Tuna melts: A classic, a favorite, a comforting delicious, easy, cheesy taste of home. In my opinion, the way to make this healthier is NOT by eliminating the cheese as it's just as important as the tuna itself. I love cheese. So much. And while I do also love my bread, this alternative gives you another yummy grain-free/low carb substitute while still keeping the flavors in tact.
First, let's quickly talk about the pumpkin. In Thailand, we have these beautiful small -golden on the inside, deep green on the outside- pumpkins that taste like candy when they're roasted. Do we have these in the western world? I honestly can't remember. I was telling my mom about this recipe on the phone, and she was *sHoOk* when I said I swapped pumpkin for bread. So, maybe it's not a thing. Pumpkin in Thailand is like squash in America. But just note, this is NOT your Halloween Jack-O-Lantern pumpkin. It is also not your canned pumpkin for Thanksgiving pies. I'm sure you could use squash or even sweet potatoes and this would turn out quite similarly. The key is to slice a nice solid piece (about a quarter of an inch thick) and get your slices fork soft and toasty before you assemble the tuna and cheese topping.
Ingredients:
4 slices of pumpkin (or sweet potato, or squash) sliced 1/4 inch thick
1 can of tuna
2 tbsp mayo
1 clove of garlic minces, or about 1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/4-1/2 of a small purple onion chopped finely
6-8 cherry tomatoes, chopped into quarters
Juice from about 1/4 of a lemon
2 small dill pickles, finely chopped
1 big squeeze of sriracha, depending on how much of a kick you want
1 tbsp chopped herbs (parsley, green onion, basil, cilantro... whatever you like and have on hand)
1/2 tsp paprika
Salt and Pepper
1 tbsp coconut oil
1 cup of shredded cheddar cheese, or any favorite cheese.
Side/Topping Options:
Avocado sliced
Mixed Greens
Lemon wedge
Special sauce: 1/3 cup of greek yogurt, 1 squeeze of lemon, 1 tbsp sriracha
Directions:
1. Preheat your oven to 400 F or 200 C
2. Slice the pumpkin into 1/4 inch thick slices. Lightly brush coconut oil and sprinkle salt and pepper onto either side. Lay the pumpkin slices on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet, and pop them in the oven for about 10-15 minutes, or until they fork tender.
3. Drain the can of tuna. In a bowl, break apart the tuna with a fork. Mix in the mayo, garlic, onion, tomatoes, lemon juice, pickles, sriracha, fresh herbs, paprika, salt, and pepper.
4. Once the pumpkin is soft, but not mushy, take it out of the oven, flip the slices, over and layer the tuna onto each slice. Sprinkle with shredded cheese, and pop it back into the over for about 6-8 minutes, or until the cheese is bubbly.
5. Plating time! I like to eat these with a fork and knife as they're a bit too awkward to pick up and eat like toast or a sandwich. Garnish with a nice little side salad. I 10/10 recommend some avocado slices. If you're looking for an extra sauce or a dressing, my go-to is always a sriracha/greek yogurt/lemon mix. This works well mixed in with the salad or drizzled on top of your tuna melt.... although it doesn't technically need it. The tuna melt is a dream all by itself.
Comments
Post a Comment