I’ve been craving the tuna salad from a a little cafe and bakery up in Silverthorne, CO called Blue Moon Bakery. They don’t have gluten-free bread (some GF goodies though), but their tuna salad wrapped in crispy romaine lettuce with a big slice of tomato makes me forget the bread entirely. Their tuna salad includes toasted sunflower seeds and crunchy celery that makes a satisfying protein-filled lunch that keeps you full for hours.

It’s not exactly a quick lunch to drive all the way up the mountain so I decided to make my own version for a fast fix. I don’t know about you, but I love tuna salad with a little texture, not the mushy stuff you can get pre-made. My twist includes one of my recent favorite raw veggies, jicama (stay with me…) along with the more traditional celery and carrots. Serve a couple scoops over a bed of greens or spread some on your favorite sandwich bread or crackers. In fact, these would be good served with my Grain-Free Seed Crackers!

Protein-packed lunch or snack with a crunch!

Tuna Salad with a Crunch

Ingredients:

1 6 oz. can of tuna, in water (I prefer Polar’s chunk light)
1 stalk of celery, chopped
1 small carrot, chopped
1 or 2 green onions, chopped
1 small slice of jicama, chopped
1 1/2 tsp of raw or roasted sunflower seeds (pepitas would also be good)
2-3 Tbsp Vegenaise to taste (or mayo, if preferred)*
Pepper to taste

Directions:

1. Mix all ingredients in a small mixing bowl and enjoy!

Makes one large serving or 2 small servings.

*I love the taste of Vegenaise but mayo or a low fat mayo would work equally as well. I don’t like extra creamy tuna salad but include enough to hold everything together nicely, adjust to taste.

Recipe Notes: If you prefer smaller chunks, finely chop the celery, carrot, jicama and green onion.