New Look and a Ten-Minute Lunch Recipe
If you are in google reader, pop on over and check out the new and improved One Frugal Foodie, courtesy of The Blog Fairy! What do you all think? Personally, my eyes are loving the slightly bigger font. I still have some updates to do with the widgets and such, but overall I am very happy with it. I am also going to add a links page, so please let me know if I don’t have your blog in my blogroll. I will be updating!
Things have been insanely busy lately as you may have guessed from my very slow posting. And to be quite honest, I haven’t had much time for creating, or at least documenting, new recipes. My husband and I have been in throw-it-together mode. The results have beeen delicious (a dairy-free/gluten-free eggplant lasagna that I created and a spicy mushroom pepper pork stir fry courtesy of my husband), but alas, they really were using up the fridge meals that I just didn’t have the energy to measure and write down. I will see if we can’t repeat those when things settle down though.
But in the spirit of things, I thought I would share one of my quick lunch meals. It is truly a speedy endeavor, flavorful, and quite versatile. The recipe, as I have made it numerous times for myself and a ravenous husband, is below. However, I tend to fiddle with the seasoning amounts often, so feel free to adjust to your own tastes.
I am planning on attempting a vegetarian / vegan version of it using lightly smashed chickpeas and a sheet of nori seaweed (cut into small pieces) in place of the tuna. Nori seems to have that great “from the sea” taste and I thought it might compliment chickpeas/garbanzo beans well.
Though I find this version quite tasty, I would love to hear ideas from you. Do you have any suggestions for modifying it to create a new dish or flavor?
Ten-Minute Tuna Couscous
This recipe is Dairy-Free, Soy-Free, Nut-Free, and optionally Egg-Free (use that vegan mayo – I am a fan of Grapeseed Oil Vegenaise). See below for a Gluten-Free option, and the post above for my idea on making this Vegan / Vegetarian.
- ½ Cup Uncooked Whole Wheat Couscous
- 1 Cup Frozen Peas, thawed
- 1 Can Tuna, drained (I use solid white in olive oil, and save the oil for another use, or I even use some of the oil in place of the mayo on occasion)
- 1-1/2 Tablespoons Mayonnaise (regular, light, or vegan – I have tried them all)
- 1 Teaspoon Dijon Mustard
- 3/8 Teaspoon Onion Powder
- 1/4 to 1/2 Teaspoon Dried Dill
- 1/4 Teaspoon Salt
- 1/8 Teaspoon Sugar (or sweetener of your choice)
- 1/2 Teaspoon Lemon Juice
- 1 Tablespoon Water
- Fresh Ground Pepper, to taste (optional)
Cook the couscous according to the package directions. This literally takes just 5 minutes.
While that is cooking, I run the peas under some warm water to quickly thaw them (this isn’t a plan ahead kind of meal!).
Then, I combine the mayo, mustard, onion powder, dill, salt, sugar, lemon juice, and water in a small dish.
Take the lid off of the couscous, give it a quick fluff with a fork, and stir in the peas and mayo mixture. Using your fork, crumble the tuna in and give everything another stir to combine. Dish up into two bowls and serve!
Gluten-Free Option: I haven’t tried it as of yet, but Lundberg has a new brown rice couscous. It looks like it will make this a 15-minute dish instead of ten, but will probably yield excellent results.
Yields 2 very fast lunches
25 thoughts on “New Look and a Ten-Minute Lunch Recipe”
I love this take on tuna casserole – so easy, and I definitely keep all those ingredients on hand. Would be perfect for my school lunches as well 🙂
The new site design is very clean & fresh. Plus it’s green – one of my favourite colours!
And if you are updating your blogroll, and deem mine worthy, I’d love to be on there 😀
Oh I love this idea! Coucous is always on hand b/c of how quick and convenient it is. Throw in canned tuna and frozen peas? Easy!!! J would eat this up in a hurry, too!
Usually what I do to get creative in modifying a dish is to just go off different cuisines. For example, rice is such a blank canvas that you can spice it up Mexican with salsa while it cooks, or use Asian inspirations for a stir fry. The same goes for potatoes, pasta, etc. Even veggies- change up the seasonings and it takes on a whole diff. flavor profile!
PS I’m not on the blogroll yet!
Gorgeous site – easy to navigate, lots to see – and I want whatever that bluberry tart is in the header! 😀
I’m with Marianne, if Iowagirleats.com is deemed worthy, I’d love to make the blogroll!
I LOVE the look of your blog!! I also used the blog fairy!! She is AMAZING!!
I am also trying to be dairy and gluten free. Can’t wait to see what you post.
The new layout looks great. Did you know I do blog makeovers too?
Couscous is one of my new favorite grains. We love to put peas in it, but the other additions you made sound awesome.
YEAHH I love this new look, it’s wonderful!!!
I gotta say the recipe looks perfect to me
Wow–what a great look!
Love the new layout, it looks great!
Very nice looking blog makeover, Alissa. I like it. I’m very fond of the three-column look, and the colors are very attractive. I’m glad you used white behind your main column – it makes reading the text so much easier than when it’s got a colored background.
Love the new look!!!
The new look is GORGEOUS! love it 🙂
Looks great Alisa, I’m revamping mine as well. Can you please add me to your blogroll? Thanks! k
Hi Alissa, I love the new look!!!!!!! And the recipe you chose today…with the green pea and the beige couscous…it’s like 100% color coordinated:) When you make red velvet cake will you coordinate the layout,too? kidding 🙂 It looks GREAT!!!! LOVE IT! I wouldn’t mind being on your blogroll if you think I fit 🙂
xoxo
Lovely new look! And I appreciate the slightly larger font, too 😉 . I’d love to be on your blogroll, BTW! 🙂
Looks easy enough (as well as cheap enough lol) for me to try. Love the new look.
I have a box of the Brown Rice Couscous in my cupboard. I was waiting for the perfect recipe to try it on. I will let you know how it turns out!!! Quinoa would also be a great substitute for Gluten free. Thanks for this recipe Alisa!
Wow the new design looks great! And I love thrown together meals, they always taste so much better than the fastfood/take out option!
The brown rice couscous is great. Not all varieties of it are dairy-free—have to read the labels, as always. 🙂 But there are two kinds that are, and they are delicious.
I do really love the new layout. Looks fantastic.
This recipe looks like a great lunch or even dinner! Good use of tuna.
I think this is what I need for lunch everyday. I am always busy and cooking something for myself is like a luxury.
Hi, I just found your blog through Iowa Girl Eats, and I wanted to add you to my google reader, however, it is saying there is a problem with the feed. I’m not sure if your new blog design has something to do with it, but I just wanted to let you know. I hope it gets fixed, I’d love to add you!
I am really glad you reminded me about frozen peas. They are such a handy thing to keep around, and a great addition to many dishes. Plus very often you can purchase organic produce cheaper when it’s frozen.
Lacey gave the brown rice couscous a test run and emailed this feedback:
“Just had recipe for lunch today and it was AWESOME! I love it. It will definately be something I will make again. The Brown Rice Coucous worked out well. Thanks for the GREAT recipe!”
Thanks Lacey!
It looks delicious–I love how quick and versatile couscous is. Your new blog look is wonderful–very clean and easy to read. I keep thinking I need a blog makeover too. 😉
This looks really good, I have everything on-hand except for the peas, and it contains none of my allergies 🙂 Thanks for posting!
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