HEALTHY AND TASTY WHITE BEAN AND TUNA SALAD

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Healthy and Tasty White Bean and Tuna Salad image

This salad takes a little to assemble. But it's nutritional content (chock full of protein and Omega-3 fatty acids) and fantastic taste are well worth it. We're finding out that beans are one of the best foods there is - adding only three cups a week can lower your cholesterol, decrease your cancer risk, and can even promote weight loss. The Omega-3's in tuna increase your good cholesterol, are heart and brain healthy. I've adapted it from a recipe that originally ran in the New York Times.

Provided by mlbelgard

Categories     Beans

Time 20m

Yield 2-4 serving(s)

Number Of Ingredients 12

1 small red onion, peeled and very thinly sliced (equal to about 1/4 -1/3 cup depending on your preference)
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar or 1 tablespoon sherry wine vinegar, plus
2 teaspoons red wine vinegar or 2 teaspoons sherry wine vinegar
1 (6 1/2 ounce) can tuna in water, drained (I prefer salt free, opting instead to add my own)
1 (15 ounce) can white beans. i prefer goya's small white beans, but you can use Cannellini (Habichuelas Blancas) or 1 (15 ounce) can borlotti beans
3 fresh sage leaves, slivered (You can buy fresh sage in small plastic containers, keep it towards the back of your fridge and it w)
2 tablespoons finely chopped flat leaf parsley
salt & freshly ground black pepper (I like using a coarse ground sea salt, Alea is my new favorite)
1 medium garlic clove, finely minced
1/2 teaspoon Dijon mustard
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil (If you aren't calorie conscious splurge, and use 4 tablespoons, besides olive oil is sooooo good for)
cucumbers (to garnish) or tomatoes, slices (to garnish)

Steps:

  • 1. Place the onion in a bowl and add 2 teaspoons of the vinegar and cold water to cover. Let sit for 5 minutes. Drain and rinse with cold water, then dry on paper towels. This rids the onion of it's sharpness. If you LIKE the sharpness- omit this step!
  • 2. In a medium bowl or salad bowl, combine the tuna, beans, onions, sage, and parsley.
  • 3. In a small bowl or measuring cup, mix together the remaining vinegar, salt to taste, freshly ground pepper, garlic, and Dijon mustard. Whisk in the olive oil. Toss with the tuna and beans and serve, garnishing each plate with cucumber or tomato slices.
  • This keeps well in the refrigerator for several days. I've served leftovers on slabs of French bread, hollowed out in the middle (so the beans don't roll), brushed with olive oil and toasted in the oven (toast the bread, then add the beans.) My guests couldn't get enough.

Nutrition Facts : Calories 565.9, Fat 23.9, SaturatedFat 3.8, Cholesterol 40.6, Sodium 394.4, Carbohydrate 49.2, Fiber 11, Sugar 2.2, Protein 38.9

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