3 Deliciously Fun And Easy Recipes That Start With A Can Of Tuna

Staying at home these past few months has certainly challenged us to become more experimental in the kitchen, whipping up different recipes or trying out some online trends. While eating clean and healthy remains a top goal, this can sometimes feel like a challenge. Maybe you think of healthy foods as bland and not very filling. Or, even worse, you might think that to prepare a nutritional meal requires a big investment of time, dedication, and hard-to-find ingredients.

Thankfully, none of these are true! And to show you just how easy it is to whip up nutritious meals that are also delicious, three of our favorite chefs took on the challenge to create one fun and healthy dish using canned tuna as their main ingredient.  The ingredient of choice is San Miguel Del Mar Tuna, which we like because it is 100% tuna with no extenders or preservatives.

Chef Ed Bugia of Pino, Pi Breakfast & Pies, and Mimi & Bros (to name just a few of his outlets) created a fun-to-eat and nutrition-packed Tuna Adlai Grain Bowl. Chef Happy Ongpauco-Tiu, the genius behind Pamana, Tsokolateria and Le Chon, came up with Tuna Crepes with Truffle Mushroom Cream Sauce; and food and lifestyle journalist Stephanie Zubiri made an elegant and easy Tuna Rillette.

Tuna is rich in Omega 3, which helps prevent heart disease. It's also rich in protein, which is crucial for our bodies to grow, repair tissue, create essential hormones and enzymes, and support our immune systems. In short, tuna's a really great ingredient to stock in your pantry. 

TUNA ADLAI GRAIN BOWL

by Chef Ed Bugia

Grain bowl:

1 can (185 grams) tuna chunks in oil, drained 

1 tablespoon sriracha 

2 tablespoons low fat yogurt 

150 grams adlai, cooked according to package directions

60 grams quinoa, cooked according to package directions 

2 teaspoons pickled onion

2 teaspoons pickled Japanese cucumbers

2 tablespoons cherry tomatoes, roasted 

4 pieces nori chips 

salt and pepper, to taste 

Mango salsa:

20 grams diced ripe mango

10 grams chopped shallots 

20 grams diced tomatoes 

1 teaspoon lemon juice 

1 tablespoon olive oil 

1 sprig cilantro, chopped 

1/4 teaspoon fine salt 

1/8 teaspoon pepper 

1. Mix all the ingredients for the mango salsa in a bowl. Chill.

2. Combine tuna, sriracha and yogurt in a bowl. Season with salt and pepper. Set aside. 

3. In a bowl, arrange grains, tuna mixture, salsa, pickled onion, cucumbers, and tomatoes. 

4. Top with crumbled nori chips. Serve.

TUNA CREPES WITH TRUFFLE MUSHROOM CREAM SAUCE

by Chef Happy Ongpauco-Tiu

Crepe:

1 1/2 cups fresh milk 

3 brown eggs 

5 tablespoons coconut vegetable oil 

2 teaspoons sugar 

1 teaspoon fine salt 

1 teaspoon vanilla extract 

Tuna Filling:

5 tablespoons olive oil

1/4 cup chopped garlic 

1 cup fresh button mushrooms 

1 can (185 grams) tuna chunks in water, drained 

1/2 cup all-purpose cream 

1/4 cup grated mozzarella cheese

salt and pepper, to taste

Sauce for topping:

1/4 cup salted butter

1/4 cup chopped garlic 

1/2 cup mozzarella cheese

1 pack (250 mL) all-purpose cream 

truffle oil, to taste

1. In a bowl, mix milk, eggs and oil. Add flour, then salt and sugar. Continue mixing then strain to get a smoother batter. Add vanilla extract to the batter. 

2. Pour batter into a nonstick flat pan until it forms a circle. Cook until edges start to dry and center is set. Turn and cook the other side until light brown.

3. To make the filling, sauté garlic in olive oil, then add mushrooms and tuna. Add cream and grated cheese. Season with salt and pepper, mixing thoroughly. Set aside. 

4. To make the sauce, melt butterand sauté garlic. Add cream and cheese. Set aside. 

5. To assemble: place one crepe pancake on a plate. Place 2 spoons of tuna filling on the center of the crepe. Take one side of the crepe pancake and roll it over the filling, then keep rolling to form a "log." Repeat this procedure for the rest of the crepes.

6. Pour the sauce over the crepes and drizzle with truffle oil.

TUNA RILLETTE

by Stephanie Zubiri

2 cans (185 grams each) tuna chunks in water, drained 

1 1/2 cup mayonnaise 

1 teaspoon Dijon mustard 

1 teaspoon dill leaves 

1 red onion (50 grams), minced

freshly ground black pepper, lightly crushed 

pink peppercorns, for garnish 

2 sprigs fresh dill, for garnish 

1 loaf rye or sourdough bread, sliced and lightly toasted 

1. In a food processor, place tuna, mayonnaise, mustard and dill. Pulse until smooth or pâté-like in consistency. Season with black pepper. 

2. Transfer to a bowl and add minced onion and some chopped pink peppercorns.

3. Transfer mixture to a jar. Garnish with dill and pink peppercorns. Serve with toasted rye or sourdough bread, or on crackers.