4 Simple & Healthy Tuna Recipes for Easy Lunches

3/19/2020

4 Simple & Healthy Tuna Recipes for Easy Lunches

I admit, tuna has never been a "sexy" pantry staple, but let me tell ya, during this quarantine, it's a pretty good ingredient to have on hand! It's healthy, shelf-stable, affordable, and a perfect protein for your stay-at-home lunches. If you can be picky, it's best to look for brands that use wild-caught tuna that's low in mercury, like Safe Catch or Tonnino. If you need some fresh produce and you're avoiding the grocery store, consider ordering from a local farm - I just placed an order through Farm Fresh to You so I can keep making my salads during this crazy time!

​Here are 4 fresh and delicious tuna recipes to brighten up your lunch time routine!

Waldorf Salad Lettuce Cups

Ingredients
1 (5-ounce) can wild-caught tuna, drained
1/2 cup seedless red grapes, halved
1/2 green apple, cubed
Juice of 1 lemon
1/4 cup chopped walnuts
2 celery stalks, diced
1 tbsp parsley, finely chopped
2 tbsp avocado oil mayo
Salt & pepper to taste
1 head butter lettuce

Serves 2.

1. Drain olive oil from the jar of tuna. Place tuna in a large bowl and mix together with all other ingredients. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
2. Spoon tuna salad into butter lettuce cups. Enjoy!

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Paleo Tuna & Veggie Sushi

Ingredients
1 (5-ounce) can wild-caught tuna, drained
1 tbsp avocado oil mayo
3 sheets of nori
1 large carrot, cut into matchsticks
2 Persian cucumbers, cut into matchsticks
1/4 head red cabbage, thinly sliced
1 avocado, mashed
Sprinkle of sesame seeds
Coconut aminos for serving

Serves 2. 

1. Drain the water or olive oil from the jar of tuna. Mix tuna with 1 tbsp avocado oil mayo and set aside.
2. Place nori sheet on a flat surface. Starting at the bottom of the nori sheet, spread a big spoonful of mashed avocado. Then add each of the veggies in their own row, working towards the top of the sheet of nori. Then add the tuna. 
3. Roll the nori upwards from the bottom (the avocado end), making sure to roll it tightly, and as you get towards the top, you can seal the end of the nori sheet with a little water to get it to stick.
4. Using a sharp knife, slice the rolls into bite-sized sushi pieces (careful not to smash it as you slice). Garnish with a sprinkle of sesame seeds and dip in coconut aminos. Btw - you can also skip the slicing and eat them as hand rolls if you prefer. Enjoy!

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Niçoise-ish Salad

Ingredients
1 (5-ounce) can wild-caught tuna, drained 
4 cups (or handfuls) spring greens
1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
2 Persian cucumbers, sliced
2 hard-boiled eggs, quartered
Handful of green beans, blanched
1/2 cup olives (pick your fave, I used castelvetrano)
1 avocado, sliced
1 tsp lemon juice
Optional: 1 tbsp avocado oil mayonnaise
2 tbsp fresh dill, chopped

LEMON DIJON DRESSING
3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
2 tsp lemon juice
1 tbsp dijon mustard
1-2 tbsp water, as needed
Salt & pepper to taste

Serves 3-4

1. Place green beans in a pot of boiling water for 3 minutes, then take them out and transfer immediately into a bowl of ice water. Let them sit for a couple minutes, then drain.
2. Drain water from tuna jar and mix the tuna with 1 tsp lemon, salt & pepper, 1 tsp fresh dill, & avocado oil mayonnaise if desired.
3. Stir together dressing ingredients, season to taste with salt and pepper, and set aside.
4. Assemble salad - greens on the bottom, green beans and the rest of the veggies, avocado, & tuna on top. 
5. Drizzle with dressing and garnish with fresh dill as desired. Enjoy!

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Lemon Tuna Salad

Ingredients
1 (5-ounce) can wild-caught tuna 
1/4 cup chopped or shredded carrots
1/4 cup chopped celery
1/4 cup chopped walnuts
1 tbsp sunflower seeds
1 tbsp fresh dill 
Juice from 1/2 lemon (slice the other half into wedges)
1 tbsp Dijon mustard 
1-2 tbsp avocado oil mayo OR 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
Salt & pepper to taste

Serves 2.

1. Mix up all the ingredients and serve with Jilz or Simple Mills crackers, sliced veggies, and extra lemon wedges.