Making A Simple Tuna Casserole
I finally managed to cook a meal, a simple tuna casserole. It’s the first actual meal that I cooked, albeit a simple one, in a long time.
The photo of the casserole is from the blog Healthy Foods, where I originally found the recipe. I tend to forget to take food photos myself.
I used Whole Foods albacore tuna brand, avocado mayonnaise, garlic, onion, Dijon mustard, and shredded Gruyere cheese along with salt and pepper. Here’s the actual recipe.
If you have canned tuna and a few extra ingredients around, this only takes about 30 minutes to both prepare and cook. I cook mine in my portable convection oven.
Her recipe for tuna salad is great as well.
Before surgery on my ankle, I could stand for just a minute or two in the kitchen, and then have to sit down. The pressure and pain in my ankle would not allow me to stand longer than that.
Then, a year ago, the pain became pretty constant whether I was standing up or sitting down. So then I was in a real pickle when it came to preparing food.
I was quite happy to eat a cooked meal yesterday for supper. I had tuna casserole with Gouda cheese and avocado mayonnaise, a baked potato, and green beans.
Oh, but it sure did taste good. I wanted to cook cornbread, but I was too tired so maybe I’ll do that today.
The Movie “Intersection”:
Yesterday I watched another movie from the nineties called “Intersection” on Prime. It had another hotty. Richard Gere.
Sharon Stone, Lolita Davidovich, and Martin Landou were also in this movie.
Gere plays Vincent Eastman and Stone plays Sally, his ex-wife. They run an architectural firm together that they started years ago. They have a daughter together.
Unhappy in his marriage, Vincent meets a journalist, Olive Marshak, played by Lolita Davidovich. They begin a relationship. But Vincent is still really torn between his wife, who is moving on, and this journalist.
After a quarrel with his wife Sally, Vincent moves out. However, he still hasn’t given up hope of eventually getting back together with Sally.
I won’t tell you the rest in case you decide to watch it yourself.
Whole Foods Delivery:
I got a Whole Foods delivery yesterday. They find my address, perhaps because they are owned by Amazon which delivers to me on a regular basis.
I’m very pleased with how they package the food to be delivered. They use strong paper sacks and wrap your cold food in a pad of some sort. Then they fold the top down and staple it.
I ordered fresh fruit and frozen fruit for smoothies. And the Whole Foods albacore wild tuna, which is my favorite. I think this tuna is better than any other brand of canned tuna I’ve eaten.
Now I am stocked up on fresh vegetables and fruit, and all the other odds and ends I needed.
I have pinto beans to cook in the slow cooker. And I will use these beans as my protein base for various meals. I can make burrito bowls and salads and such with the beans.
I typically order food about every two weeks from either the local grocery (through Shipt delivery) or Whole Foods. Shipt is reliable as well.
It was so good to eat a home-cooked meal, even if it was just tuna casserole.
I’m late to the party on crockpot beans, but I love them that way. Alternatively, I discovered a blog article that mentions how to cook them low and slow in the oven (200 degrees, similar to the low setting of the oven) so the beans don’t burst or become mushy. In case you’re interested, here’s a link to the post and recipe:
https://orangette.net/2015/10/while-youre-not-looking/
I do follow the step for boiling the soaking water and then add it to the crock pot with the soaked beans. It may be over much while you work to limit your movements, so I’m sure that step could be eliminated and still you tasty beans!
It must have felt so good to prepare your own meal after all this time! I just looked up that tuna casserole and it looks delicious. I’ve pinned it and will be trying it.
Brenda,Yippee! I am so excited that you are back in your kitchen cooking! How wonderful after several months of take-out to have a home cooked, delicious, hot meal.
If I may suggest, find 3-5 crockpot recipes that you like and make them all winter long. I love to use my crock pot.
Here is a recipe for beans. https://pickledplum.com/slow-cooker-pinto-beans/
Also, I like to take a package of stew meat, put it into the crockpot/slow cooker with a little water, 1 sliced onion and seasoned with Montreal steak seasoning. Cook 6-7 hour on high. You can eat this over potatoes, or with a side of sweet potatoes, or rice. The next day you can have a small portion with some crustless, cheese quiche or with some buttered noodles.
I made the best black bean soup in my crockpot, the recipe was on the blog.
Did you know you can even bake in your crockpot?
https://realfoodwholelife.com/recipes/dump-and-go-slow-cooker-recipes/
Have a wonderful night!
x Elizabeth
I bet it felt wonderful to be able to make a homecooked meal again! Doesn’t matter if it was simple or complicated – the fact is, you were able to do it.
You mentioned liking beans and baked potatoes. You can bake (or microwave) a potato, split it open, and fill it with beans and leftover cooked veggies, or whatever else you want. You could even sprinkle some cheese on top, if that appeals to you. You can do this with sweet potatoes too, which have even more nutrients than russet potatoes.
Thanks for the tuna casserole recipe. It sounds so good. I’ve never had a crustless quiche. Would you mind sharing that recipe with us, and maybe tell us how you cook your pinto beans in a crock pot!
I have yet to make decent pinto beans in the crock pot, so I just keep trying. I read that they should be cooked on high all day. So I’ll try doing that. Here is where I got the crustless quiche casseroles, the same place I got the tuna casserole recipe. https://healthyrecipesblogs.com/low-carb-tuna-casserole/#search/q=crustless%20quiche
If you’re using dried beans, be sure to cover them with water and soak them overnight. Drain in the morning, then cook them per instructions.
I am so happy for you to have a home cooked healthy meal!! I have never thought to do pinto beans in a crock pot so can you share how you do that? I would rather do it your way than buying in a can like I have been.
I’m still experimenting with pinto beans. I never seem to get them soft enough. But I read that you should cook them on high all day, so I’m trying that next.
Thanks for answering and I will wait for what works for you to try it. I am sure nutrient wise yours will be better than canned ones.
Brenda, I don’t remember if you get Acorn or not. If you do, or any of your followers do, The Brokenwood Mysteries is a good series. It takes place in New Zealand. I think each episode is around an hour and a half. I enjoy it. pam Oh, and I love tuna casserole. I know you were staying away from meat but if you want you can sub the tuna with canned chicken.
I haven’t had Acorn for awhile, or BritBox. I might have to add one or both of them back for the winter months.
I loved cooking, but must admit that the current challenges and ones of recent years have left me not ambitious there anymore. I applaud your fixing a nice meal for yourself…good job!!
That was one of my goals. Being able to stand without pain to fix myself a decent meal. I don’t care if I have to sit down in between. Just don’t want the pain again.
The tuna casserole looks delicious! Tuna contains many important vitamins and minerals and also has significant protein. When I can, I try to cook from scratch w minimal equipment and fresh ingredients like my mom did -she was a child during the depression and her mother was a very good cook. You also don’t need a lot of fancy equipment either. The movie looks good too! What a great cast:) A quick ps: my cat growing up never liked tuna but she loooved chicken! We would always bake an extra breast for her and she meowed around the house the whole time it was baking:)
That’s why I’m leaving tuna in some of my meals. All those nutrients and the protein.
Yay for home cooked meals!
Definitely!
Looks really yummy! I use canned tuna all year around for sandwiches and casseroles. Switching over to eating more of it rather than ground beef/beef in dishes is very cost effective (especially these days) and also helped me lose a lot of weight while making my metabolic readings healthier.
I hope it helps me lose weight. I haven’t been able to get around much to burn calories.
Good for you, Brenda! This is wonderful news. Makes me and the rest of the crew so happy!
Hugs to you, pets to Ivy!
Certainly made me happy. And I gave Ivy a little plate of about a tablespoon of tuna.
Yes the whole crew is happy!
I have many dvd’s with Richard Gere. Pretty Woman was one of my favs. Patrick Swayze, Zack Efron and Scott Eastwood are a few more hotties that I can think of! There are a few more but I can’t think of their last name! Arrrgh! Lol
Yesterday I Googled Richard Gere and Andy Garcia movies and I’m looking for ones I can stream on the channels I have.
Wow look at you! The casserole sounds wonderful. Used to be a staple in my brother’s house with six kids. My daughter does. it like casseroles so we don’t eat them. I do miss them as it seems i was raised with them.
The first time I used Whole Foods I was so surprised at their packaging of cold foods. Really appreciate it in hot weather although I don’t live far from them.
As someone else mentioned you might enjoy quiches and you can make them crustless too so you aren’t fussing with them. I do have to mention we bought GF crusts from Whole Foods and they were excellent. Daughter made up her own version of GF chicken pot pies and we used them. It was quite surprised.
I’ll check into those crusts. Although before I had surgery I was making a crustless quiche that was really good.
Well, I don’t think I will be able to convert your tuna casserole to vegan Brenda! There is plenty of vegan cheese about, but I am not very fond of it. If I want a cheesy taste, I use Nutritional Yeast.
I do love any movie with Richard Gere in it and was just reading today that he is in my city filming. Part of the Handmaids Tale also used Hamilton Ontario for some of their scenes. If I know that beforehand, I love to look and see if I can spot any landmarks.
I’ll have to Google what movie he’s currently filming.
I love tuna casserole,never made it as the kids and hubby didn’t like it.
Could you share your recipe?
Here it is…https://healthyrecipesblogs.com/low-carb-tuna-casserole/
Yay, Brenda your making more progress! I’m sooo proud of u! Before u know it, you’ll be walking everywhere and cooking and baking up a storm!
I guess we’ll see. The physical therapist was here today and said not to do more than I’ve been able to do for another week before trying anything else.
I can well imagine how much you enjoyed your tuna casserole. And, pinto beans in the crock pot – yum! I love a bowl of pinto beans with a slice or two of corn bread. Baked potatoes are favs, too. Have you considered making a quiche? I like to add fresh veggies when I make one – tomatoes, cut up asparagus, etc.
I seem to remember watching Intersection but I’m not 100% sure. Of course, anything with Richard Gere is worth watching several times. 🙂
Have a fabulous day, Brenda!
Before I had surgery, I had made this crustless quiche several times. I’ll do that again.