Do you have a strong opinion about Tuna Casserole? Some people do. That’s ok. (I seem to remember my friend, Heather, strongly disliking it.) We happened to be having it for dinner last week on family Skype night. My mom always asks what I’m making for dinner. When I told her Tuna Casserole all she said was, “Oh.”. I felt like I needed to defend my decision. But, I think I lamely said, “It’s going to be good though!”, not actually knowing if it would be. In the end, it was. What it wasn’t was a typical Tuna Casserole. No way. Not even close. There’s not a can of Cream of Mushroom Soup in sight.

There’s actually no cream in this anywhere. Don’t get me wrong, I like cream. But, I decided to healthify (is that a word? I see a red line under it, but I’m usin’ it anyways) the traditional dish.

My version has mushrooms, peas, carrots, garlic, and watermelon radish. The sauce is thickened with cornstarch instead of making a roux with flour and oil, and has parmesan cheese instead of a typical bechamel sauce (because I usually make Tuna Casserole by adding some tuna to leftover Mac and Cheese). I used The Flavor Bible to gain inspiration for what flavors would complement the tuna and I was pleasantly surprised.

If you’re not a Tuna Casserole fan, you could call it Tuna and Veggie Pasta and maybe you’d be inclined to try it?!

Happy Eating!

Not Your Average Tuna Casserole

Last modified on 2013-03-13 22:29:45 GMT. 0 comments. Top.

I feel like there are about one bazillion ways to use avocado.

You can slice it and have it on a sandwich, an Endive Salad, or on top of Taco Soup (it’s been forever since we’ve had this! I’m adding it to our menu right now!).

You could mash it and put it on toast, on top of a grilled chicken breast, or on top of a Black Bean Quesadilla.

You could mix it with mayo and garlic and have it on a Roasted Chicken Sandwich.

You could use it to stuff some charred jalapeños.

Tacos. Mmmm, tacos with avocado. Or how about topping Taco Pizza with some avocado!

Oh, and don’t forget about a BLAT! A Bacon, Lettuce, Avocado, and Tomato Sandwich!

And then of course, last but not least, there’s the obvious one, guacamole with tortilla chips. Oh yum! (Oh boy am I hungry!)

Do people also use it as a face mask? I feel like they might. Kinda like oatmeal? Both of these things, in my opinion, are better eaten than worn. (When I was young, my friend, Alanna, and I decided to make oatmeal masks. I don’t think we used actual prepared oatmeal, but I do remember that it didn’t do all that much for our skin, and we just looked weird and got oatmeal all over the floor.)

Did you know that avocado is a fruit? I didn’t until about a week ago. 😉 Avocado has a fair amount of calories and fat, but, don’t be deterred, this is a wholesome food. It has lots of folic acid, a good amount of vitamin A, and a fair amount of calcium (to compare: one orange has 52mg, an avocado has 22mg). Of the fat it contains (30.8g/avocado) 19.3 is monounsaturated and 3.9 is unsaturated* (those are the good guys).

Happy Eating! 

Guacamole

Last modified on 2013-03-13 22:29:54 GMT. 0 comments. Top.

*Nutritional information from Nutrition Almanac, Lavon J. Dunne, 5th ed., 2002.

I like to say the word “endive” in a French accent. Out loud or in my head, doesn’t make a difference, that’s the way it should be said.

En-deev.

Yes, I like it.

It’s a kinda weird shaped lettuce-ish vegetable, don’t you think? It’s like someone took the lettuce and cut it out all jagged-like. Right?

Well, it tastes good, so I guess it doesn’t matter what it looks like… Right?!

En-deev pairs well with avocado, apple, and lemon. Yes!

This is a high calorie salad. Buuut, it’s also a good, really good, source of lean protein, and good fats. Plus, the obvious fruits and vegetables.

If you need some cheese, I’d go with Parmesan.

If you need some meat, chicken is a good choice for this salad. If you added a grilled chicken breast, oooh would this ever make a yummy dinner!!

(Do you know what makes my job so difficult?! I’m thinking about food ALL THE TIME! I want to eat everything I’m writing about. Yes, I know, woe to me…)

A simple dressing is made of lemon juice, balsamic vinegar, dijon mustard, olive oil, and a splash of maple syrup. It’s a quick vinaigrette that I think rivals any that you can buy at the store.

Happy Eating!!

Endive Salad with Avocado and Apple

Last modified on 2013-03-08 00:57:25 GMT. 0 comments. Top.

Balsamic-Lemon Dressing

Last modified on 2013-03-08 00:57:38 GMT. 0 comments. Top.