There are some definite perks to working from home, and one of them is that I can whip up a quick, easy lunch without having to do much planning ahead. I spied this recipe in a Betty Crocker magazine that focused on 30 Minute Meals. It had the prep time at 10 minutes, and I seriously doubt it was even that. Save for chopping a stalk of celery and a few roasted red peppers, it didn’t involve more than mixing the few ingredients together and slicing the bread roll open. In fact, Jamie said it took her longer to slice the tops off a few strawberries for Madeline than it took me to make this.
Although feta is usually a strong flavor in whatever it is added to, it blends surprisingly well with the other ingredients here, keeping it from overpowering the finished tuna salad. The finished product was something that totally snuck up on me. I mean, really, it’s a glorified tuna salad, so I wasn’t expecting much, but it’s good. Really good. And with it being a mayo-free salad, it’s perfecting for touting along on a Spring or Summer picnic.
Project 365
May 17, 2010, Photo #95 and #96
Madeline is a little crazy when it comes to cherry tomatoes. She snacks on them like they’re candy, and although she can wipe out a pint like this in just a day or two on her own, her tomato love isn’t just limited to grape tomatoes. She loves the bigger ones too and eats them like someone would eat an apple. Can’t wait for farmer’s market season, especially since we’re getting our own farmer’s market in town this year – whoo hoo!
Greek-Style Tuna Salad Sandwiches
Recipe courtesy of Betty Crocker
1 can (12 oz) tuna, drained, flaked
1/2 cup chopped drained roasted red bell peppers (from 7-ounce jar)
1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese or shredded mozzarella cheese
1 medium stalk celery, chopped (1/2 cup)
1 loaf (1 lb) French bread
1/4 cup Italian dressing
1. In medium bowl, mix tuna, bell peppers, cheese and celery.
2. Cut bread into four 4-inch pieces; cut each piece horizontally in half. For each sandwich, remove some of the bread from center of slices; discard bread or save for another use.
3. Drizzle dressing on cut sides of bread; spread over bread. Fill each sandwich with 1/2 cup tuna mixture. Serve immediately, or wrap securely with plastic wrap and refrigerate up to 24 hours.
I have to say, I’ve never heard of a mayo-free tuna salad, and my initial reaction was that it just couldn’t be as good. But, I’ve also never heard of a tuna salad with feta and mozza cheese, so I’m looking forward to giving this one a try.
I am with Madeline and her love for tomatoes. I grew up eating them fresh from my grandpap’s garden exactly as one would eat an apple. I still love to wander down over the hill and pluck a ripe tomato directly off the vine and nosh on it.
It’s way better that Maddie is eating tomatoes like candy rather than candy like candy (although I’m sure she would do that too if you left a bowl sitting on the counter). I’m with her. Tomatoes are excellent things.
I like the idea of using the italian dressing. I luv, luv, luv tomatoes too. Our plants have some tiny ones on it and I can’t wait to get a home grown fresh one!
Oh, this looks delicious and I’m all about a non-mayo salad! That last pic of Maddie is just precious! I love tomatoes and grapes are the best but cherry sometimes are just a bit too seedy for me…make me shiver!
Claire – totally not a big fan of the seeds either. :)
Ramona – so jealous you have homegrown ones!
Joanne – I love that too, all the more reason we’re excited for farmer’s market season.
Mandy – oh what an awesome memory. :)
Lucy – the addition of feta or mozz definitely is an unusual twist, but I promise it all but disappears in this salad.