Tuna Bonanza

So it looks like cooler weather is finally on its way.....

To celebrate the end of summer, I've prepared a tuna salad that has evolved over time

into a full meal that needs no bread. I got the original idea from one of my favorite recipe books,

The Coastal Table by Karen J. Covey, and made some changes and additions. Enjoy!

Ingredients:

• 2 cans solid white albacore tuna
• 2 hard boiled eggs - cut twice with egg slicer 
• 1 lge onion - chopped
• 1/2 cup scallions - cut in 1/4" sections
• 1 cup celery - 1/8" slices
• English cucumber - about a 10" section peeled and diced
• 1/3 cup large black pitted olives - cut in half
• 1 can (15oz) dark red kidney beans - rinsed and drained
• 1/4 cup roasted & salted sunflower seeds
• Mayo, olive oil, salt and pepper to taste (focus on the oil, not the mayo)
• 1 tomato - diced (optional and not shown in pics)

Preparation:

Combine all ingredients except for olives and beans and blend well. Carefully fold in olives and beans, being careful so they don't break.

This dish is packed with protein and goes real easy on the carbs, and the flavor levels from the many different ingredients and textures are sure to awaken your senses and affirm the arrival of spring and renewed life! :-) Plate in a nice bowl and serve... Enjoy!

Blessed be... and happy cooking!

Homemade Chicken Breast Cold Cuts

Chicken breast cold cuts make a great sandwich, but geez at $5.99/lb it can get really pricey really quickly. My solution is to make my own when boneless, skinless chicken breast is on sale for $1.99 -$2.99/lb here in New York State. Quite the savings, right? But guess what? You not only save money but you get to season your chicken the way YOU like!

Here's a recipe for baked chicken breast I found at GIMME SOME OVEN that I really love for making cold cuts. The brining keeps the chicken moist and the seasoning is just enough to make your lunch meat exciting. ENJOY!

Ingredients:

• 4-5 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
• 1tbsp each salted butter (melted) and olive oil
• 1 handful table salt for brine
• 1 tsp kosher salt
• 1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
• 1/2 tsp garlic powder
• 1/2 tsp onion powder
• 1/2 tsp smoked paprika

Preparation:

In a large bowl mix the table salt with enough lukewarm water that will cover the chicken. Set the chicken breasts in the brine for at least 15-20 minutes. Remove chicken from brine, rinse under cold water to remove salt and pat dry with paper towel.

Add chicken to a clean bowl and coat all sides with butter/oil mix. Combine kosher salt, pepper, garlic, onion and paprika and rub chicken on all sides with the mix until all pieces show a uniform color.

Heat oven or air fryer to 450 and place chicken in your tray of choice. I use my air fryer basket on the bake setting, but any toaster oven or full size oven will work equally well. Bake at 450 for at least 15 minutes, at which point test with instant read thermometer for 165 F. Add a few extra minutes if under.

Once you're sure all pieces are cooked, remove from heat and tent loosely with foil for 10-15 minutes. Sharpen/hone your knife before slicing once chicken has cooled. Go slow, letting the blade do the work.

Will the slices be as thin as store-bought cold cuts? No.

Will they be as pretty as store-bought cold cuts? No.

Will they give you the start to a reeeeeally healthy chicken sandwich featuring YOUR personalized flavor pallet? YES! YES! YES!

Blessed be... and happy cooking!

Black Beans & Barley... Revisited :-)

The Slow Cooker Black Beans & Barley recipe yielded quite a bit more than anticipated so I decided to play a little. It turns out the mix makes for a delightfully earthy breakfast patty or lunch. Sorry, folks, but we just left vegetarian territory. Enjoy!

Ingredients:

• leftover Black Bean & Barley mix - cold
• light oil of choice for frying
• 1-3 eggs
• 1-2 cups seasoned Panko
• salt & pepper to taste
• 1 tbsp Everything Bagel seasoning - optional

Preparation:

Set up the egg dip and Panko and heat oil in a non-stick skillet.

Shape enough patties to feed everyone.

Dredge through egg and Panko and fry until golden brown on each side.

Enjoy solo or slice up your favorite fruits to accompany these beauties.

I never like anything to go to waste, so the second option after breaded patties is to mix remaining egg and Panko with some more bean/barley mix. Add some scallions or whatever you think will elevate the mix... maybe some minced bell pepper... and fry over medium high heat basically to add a bit of a crisp to the formed patties. 

A bit of grated Parmesan gave mine a little extra zing. :-)

Blessed be... and happy cooking!

Healthy Tuna Lunch for One

This lunch has become such a favorite of mine... so much so that I sometimes eat it several times a week! The possibilities are pretty much endless, and the dish is packed with protein, antioxidants and zero carbs in the version you see here. Enjoy!

Ingredients:

• 1  5 oz can solid white Albacore tuna in water - drained
• 1/2 tomato - diced
• 1/4 yellow onion - other varieties work well, too
• 3" piece cucumber - quartered and sliced
• 1 tbsp mayonnaise
• 1-2 tbsp olive oil
• salt & pepper to taste
• 1 scallion - cut up for garnish or mixed in 

Preparation:

I just use one of my soup bowls for prep and eating so there's one less thing to wash. :-)

Break up the tuna with a fork and add mayo, oil, salt & pepper and mix.

Fold in onion, tomato, cucumber and cut up scallion. Add more olive oil if so desired.  Done! :-)

Blessed be... and happy cooking!

Garlic Sprouts with Turkey Bacon & Shallots

I adore Brussels sprouts and their versatility. I decided on a trial run of some new ingredients that were kicking around the fridge and needed to get used. So here you have it:

Total prep time is 15 minutes, so it's a really quick hot and very healthy lunch... (the turkey bacon is 90+% fat free) Or if you're on the go, make it in the morning and pack it - it's really good cold as well.

Ingredients:

• 1  10 oz pkg frozen Brussels sprouts (fresh are also good)
• 1 small shallot
• 1 clove garlic
• 2 strips turkey bacon
• Salt to taste
• 1 tbsp olive oil

Preparation:
Cook the Brussels sprouts in water until almost tender. Keep them firm as they will be going in the skillet later. Mince the shallot and garlic and cut the turkey bacon into small pieces. Sautee these items in the olive oil until the bacon is nicely browned. Add a dash of salt if needed.

When the sprouts are done, drain and then cut them in half. Add to the pan and mix while sauteeing for a few more minutes until the sprouts are partially browned.

Serve as is or with a touch of parmesan.

Blessed be... and happy cooking!

Cumin Dusted Pollock & Berry Salsa

Not all my recipes are my own creations. Sometimes I see a dish so perfect I will make it as written and then only tweak it to fit my own pallet if absolutely necessary. This recipe I received from my friend Betsy Kelp Galloway in the Facebook group Wild Alaskan Company Community: What's Cooking Tonight? is just such a beauty. This refreshing meal of cumin dusted, pan seared Pollock Quick Cuts  served over a savory berry salsa is a wonderful way to make you smile on a hot summer day... or maybe at least make you dream of spring & summer when you're enduring the winter doldrums. 

I've made this dish using the original raspberry version, but have also done the same dish with blueberries. Both choices are excellent and feature a low glycemic index with raspberries at 30 and blueberries at 53.

Prepare fruit salad/salsa 30 minutes before mealtime so that flavors have time to meld.

Salad Ingredients:

• 2 6 oz containers of fresh raspberries or really any berry of your choice
• 1/2 cup coarsely chopped basil and mint leaves – 50/50 ratio
• 1/4 cup red onion or shallots, finely chopped
• 1/4 cup chopped peppers – I like yellow or orange for the color burst
• 1-2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tbsp fresh lime juice
• 1/2 tsp ground cumin
• 1/8 - 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/8 tsp coarse ground pepper

Preparation:

Prepare fruit salad/salsa by mixing all ingredients in a medium bowl. Set aside for 30 minutes to meld flavors.

Pollock Ingredients:

• 2 six oz pkgs pollock quick bites (other cubed white fish works, too)
• 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• 1/2 tsp ground cumin
• Salt to taste
• 1/8 - 1/4 tsp fresh coarsely ground black pepper

Preparation:

Properly thaw two 6 oz packages of pollock quick cuts and pat dry. Heat a pan over medium-high heat and add oil. Add pollock to skillet. Sprinkle evenly with cumin, salt, and pepper. Cook, tossing gently, for 3-4 minutes, being careful not to overcook fish.

While fish cooks, divide the fruit salad evenly on two or three serving plates depending on how hungry you are... Place equal amounts of the fish over each serving of salad and serve immediately.

Blessed be... and happy cooking!

Simple Lunch Scallops

Labs don't lie.

Sometimes we fall from grace in our diabetic meal plan.

You know it. I know it.
We do our best, but sometimes we cave.
Well, as you now know, I'm not perfect, but I do try. 
For starters, let's get back on track with this really simple, fresh and amazing lunch.

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 lbs raw scallops
• 4 mid sized tomatoes - cut into small chunks
• light olive oil
• 1 medium yellow onion - cut up to your preference
• 4-5 garlic cloves - minced
• Salt and fresh ground black pepper to taste

Preparation:

In a large non-stick fry-pan saute garlic in a bit of oil over medium heat until just brown. Add onions and simmer until they JUST start getting soft. Add tomatoes, simmer still at medium and toss frequently until they are cooked down but still have some chunks. Add in scallops toss gently until cooked. Season with salt and pepper, mix and serve.

Blessed be... and happy cooking!

Mr. Mom’s Macaroni & Tuna Salad

This dish was developed during my years as Mr. Mom back in the 1990s in an effort to provide a multi-meal dish that’s not only nutritious, but also really easy to prepare. It is obviously a dish from my pre-diabetes days, but with pasta being in the low GI range, a sensible portion is fine for any diabetic.

Considering the raves this recipe had received at numerous Primary Caregiver Meetings, it’s sure to be a hit with any family excepting those who will only eat peanut butter & jelly, of course!

Serves 8-12

Ingredients:

• 1 lb rotini macaroni - cooked
• 1/3 cup olive oil
• 1/2 cup mayonnaise
• 2 cans tuna in spring water - drained
• 1 large onion - minced           
• 1 tbsp dried parsley flakes
• 15 oz can red kidney beans - drained
• 15 oz can chick peas - drained
• 6 oz black olives (large, pitted) cut in half
• 8 oz canned sliced mushrooms - 2 6.5 oz cans drained
• 2 fresh tomatoes - cut up
• 1 handful leaf parsley - chopped
• black pepper & salt to taste

Preparation:

Cook the macaroni in SALTED water. If the kids start screaming during this process, just ignore them, because the macaroni must be ALDENTE!! After draining the macaroni, spray it with cool water so it won’t cook itself any further. Break apart the tuna in a separate bowl so it'll be easier to mix with macaroni.

Add olive oil, mayonnaise & pepper and mix. If the kids scream now, go take care of them….the critical part is done. Add tuna, onion, dry and fresh parsley and mix.

Next add the mushrooms. The kidney beans, chick peas and olives should be stirred in very carefully, so they don’t break apart. Same thing goes for the tomato. 

If at this point the kids are still screaming, it probably means that they’re hungry, which is ok because your salad is ready.

GO FEED THEM!!!

Blessed be... and happy cooking!

Simple Sprouts

Need a quick lunch that's healthy? This is something that can be made fast at home as well as at work. At work you can easily opt for the microwave for prep, but if at all possible, try to stay away from that thing... period. Anyway... if you're not a fan of sprouts, feel free to switch up the vegetable, the nuts and even the grated cheese.... Come on... have some fun with simple! 

Ingredients:

· 1 10oz pkg frozen baby Brussels sprouts
· sliced almonds, plain or toasted
· 1 tbsp grated parmesan

Preparation:

Place almonds in dry skillet over medium heat. Toss until they start to brown. Continue tossing until you reach desired toast. Boil or steam the sprouts (or a vegetable of your choosing) until just tender. Drain and plate. Sprinkle on the nuts and top off with parmesan.

(Shown with un-toasted almonds)

Blessed be... and happy cooking!

Healthy Chicken Lunch for One

A while ago I shared my recipe for Versatile Shredded Chicken. Today's lunch puts that chicken to use and has become a real favorite of mine. The possibilities are pretty much endless, and the dish is packed with protein, antioxidants and near zero carbs in the version you see here. Enjoy!

Ingredients:

• 4 oz shredded chicken - weighed outright in your bowl
• 1/2 tomato - diced
• 1/3 - 1/4 yellow onion - chopped - other varieties work well, too
• 3" piece cucumber - quartered and sliced
• 1 tbsp mayonnaise
• 1-2 tbsp olive oil
• salt & pepper to taste
• 1 scallion - cut up for garnish or mixed in - optional

Preparation:

I just use one of my soup bowls for prep and eating so there's one less thing to wash. :-)

Measure out the chicken right in your bowl. Add mayo, oil, salt & pepper and mix.

Fold in onion, tomato, cucumber and cut up scallion. Add an evoo drizzle just before serving if desired.  Done! :-)

Blessed be... and happy cooking!