What I’m eating this week (Fried Rice and Tuna Melts)

Years ago, my sister and I were in a meeting at a lawyers office over lunch. He offered to bring us his favorite sandwich, which also happened to be the best tuna sandwich we’d ever popped in our mouths. 20 years later, and we STILL remember it. We never really nailed down what made it so yummy. Was it mustard? Dill pickles? Was it that we were sooooooo tired (a very real possibility during that season) we just imagined its deliciousness? I dunno. But, I did find myself craving it this week. In the spirit of modifying all my favorite sandwiches to create healthier fare, I share my take on the the recipe below.

I’ve also been giving thought to how I might go about adding more vegetables to my breakfast choices. Honestly, I’ve just been hungrier! I want to have a larger portion without adding more carbs or calories. Vegetables are a great way to do this. Plus, nutrition. I’m ALWAYS thinking in terms of adding more nutrition to my meals, and you should too. Giving up certain foods or portions for weight loss is just a part of the equation. The nutrition your body needs to be healthy and thrive IS IN THE FOOD, and you need plenty of it! Thus, I tried a breakfast fried rice using cauliflower. NOTE: This is good, but not a substitute for Honey Walnut Shrimp at New Panda. Sometimes, you just gotta have some of that too! Balance.

Here are the breakfast and lunch options, plus 2 dinners I’ve prepared for my little fam this week…

Breakfast Options:

• Banana

• Breakfast Fried Rice (with riced cauliflower)*

• Avocado Toast

Lunch Options:

• Roasted Pepper Tuna Melts*

• Spaghetti Squash Pizza (recipe can be found on last weeks post!)

• Leftovers (we are childless all week, and plan to splurge on a couple of dinners out!)

Dinner:

• Grilled Chicken Fajita Bowls

• Philly CheeseSteak Skillet (this is one of my favs and I plan to share the recipe next week!)

Roasted Pepper Tuna Melts

(approx. 250 calories per serving depending on your ingredients)

I LOVE peppers - green, red, yellow, orange. I grow them in my garden and really can’t think of any meal they don’t go good with. I take pepper slices and goat cheese on road trips. I use them as a substitute for bread all. the. time. And, even eat them as a late night snack on occasion (I also really like Honey Buns, so there’s that). That made them the perfect compliment for this recipe! I give this one 2 thumbs up, and will share an iphone photo of my finished product under the recipe.

Ingredients:

• Canned Tuna (in water, drained) - I used a medium can, maybe 5 oz

• (1) Boiled Egg

• 3 Tb Mayo

• Celery, diced

• Spinach, piles

• 16 mini bell peppers, halved

• Grape Tomatoes, halved

• 4 oz Cheddar Cheese, grated

• Salt/Pepper

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray 9 x 13 casserole pan with non-stick cooking spray. In a bowl, combine tuna, egg, mayo, celery, and salt/pepper to taste. Line casserole dish with mini bell pepper halves. Top with tuna mixture. Top tuna with cheese, piles of spinach, more salt and scattered grape tomatoes. Bake until warmed through and cheese is melted, 10-15 minutes. 4 pepper halves = a serving.

Breakfast Fried Rice

(about 300 calories for a 1 cup serving, a little more if you add a fried egg to the top but worth it!)

Ingredients:

• (1) Head of Cauliflower, riced

• 10 Strips of Bacon, cooked

• 5 oz Andouille Sausage, cubed and browned

• 3/4 c Carrots, diced

• 3/4 c Celery, diced

• 1/2 Tb Garlic

• 1/4 tsp Ground Ginger

• 1/4 c Green Onions

• 1/2 c Onion, diced

• 2 eggs (more if you want to include a fried egg on top)

• 1/4-1/3 c Coconut Aminos (find this near the Soy Sauce)

• Salt/Pepper to taste

Rice your Cauliflower. I chopped mine and riced it in my Ninja blender. If you’d rather use frozen, go for it.

Fry 10 strips of bacon and set aside. Add sausage to the pan, crisp up and set aside. In the bacon/sausage fat, sauté carrots, onion, and celery until soft. Add garlic, spices and stir until aromatic. Push veggies to the side of the pan. Scramble the 2 eggs in the other side of the pan. Once scrambled, combine all ingredients and add cauliflower. Stir for 3 - 5 minutes until cauliflower is warmed and cooked through. Add Coconut Aminos, and additional spice if desired. Top with green onions.

I would LOVE to know what you are eating this week!

Blessings,

Shanna