Friday, April 30, 2010

Foodgitive's Frugal Friday Fare:

Fresh Ahi Tuna Salad w/ Smoked Paprika, Grapes, Fresh Roasted Beets, Walnuts, Apples & Greek Yogurt



Cost per serving: $2.52- Yeah, I know, but hear me out:

The decision to make a fresh tuna salad was an easy one. I had a coupon for Greek yogurt and was wondering what to do with it. There are so many ideas that popped into mind where Greek yogurt can be used. You can substitute Greek yogurt for sour cream in your quesadillas and stroganoff, swap it with your morning yogurt and granola, use it as a coating to seal in the moisture of chicken when baking, or use it as a substitute for mayonnaise.

I have not always been a Greek yogurt connoisseur, however. For all of my childhood and most of my twenties, I have always used mayonnaise with my tuna. Once, I used relish and hated it and then decided on salsa and hated that even more. So, I felt as if I was “stuck” with mayonnaise, feeling as if there was nothing else in the world that could make it taste better. Then, thanks to a coupon I printed online from Whole Foods, I discovered Greek yogurt. Forget about mayo, I have found my new love.

A can of tuna is $0.79, I know. But does this packed-in-water, processed, not-at-all-fresh, blah-tasting can of tuna have apples, grapes, beets, paprika listed as some of its ingredients? I think not. So, you might be sitting there thinking that $2.52 per serving for a tuna salad is hardly saving you anything, you are wrong my friend. Here's why:

1.It is less expensive than going out for lunch- So you are saving money
2.It is yummy- so you are saving your tummy from a horrible meal
3.It is fresh- so you are again, saving your health because you are not eating pre-packaged, processed canned goods

This delicious tuna salad can be served between two pieces of spelt toast, on a bed of spinach, or simply by itself. That's for you to decide. My preference: the spelt toast. Spelt bread has such a better taste and texture than wheat or white bread and is easier to digest, and tastes great with this tuna salad.

What You'll Need:
2 Ahi Tuna Steaks- Approx. 6-8 oz. each
1 ½ Lemons (1 lemon sliced and juice of ½ lemon)
1 cup Greek Yogurt
½ cup Crushed walnut pieces (roughly chopped)
3 Fresh Roasted Beets (Recipe Below)
1 Granny Smith Apple
25 Grapes
Olive oil for drizzling
Salt
Pepper
½ tbsp. Smoked paprika (seems like too much but you'll love this bold flavor)

Roasted Beets
Directions:
*Set oven to 400 degrees
*Cut leaves and stems off of beets, leaving approx, two inched left at ends


*Scrub beets with running water, getting in between stem remnants to remove excess dirt
*Pat dry
*Place each beet on a large square of tin foil and wrap around to seal all sides

*Place in oven and cook for 50 minutes
*Once finished cooking, remove from oven, open tin foil seal to let steam out and cool to touch
*Once cool, peel off skin with a knife and cut off ends of beets
*Cut into thin strips

Fresh Paprika Tuna Salad with Grapes, Beets, Walnuts, Apples & Greek Yogurt
Directions:
Drizzle a small amount of olive oil
*Season both sides of tuna with salt and pepper
*Place on Tin Foil with three slices of lemon on each piece of fish

*Fold over sides to create small packets
*Place on baking sheet in oven (already cooking beets at 400 degrees) for 13 minutes
*Remove from oven, open packets, remove from baking sheet and let cool for 10 minutes
*While fish is cooking, prepare other ingredients:
*Peel skin from apple and cut into thin strips and toss into large bowl or container
*Roughly chop walnut pieces and toss into bowl
*Cut grapes in half lengthwise and toss into bowl

*Mix together Greek yogurt, paprika, and salt and pepper to taste and toss into bowl

*Add juice of ½ lemon to bowl
*Flake apart fish with fork and add to bowl
*Add beets
*Mix together ingredients
*Add salt and pepper to taste
*Serve

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