Light Lemony Tuna Pasta with Fennel, Capers, and Olives

28. October 2013 · 116 comments · Categories: cooking, Dinner, food, recipes, Savory · Tags: , , , ,

Light Lemony Tuna Pasta with Fennel, Capers, and Olives ~ ElephantEats.com

I was recently sent some Ocean Naturals canned tuna to try. I rarely eat canned tuna because I just plain forget it exists, so I was so glad that this reminded me how great it is. 

Canned tuna contains high-quality protein and Omega 3 fatty acids. Tuna, especially canned tuna, is a convenient and versatile way for you to add fish to your family’s diet.

Light Lemony Tuna Pasta with Fennel, Capers, and Olives ~ ElephantEats.com

But I’m sure you guys know all that, right? What I didn’t know was that tuna is often over-harvested and some species are more endangered than others. Ocean Naturals guarantees that all of their “responsibly-caught” tuna is harvested:

  • From target species populations that are healthy and abundant and are currently being harvested at a level that promotes the stocks’ longevity
  • Using catch-methods that limit ecosystem impacts
  • In regions where the fishery is managed by regulatory bodies that help sustain the long-term productivity of all impacted species

Light Lemony Tuna Pasta with Fennel, Capers, and Olives ~ ElephantEats.com

Nate has made me really think about our impact on the ecosystem in general, so it made me really happy to know that some companies are doing their part to preserve it and limit their impact on it. 

Lately I’ve also become overly concerned with what I put in my body, and hate that everything seems to contain something that’s unhealthy either from the packaging or the food itself. For example, it scares me that those plastic water bottles I drink from daily could be leaching chemicals into the water. Well, Ocean Naturals  tuna doesn’t have anything added- it’s simply premium tuna with a dash of salt, packed in either olive oil or water. No fillers, additives, or preservatives. It’s nice to know that some foods don’t have anything artificial added!

Light Lemony Tuna Pasta with Fennel, Capers, and Olives ~ ElephantEats.com

Anyway, since I got sent this tuna, I didn’t want to just make a boring old tuna salad. Nate has been training for the NY marathon (it’s this weekend!) so every Friday is pasta day to fuel his long weekend runs. I decided to make a pasta that incorporated the tuna. It’s kind of based on the flavors of a sandwich he loves at ‘WichCraft Sandwiches.

**I was given these products free of charge, but all opinions are my own. I would never post about a product I didn’t love and plan to use again.

Light Lemony Tuna Pasta with Fennel, Capers, and Olives ~ ElephantEats.com

Light Lemony Tuna Pasta with Fennel, Capers, and Olives
Serves 5
A lemony, healthy pasta packed with tuna, capers and olives.
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Ingredients
  1. 2 Tbsp olive oil
  2. 1 medium onion, halved and thinly sliced
  3. 1 bulb fennel, tops removed, halved and sliced thinly (slightly less than 1/4 inch)
  4. 4 cloves garlic, minced
  5. Juice of 1 lemon
  6. 2- 6 oz. cans chunk light tuna in water (do not drain) (I used Ocean Naturals)
  7. 2 oz. capers, drained
  8. 1/2 cup kalamata olives, drained and chopped
  9. 1/4 cup fresh basil, chopped
  10. 1/2 cup grated parmesan
  11. 12 oz pasta
  12. reserved pasta water
Instructions
  1. Bring a large pot of water to boil. Add pasta and cook according to package instructions.
  2. While pasta is cooking, add the olive oil to a large sauce pan and heat over medium high heat.
  3. When oil gets hot, add onion and fennel. Saute til almost soft. Add garlic and continue sauteing 1-2 min.
  4. Add lemon juice, tuna, capers, and olives. Break up tuna with wooden spoon. Stir thouroughly and keep warm until pasta is done.
  5. When pasta is cooked, drain but reserve a 1/2 cup of pasta water.
  6. Add drained pasta, basil and cheese to the tuna mixture. Toss well, adding pasta water as needed to make a sauce. Salt and pepper to taste.
Notes
  1. The leftovers are great served cold!
https://elephanteats.com/

A Cold Summer Meal- Tuna Pasta Salad

25. July 2011 · 24 comments · Categories: Brunch, cooking, Dinner, food, recipes, Savory · Tags: , , , , ,

I check out tons of blogs on a daily basis, both for enjoyment, and to get recipe inspiration. You can see the blogs I follow regularly under my Blogs I Follow Tab at the top of the page.

In my blog surfing, I often come across blogs I’ve never seen before that I absolutely love. Anyway, the other day I was doing my reading and stumbled upon a blog called Pass the Sushi and was immediately drawn to the Creamy Chicken and Pasta Salad recipe she had posted that she got from Food Network Magazine.


For some reason when I looked at it, I immediately got a craving for a tuna noodle pasta salad. I guess that’s the last time I’ve had small noodles like she used in a pasta salad. Also, I’m not a huge fan of chicken, or cooking it, so I thought canned tuna was the perfect alternative. 

I slightly altered the recipe to make it a little more tangy, and it totally hit the spot! It’s perfect for these hot summer nights when you just want something cold to eat.


Tuna Pasta Salad
Adapted Food Network magazine

Print this recipe!

Serves 5-7

Ingredients:

10 ounces tubetti or other small tube-shaped pasta1 1/4 cups 2% Greek yogurt (or mix of 2% and 0%)
1/2 cup light mayo
1/4 cup water
2 tsp apple cider vinegar
2 Tbsp dijon mustard
1/2 cup chopped fresh dill
1 Tbs chopped fresh chives or scallions
2 tsp salt
2 5-oz cans chunk light tuna in water, drained
2 stalks celery, finely chopped
1 English cucumber, quartered lengthwise, then each piece halved lengthwise again (i.e. cut into 1/8ths), then seeded and diced
Freshly ground black pepper
8 cups mesclun greens
1/3 cup dried cranberries

Bring a pot of salted water to a boil. Add the pasta and cook as the label directs. Drain and rinse under cold water to stop the cooking.

Meanwhile, whisk the yogurt, mayonnaise, 1/4 cup water, the vinegar, mustard, dill, chives, and salt in a medium bowl. Add the celery and cucumber to the dressing and gently stir to combine. Dump in the drained tuna, breaking up if there are big chunks, and stir to combine

Shake the excess water from the pasta and add it to the tuna salad. Season with pepper and toss. Serve over greens with cranberries sprinkled on top.

Something’s fishy…

11. February 2011 · Write a comment · Categories: Dinner · Tags: , , , ,

I’ve been looking for a good easy recipe composed of ingredients usually found in a pantry. This prevents me from stopping at the market on the way home from work. And when you live in Manhattan, you have to shop at the market daily rather than making one big trip because A) you have to carry everything home, and B) your apartment is too small to hold more than a meals’ worth of items.  Plus, being that nyc is a city for walking, I pass the grocery store on my way home from the subway anyway. Also, sometimes you just don’t wanna go out in this to get groceries:

snowy nyc night

Anyway, I happened to stumble upon this recipe from Sunset magazine for Curried Salmon Cakes. However, I made some subs: I used tuna instead of salmon since I’ve had a few cans of tuna laying around for over a year (ok, maybe 3 years)…um, is that bad that I used them??. So far I’m not sick, and aren’t canned goods those foods that CAN sit around for years?

Eat Me!

Source: bumblebee.com

You know who loves tuna?

Gimme!

Yeah, that cat. LC was abeggin! So I gave in and gave her a taste. Don’t let that innocent face fool you…she’s a meowing menace. But I mean, seriously, who can resist that face??

Fresh and Crispy! (ignore those brown spots)

Ok anyway. These also had some apples, curry, paprika…you know, all the stuff you have in your kitchen. Easy! I also subbed quick oats for breadcrumbs to make it a lil healthier. And a shallot for green onions since I forgot them at the market even though they were on my list (am I the only one who forgets things even when she has a list??)

They were a little wet before frying, I’m not sure if that’s how they were supposed to be. I think maybe add some more oats next time. Then fry those babies up…Tassssty!

I made one of my favorite slaws on the side, but this was also edited by throwing in some Jicama, and ended up being a tasty combo.

Jicama, Apple, Cabbage and Cranberry Slaw

It’s not much to look at since the color combo without red cabbage was a little bland, but I assure you it tasted colorful!

Curried Tuna Cakes with Curry Lemon Aioli

adapted from Sunset

makes 4 servings


Cakes

2 large eggs

15 oz. tuna (about 2 cans), drained well

1/2 cup finely chopped apple

1/3 cup quick cooking oats

1/4 cup minced shallot

2 tablespoons mayonnaise

1 teaspoon curry powder

1/2 teaspoon paprika

1/4 teaspoon pepper

Oil spray

 

Aioli

1/2 cup mayonnaise

2 teaspoons curry powder

1 tablespoon lemon juice

1/2 teaspoon paprika

salt

For cakes:

1. Beat eggs with a fork. Add salmon and break up. Stir in apple, bread crumbs, onions, mayonnaise, curry powder, paprika, and pepper. Shape into four cakes (3/4 in. thick); place on a piece of plastic wrap.

2. Set a 12-inch nonstick frying pan over medium heat. When hot, add oil, then salmon cakes. Cook until well browned on the bottom, 5 to 7 minutes. Turn cakes over and cook until browned on the other side, 3 to 5 minutes longer.

3. Serve cakes with aioli.

For aioli:

In a bowl, mix mayonnaise, curry powder, grated lemon peel, lemon juice, paprika, and salt to taste.

 


Red Cabbage, Cranberry, and Apple Slaw

adapted from Cooking Light

makes 8- one cup servings


5 cups thinly sliced red cabbage (about 1 1/2 pounds)
1/2 cup dried cranberries
1/3 cup rice vinegar
1/3 cup splenda (or sweetener of choice)
1 teaspoons olive oil
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 1/4 cups thinly sliced Granny Smith apple
1/4 cup chopped pecans, toasted (optional)

Combine cabbage, apple and cranberries in a large bowl. Combine vinegar and next 5 ingredients (vinegar through pepper), stirring with a whisk; drizzle over cabbage mixture, tossing gently to coat. Cover and chill 2 hours (*best chilled overnight). Sprinkle with pecans.