Calorie Breakdown:

830 Total Calories

So many people contact me and want to talk about how to cook for the way they want to eat. Some people are on a lo-carb diet, while others want to discuss plant based ideas. There are so many diets today. Some are by choice, others are required for health reasons. This recipe is good for anyone looking for a plant-based, gluten-free and low calorie option.

This Mock Tuna Salad recipe is pretty basic and easy to make. I love it! My goal was to share a recipe that would give you thoughts and ideas of making something tasty and healthy in a unique way. The recipe is good, solid and minimal meaning feel free to make it your own. It’s like a starting point…home base. Feel free to adjust the ingredients just like you would a regular tuna salad. You can chop the ingredients much finer than I did, add more mayo and less mustard if that is your taste, or use other veggies like zucchini, etc… I really like it without the cauliflower and cabbage (using just chick peas), but the low calorie option becomes compromised.

I’ve seen recipes with people using Bragg Organic Sea Kelp for flavor. Others use fresh dill and capers. These are all great ideas…I think it could be tasty with some crab-boil seasoning too. Like I said, I feel like you have a great foundation and idea to create something that is perfect for you. Enjoy creating, and please let me know if you come up with something unique.

Fresh dill gives this recipe a pleasant taste, but it’s winter and and our garden is running pretty lean. I did find a few scallions in a pot. Just a side note…I planted these scallions from the roots I cut off scallions I bought in the grocery store months ago. I keep cutting the greens off and they keep producing more.

Most people I know would not put this recipe combination together, but trust me…it’s really good. Some people won’t try something because it’s plant based. We all need to try and get out of our set ways and taste something new! It’s not going to kill you (I hope…LOL!)

The salad itself is gluten free and could be eaten with gluten-free crackers or bread. If you are not worried about the gluten, I recommend a good pita bread, or a sourdough bun. In the photo, it’s in a sourdough bun with everything but the bagel seasoning (a bread recipe I’ve been trying to master for some time). I also added a drizzle of hot sauce.

I‘m sitting here laughing while writing this recipe because I’m thinking about my grandma on my mom’s side. She was Italian. This is what I think would have happened if she found this recipe in a cookbook. She would call my mom and say “Rose, I made this great recipe today…I found it in a cookbook…the chick peas were cut up! I decided to make it just like the recipe said, but left out the mayo and mustard out and added fresh diced tomatoes, olives, roasted red peppers parsley, basil, and fennel. It was really good…next time I’m going to add tuna…” LOL!

Enjoy!