Advertisement

Low in Calories, Versatile and Delicious Canned Tuna Can Be a Fine Main Course

Share

Canned tuna isn’t just for salads and sandwiches. Lean and low-calorie, tuna can star at the dinner table as well.

When your refrigerator and freezer are bare of meat for a main course, check your pantry. Canned tuna can be the start of something great.

TUNA ROMANOFF CASSEROLE

8 ounces egg noodles, cooked

3 tablespoons onion flakes

1 1/2 cups low-fat cottage cheese

3 cans (6 1/2 ounces each) water-packed tuna

1 1/2 cups plain low-fat yogurt

3 tablespoons ketchup

1/2 teaspoon dry mustard

1/4 teaspoon instant garlic

1 teaspoon salt

Pinch of red Cayenne pepper

3 tablespoons grated extra-sharp Romano cheese

2 tablespoons herb-seasoned bread crumbs

Spread cooked noodles in bottom of shallow, oven-proof baking dish. Combine onion flakes with cottage cheese; spoon over noodles. Drain tuna and separate into flakes. Spread tuna over cottage cheese.

Advertisement

Stir yogurt, ketchup, mustard, garlic, salt and pepper together; pour over tuna. Sprinkle with Romano cheese and bread crumbs

Bake in a preheated 325-degree oven for 30 minutes. Makes 8 servings, 280 calories each.

ITALIAN TUNA SPINACH PIE

4 refrigerator crescent rolls

7-ounce can water-packed tuna

10-ounce box frozen chopped spinach, thawed

1 teaspoon dried oregano (or Italian seasonings)

Pinch of grated nutmeg

Optional: salt (or garlic salt) and red pepper, to taste

3 eggs

1 cup plain tomato sauce, divided

3 ounces part-skim mozzarella cheese, shredded

Unroll crescent rolls in 9-inch straight-sided cake pan and spread evenly, using finger tips, over all inner surfaces, cutting to fit. Quick-bake in a preheated 450-degree oven for 7 to 8 minutes, until lightly browned.

Remove from oven and spread tuna over bottom crust. Cover with well-drained, thawed spinach. Sprinkle with seasonings.

Combine eggs with half the tomato sauce and fork-blend lightly; pour over spinach. Top with remaining tomato sauce.

Return to oven and bake at 450 degrees for 10 minutes. Lower the heat to 350 degrees; bake an additional 40 minutes. Sprinkle surface with mozzarella during last 15 minutes of baking. Cut in 8 wedges to serve. Each wedge, 155 calories.

PRONTO TUNA TART

4 refrigerator crescent rolls

7-ounce can water-packed tuna, drained

5 tablespoons minced onion

2 tablespoons minced fresh parsley (or dill weed)

1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce

4 eggs

1 1/2 cups skim milk

1 teaspoon salt (or seasoned salt)

Spray 8-inch round non-stick cake pan with cooking spray. Unroll crescent rolls. Spread dough evenly over bottom and up sides of pan with finger tips, so that all inner surfaces are covered with thin crust. Bake in preheated 450-degree oven for 7 to 8 minutes, until lightly browned.

Advertisement

Remove from oven and spread drained tuna over the bottom crust; sprinkle with onion, parsley and Worcestershire. Beat eggs, milk and salt together; pour over tuna. Return to oven and bake for 10 minutes at 450 degrees. Lower heat to 325 degrees; bake an additional 20 minutes until filling is completely set. Slice into wedges to serve. Makes 4 main-course servings, 285 calories each.

SPEEDY SPAGHETTI WITH

TUNA-MUSHROOM SAUCE

4 cups tender-cooked protein-enriched spaghetti

2 cans (6 1/2 ounces each) water-packed tuna

10-ounce can condensed chicken broth, fat-skimmed

6-ounce can tomato paste

4-ounce can chopped mushrooms (including liquid)

1/4 teaspoon Italian seasonings

Garlic salt, pepper, to taste

Cook spaghetti until tender in salted water.

Meanwhile, drain tuna into sauce pan, breaking tuna into chunks. Add remaining ingredients and stir well. Simmer 5 minutes over low heat. Serve over spaghetti. Makes 4 servings, 325 calories each.

Advertisement