I secretly look forward to nights when Bill is around so that I can use ingredients he doesn’t like Plus it makes it even better when that dish will turn into not only something I can have for lunch but also a favorite recipe. Tonight was no exception.

Tuna, one of Bill’s most hated foods (but one of my favorites), was clearly on the menu. It then became a fly-by-night recipe, where you just started adding ingredients to see if something will work. Though it might not be for everyone, this was certainly a dish for me.

Ingredients

• 1 can tuna
• 1 can chickpeas
• 1 cucumber
• 1/4 cup Fage yogurt (or any Greek yogurt will do)
• 1 teaspoon oregano
• 1 teaspoon capers
• 1 teaspoon garlic salt
• a pinch of seasoning salt (for fun, really)
• 1/2 lemon, juice only

Directions

• Mix tuna, chickpeas and cucumbers in a bowl.
• Add yogurt and stir.
• While stirring, squeeze in the lemon juice and capers.
• Add spices.
• Stir for a while.
• Let set in the refrigerator for 15-20 minutes

The last note is optional, but I think it helped thicken up the whole mix. I served mine on a bed of spinach leaves with a side of Kashi crackers.

It warmed my heart to read that many of you wanted the recipe from last night’s dinner.

Without further ado, here it is. I ate a container of this for lunch today

Salmon Pasta Salad with Spinach, White Beans and Cucumbers

Ingredients

• About 1 cup of Whole Wheat Bow Tie Pasta
• 1 can of salmon or tuna
• 1 cup of white beans
• 3 cups of spinach
• 1 cucumber
• 1 lime
• 2 tablespoons, capers
• 1 tablespoon, olive oil
• minced garlic (to taste – I use a ton)
• parsley (fresh or not)
• salt and pepper

Directions

1. Prepare pasta according to ingredients on the box.
2. While the pasta is cooking, sautee the olive oil, garlic, capers and the juice from 1/2 lime in a pan. After it’s slightly browned, add spinach.
3. Once spinach is wilted, add white beans and stir over a low heat.
4. Cut your cucumber. I left the peel on and cut it into fours for bite size appeal. This is entirely up to you.
5. Remove spinach and white bean mixture from the stove once the beans look like they’ve soaked up some of the sauce. Give it time to cool, as this dish is better while cooled.
6. Drain pasta and run under cold water.
7. Combine spinach/bean mixture with pasta. Add salmon/tuna and cucumbers.
8. Squeeze the other half of your lime on the mixture. Add salt and pepper to taste, along with parsley.
9. Stir until coated. You may need to add additional olive oil depending on your taste.

Notes

• This dish tastes best when chilled overnight.
• If you are going to chill, be sure to let the spinach and beans cool down before refrigerating.
• You could remove and/or add vegetables to this dish as you like. For example, you could swap carrots for the cucumber.
• This dish takes about 20-25 minutes to prepare.

OTHER

Be sure to check out Meghann’s Blogging Bake Sale II today and bid on your favorite item! I have my eye on Heather’s Maple Nut Butter Cookies.

(Happy Birthday, Veggie Girl!)