Fun with Tuna

Ok, so shoot me, I don’t have a picture to show you. This is mainly because my digital camera is sitting in my electronics basket…uncharged….where it has been for the last month. One day I will get around to doing the incredibly simple task of plugging in the battery charger but today it was just too much, OK???? As a consolation prize you get Charlie, the Starkist tuna. Riveting.

Moving on…

I think I am addicted to tuna cakes. Tuna cakes? you ask yourself. Yes, tuna cakes. I love crab cakes. Adore salmon cakes. Am addicted to tuna cakes. Why? Well, first off they take about 4 minutes to prep and make from start to finish. Secondly, there are not bones or shells to contend with. Third, you can get away with a lot of different flavor combinations. The one I’d like to present for consideration today is a Jerk Tuna Cake w/ Peach Ginger Sauce.

Ingredients:

1 can of tuna (doesn’t have to be Starkist…sorry Charlie…but it does need to be packed in water)

1/8 c. textured vegetable protein (go ahead…ask…what’s that? Click here before moving on…)

1 tablespoon light mayo (yes, I know mayo is s’posed to be the debbil but it really does have some functions and this is one of them…don’t use Greek yogurt…use mayo!)

1 shake each of the following: salt, ground black pepper, onion powder, red pepper flakes

1 large egg white

1/2 tsp prepared jerk seasoning (pssst…it’s in the international aisle)

1 tbsp whole wheat bread crumbs (NOT ground Fiber One…yeesh…you people are health FANATICS!)

1 tbsp sugar free peach preserves (I use Smucker’s)

a dash of Splenda

a dash of cinnamon

1/4 tsp ground ginger

1 dollop sugar free breakfast syrup (I use Smucker’s)

Directions:

1. Drain tuna but reserve the water you drained. Set tuna aside.

2. Mix 1/8 c. reserved tuna liquid with your TVP and mix well. Set aside.

3. Dump tuna into the same bowl as the TVP and mix well

4. In the tuna can, mix together mayo, spices, and jerk seasoning (cuts down on dishes…don’tcha just love me????)

5. Add egg white to tuna/tvp mixture and mix well. Then add mayo mixture.

6. Add bread crumbs and mix well.

7. Spray a skillet with nonspray and let it get hot. While it is getting hot form patties out of your tuna mixture (how many depends on your appetite…for some this makes 4, for some 3, for me…2). Pan fry for about 3 minutes on each side. Cool on a rack if you’re going to pack it for lunch. Serve hot off the skillet if you are eating it then and there.

8. Wait! No! Don’t eat it yet! The peach ginger sauce! So easy: nuke the peach preserves for about 15-20 seconds. Until it’s all bubbly and gooey. Add remaining ingredients and stir, stir, stir! Dump it over your tuna cakes. There…now you can eat (really…you can eat it…SERIOUSLY)

This is so good. Just the right level of spicy and sweet. The peach-ginger sauce seems like it would be good over a corn cake but I don’t roll with corn cakes anymore so I may never know. If any of you dear readers are less neurotic than I, please try it and let me know how it tastes, k?

In summary…YUM! Oh one other thing…if you’re liking what I’m posting…if you try any of the recipes. If you have a thought about how blue the sky is…post comments! I need comments! I love comments! Comments are awesome!

That is all.