Monday, May 24, 2010

Tasty Tuesday!

I've got not one, not two, but three good giveaways right now. Check them out here, here, and here!

***

I feel truly inspired today. Like really, truly inspired. I just saved myself a ton of money. A friend of mine frequently eats the preflavored tuna packs that those lovely companies have come out with lately. Granted, they're made it more ingredients than I usually like to ingest, but man are they good.

And on a hot day (yep, the a/c is officially on in our house after it got up to 82 degrees overnight *sigh*), I am not cooking. I'm not even grilling when it's 90 plus and such high humidity. Those tuna packages make for such a light and refreshing meal, and I'm all over it.

And then I think about the $2.49 I'm spending on each package that I could probably make for cheaper. And healthier. And potentially yummier.

So I got to work.

I think I did ok. Any guesses what I'm having for lunch tomorrow?

Pesto Tomato Tuna Salad

Ingredients:
1 can tuna (albacore in water for me) - I use Costco's 7oz can (only $1.50 per!)
1/4 c fresh basil
1 T olive oil
4 T Parmesan cheese
2 t pine nuts
1 t garlic, minced (don't use the icky bottled stuff please!)
1 T mayonaise (mmmm real mayonaise)
8 sun-dried tomatoes, drained


Directions:
Ok ok ok, so you can use your own premade pesto if you want, but it tastes so much better when you make your own. You'll need about a third of a cup if you're using premade basil.

Gently toast your pine nuts in a dry pan for a few minutes until they start to smell yummy. Don't let them burn though - you'll want to keep shaking the pan.

Place the basil in your blender (a mini one works great for this orrrrrr you could just up the recipe and save the remaining basil for something else fun!). Add about half the olive oil and give it a whirl until it's made a good paste.

Add half the pine nuts, all the garlic (add the garlic in the next step if you like it less garlicky, as fewer cells will break and it won't be quite as strong), and 1 T of the parmesan and while again until well blended. Add the remaining pine nuts and 1 T of the Parmesan and blend again.

With the blender still going, slowly drizzle in the remaining olive oil until it's smooth. Ta-da! Pesto is really that easy.

Now... drain your tuna. Add it to a bowl. Chop up your sun-dried tomatoes and add them. Toss in the pesto you just made, along with the remaining Parmesan (do I really need to say we aren't using the stuff in the green can here?). Include the mayo and gently fold it all together.

Enjoy on sandwiches (this makes enough for two meals for me, and sometimes three) over a salad, with crackers or however you want. Yum!


Yep, definitely cheaper than buying the single serve package for $2.49. And healthier, I think!

Enjoy this and more with Blessed with Grace and Tempt My Tummy Tuesday!

8 comments:

Kori May 24, 2010 at 10:20 PM  

I don't know, pine nuts are SO expensive that I have never actually purchased them, even though I love them. However, I do always have basil and sun dried tomatoes on had, so I could maybe do without the pine nuts. What I REALLY do, though, is wait for the packets to go on sale, because I take a lunch to work, and if I can get the pouch of tuna for $1 (which I do, often), plus whatever I add to it, I can eat a great lucnh for two dolalrs or less-can't beat that!

Alexis AKA MOM May 25, 2010 at 12:00 AM  

I love pesto and I'm loving this and you rock with the cheaper version :)

Hyacynth May 25, 2010 at 8:55 AM  

So glad I did some blog reading before heading to the store. I will let you know how this recipe flies tonight! Thanks. :)

annies home May 25, 2010 at 10:36 AM  

sounds like a perfect recipe for summer

Claudya Martinez May 25, 2010 at 6:05 PM  

I'm totally going to make this. I will be the only one that eats it in my household but I don't care.

Michelle May 25, 2010 at 8:59 PM  

Kori - If you buy them in bulk, they aren't so bad. BUT you can also make the pesto without them. It's a slightly different taste, but you're 95% there!

Alexis - So am I. In fact, I really feel the need to make this again tomorrow. And possibly experiment with some other flavors. Maybe a feta and kalamata olive type one?

Hyacynth - Definitely let me know! Yum! :)

shopannies - Absolutely. My husband grilled hamburgers for dinner tonight, and even the thought of eating hot meat turned my stomach a little.

Unknown Mami - And since it doesn't make a TON of food, you can totally make this for yourself and enjoy it :)

septembermom May 26, 2010 at 7:49 PM  

Thanks for the cheaper version :) Sounds good.

Michelle May 28, 2010 at 9:13 PM  

Kelly - Of course with four kids, you might need to increase the dosage just a little bit ;)

  © Blogger template 'Solitude' by Ourblogtemplates.com 2008

Back to TOP