Author tells how to create a healthy love affair with food

Real Moms Love to Eat author Beth Aldrich sent these healthy eating tips, and they seemed like such good, common sense advice I wanted to share them. I've shortened the tips, just because of the limits of  reading on a blog, but if you like her thinking,  follow her on RealMomsLoveToEat.com. 

Aldrich describes her philosophy as falling in love with your food.  The full title of her book is actually: "Real Moms Love to Eat: How to Conduct a Love Affair with Food, Lose Weight and Feel Fabulous."

(On a personal note, I cut out sugar and processed food 18 months ago, and though I didn't lose a pound (drat!) I would never go back. I feel so much better mentally and physically.)

It’s wonderful to take pleasure in food, she says. It’s even OK to eat the things we shouldn’t every once in awhile – just be sure to savor every bite.  Aldrich makes the point that, “Eating in front of the TV is not savoring."

 

Aldrich offers ways to kick off the romance:

• Make it all about YOU: Get back to the basics, remembering the pleasure inherent in the food experiences of your childhood. Think of the simple joy you had crunching into a sweet apple.
• Get naked with raw foods: Our earliest ancestors were hunter-gatherers who foraged for and consumed a wide variety of caloric intake, mostly consisting of raw veggies. Your body will thank you not long after you include more raw food into your diet.
• Tame your cravings dragon: One of the swiftest paths to an unhealthy snacking binge is ready-made, highly-processed sweets and baked goods. The craving-attack occurs when moms are busy and haven’t planned their meals for the day and it leads to a spike in blood sugar, a crash and then – another monster-sized craving. Have healthy options ready to go. Nutrient-dense whole grains such as quinoa, whole-grain toast with sesame butter, and oatmeal will turn that dragon of yours into a pussycat in no time.  
• Hungry for more lovin’?: Think you could force yourself to eat an ounce of dark chocolate every day? High-quality dark chocolate – the kind that doesn’t have all the fillers – actually has lots of benefits, not the least of which is … it’s chocolate! Dark chocolate contains natural chemicals that serve as mood boosters and elevate serotonin levels, which enhance our sense of well-being. Health benefits range from keeping blood vessels elastic to increasing antioxidant levels. 

“The wrong way to look at the whole-food diet is as an obligation,” said Aldrich.

Summer salad recipe: Arugula and Pear Salad with Toasted Walnuts

The publishers of "Cooking Light Big Book of Salads" sent me an email awhile back with a very important point: salads are popular with people on diets, but really, with all the toppings out there, you need to ask yourself, is your salad healthy?  

Their advice is that you should start with 1 ½ cups of fresh mixed greens.  Add a tablespoon of your favorite vinaigrette.  Then pile on the good stuff. As an example, they sent along the following recipe, which sounded totally incredible and lucky me, I actually had everything in my pantry. 

Full admission: I used fresh greens from my garden instead of arugula, and added a handful of fresh nasturtium flowers for that pepper-bite.

Arugula and Pear Salad with Toasted Walnuts

Cooking Light Big Book of Salads

 This salad combines the peppery bite of arugula with the sweetness of juicy pears and the earthy crunch of walnuts. If you can’t find Bosc pears, Anjou or Starkrimson are also good choices for salads. 

1 tablespoon minced shallots

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

2 teaspoons white wine vinegar

1⁄4 teaspoon salt

1⁄4 teaspoon Dijon mustard

1⁄8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

6 cups baby arugula leaves

2 Bosc pears, thinly sliced

1⁄4 cup chopped walnuts, toasted

1. Combine first 6 ingredients in a large bowl; stir with a whisk. Add arugula and pears to bowl; toss to coat.

2. Arrange about 11/2 cups salad on each of 4 plates; sprinkle each serving with 1 tablespoon walnuts. Yield: 4 servings.

CALORIES 168; FAT 12.5g (sat 1.5g, mono 5.7g, poly 4.6g); PROTEIN 2.5g; CARB 15.1g; FIBER 3g; CHOL 0mg; IRON 0.7mg; SODIUM 164mg; CALC 106mg

Follow That Chef Series launches at Santa Monica Place

Chef and Restaurateur Clementine Annie Miller Photo: Mary Grey

The Bay Area, for all its claim on culinary innovation, is missing out big time. Check out the Follow that Chef series being held at Santa Monica Place.  With all our local fruits and veggies, and the prominence of healthy, fresh food as a major fitness trend, it would be great to see a similar program here in Silicon Valley. Hey Santana Row, are you listening??

Annie Miller at Santa Monica Place

On Wednesday, March 28, 2012 The Gourmandise School of Sweets and Savories at Santa Monica Place held its  Follow That Chef Series.  The series is a  lineup of recognizable chefs and authors who will lead class attendees on a tour of the Santa Monica Farmers Market and then showcase cooking techniques. 

First up: Clementine chef Annie Miller who led a shopping tour at the Wednesday Farmers Market followed by a cooking demonstration and tasting.  Even without being there you can tell her menu is wonderful from how she describes her cooking.  “The best compliment I get is when someone tells me that something we make reminds them of how their grandmas used to make it — I love that.”

Next up:  Chef Paul Osher Saturday April 14.  Registrations fill fast. 

The Follow That Chef events are partnerships between the City of Santa Monica and The Gourmandise School of Sweets and Savories. The events are FREE to the public and require registration at The Gourmandise School of Sweets and Savories.

Inside the Gourmandise School of Sweets and Savories at Santa Monica Place  Photo: Mary Grey

Read more about Chef Miller's Grilled Cheese Insanity at EaterLA

Thanksgiving with The Biggest Loser season 12- Spinach Salad with Pears and Pomegranate

This recipe from The Biggest Loser:Where Are They Now Special, November 23, 2011 is one of the featured recipes for Thanksgiving.  And it looks terrific to me, especially because I've got some beautiful, organic locally grown (actually, from neighbors trees)  pomegranates and pears. (Read the article about the show on San Jose Fitness Examiner)

UPDATE - I made this for Thanksgiving, 2011 and it was terrific!  I offered people the option of this dressing or two others, and everyone chose this one (I gave little tastes).  

Spinach Salad with Pear and Pomegranate from The Biggest Loser Thanksgiving Special, 2011   Photo: Christopher Kalima/ Food Styling:  Aida Mollenkamp.

See more Thanksgiving recipes from The Biggest Loser:

Orange-Cranberry Relish

Roasted "Candied" Sweet Potato Casserole

Spinach Salad with Pears and Pomegranate

Makes 10 servings (about 1/2 cup vinaigrette (about1 1/2 tsp/serving))

Prep Time: 15 mins

Cook Time: N/A

For the vinaigrette:

3 tbsp apple cider vinegar
2 tbsp honey
1 tbsp Dijon mustard
1 tbsp olive oil

For the salad:

1/2 medium red onion

1 medium ripe pear

1/2 tsp cider vinegar or freshly-squeezed lemon juice

8 cups baby spinach leaves (about 8 oz)

2/3 cup pomegranate arils

For the vinaigrette:

Combine vinegar, honey, and mustard in a nonreactive bowl or jar and set aside for about 5 minutes. Whisk in oil or, if using a jar,  add to jar, close lid tightly and shake until well combined. Season with a pinch of kosher salt and a dash of pepper and set aside. (Can be made up to 5 days ahead and stored refrigerated until ready to use. Shake or re-whisk before serving until evenly incorporated.)

For the salad:

Slice onion into paper thin slices and place in a small nonreactive bowl. Halve pear, remove core and stem, and cut into paper thin slices. Combine in bowl with vinegar or lemon juice and toss to coat. Set aside for at least 5 minutes before using.

To serve, divide spinach among serving plates then top with a scattering of pears and onions. Top each serving with about 1 tbsp of pomegranate arils, drizzle with dressing, and serve.

Nutritional information (per serving):   

Calories   60

Fat calories   15

Total fat   grams;  1.5

Sat fat   grams,  0

Cholesterol mg    0

Sodium mg  70

Total carbohydrates g   11

Fiber g   2

Sugars g   7

Protein g   1

Vitamin A IUs   %;    15

Vitamin C  %   8

Calcium   %  2

Iron   %  4

Biggest Loser Thanksgiving recipe - Orange-Cranberry Relish

Be sure to check out the article on San Jose Fitness Examiner and see the other recipes being featured from the November 23, 2011 The Biggest Loser: Where Are They Now Special.

The Biggest Loser Thanksgiving meal: Orange-Cranberry Relish. Photo:  Christopher Kalima /Food Styling:  Aida Mollenkamp.

Orange-Cranberry Relish

Makes about 2 1/2 cups (10 (1/8 cup) portions)

Prep Time: 10 mins

Cook Time: 15 mins

12 ounces fresh or frozen cranberries

1 cup orange juice

Zest of 1 orange

4 tbsp honey or agave nectar

1/4 tsp kosher salt

3 medium oranges, peeled and segmented

Combine all ingredients except the orange segments in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil over high heat then reduce to low and simmer, stirring frequently, until slightly thickened, about 10 minutes. Remove from heat and let cool slightly.

Stir in oranges, season with kosher salt and pepper, let cool, and serve at room temperature or cold. (Can be made up to 5 days in advance and stored refrigerated in an airtight container.)

Nutritional information (per serving):   

Calories   80

Fat calories   0

Total fat   grams;  0

Sat fat   grams,  0

Cholesterol mg    0

Sodium mg  120

Total carbohydrates g   20

Fiber g   2

Sugars g   16

Protein g   1

Vitamin A IUs   %;    2

Vitamin C  %   70

Calcium   %  2

Iron   %  0

Roasted 'Candied' sweet potato casserole from The Biggest Loser

Roasted "Candied" Sweet Potato Casserole from Biggest Loser Thanksgiving.  Photo: Christopher Kalima; food styling:  Aida Mollenkamp.

As promised in the article on San Jose Fitness Examiner, here is one of the Thanksgiving recipes featured on The Biggest Loser: Where Are They Now special, November 23, 2011. More recipes from the episode: Spinach Salad w/Pear and Pomegranate; 
Orange-Cranberry Relish 

Roasted "Candied" Sweet Potatoes Casserole

Makes 10 servings

Prep Time: 15 mins

Cook Time: 20 to 25 mins

3 lbs sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1-inch chunks

1/2 tsp kosher salt

1/2 cup fat-free low-sodium vegetable broth

1 tbsp olive oil

Zest and juice of 1 medium orange (or 2 tbsp fresh orange juice)

1/2 tsp ground cinnamon

1/4 tsp ground nutmeg

1/8 tsp ground cloves

1 cup plain lowfat Greek yogurt

2 ounces goat cheese, crumbled

Place sweet potatoes in a large pot, cover by 1-inch with cold water and add kosher salt. Bring to a boil over high heat. When it boils, cover pot, reduce heat to low, and cook until potatoes are knife tender, 15 to 20 minutes. Drain and set aside to cool briefly. (Can be done up to 5 days ahead and stored refrigerated in an airtight container.)

When cool enough to handle, mix sweet potatoes with broth, olive oil, zest, juice, and spices, and turn into a 2-quart baking dish.

Heat oven to broil or 500°F and arrange a rack in the upper third. Spread yogurt in an evenly layer over potatoes then sprinkle goat cheese all over the top.

Broil until lightly toasted, about 1 to 3 minutes. (Watch carefully so they don’t burn.) Serve warm.

Nutritional information (per serving):   

Calories   140

Fat calories   30

Total fat   grams;  3.5

Sat fat   grams,  1.5

Cholesterol mg    5

Sodium mg  220

Total carbohydrates g   22

Fiber g   3

Sugars g   6

Protein g   5

Vitamin A IUs   %;    280

Vitamin C  %   15

Calcium   %  6

Iron   %  4

mins

3 lbs sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1-inch chunks

1/2 tsp kosher salt

1/2 cup fat-free low-sodium vegetable broth

1 tbsp olive oil

Zest and juice of 1 medium orange (or 2 tbsp fresh orange juice)

1/2 tsp ground cinnamon

1/4 tsp ground nutmeg

1/8 tsp ground cloves

1 cup plain lowfat Greek yogurt

2 ounces goat cheese, crumbled

Place sweet potatoes in a large pot, cover by 1-inch with cold water and add kosher salt. Bring to a boil over high heat. When it boils, cover pot, reduce heat to low, and cook until potatoes are knife tender, 15 to 20 minutes. Drain and set aside to cool briefly. (Can be done up to 5 days ahead and stored refrigerated in an airtight container.)

When cool enough to handle, mix sweet potatoes with broth, olive oil, zest, juice, and spices, and turn into a 2-quart baking dish.

Heat oven to broil or 500°F and arrange a rack in the upper third. Spread yogurt in an evenly layer over potatoes then sprinkle goat cheese all over the top.

Broil until lightly toasted, about 1 to 3 minutes. (Watch carefully so they don’t burn.) Serve warm.

Nutritional information (per serving):   

Calories   140

Fat calories   30

Total fat   grams;  3.5

Sat fat   grams,  1.5

Cholesterol mg    5

Sodium mg  220

Total carbohydrates g   22

Fiber g   3

Sugars g   6

Protein g   5

Vitamin A IUs   %;    280

Vitamin C  %   15

Calcium   %  6

Iron   %  4

Biggest Loser Quick & Easy Cookbook - includes faux 'fried' Mushroom Parmesan Bake

Biggest Loser Quick & Easy Cookbook

“Fried ” Mushroom Parmesan Bake

This is a great vegetarian entree or a fun side dish to accompany an Italian entree. It’s super quick and easy to throw together, too.

When cleaning mushrooms, don’t run them under water. Instead, peel them or rub them with a damp paper towel to remove any dirt. Mushrooms are like sponges, so if you run them under water, they’ll absorb a ton of moisture. The end result could be mushy or tough.

Formore recipes from Biggest Loser Quick & Easy Cookbook -

• Easy-Breezy BBQ Pot Roast Dinner from Biggest Lose...
• recipe from Biggest Loser Quick & Easy Cookbook -

2 (8-ounce) packages button mushrooms, cleaned and stems removed*

1⁄2 cup all-natural marinara sauce (preferably low-fat, low-salt, no sugar added;

I used Monte Bene Tomato Basil Pasta Sauce)

1⁄2 teaspoon dried oregano leaves

1 teaspoon garlic powder

1 ounce (about 1⁄4 cup) finely shredded almond mozzarella cheese (I used

Lisanatti)**

2 tablespoons all-natural whole wheat panko-style bread crumbs

2 teaspoons all-natural grated Parmesan cheese

Preheat the oven to 425°F.

Add the mushroom caps to an 8" 3 8" glass or ceramic baking dish.

Spoon the sauce evenly over the mushrooms. Sprinkle them evenly with the oregano followed by the garlic powder. Toss them gently to combine, flipping the mushrooms so they lay stem side down in the dish.

Bake for 15 to 20 minutes, or until the mushrooms are tender and mostly cooked through. Sprinkle the mozzarella, bread crumbs, and Parmesan evenly over the mushrooms. Bake for 4 to 6 minutes longer, or until the cheese is melted and the mushrooms are tender but not mushy. Let them rest for 5 minutes and serve.

Makes 4 servings

Per serving: 62 calories, 6 g protein, 8 g carbohydrates (3 g sugar), 1 g fat, < 1 g saturated fat, trace cholesterol, 2 g fiber, 110 mg sodium

*You can save the mushroom stems to eat in a salad, or saute them and serve over a grilled buffalo steak or other extra-lean steak.

**If you can’t find almond mozzarella, substitute the lightest, most natural mozzarella cheese you can find.

Easy-Breezy BBQ Pot Roast Dinner from Biggest Loser Quick & Easy Cookbook

The Biggest Loser Quick & Easy Cookbook

Easy-Breezy BBQ  Pot Roast Dinner

The most important rule when it comes to cooking lean cuts of meat is to not overcook it. Meats continue cooking when they emerge from the oven, especially large roasts. So, if you want this roast to be medium rare (130o to 135oF), remove it from the oven when a meat thermometer reads 125oF. Another important strategy is to tent the meat with aluminum foil after it’s done cooking and allow it to rest for 10 minutes before you cut into it. By “tent,” I mean place a piece of foil loosely over the roast (not sealed to the edges of the pan). When you slice it, slice it against the grain and make sure you slice it thinly.

2 pounds sweet potatoes cut into 1" cubes

2 pounds poblano peppers, stemmed, seeded, and cut into 1" cubes (21 ounces

remain)

4 teaspoons olive oil

1 tablespoon + 2 teaspoons salt-free mesquite seasoning ( I used The Spice Hunter Salt Free Mesquite Seasoning Blend)

1⁄4 teaspoon sea salt

2 pounds eye round roast, trimmed

3⁄4 cup all-natural barbecue sauce, preferably sweetened with agave nectar or honey

(I used OrganicVille Original BBQ Sauce)

3 small sweet white onions, trimmed, peeled, and quartered

8 cloves garlic

Preheat the oven to 450°F. Line the bottom and sides of a large roasting pan with nonstick foil.

In the prepared pan, toss the potatoes and peppers with 2 teaspoons of the olive oil and 1 tablespoon mesquite seasoning until they’re evenly coated.

Rub the roast with the remaining 2 teaspoons olive oil, then the salt, and the 2 teaspoons seasoning. Place the roast in the center of the roasting pan, and arrange the potatoes and peppers around it, not under it.

Drizzle the barbecue sauce evenly over the roast and vegetables, using a pastry brush to make sure the roast is completely covered.

Separate the onions into layers. Scatter them over the top of the roast and veggies. Distribute the garlic cloves throughout the pan, placing 3 cloves directly on top of the meat. Bake for 20 minutes. Using a wooden spoon (so the foil doesn’t rip), stir the veggies. Bake for 12 to 15 minutes longer, or until a meat thermometer reads 125°F when inserted in the center of the roast.
Take the pan out of the oven and transfer the roast to a cutting board. Tent it with foil for 10 minutes. Slice the meat into very thin slices against the grain at a 45-degree angle. Serve immediately with the veggies.

Makes 6 servings (4 ounces meat, 11⁄2 cups veggies each)

Per serving: 474 calories, 39 g protein, 62 g carbohydrates (28 g sugar), 8 g fat, 2 g saturated fat, 62 mg cholesterol, 8 g fiber, 454 mg sodium

recipe from Biggest Loser Quick & Easy Cookbook - Sweet Potato No-Skins

Biggest Loser Quick & Easy Cookbook

I saw a note that one of the local Y's (I think Page Mill) is having a Nutrition Night, with a bring-your-own healthy appetizer which got me thinking about holiday foods.  Then presto!  The PR person from Rodale Books emailed that on November 8, 2011 there's a new Biggest Loser Quick and Easy Cookbook. 

With their permission, I'm sharing some of the recipes(see multiple posts on the blog) from this new Cookbook. The Biggest Loser Quick & Easy Cookbook. (Rodale Books, $21.99) ($14.50 at Amazon.com or $9.99 as a Nook Book at bn.com)

Sweet Potato No-Skins

These “No-Skins” incorporate a very strategic use of salt. You season the top of the potato rounds so that when they’re flipped, the seasoning will be on the bottom—ensuring that your tongue hits the salt on the potato first! That way, you need less salt overall, and your tastebuds will still be satisfied.

You’ll likely fool your children and spouse into thinking these are regular white potatoes if you purchase light-skinned sweet potatoes. Both versions taste delicious, but if you use the darker sweet potatoes, you might need to increase the cooking time a minute or two.

16 ounces 1⁄2"-thick rounds light-skinned sweet potatoes*

1 teaspoon olive oil

1⁄8 teaspoon sea salt

1⁄8 teaspoon garlic powder

1⁄8 teaspoon cayenne, or to taste

2 ounces finely shredded all-natural, low-fat Cheddar cheese (I used Cabot’s 75% Reduced Fat Sharp Cheddar Cheese)

4 teaspoons all-natural bacon bits (I used Wellshire All-Natural Fully Cooked Salt-Cured Bacon Bits)

4 teaspoons finely chopped scallions

2 tablespoons fat-free Greek yogurt (optional)

Preheat the oven to 450°F. Line a baking sheet with nonstick foil.

In a large glass or plastic mixing bowl, toss the potatoes and oil together until the potatoes are well coated.

Place the potato rounds in a single layer on the prepared pan so they do not touch. Sprinkle the salt, garlic powder, and cayenne evenly over the top of the potatoes. Bake them for 10 minutes. Flip them and bake for 7 to 9 minutes longer, or until they are tender inside and starting to brown lightly on the outside.

Push the potato rounds together so that they touch and you can easily top them in a single, even layer. First place the Cheddar, then the bacon bits, and then the scallions over the rounds. Bake for 2 to 3 minutes, or until the cheese is melted. Serve immediately with 1⁄2 teaspoon of the yogurt on top of each, if desired.

Makes 4 servings

Per serving: 141 calories, 7 g protein, 21 g carbohydrates (6 g sugar), 3 g fat, 1 g saturated fat, 7 mg cholesterol, 4 g fiber, 283 mg sodium

* You’ll need to start with about 11⁄2 pounds of potatoes in order to get 16 ounces of rounds. Try to choose potatoes that are roughly uniform in size. To create the rounds, peel your potatoes and cut both ends off. Then cut them into 1⁄2" thick rounds and measure out 16 ounces.

Baking without sugar. New Sonoma Cookbook author talks about using sugar alternatives in desserts

Dr. Connie Guttersen

What happens to the chemistry and/or taste of a dessert recipe when I substitute some other sweetener for sugar?  

This is the question I put to Connie Guttersen, RD, PhD, and author of the Sonoma Diet, the New Sonoma Diet and the New Sonoma Cookbook.  It's one of a series of articles she agreed to, most of them published on San Jose Fitness Examiner. (See those articles at Going sugar free? New Sonoma Diet author says 'Try these sugar alternatives';  and New Sonoma Diet author discusses sugar, alternatives and substitutes.

Dr. Guttersen has consulted with a broad range of corporations and Fortune 500 companies on food trends, including Kraft, Nestle, Marriott Hotels, and been a speaker on the nationally acclaimed Harvard Medical School Healthy Kitchens, Healthy Lives program. Among her impressive media lineup, she has been on The View, the Today Show a just to name a few.

What happens to the chemistry and/or taste of a dessert recipe when I substitute some other sweetener for sugar? 

Dr. Guttersen explains:  

In solution, sugar has the effect of lowering the freezing point and raising the boiling point of that solution. These are important properties in preparing frozen desserts and candy, respectively.

In ice cream, for example, sugar’s ability to depress the freezing point slows the freezing process, promoting a smooth, creamy consistency. 

In shortening-based cakes, sugar raises, delays and controls the temperature at which the batter goes from fluid to solid which allows the leavening agent to produce the maximum amount of carbon dioxide. The gas is held inside the air cells of the structure, resulting in a fine, uniformly-grained cake with a soft, smooth crumb texture. 

Honey, molasses, maple and corn syrup are liquid sweeteners. While they do provide sweetness they do not cream well, just as liquid vegetable oils can’t substitute for solid shorteners.

Honey, the globally popular liquid sugar produced by bees, is comprised of glucose, fructose, maltose and sucrose. It has a distinctive flavor, is sweeter than regular sugar, and producers moist and dense baked goods.

Molasses, a byproduct of refined sugar production, is made up of sucrose, glucose, and fructose as well as small amounts of Vitamin B, calcium, and iron. It is not as sweet as sugar and imparts a dark color and stronger flavor to baked foods.

Maple syrup, the sumptuous liquid most famous for sweetening hotcakes, waffles, and French toast, is also very good when baked into cookies, pies, and cakes. Grade B maple syrup has a vibrant flavor conducive to eliciting exquisitely baked products.

Healthy eating: Open Face Wild Albacore Lemony Tuna Melt

Fitness eating, or perhaps better said "eating for fitness", is tough. At least for me, it's easy to stay reasonably active. But eating healthy? I've got years (make that decades) of habits to break when it comes to what I eat.

One of my fitness goals for 2010 was to begin to think of my diet as part of my overall fitness plan.  As we head into 2011, I'm looking for real foods that I can cook in a way that are satisfying meals.  My friend Steffi turned me on to a recipe for beans and sweet potato stew a few months back and it's a diet staple.  I'm on the hunt for more.

Over at San Jose Fitness Examiner, I did a review of Wild Planet tuna (New tests raise alerts about mercury in tuna; Wild Planet foods offer solutions).  The northern California company sells an albacore tuna with half the mercury, six times the Omega 3 and is  a Monterey Bay Aquarium Seafood Watch "Best Choice."  

I asked the team at Wild Planet for some ideas on dishes I could make with the tuna - and they suggested the following tuna melt served on whole grain bread.  Sounds pretty good to me, though I haven't tried it yet.  See what you think:


Makes 2 Sandwiches

Ingredients

1 can (5oz) Wild Planet Wild Albacore Tuna, undrained
2 Tbsp lemon juice
1-2 Tbsp mayonnaise
2 Tbsp finely chopped red onion
2 tsp chopped parsley
Pinch of red pepper flakes
Sea salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
4 slices Monterey Jack or provolone cheese
4 slices vine ripened tomato
2 thick slices ciabatta or other hearty bread, lightly toasted

Instructions

Preheat broiler. Place Wild Planet Wild Albacore Tuna and juices from the can into a medium bowl. Flake with a fork. Add lemon juice, mayonnaise, red onion, parsley, red pepper flakes, sea salt and pepper to taste. Mix until well combined. Mound tuna mixture onto two slices of ciabatta bread, top each with two slices of cheese. Place on a sheet pan and broil about four inches from heat until cheese melts, taking care to prevent cheese from burning. Top with tomatoes and serve.