In the Mood for Comfort Food?

As a native Minnesotan, casseroles are a standard dinner entrée. Growing up in my family, I recall more meals than not where a casserole was the main (if not only) dinner item. While they were comforting and filling, particularly in the cold winter months, most of the family recipes I have are loaded with fat and somewhat lacking in nutrients.

Here’s a recipe I found in Oxygen magazine last year that is not only comforting, it’s packed with nourishment, too. It’s so well balanced – packed with whole grains, veggies, protein, and dairy – it is allowed to be a stand-alone meal in my home.

While it requires a little extra “kick” (a.k.a. hot sauce) to satisfy my husband’s taste buds, this recipe meets a critical requirement for our household: it’s gluten-free.  

The left-overs aren’t too shabby either. Since we make up a two-person household, whenever I make this recipe I serve two servings of the dish to my husband (he’s blessed with a physically demanding occupation and a metabolism to it back it up), while I serve a single serving for myself and immediately store the remaining serving  for my dinner the next night. Enjoy! 

Recipe for: Tuna-No-Noodle Casserole _{(Makes 4 servings) Gluten Free!}

To prepare: Preheat oven 400 degrees. Spray an 8”x 8” dish with non-stick cooking spray.

Ingredients

Directions

·        Non-stick cooking spray ·        1 small sweet potato ·        6 Tbsp. Parmesan cheese ·        1 Tbsp. canola mayo ·        1 tsp. Dijon mustard ·        1 tsp. garlic powder ·        1 tsp. ground black pepper ·        1 cups low fat milk ·        1 tsp. olive oil ·        1 half onion, chopped (optional) ·        1 cup frozen peas ·        2 cups cooked brown rice ·        1 7 oz. can tuna, drained and flaked For extra flavor variety, add cayenne pepper, tabasco sauce, and/or low fat shredded cheddar cheese. This recipe is from the April 2011 edition of Oxygen magazine.

·     Peel sweet potato, heat in microwave and mash well with a  fork. Set aside. ·     In a large mixing bowl, mix cheese, mayo, mustard, garlic powder, pepper and milk. ·     Add mashed potato and blend well to get a creamy, orange sauce. ·     Heat oil in a small skillet. ·     Sauté onion until soft, about two minutes. ·     Add peas. Add brown rice to reheat. Then stir in sweet potato mix. ·     Add tuna and mix to combine. ·     Bake in oven for 20 minutes at 400 degrees ·     Place everything in an 8 x 8-inch baking dish and bake for 20 minutes. ·     Serve on a bed of steamed spinach. NUTRITIONAL INFORMATION: Serving size: 1/4 dish Calories: 330 / Fat: 6 g / Protein: 25 g / Fiber: 8 g / Carb: 45

Kerri L. Mikeska, MHRM, PHR, NASM-CPT

What has your body done for you today? What have you done for it?

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