by Barb Dyess

Created on: July 21, 2010

Macaroni-Albacore Tuna Salad, A Meal in a Bowl

What's better than getting a meal ready in less than fifteen minutes? One that's all-in-one-bowl, easy to fix, healthy and unique to boot! On a hot summer evening, when the last thing I wanted was to put even a toe into my kitchen, I whipped up this version of an old classic.

Using albacore tuna boosts this salad's protein status and takes it from a carb-heavy pasta salad to carb-friendlier one. You may use whole-wheat or low-glycemic macaroni to make it even more so. Albacore, or all white tuna, is easier for some to digest and milder in taste than regular tuna. It is the "emperor of canned tunas" and well worth the fifty or so extra cents per can that it costs (this recipe takes two cans). Try to experiment with the balance between the creaminess of sour cream & mayo against the acidic-tang of red wine vinegar. Full of simple ingredients that cover all the food groups, this Mac-Tuna Salad has become one of our favorites. I hope you and your family enjoy it as well!

(Serves approx. 4)

3/4 box elbow macaroni, cooked 

2 cans albacore tuna, water squeezed out

4 stalks celery, coarsely chpd

2 red apples (smaller), coarsely chpd

3 hard-boiled eggs, chpd

3-4 TB olive oil

3-4 TB red wine vinegar

1 tsp. dried tarragon

Heaping 1/4 c. light sour cream

Heaping 1/4c. light mayo

Dash of Splenda no-calorie sweetener, to taste

While macaroni is boiling, drain tuna and set aside. Pour yourself a glass of ice tea and relax for the 10-12 minutes while the pasta is cooking to a firm-tender state. Drain and rinse macaroni well in a colander. While it's draining, chop celery, apple and eggs; sip more tea. Add macaroni to large bowl, add chopped ingredients and stir. Add rest of ingredients and fold/stir until all is well mixed. Adjust olive oil and creamy ingredients to consistency you prefer. Serve with crackers and more iced drinks. May serve on a bed of lettuce, garnished with grape tomatoes if you'd like to get fancy.

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