My Food Journal

I decided it was time for something a little more fresh, but healthy for dinner last night. But I hate all the "health recipes" I get from pregnancy emails and such, so I decided to make my own yummy version instead. And don't be afraid that this dish has tuna in it. The way I prepare it makes the tuna pretty much unnoticeable. There's not tinny fishiness here! I like this dish because it has a lot of protein and vitamins and iron and all that good health-freak stuff without tasting like it came from a diet cookbook.

Fresh Lemon Tuna Pasta
Serves 4
2 handfuls spinach
zest of 1 lemon
juice of 1 lemon
extra virgin olive oil
1 small can tuna, drained
1 medium sized onion, diced small
3-5 (depending on preference) cloves garlic, minced
vegetable oil
salt and pepper to taste
1 can diced tomatoes (I used petite diced here)
1/2 lb long pasta (I used spaghetti)
handful of parsley, chopped fine
parmiggiano reggiano or pecorino romano cheese (optional)

1. Bring a large pot of water to a boil, add salt and boil pasta according to directions to al dente. Reserve a little bit of pasta water and drain. Set aside.
2. In a small bowl, add tuna, salt and pepper, juice of 1/2 a lemon, and about 1 T olive oil and mix lightly to combine. This is take out a lot of the fishiness in the tuna.
3. In a frying pan with high sides bring a little bit of vegetable oil to medium high heat and add onion and garlic. Cook until onions are translucent and garlic is fragrant, but not browning.
4. Add spinach and when it starts to wilt, add tomatoes and tuna mixture. Warm through.
   
5. Take off the heat and add lemon zest, left over lemon juice, parsley, and finely grated cheese, and a coupel swirls of extra virgin olive oil, and toss until well distributed. Serve with crusty bread:)

* you can use whole grain pasta if you want, just don't boil is as long because the texture gets gummy and brittle (sounds like a contradiction, I know. But it's hard to describe) if you're not careful. And don't go with a cheap brand on whole wheat pasta. It's definitely worth it to buy Barilla or a slightly more expensive brand for that. Trust me. I've made the mistake before and I ended up with chewy, brittle, bitter toothpicks instead of nice pasta. With Barilla brand you can barely tell a difference.