Archive for ‘Sandwiches’

November 13, 2011

Tuna Salad: Refocusing on Me and on This

Ok, it’s November and inevitably, I let myself get so carried away with other things that I’ve neglected this, my blog.  Work has taken over my life and turned me into a blob.

I don’t feel like going out.

I don’t feel like shopping (omg, if you know me, you know I love shopping).

I don’t feel like cooking (om-double-g, if you know me, you know that this is my all-time passion).

I don’t feel like blogging.

I don’t feel like working out.

I don’t feel like… anything.

I feel tired. 

I feel like a vegetable, let alone wanting to be one.

 

Luckily, my brain seems to still function somewhat when I’m vegetating.  And, an idea came one day while I was being a lazy bum.  It was time to change this blog.  Time to refocus and turn it into the thing I wanted from the start.  I really want to tell you what kind of food I love to make (which I have been) and how it has really played an important part of my daily workouts (which I have not been).  Given that I’m getting my body ready for a vacation, this is perfect timing.  I rushed home today in the afternoon from a coffee social to make lunch for Chris and I… something lean, clean, but still tasty.

 

Tuna Salad

Serves 2

2 cans of light, water packed tuna

2 tbsp liquid from tuna

¼ red onion, finely diced

¼ cup fresh dill, finely chopped

1 tsp caraway seeds, lightly pounded in with a mortar and pestle

3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

Salt

Pepper

Spinach leaves to taste

2 whole wheat pitas

 

Toss the onion, dill, caraway seeds together in a bowl and season to taste with salt and pepper. 

Drain the tuna and reserve the required amount of liquid.

Add the tuna, liquid and oil to the bowl.  Flake up the tuna and then mix everything gently until coated.  Taste and season again if needed.

Set each pita on a plate and layer with spinach leaves.  Divide the tuna evenly between the two pitas and serve.

“Did you drain this?” My husband inquired.  I think sometimes he might still prefer the standard mayo-laced blend.

“Yup, but I left some in.”  I replied, because what I love most about my tuna salads (because this isn’t the only one I make) is that I don’t use mayonnaise.  I prefer not to. 

Ironically, I have a vat of the fat-free stuff in my fridge that I rarely use unless if we’re having burgers.   There it sits though whilst I pilfer my stock of good oils and drizzle them with gladness over my food. 

This thought makes me smile.

Warning though, oils are still fats so watch your measurements.  This recipe could probably use 1 less measurement of oil, but I love my tuna salads moist enough to go down easy; the third measurement is sort of a bonus for flavour.  There’s nothing worse than having it taste like sawdust, which canned tuna usually does.  With some help though, canned tuna can be transformed into something bright and glistening.

 

So, I’m back.  I’m even back into the full swing of working out.  Work is getting under control and I’m returning to normal.  The unfortunate part is that I hurt myself recently.  I felt good exercising the last couple of days, overdid it and strained my back.  It’s sore and not cooperating.  I brazenly started my morning with the 10 Minute Trainer yoga workout.  It was a grunt workout (meaning, lots of grunting from back spasms between vinyasas).   By noon though, I decided that I wasn’t going to leave today with just a yoga workout. 

Yeah, I was still feeling good.

I threw in the 10 Minute Trainer 2 upper body workout and ended the day off feeling accomplished, biceps popping, face grinning. 

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May 9, 2010

Curry Deli Wrap

I always love the shwarmas and Vietnamese subs you can get in Calgary. If you are a fan of these yummy sandwiches like me you will understand it if I say that the pickled vegetables are the deal breaker. It’s not even the meat always… it’s part of it… but the vegetables are what make the sandwich. Same goes for burgers.

Whenever I made a wrap at home for a meal it usually was pretty standard. In other words, it was boring.  Not tonight. Not while I’m on Day 6 of this Lean Jean Plan.  Tonight was supposed to be a lean burger night with the usual vegetable toppings, including pickles. Since I had no time and was rushing to have dinner and work O/T, I had to improvise with whatever was left in my fridge.

And with no fail, my fridge is looking pretty pathetic and empty as Chris and I near the end of our cleansing, round 4. It’s like a B & E took place in there.  Interestingly enough, out came this pile of stuff from the fridge:

Half a jar of neglected pickled beets
A few sticks left of Aunt Judy’s homemade pickled carrots
A bunch of carrots
A spoonful of madras curry paste
A bunch of cilantro
A full pack of spinach tortillas
A pack of sliced lean chicken deli meat
A pack of sliced honey ham
Some garlic
A head of red leaf lettuce
A jar of fat free mayonnaise

And dinner was born from some, otherwise seen as unworthy, leftovers. 

Curry Deli Wrap
Yields 2 servings.

10 slices of pickled beets, chopped into 1 inch lengths
5 pickled carrots, chopped into matchsticks
1 carrot, peeled and chopped into matchsticks
1 tbsp of madras curry paste
4 tbsp of cilantro, roughly chopped
8 slices of chicken deli
8 slices of honey ham
1 clove of garlic, finely chopped
4 leaves of lettuce
1 tbsp of fat free mayonnaise
2 spinach tortillas (or any other type) 

Mix the garlic, curry paste and mayonnaise together in a bowl. Spread the curry mixture equally between the tortillas.

On one half of the tortilla, layer 4 slices of chicken on each tortilla. Next, layer 2 leaves of lettuce over top of the chicken on each tortilla. Repeat the layering with 4 slices of honey ham over top of the lettuce.

On the same side of the tortilla, 1 inch away from the edge, place the pickled beets along the length of the tortilla (over top of the ham). Repeat this with the pickled carrots and the regular carrots making sure to divide the vegetables equally between the 2 tortillas.

Lastly, sprinkle the cilantro over top of the carrots and beets. Roll the tortilla tightly, starting with the side containing the pickled vegetables.  Set the wrap with a toothpick to keep it from unraveling and serve.

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