Mediterranean-flavored tuna salad

Mediterranean-flavored tuna salad Ingredients:

2 cans of solid albacore tuna, drained

By Jessica Grann | Special to the Chronicle

January is a time when a lot of us hit a reset button on our eating habits, and I find having fresh, flavorful options available and ready to eat are a big help in making healthier choices.

Tuna is easy to whip up, but it can get boring when you make the same old recipe every time.

My Mediterranean-flavored tuna salad recipe is light and refreshing. It has lots of chopped vegetables mixed in with the tuna to make it much more filling.

I often serve it scooped into romaine lettuce leaves, so it’s like having a green salad with a twist. I add fresh dill, fresh lemon juice, crunchy fresh veggies and olives right into the tuna mixture. I do use mayonnaise to bind it, but I use much less than you would in traditional tuna salad.

This makes for a nice light lunch or dinner but is filling as well. I like to make two cans of tuna at a time, but you can halve or double this recipe easily depending on how many people you’re serving. Leftovers can be kept refrigerated for about two days.

½ cup of diced cucumber

½ cup of diced bell pepper

½ cup of diced cherry or grape tomatoes

¼ cup of olives. I use Kalamata because

I love Greek flavors, but you can use green olives or capers if you prefer

1½ tablespoons of freshly chopped dill

1 teaspoon of sliced green onion

1 tablespoon of fresh lemon juice

3 tablespoons of mayonnaise

A dash of salt and pepper

Drain the tuna, and flake it into a mixing bowl. Add the lemon juice with a dash of salt and pepper, and mix well. This helps the lemony flavor to soak into the tuna. I next mix in the fresh dill and green onion to be sure that the herbs are evenly distributed before adding the veggies.

Dice the cucumber, pepper, tomato and olives. Add them to the bowl with 3 tablespoons of mayonnaise and mix well. I don’t recommend using larger tomatoes because they have more water in them and will make the tuna too wet.

You can serve this immediately or cover and refrigerate it to eat later. I scoop it into romaine lettuce leaves the way one would when eating tabbouleh, but you can absolutely use a wrap or make a sandwich if that’s your preference. I love using the lettuce leaves because it adds the crunch factor and makes the entire meal low-carb.

I hope this gives you something new, refreshing and low-carb to enjoy. Bless your hands! PJC