc.  Other options:  dill, shredded basil, pimentos, etc.

Combine everything.  Serve over lettuce, rice cakes, with crackers - or - cook up 1c dry pasta and add to make Tuna Pasta Salad. . .Lin

Tuna Steak and Vegetables - Heart-Healthy (Heart-Shaped!)

1 4oz tuna steak
2 carrots
1 sweet potato - peel and slice
1 sm onion - quartered and sliced
a little clump of broccoli
some red pepper slices

Thaw tuna if frozen. Make a wash of 2T Dijon mustard and water. Dip the steak in that then covered it with fresh ground pepper. Cook hot and fast in a frying pan with a little butter. 2 minutes on each side = medium-rare. Meanwhile, steam vegetables in a covered pot with a little water. When done and water is evaporated, add a little pepper, sea salt and butter. Drizzle mustard sauce over the steak before serving. . .Lin