Balsamic Tuna Salad

There are a lot of changes going on in my life right now. My husband is looking for a new job. He has only had one since graduating college 5 years ago, so this will be a huge adjustment for him. I am looking into returning to school, which means changing career fields for me. I am currently working from home, so it gives me plenty of time for research.

Whenever I have a lot of things to do, I want as much energy, and brain food as I can get, so I decided to make my favorite tuna salad for lunch today. One of my favorite lunches was a Mediterranean tuna sandwich from a nearby deli, but since it is not gluten-free I adapted it into a salad. I have adapted most of my favorite sandwiches into salads, as I am still warming up to gluten-free breads.  

I make this salad differently every time, sometimes I add red onions, chickpeas, or feta cheese. It depends on what I have on hand. 

1 3 oz can tuna 

1 small tomato, chopped

1/4 cucumber, chopped

1/4 cup sliced olives (I used black)

1 tbsp balsamic vinegar

1 tbsp mayo

salt and pepper to taste

In a bowl, combine all ingredients until well blended. Serve on its own, or on gluten-free bread or crackers. 

Ham and Corn Salad

A couple of months ago I unexpectedly had to make a trip home to my parent's in Dayton, Ohio. The trip came up very suddenly, and left me very little time to prepare. It was also my first long road trip since going gluten-free. I know that the options for food are very limited on the various turnpikes, so David and I decided to pack our own food, instead of stopping at a fast food restaurant. I had less than an hour to pack, so I knew that whatever I was going to make with me needed to come out of my fridge, since I didn't have time to go to the store. That's how this ham and corn salad was born. I had all the ingredients on hand, and it was quick and easy. It turned out to be delicious as well.

While we were on the road we ate it as a dip or tortilla chips, but today I decided to use it as a sandwich, with a GF cheddar bay biscuit as the bread. It is also very good served in lettuce leaf cups.

I buy precooked ham steaks, and cook them at 350 degrees for 15 min, because I like this salad warm. You don't have to heat the steak though, it is also very good served cold!

                                       

1 ham steak, cut into 1/2 inch cubes

1 1/2 cups corn kernels.

3/4 cup shredded cheddar cheese

1/2 cup plain Greek yogurt

1 tsp garlic powder

salt and pepper to taste.

Mix all ingredients together in large bowl, and serve!  

Peach Mozzarella Basil Salad

It's been a long week for my husband. He is a born workaholic, and it's just his nature to work too long and too hard. He is the youngest person to ever hold his position at work, and his job comes with a lot of stress. I try really hard to take some of the pressure off of him, and usually that involves me cooking for him. I usually try to make new things, I like to keep his life interesting, and I get bored of having the same things all the time.

This week has been especially rough on him, full of deadlines, awkward encounters, and lots of yelling. So when Friday night rolled around I decided to plan a nice candlelit dinner for two. On the menu: creamy salami and goat cheese spread with sun dried tomatoes, cold chicken slices marinated in lemon, white wine, garlic and cracked pepper, and peach, mozzarella and basil salad. 

The salad was light and refreshing. The flavors blended together, creating a wonderful side for a very hot summer day.

3 peaches, cut into 6-8 slices, then halved crosswise

8 oz fresh mozzarella. (i used the little balls, but if the are not available cut into 1 in cubes)

1 cup chopped basil

2 tbsp olive oil

1 squeeze fresh lemon juice

salt and pepper to taste

In a large bowl, mix peaches, mozzarella, and basil.drizzle with olive oil and lemon juice, sprinkle with salt and pepper, and toss to coat. Keep refrigerated.