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An Old Favorite: Tuna melt gets a healthful makeover
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Published: November 12, 2008
Updated: 11/11/2008 08:50 pm
When our Desperation Dinners! cookbook appeared in 1997, the subtitle was Home-cooked meals for frantic families in 20 minutes flat. If we had it to do over again, we would probably position the word "Healthy" squarely in front of "Home-cooked."
These days, it seems everyone is more health-conscious -- us included. And while most of our recipes do make use of healthful ingredients and cooking techniques, from time to time we will pull out a favorite and realize that, owing to improved ingredients, a tried-and-true recipe is ripe for a makeover.
Take today's Creamy Tuna Melt. English muffins made from 100 percent whole wheat weren't available when we developed the recipe, and reduced-fat cheese slices were nearly impossible to find. We have used low-fat cottage cheese here, but you could even use fat-free. As for tuna, the fish itself hasn't changed, but the no-drain foil pouches give tuna a fresher flavor with no draining required. Some things stayed the same: Creamy Tuna Melt can still be fixed in 20 minutes flat, and it still tastes terrific.
From time to time, we hear from readers who have adapted our recipes to fit their own health requirements. If you have a favorite recipe of ours that you have updated, please tell us about it by e-mail at bev-alicia@desperationdinners.com.
Creamy Tuna Melt
4 whole-wheat English muffins (see Notes)
2 celery ribs (for about ½ cup diced)
1 7-ounce pouch light tuna (see Notes)
1 cup low-fat (1 percent) cottage cheese
1/3 cup reduced-fat mayonnaise
Juice from ½ lemon (for about 1 tablespoon)
½ teaspoon onion powder
¼ teaspoon garlic powder
¼ teaspoon black pepper
8 slices ripe tomato (about 2 large tomatoes)
4 slices (4 ounces) reduced-fat Swiss cheese
1. Place an oven rack in the top position, and turn on the broiler.
2. Split the English muffins in half, and place them, cut side up, on a baking sheet. Place the muffins under the broiler, and toast until lightly browned. Remove the muffins from the oven, leaving the broiler on, and set them aside.
3. While the muffins toast, proceed to rinse and dice the celery. Place the celery in a medium, microwave-safe mixing bowl. Add the tuna, cottage cheese, mayonnaise, lemon juice, onion powder, garlic powder and pepper. Stir until well-mixed. Microwave, covered with a paper towel, until just warm, about 1 minute.
4. Spoon the tuna mixture evenly on top of the toasted muffins, and flatten it out for even heating. Place one tomato slice on top of the tuna mixture. Cut the cheese slices in half, and place a half-slice over the tomato on each muffin. Broil just until the cheese melts, about 1 minute. Place one or two muffin halves on each plate, and serve at once.
Makes 4 to 8 servings (see Notes).
Notes: Thomas brand now offers 100 percent whole-wheat English muffins with great texture and taste. While most adults will eat two muffin halves, children and those with lighter appetites may prefer only one. If you don't want to use four full servings, only toast the number of muffin halves you need. The unused tuna mixture can be refrigerated in an airtight container for up to three days. It makes a good dip served cold on crackers or chips. It can also be used for future tuna melts, warming in the microwave as directed in the recipe.
Tuna in foil pouches does not have to be drained. You can also use two cans of tuna, drained well.
Nutrition information for one muffin half topped with tuna: 195 calories (28 percent from fat), 6 g fat (2 g saturated), 21 mg cholesterol, 17 g protein, 18 g carbohydrates, 3 g dietary fiber, 459 mg sodium.
■ Send us desperate tales of woe or everyday success stories and your favorite quick recipes to Desperation Dinners, c/o United Media, 200 Madison Ave., New York, NY 10016; or e-mail bev-alicia@desperationdinners.com.
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