Tuna and White Bean Cakes with Shaved Spring Asparagus and a Light, Lemon Tarragon Sauce {gluten free}

Question.  How do you make crab cakes when you're craving them like nobodies business but you   a.) don't have any crab and  b.) are on a budget? 

Answer.  You doll up some tuna with fresh herbs, lemon and shaved asparagus, dip it by the forkful with no shame into a tangy lemon, tarragon yogurt sauce and wash it down with a glass of Pinot Grigio.


Delima averted.





Then, just to gloat, you tell yourself that you are being super health conscience because you ate a practically perfect meal by utilizing the antioxidants in the wine and gave your body a good dose of healthy Omega 3's which are hard to come by these days, thereby forgetting all about the fact that you aren't  in fact  having crab cakes.  Pssshhhh, who needs em?

These tuna cakes are easy enough for a Monday night dinner -- or in my case a Tuesday night dinner. Tuesday's, without fail, are the crazy busiest Orthopedic days in surgery for some reason. Coincidentally (or not) it's also when people tend to call in sick, have some sort of emergency or just decide to spend the day soaking up the Spring sunshine (I would choose option 3 but I'm too chicken to make it happen).


This particular Tuesday provided to be all of the above plus an added curve ball. Seeing as we were short staffed (more than usual) I didn't get to work with the Ortho Doc who I usually assist during Makoplasty surgeries. Instead, I ended up doing total hips and knees with a Dr. I hardly ever work with meaning I couldn't rely on my "Auto Pilot" and had to use my memory/mommy brain instead....  at least until my coffee kicked in.... around noon. Not good.


My point,  I am mentally and physically and in all other ways exhausted on most every Tuesday. These tuna cakes are just a tad bit more complicate that spaghetti and meatballs or in our house, spaghetti and Italian sausage. You get the point. They are super easy to throw together.


A few chopped veggies and herbs thrown in a bowl with an egg and a can of tuna and you have yourself a  not so  fancy meal.

How can you not add asparagus to every meal during the Spring? Wait, am I the only one who worships this gorgeous veggie? No wonder since it's cousins are onion and garlic! 

I pulse a bit more than half of the white beans in my food processor and reserve some to add texture. 

Instead of using bread crumbs which you already know are high in gluten and cause bloating, stomach fat and various other ailments, I used finely chopped veggies and green onion and  nutritional yeast to bind the ingredients together. As you can see, they formed patties quite nicely.

If I had to pick one one of my top 3 favorite kitchen tools, my stone baking pan would and will be on the list forever! It browns veggie patties quickly and evenly using NO added oil and cleans by scraping with a spatula and hot water. Good bye fryer! 

{If you are at all interested in purchasing a stone baking sheet or any of my other favorite kitchen gadgets or ingredients, please consider buying through Simply Healthy Family's 'Store' and help support this blog. It's very much appreciated!} 

Using a simple veggie peeler, shave thin strips of asparagus and pile on top of your cooked tuna cakes. There is no need to cook or even blanch the asparagus, it tastes amazing when shaved into such thin strips and pairs perfectly with these tuna cakes. In fact, I found myself nibbling on my pile of curled asparagus while admiring the beautiful purple and green of my favorite vegetable.

Oh, you'll want to cut off the very tips of the asparagus, the spear, and save it for tomorrows salad or stir fry. The tips don't shave well but are conveniently most peoples favorite part.

This light and tangy dressing is the key to these tuna cakes.  I must admit that however healthy and flavorful they are, tuna cakes as well as any other fish cake are a bit dry without some sort of sauce to jazz it up. It makes a mundane meal extraordinary.

Crab cakes usually come with some version of aioli paired with them not only to compliment the flavors, but to add moisture. My tuna cakes are no exception. Instead of aioli, which base is mayo (if you know me, I can't stand mayo) I made a thick and creamy yogurt lemon-tarragon sauce to spoon on top of my cakes.  Not sure which I ate more of, the tuna cakes or the sauce.

TIME    30 MINUTES        SERVES    4-6

INGREDIENTS

2, 6 oz cans of Chunk Light Tuna, drained

1 cup cooked (or 1 can, drained and rinsed) cannellini beans

1 lemon, juiced 

2 eggs

1/4 cup red bell pepper, finely diced

2 tablespoons green onion, finely diced

1/4 cup carrot, grated finely (optional, adds sweetness)

2 tablespoons green onion, finely diced

 4 asparagus spears (tips removed and saved for future use) 

2 tablespoons Nutritional Yeast

1 tablespoon dried Tarragon

salt and pepper to taste

 1 cup Greek yogurt 

1 lemon (from above) zested

1 tablespoon dried Tarragon

pinch of sea salt

Preheat oven to 400F

In a food processor, pulse 3/4 of the beans until smooth. Spoon beans into a large bowl and add remaining whole beans. Add tuna, eggs, lemon, bell pepper, onion, nutritional yeast, tarragon, salt and pepper. Mix until thoroughly combined. 

Using hands, shape mixture into small patties and place onto stone baking sheet or parchment lined cookie sheet.

Bake at 400F for 10 minutes. Flip patties over and cook another5-7 minutes.

Meanwhile, prepare lemon tarragon sauce by mixing all ingredients in a small bowl. 

Shave asparagus as instructed above. 

Remove tuna patties from oven and place on plate.  Dollop with lemon, tarragon sauce and top with shaved asparagus.

Serve with a side of mixed Spring field greens and chilled Pinot Grigio.

The Best Fried Rice Ever and Perfect Miso Soup

I've never really loved Chinese food. Thai, yes. Japanese, definitely. Chinese foods, not so much. I think I accredit this to the fast food chains and most Chinese eateries around Phoenix that I've been to. Again, not very many recently because I thought them icky and full of MSG type flavoring. Whatever the mystery sauce that goes into every single dish that you get at most Chinese food chains I found thick, salty and left a bad taste in my mouth. Not to mention everything seemed coated in oil and deep fried.

Sorry to all of you Panda Express lovers, my deepest apologies.  Reeeeally.



Anyhoo,  I have had a fried rice or two in the past that I thought was delicious. When I was lucky enough to come across an 'authentic' Chinese eatery in Chicago and one in Indiana some years back, I decided maybe Chinese food really was good. The vegetables were fresh and not over cooked and the flavors were just right IMHO. It's all about the garlic, ginger, vinegars and Tamari that make a good Chinese dish shine.

Oh, and let's not forget about the type and quality of the oil and Wok used to sear the veggies to crisp perfection. It drives me batty when people use 'EVOO' to cook everything with (I'm not mentioning any names errrhegghmm, Rachal Ray) 

It's important to use certain types of oils for stir frying and not others. 'We all know that certain oils are healthier than others, but your oil health goes beyond just the type. The health of your oil can be related to how you use it too.

Each type of oil has what is called a “smoke point.” The smoke point is the specific temperature at which the oil starts to break down…or in more technical terms, its molecular structure begins to change. These molecular changes result in changes in flavor, as well as changes in nutritional value…specifically, the nutritional value of the oil starts to degrade; changing what once may have been considered an especially healthy oil (such as Olive or Flaxseed which is rich in Omega-3s), into one that is unhealthy.The higher an oil’s smoke point, the higher the temperature the oil can withstand. As a result, each type of oil should be used for the cooking method that is most appropriate to its individual smoke point and heat tolerance.

 Brett Blumenthal - Sheer Balance




Continue reading for a helpful chart on Oils and their smoke points.........

Here is a quick guide that I hope you find helpful.

 Not only because it's awfully cute and convenient, but because it took me 2 hours to figure out how to get it onto my blog!   duh

Print this chart!

Continue reading for the recipes.....

       Perfect Miso Soup

Let's take a quick peek at the key ingredients. The good news is, there's only 4!

It's important to choose Organic when it comes to Miso . Although it comes in other forms,
miso is typically a  fermented soy product. As we know,
genetically manipulated soy ingredients are bad for your health and the environment.
  When soy beans are fermented, such as in miso, an array of beneficial bacteria are produced.
This is beneficial for improved digestion, enhanced
nutrition, reduction in hot flashes and aids in fighting or preventing cancer.

Miso is an excellent source of several vitamins and minerals including,
zinc, copper, vitamin K,  magnesium and B-12.

Sea vegetables may be a unique food source of the mineral iodine among other minerals.

Also, seaweed is an amazing source of bioavailable iron.  This means that seaweed is an

excellent source of iron and vitamin C. And since vitamin C acts to increase the bioavailability of plant iron, this combination in sea vegetables may offer a special benefit.

Really, the nutritional list of benefits from sea plants is truly amazing.

If you'd like to read more (I know most of you have stopped reading already)

go here.

There are tons of different types of seaweed and see kelp. Any should work.
There are even some pre sliced thinly perfect for Miso soup. I got these from the Chinese Cultural Center in Phoenix.
They are dirt cheap when you can get them at an Asian market. I bought a huge bag for just a couple of dollars.

Again, it's important to choose Organic when it comes to tofu, also a soy product.

It's a personal choice whether you choose, soft, semi-firm, firm or extra firm tofu.

I like semi-firm, it breaks up just a bit into the soup.

Traditionally, Miso soup is made with Dashi,  fish flavored granules. I chose to use a basic, home made vegetable stock since I felt the Miso was flavor enough for me,

and I had them in my freezer ready to go, more convenient.

I make a big batch of basic vegetable broth and pour it into muffin tins then freeze. Pop them into freezer storage bags and you can easily use them for soup, rice or whatever.
I wouldn't use chicken broth for Miso soup as it would taste more like Chicken Noodle Soup!

Voila, 1 cup broth ready to go.

To Make:

First, soak sea weed in warm water for 5-10 minutes. Chop. Use however much you'd like. A pinch or a small handful.
Simply heat 1cup vegetable broth over medium-high heat. Add chopped tofu. Cook for 3-4 minutes.

Place a spoonful of Miso (adjust amount to your taste.) in a small bowl. Using a ladle, pour some of the heated broth into the bowl and gently whisk to combine. Remove broth from heat. Ladle into individual bowls, add Miso and see weed.

*Do not cook Miso paste. Not only will it turn gritty but it will kill the live cultures! Poooor cultures.

Other awesome sites with Miso soup you might want to check out:

Teczape
101 Cookbooks
Steamy Kitchen

Also,

Make sure you come back in a few days! I have a very special recipe for you. I made it last night and it was A-mazing! My new most favorite dish EVER! Honestly, it was better than....... well it was spectacular!

Now for the Best Fried Rice Recipe Ever! Who's still with me???

(really, you can use any veggies you have on hand, fresh or frozen)

Recipe adapted from Eating Well

SERVES 4     TIME 20 MINUTES
INGREDIENTS


4 cups leftover cooked brown rice

4 eggs, lightly beaten

1 tablespoon canola oil

1 bunch asparagus spears, tough ends snapped off and stalks cut into 1-inch pieces

2 small red bell peppers, sliced thinly into 1-inch pieces

1 bunch scallions, white and green parts, cut into 1-inch pieces

2 cloves garlic, minced

2 tablespoons minced fresh ginger

2 to 3 tablespoons good-quality tamari or shoyu

3 tablespoons rice vinegar

2 teaspoons toasted sesame oil

1. In a large heavy-bottomed skillet or wok coated with cooking spray, cook the eggs over medium heat for just 1 minute, stirring, until just set. Transfer cooked eggs to a bowl.

2. Heat the canola oil over medium-high heat in the same skillet and add asparagus. Cook, stirring, for 2 minutes, then add bell pepper, scallions, garlic, and ginger. Cook vegetables, stirring constantly, until vegetables are just crisp-tender, about 2 minutes. Add cooked rice, Tamari, and vinegar and cook for about 1 minute, until the liquid has been absorbed. Gently fold in the cooked eggs. Remove from heat, stir in the sesame oil and hot sauce, if using, and serve immediately.

That's it! Easy Peasy One, Two, Threesie!

Cute story...
Jack and Nolan (my 6 and 4 year olds) were busy doing crafts while I was making dinner and doing this photo shoot. Yay for crafts! Nolan snuck up quietly while I was taking this picture and put a little punch out heart on the place mat and said "This will make your picture pretty mommy. It's a heart because I love you."  Awwwww, *sniff sniff       Picture time over, snuggle time on! ;)

Nolies heart picture

Focaccia Breakfast Rollups

These focaccia wraps were a very nice change from our usual breakfast. Usually we have something pretty simple, a.k.a,. fast for breakfast around here. When I do make something heartier on the weekends it's usually breakfast burritos or something of the like. I actually got this idea from a Starbuck's while Jim and I were out of town a while ago. They had a very simple, egg white, cheese ( i forget which kind) and spinach focaccia roll up. Of course these are much heartier, full of more veggies and of course way less expensive!

I was very happy with the result!

 You can't tell by looking at them, but the focaccia wraps were a very yummy change from tortillas

Ingredients:  (spinach or any of your fav veggies will work!)

Eggs, herbed feta, Leeks, mushrooms, Canadian bacon, asparagus, focaccia wraps,

 EVOO, Kosher salt, fresh ground pepper.

Putting it all together:

In a large non-stick skillet ( not teflon) heat 1 tablespoon EVOO over med-high heat.

Chop the white parts of the leeks and rinse very well in a collander.

 (leeks are roots and hide dirt in their layers)

Cut the ends off the asparagus and discard (about the bottom 1/4). Chop the remaining tops into thirds.

Add chopped bacon and asparagus to saute pan. Cook about 3 minutes.

 Add chopped leeks and chopped mushrooms. Cook 1-2 minutes more.

Meanwhile, whisk desired amount of eggs in a small bowl with 1 tabelspoon water and the feta.

Add eggs to saute pan, sprinkle with salt and pepper.

Using a rubber spatula, slide eggs towards center of pan, working your way around.

 Transfer ingredients to a bowl.

Wipe pan clean with a paper towel. Return to heat. Lower to medium heat and add 1 tabelspoon EVOO.

* I warm my focaccia in microwave for about 10 seconds to make them more pliable.

Fill  wraps with cooked ingredients.

Fold bottom of foccacia up and then sides, making an envelope with an open top.

Gently transfer to pan, folded side down. Cook about 1-2 minutes just to seal the wrap.

* Serve with fresh fruit!

**(always eat something RAW and a MUFA before/with your meals)

I just wanted to show you the folded/sealed side, not pretty I know ;-)

Chitarra alla Carbonara

My husband and I went to this restaurant, PastaBar, in downtown Phoenix several months ago. I can't stop thinking about their food. I'm not a huge pasta fan, but this place was awesome! It was a place I never would have walked into given that it has a very modest exterior and is tucked away from the mainstream downtown businesses. Thankfully, my husbands boss Janie, whom I adore, lives downtown and knows good food! She had taken her group, including my husband to the PastaBar for lunch and my husband said I would love it. The man knows me. ;-)  I was imediately in love with the romantic, quaint setting inside. I am in love with unique, good quality appetizers. PastaBar's appetizer menu was right up my alley. Luckily,  I found myself there a little early during happy hour, half price appetizers. Yay me!  I  had fun ordering a few delicious appetizers like their version of salad caprese/bruschetta was to die for; Buffalo Mozzarella, basil pesto, heirloom tomatoes, anchovies served on toasted baguettes. I also had a plate of local grown, assorted olives. Oh, and of course a glass of wine. 

Their philosophy at the PataBar is to use quality ingredients from Local farmers and ranchers which I love! Heirloom tomatoes, a wide variety of eggs, local honey, micro greens and herbs, lamb, apples and cider just to name a few.  I love it!

So, as I was saying. I really liked the idea of the Chitarra alla Carbonara, which literally translates to
"Guitar Pasta", not sure why.  Anyway, it is a freshly made pasta with tempered eggs and usually prociutto or pancetta crumbled throughout the pasta.While this pasta was very good, it was also very, very rich. So, I decided to try making a healthier version. I am very excited to say that it turned out fabulous! I had them add asparagus to mine and did the same at home. I just have to have my veggies! I'll bet they're making it that way now. ;-)

The key I believe is to use quality, fresh ingredients. Especially when it comes to the cheese and wine. I would have loved to use organic, fresh brown eggs but alas, I can not afford to. Also, be sure not to overcook your pasta or asparagus!!! This dish is all about fresh, summery crisp goodness. Also, this is FANTASTIC the next day cold!!!

Bon Appetit!

SERVES  8-10     TIME  20 MINUTES

Ingredients:

1 pound semolina spagetti

1 pound thin asparagus, cut into 2-inch pieces on an angle (discard the ends)

1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil

1/4 pound Canadian bacon ( or Italian bacon such as prosciutto or pancetta)

4 cloves garlic, finely chopped

1/2 cup dry white wine4 egg yolks, beaten ( save the egg whites for an omelet in the mrng)

1 cup freshly grated parmigiano-reggiano cheese

2 tablespoons chopped fresh thyme

1 tablespoon lemon rind, grated in very thin strips

Directions:

Bring a large pot of water to a boil, salt it, add the pasta and cook until al dente.Drain, reserving 1 & 1/2 cups of the pasta cooking water.

While the pasta is boiling, in a large skillet, heat the EVOO over medium heat. Add the bacon and asparagus and saute for 3 minutes. Lower the heat to medium-low and stir in the garlic for 2 minutes.

Add the wine and deglaze the pan by scraping the browned bits off the bottom with a flat spoon or spatula. Cook about 1 minute until wine is reduced slightly. Don't over cook!! Do this part quickly so as not to overcook the asparagus. Lower the heat to the lowest setting. Add drained pasta, cheese, thyme and lemon juice. Gently toss to mix.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the still hot, reserved pasta cooking water with the beaten egg yolks to temper the eggs. Pour in the egg mixture and toss with two big spoons to thicken the sauce, 1 to 2 minutes.

Serve with a glass of chilled white wine!   Bellisimo!

So Simple Frittata

HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY!

This is a mother's day inspired post because this dish is one of my favorites!
There are a lot of very pretty frittata recipes out there! I love it! This one is very simple and super yummy.
A frittata is an Italian dish similar to an omelete or quiche. I love them because they are so versatile.

• You can put any veggies you have on hand into your frittata to change up the taste a bit.
• You can add the traditional pancetta or prosciutto or add ham, canadian bacon, turkey bacon etc to make it more hearty.
• You can use whole eggs or egg whites to make it lighter
• You can use any cheese you want for a different taste, ricotta, swiss, pepper jack, goat, gruyere etc
• You can use different fresh herbs to make for a completley different taste; chives, thyme, basil, parsley
• You can have frittata for breakfast, brunch, lunch or dinner
• A frittata can be made simple for a last minute meal or very easily made into a pretty dish for a great get together brunch.
• Perfect for an end of the week meal when you've run out of ideas, ingredients and energy to cook.
• It makes for great leftovers for a quick, healthy breakfast.
• KIDS LOVE FRITTATAS!  

You will need:

12 large eggs

2 TBSP water

1 cup frozen spring peas

1 small onion, chopped

1 cup ricotta cheese

1 small bunch asparagus

1 TBSP fresh parsley

1 TBSP fresh thyme

1/2 TBSP no salt added butter

1 tsp EVOO

1/8 tsp kosher salt

1/8 tsp black pepper

1 tsp Trader Joes 21 season salute or Herbamare

Putting it all together:


Rinse asparagus under cold water. Cut the bottom 1/4 of the asparagus off and discard. Cut the remaining stalks into thirds. Pat dry. Put into cast iron skillet, sprinkle with kosher salt and roast at 400° for 10 minutes.
Remove from oven, set aside. Turn heat up to Broil.

In a medium bowl crack eggs and whisk together with 2 TBSP water, cheese, asparagus, peas, spices and herbs.

In a large non-stick (not teflon), OVEN SAFE pan heat butter over medium heat. Saute chopped onion for about 3 minutes. Add egg mixture. With a small spatula or flat spoon, push eggs towards center, working your way around the pan once or twice.

Put pan into oven on top rack about 6 inches from top. Cook for 3-4 minutes. Do not overcook! Eggs will continue to cook after you remove from oven and will be dry if you cook them to long.

Remove from oven and shake pan a little to loosen frittata. 

Spring Rice Salad

Makes about 8 servings. Makes great leftovers for lunch

You Will Need:

1 cup Arborio or Basmati rice
2 bunches fresh asparagus
2 cups frozen edamame, shelled
1 large red bell pepper

1 lemon, juiced

Freshly ground black pepper

Herbamare (a great alternative to salt)

1/4 cup plus 1 TBSP extra-virgin olive oil

1/2 cup thinly sliced basil leaves

2 tablespoons chopped flat-leaf Italian parsley 1 tablespoon grated lemon zest

1/2 cup small diced boiled ham (low sodium) found pre-packaged in your grocery store. You can also use shrimp.
Freshly grated Pecorino Romano for sprinkling on top

Directions:

Rinse rice in a seive under cold water to remove extra starch.

Bring rice to a boil. Reduce heat to a simmer (medium-low) and cook for about 15 minutes, stirring occasionally to prevent rice from sticking to bottom. When done, spread rice on baking sheet to prevent continued cooking ( Oh stop it, it's not that much work!). You don't want sticky rice, you want fluffy rice. Fluffy rice is happy rice.

In a large bowl, combine rice, all veggies, ham and herbs. In a seperate small bowl, mix EVOO, lemon juice & rind, herbamere and pepper. Add to rice mixture. Take a good deep breath of the wonderful spring flavors and enjoy the pretty colors, then serve to your grateful, loving family.
Oh, don't forget to sprinkle the Pecorino Romano on top!!

!

Veggie Nutrition Facts

asparagus info found here.

Asparagus is one of the most nutritionally well-balanced vegetables in existence. It leads nearly all produce items in the wide array of nutrients it supplies in significant amounts for a healthy diet.

Asparagus is the leading supplier among vegetables of folic acid. A 5.3 ounce serving provides 60% of the recommended daily allowance for folacin which is necessary for blood cell formation, growth, and prevention of liver disease. Folacin has been shown to play a significant role in the prevention of neural tube defects, such as spina bifida, that cause paralysis and death in 2,500 babies each year.

Its wealth of nutrients, fiber and very low sodium and calorie content make asparagus a nutritionally wise choice for today's health-conscious consumer.

Asparagus is:

Low in calories, only 20 per 5.3 oz. serving, less than 4 calories per spear.

Contains no fat or cholesterol.

Very low in sodium.

A good source of potassium.

A source of fiber (3 grams per 5.3 oz. serving).

An excellent source of folacin.

A significant source of thiamin.

A significant source of vitamin B6.

One of the richest sources of rutin, a compound which strengthens capillary walls.

edamame info found here.

"Edamame" are edible, green, immature soybeans.
They are a good source of complete protein, high in fiber, a source of essential omega 3 fat, and rich in calcium, iron, zinc and B vitamins.

Edamame Calories, Shelled Per 1/2 cup:
100-130 calories
9 g carbohydrate
8-11 g protein
3 g fat
4 g fiber

Prioritize buying organic soybeans whenever you can.
Soybeans are one of the crops most likely to be genetically modified.
You should be aware of these monstrous creations and try to avoid them for better health.
100% organic foods are not permitted to be genetically modified.

Snack on, cold or hot, any time of day.
Keep a bag of dry roasted edamame with you in the car and when you travel.

Substitute mashed soybeans for mashed potatoes: Puree with low sodium vegetable stock (ratio 3:1) and a little salt and pepper.

Add to stir fry or salads.

Add to rice and pasta dishes.
Use in place of garbanzo beans in hummus recipes.
Use in place of peas in recipes.In a large, non-stick pot, combine 1 cup rice, 2 1/2 cups water, 1 TBSP EVOO, and 1 tsp salt. Let sit for 15 min. while you chop veggies.

Bring another large pot of water to boil, meanwhile, rinse all veggies very well. Chop RBP into small bite size pieces. Cut bottom half of asparagus off, throw away bottom half. Cut the top half in half again.... does that make sense? ;-) Blanch asparagus and edamame in boiling water for 1 minute 30 seconds. Drain and spread onto baking sheet lined with towel to avoid continued cooking.