Beach Day Tuna Salad

Yet another recipe from The Sprouted Kitchen cookbook I just bought(the other was Blueberry Corn Salsa…in case you missed it!).  The thing that caught my attention was the raisins!  I mean, raisins in tuna salad? Crazy?? DELICIOUS!

Tuna is standard in my lunch time meal repertoire and has been for most of my life.  My typical version would be tuna/mayo/celery/eggs.  That’s how my mom and Bernie made it growing up.  But I’ve also made curried tuna salad and this cilantro tuna salad…both really good!

The recipe in the book only makes 2 servings (it uses 2 cans of tuna).  I adjusted for more and used 5 5-ounce cans (chunk light for the lower mercury content…packed in water).  But I didn’t think it was necessary to increase the mayo/oil/mustard by much…I don’t like any of my salads (chicken, egg) overly creamy.  I left out the parsley too…I used the inner celery leaves instead.  This is something I always do, they have so much flavor! 

The sweetness from the raisins is subtle.  And just note, I couldn’t find golden raisins so I ended up using regular brown ones.  This salad works on whole grain toast for a sandwich option.  Or you could serve it over lettuce/spinach/some other green.  Make a big batch like I did.  I promise, you will wish you had more…especially if you have a roommate!!

Beach Day Tuna Salad
adapted from The Sprouted Kitchen

makes 4-5 servings

5 (5-ounce) cans water-packed tuna (I used chunk light)
1/3 cup raisins
3 celery stalks, diced…including some of the inner leaves
2 tablespoons whole-grain mustard
2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
2-3 tablespoons mayonnaise or extra-virgin olive oil…depending on how creamy you want it
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

Drain tuna well and put into a mixing bowl. Soak raisins in warm water for 5 minutes to soften, then drain. Coarsely chop raisins and add them to the tuna.

Add celery, mustard, lemon juice, and mayonnaise or olive oil to the bowl and stir well to combine, breaking up the larger chunks of tuna. Add salt and pepper to taste. Serve at once, or store, covered, in the refrigerator for up to 6 days.

Per serving (based on 5 servings…only the tuna salad…no bread/lettuce/etc): 262 calories, 8 g fat (1.3 g saturated), 10 g carbohydrates, 1 g fiber, 37 g protein (1 1/2 fat, 5 protein, 1/2 fruit)…FYI…4 servings would make it 327cals…that’s probably what I end up eating

* The amounts in this recipe are completely up to you…less celery? Sure.  More lemon or mustard?  Why not!  You might fall in love with the raisins and decide to add more of those too.  Just don’t be tempted to add TOO much mayo/oil.  Here’s my opinion of mayo…you might be surprised!

Pesto Yogurt Sauce

I miss New York…the food, the dance classes, the (near) absence of responsibility :) But it has been “back to reality” for almost two weeks, and while I do wish I was still there, I’m glad to be here in Baton Rouge freshly inspired both as a choreographer/teacher and as a cook. 

A few blocks away from Broadway Dance Center, one of my friends discovered a great sandwich place, City Sandwich.  They boast mayo-free sandwiches where they have “swapped the mayo for yogurt sauces and a splash of olive oil”.  Now I’m definitely not opposed to mayo, but I don’t use it regularly either…and the yogurt sauce sounded interesting.  Kind of like Labneh, something else I tried in NYC and wanted to make at home. 

So I bought a 16oz container of Fage 0% and strained it overnight in a sieve lined with paper towel.  Then the following morning I divided my “yogurt cheese” into 2 portions.  To one half I added 3 tablespoons of pesto (homemade*…from my freezer).  The other half got a little EVOO and za’atar (to be used as a dip for carrots this week). 

I used the pesto yogurt sauce to recreate the sandwich I got BOTH times from City Sandwich, the Altan.  Tomato, fresh mozzarella, lettuce, and pesto-yogurt sauce on crusty French bread.  I think mine was just as good as theirs!

Pesto Yogurt Sauce
created by me

8 oz Greek Yogurt (I used 0% Fage)
2-4 tablespoons pesto*

Line a course mesh sieve (or a colander) with paper towel (or a coffee filter or layers of cheesecloth) and set over a bowl.  Add the yogurt, cover (just fold the paper towel over the top), and let drain overnight** in the refrigerator. 

Transfer thickened yogurt to a covered container and stir in the pesto (I used about 3-4 tablespoons).  Store in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks. 

Per serving – 1 tablespoon (made with 3 tbsp pesto) – 35 calories, 1.4 g carbohydrates, 2 g fat (0.4 g saturated), 2.5 g protein

* I have yet to find a store bought pesto that I like (there might be one…but I gave up trying/throwing away ones that I didn’t like).  So now I make my own each year, and freeze it into little disks using a mini muffin tin (which once frozen I transfer to and store in a zip-top bag).  If you are buying from the store read the ingredient list and stick to the brands that use REAL pesto ingredients (basil, pine nuts, olive oil, Parmesan).

** Don’t over strain your yogurt or it will get too hard and not spread as easily.

Busiest Time of the Year

For me, Spring and Fall are the busiest times of the year.  Obviously Football season occupies my life from August thru January.  Every weekend I’m at an LSU game, a Saints game, or both.  The weekdays are filled with teaching at the studio, running Saintsation rehearsals, choreographing, driving to and from Nola…

But I honestly think I’m busier in the Spring.  For me it’s “dance team tryout season” and everybody needs a private dance lesson, a solo, a tryout outfit, a weight loss plan…

I’ve choreographed 12+ audition solos, helped several girls lose weight, given countless hours of private lessons to make sure these girls are ready to make their dance team.  I love being able to do this for these girls.  I was on a dance team from 7th grade until I graduated from LSU (excluding my freshman year at LSU when I didn’t make Golden Girls)…11 years!  And then I lived vicariously through Hilary for 4 more years.  Then I stared working with the Saintsations.  So for the last 18 years I’ve been involved with a dance team in some way or another.

Tryouts start this week for me.  The first high school tryout that I’m helping girls prepare for is Friday.  Next weekend there is the second Saintsation workshop.  The first weekend of April are Saintsations auditions (which are a week long process Saturday – Thursday), the second weekend are Golden Girls, and the third Tiger Girls.  And all throughout that time are more high school auditions.  And I have students auditioning for all of them!

As you can imagine, I’m practically living at the dance studio right now.  And I don’t have much time to cook…I haven’t posted anything since February 8th.  But that doesn’t mean I’m eating out 3 meals a day!  When I can’t “cook” I find myself eating things that I can “assemble”…salads, sandwiches…or defrost from my freezer…soup. 

Going to the grocery store is my PRIORITY.  If there isn’t healthy food in my fridge I end up eating out more which equals spending more money and eating things I normally wouldn’t.  At the beginning of the week, usually Sunday night or Monday morning, I shop for groceries and then prep/cook for the week.

For the last couple of weeks I’ve made some sort of salad “topper” to eat over a green salad…chicken salad, tabbouleh, a cold bean salad.  I take a little help from Whole Foods too.  I love buying their Broccoli Crunch salad (broccoli, raisins, onions, a little bacon, and mayo) and chopping it up over lettuce.  Last week I added baked chicken breast, shredded carrots, bell pepper, Forte Grove crostini, and a little lemon vinaigrette (not too much though, because the mayo on the broccoli salad acts like dressing too).

Another recent menu item has been Chicken Feta Tabbouleh lettuce wraps.  Bibb/butter lettuce works the best for this. 

Sandwiches are convenient too.  I love all kinds of toppings, but I think bread can make or break a sandwich.  Whole Foods seeduction bread is one of my favorites.  Whole grain usually…but not always (I love French bread…reminds me of childhood sandwiches).

Some of my favorite combos:

- ham, cheddar, apple, tomato, lettuce, honey mustard
- turkey, Havarti, Dijon, tomato, cucumber
- turkey, avocado, tomato, cilantro
- turkey, green tomato relish (or another sweet pickle), Dijon, Havarti
- hummus, cucumber, shredded carrot, feta…love this one!

As you can see, I try to make my sandwiches have 3 things: a veg/fruit, a protein source, and some kind of fat.  I’m not opposed to mayo, but I would rather cheese or avocado!

I’m not going to lie though, I have been eating out more this past month…sandwiches from Jimmy John’s, chicken salad (over salad) from Maxwell’s, pimento cheese sandwich or hummus & salad plate from Zoe’s, salads from Whole Foods, and turkey melts from Counter Culture.  These have all been a little more frequent!  Still eating healthy though :)

Pork Tenderloin Banh Mi

I have been dreaming of this sandwich for a long time.  In Houston there is apparently an amazing Vietnamese sandwich shop that makes the best sandwiches – banh mi (think poboy if you are from New Orleans).  Not that I would know…in my two years there I never dined at Les Givral’s Cafe.

I’ve also had a recipe for a meatball banh mi in my torn-out-of-a-magazine binder since January of this year…and haven’t thought about it since.  Until last week…

On my way to the studio I notice Tasty Casian, a Vietnamese restaurant in a strip mall on Essen.  Immediately I thought of the Vietnamese sandwich from Houston and wondered if they served something similar.  And they did…check out their menu on facebook.  
    




That night I called in an order for shrimp spring rolls (which tasted very similar to mine) and a steamed pork banh mi.  Both were all that I could have hoped for.  The sandwich was on crunchy French bread with steamed pork, pickles carrots, cilantro, cucumbers…and mayo.  Yes, I do eat mayo sometimes…here are my thoughts.

So of course this week I had to recreate the sandwich to share with you.  I did a combination of these two recipes.  The process is a little involved (not hard though) and takes some pre-planning (marinating the meat and pickling the carrots)…so prepare it over the weekend and then just assemble the sandwiches individually all week!  Trust me, it’s worth the extra effort!
   
Pork Tenderloin Banh Mi
adapted from Emeril and Big Girls Small Kitchen and cooksillustrated
Makes 4 – 8 servings…I made 8 “girl-sized” sandwiches

For the meat:
2 scallions, minced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon sugar
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
2 tablespoons fish sauce
1 1/2 tablespoons lime juice
1 pork tenderloin, about 1 to 1 1/2 pounds, trimmed
salt and pepper
2 teaspoons canola oil

For the pickled carrots:
1/4 cup rice wine vinegar
2 tablespoons sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 medium carrots, cut into 1/8-inch match sticks or shredded in a food processor…or just buy shredded carrots!

For the sandwiches:
1/4 cup mayonnaise
1/4 teaspoon sriracha…or more/less depending on how spicy you like it…you could just use plain mayo if you don’t want to buy sriracha or maybe use cayenne?
1 baguette…or 8 whole wheat sandwich rolls (or hot dog buns in a pinch)
1 bunch cilantro, woody stems removed
1/2 English cucumber, thinly sliced
3 jalapeno or serrano peppers, seeded and thinly sliced (I didn’t use these…not a big fan of spicy)

In a resealable plastic food storage bag or Tupperware container, combine the scallions, garlic, sugar, black pepper, fish sauce, and lime juice and stir until sugar is dissolved. Add the pork, turn to coat evenly, and seal. Allow to marinate in the refrigerator, turning occasionally, at least 6 hours and up to overnight.

To prepare the carrots, whisk together the vinegar, sugar, and salt in a medium mixing bowl (or jar) until dissolved. Add the carrots and toss until combined.  Place in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes and up to overnight.

To cook the tenderloin*, adjust oven rack to middle position; heat oven to 400 degrees. Remove the pork from the marinade. Pat the pork dry and season with salt and pepper.  Heat oil in 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat until smoking. Place tenderloin in skillet; cook until well browned, 3 minutes. Using tongs, rotate tenderloin 1/4 turn; cook until well browned, 1 to 2 minutes. Repeat until all sides are browned.

Transfer tenderloin to rimmed baking sheet and place in oven (or if your skillet is oven-proof put the whole skillet in the oven); roast until internal temperature registers 135 to 140 degrees on instant-read thermometer, 10 to 16 minutes.

Transfer tenderloin to cutting board and tent loosely with foil; let rest until internal temperature registers 145 to 150 degrees, 8 to 10 minutes. Cut tenderloin crosswise into thin slices. 
In a small mixing bowl, combine the mayonnaise and the sriracha.

To assemble the sandwiches, you have 2 choices…1) grill the bread halves first or 2) assemble the sandwich and then press like a panini…I went with option number 2! 

Spread both sides of the bread with mayonnaise. Divide the pork evenly between the bottoms of each sandwich. Top with cucumber slices, pickled carrot, sliced peppers to taste (if using), and cilantro leaves then place the top of the sandwich over all. Cut each sandwich in half, serve immediately.

*Emeril grilled his!

Per serving (figuring 8 "girl sized" sandwiches per recipe) - 315 calories, 11 g fat (2 saturated), 36 g carbohydrate, 5 g fiber, 21 g protein (exchanges: 2 fat, 2 protein, 2 starch; WW points: 6)

What I Eat

Football season is when I turn into a to-do list person…if I don’t, I run out of hours in the day.  And don’t have things done in time.  And end up staying up late.  For example, yesterday I woke up at 4:30 am, was in New Orleans by 7:00am (with a Starbucks grande soy latte and apple in hand), and stayed at the practice facility for the Jr Saintsation clinic until about 2:30 (I had a slice of Rotolo’s cheese pizza during the lunch break).  On the way back to Baton Rouge, I grabbed lunch (Subway turkey sandwich on wheat with cheese, mustard, lettuce, cucumber, tomato and black pepper; sun chips) and coffee #2…I was already anticipating the long night. 

I had 2 clients today and hadn’t been able to work on their nutrition analyses all weekend.  So when I arrived back at my apartment around 5:30pm I got to work…and continued working until past midnight (I stopped for dinner…had the last of the quinoa with some carrots and edamame hummus).  This morning I woke up early to finish.  I need more non-tired hours in the day!

After my meeting I needed a nap, but I also needed groceries…so I went to the store first (gotta have food!) and then took a quick nap.  Before heading to the studio I made peach-pecan chicken salad (recipe coming tomorrow or Wednesday), had lunch, and worked on a little choreo.  Studio from 3:30 – 9:30…and now I’m home!  Another busy day tomorrow, and then Wednesday I can finally relax (and sleep).  Oh the life of a teacher/choreographer/dietitian.

Today:

• breakfast – Wallaby vanilla and a peach; water
• pre-nap snack – fig and piece of French bread
• lunch – grilled cheese, tomato, and pesto sandwich or French; water
• snack – half of the usual latte; water
• dinner – peach-pecan chicken salad (veggies include celery and shredded carrots) over romaine; a fig; chocolate covered cranberries from Nantucket; water

I have a stove top grill pan that fits over 2 burners.  But when I’m grilling something small (and want to press it) I use my All-Clad panini pan.  Love it!  I got it either from TJ Maxx or Marshall’s when I lived in Houston. 

I make a huge batch of pesto each summer and freeze it in mini-muffin tins…and then once the little discs are solid pop them in a zip-top bag.  Pesto year round!  I can’t stand store bought pesto! 
The chicken salad is incredible (thanks to the perfectly summer-sweet peaches).  One of my favorite dancer moms told me about this recipe (remember, the one who makes the chicken and feta tabbouleh?), but I couldn’t find it online so I improvised.  Once she makes me a copy of the recipe I’ll have to compare.  I’ll have the recipe to you ASAP.

Shrimp Salad Sandwich

Happy Ash Wednesday. Mardi Gras has come and gone…what a perfect day to get my life “back on track”. Since the Super Bowl took over my life I haven’t eaten as well, worked out as much, been as organized as usual…oh well!

But today is a new day. I’ve already worked out, been to church, eaten lots of healthful things, drank a lot of water…starting to feel better!

I started my day with half of a pear for my pre-run snack. After my run I enjoyed a bowl of pineapple over-night oats and a glass of OJ. For lunch I whipped up this delicious shrimp salad (no meat today!) and had it on whole wheat toast. I also had some yogurt and cottage cheese with blueberries. And lots of water.

I’ve decided to give up coffee (caffeine) for Lent, again. I’ll have to wait and see if I’m really addicted to the caffeine (no headache yet) or if I just crave coffee. Hopefully this will help me cut back in the long run and not just for these 40 days. I drink coffee everyday and I wish I didn’t…but I love it! Or at least I think I do. It will definitely force me to drink more water.

So onto the shrimp salad recipe…it’s so easy that I really can’t even call it a recipe! I bought pre-boiled/pre-peeled shrimp at WF yesterday, about 1.5 pounds worth. Pulsed them in the food processor and then transferred them to a mixing bowl. I then added 1 heaping tablespoon each of Greek yogurt (non-fat) and mayo (the real deal) which equaled about 1/4 cup total, a scant tablespoon of Dijon mustard, about 1/4 of a cup of relish (green tomato relish…my fave), 3 stalks of finely diced celery, and some Old Bay Seasoning.

That’s it! You can adjust everything to suit your taste…just don’t add too much mayo! And if you want to skip the bread, just do lettuce wraps instead.

Per serving (about 1/8 of the recipe…w/o bread) - 131 calories, 4 g fat (1 g saturated), 5 g carbs, 1 g fiber, 18 g protein (exchanges: 3 protein, 1 fat; WW points: 3)

Curried Egg Salad

Egg salad reminds me of Bernadette, my second mom (did you know I have 3 "moms"...my real one, Bernie, and Mel...how lucky am I?). Growing up Bernie was our babysitter/housekeeper and occasionally she would cook for us. My favorite Bernie dishes? "Bernie burgers" with smothered onions, fried chicken, and lima beans. I still love all of them today!

On some days at lunch, she would make egg salad for herself...I didn't eat it though. Her egg & mayo only version was not appealing at all! Kind of ruined egg salad for me.

Skip ahead to last year when I was living in Houston. 101Cookbooks posted a recipe for Curried Egg Salad and my egg salad aversion was broken. I had to try it! It wasn't your average egg salad. This version included toasted pecans, chopped apples, and curry powder! Three of my favorites! And instead of mayo, the recipe used Greek yogurt as the binder.

Over the years, eggs have gotten a bad rap. I get asked all the time whether or not I eat the yolks (that is where all the fat and cholesterol are after all). My reply? Yes and no. When I make an omelet I use half whole eggs and half whites...for a one person omelet I use 3 eggs - 2 whole and 1 white. For this egg salad recipe, I modified the original by using 3 whole eggs and 2 whites. This helps slightly reduce the overall calories and fat grams, but still keeps some of the good nutrition found in the yolks including the healthy omega-3 fatty acids.

One reason many people avoid eggs is because they are high in cholesterol (212 mg in a large egg) - and science used to say that dietary cholesterol raised your blood cholesterol. But now it is believed that saturated fats and trans-fats are what have a greater effect on blood cholesterol; eggs are relatively low in both of these nutrients (0 g trans and 1.5 g saturated in a large egg).

So my advice? Don't eat eggs everyday, but when you do, have one or two of the yolks...if you like them! And don't pay extra money for omega-3 fortified eggs if you don't eat the yolks...money down the drain!

101Cookbooks is also where I learned to boil eggs so that they don't get that gray coat around the yolk (my mom's hb eggs always had that...I thought it was normal!). I've included this method in the recipe.

How do I eat this incredible salad? Either on toasted whole grain bread or in a lettuce wrap (I think butter lettuce is the best for this). Perfect for a quick lunch! And if you don't like curry, here is a plain version.

Curried Egg Salad

adapted from 101Cookbooks.com

Printable Recipe

makes 4 servings

5 eggs

2 teaspoons curry powder

3 - 4 tablespoons Greek yogurt

2 big pinches of salt

2 shallots or 1/2 red onion, diced

1/2 medium apple, diced

1/4 cup pecans, toasted and chopped

*optional: something green...for visual appeal!...chives, green onions, celery leaves

For the eggs: Place the eggs in a pot and cover them with cold water by about an inch. Then bring them to a gentle boil, turn off the heat, cover, and let them sit for 10 minutes. After that cool them in cold (ice) water to stop the cooking...and then crack them open to find a sunny yellow yolk with no gray!

While the eggs cook and cool, combine 3 tablespoons of yogurt, curry powder, and salt in a small bowl. Set aside.

Crack and peel each egg, discarding 2 yolks, and place in a medium bowl. Add the onions, apples, pecans, "greenery", and the yogurt mixture. Mash the entire thing with a fork until your desired consistency is reached. If you need to add more yogurt, do so. Taste and re-season with salt if necessary.

Per serving - 136 calories, 8.5 g fat (1.7 g saturated), 7.5 g carbohydrate, 1.7 g fiber, 8.6 g protein (exchanges: 1 1/2 fat, 1 protein, 1/2 veg/fruit/dairy...some type of carb; WW points: 3)