Avocado Tuna Salad

Avocado Tuna Salad – Recipe Serves 2

I am always searching for easy, fast, complete, diverse and delicious meals for lunch. It is a tall order, but this next recipe definitely fits the bill. Not to mention, this recipe is very inexpensive to make.  I use simple canned tuna and an avocado as the base. I know what you are thinking, canned tuna? It is really a treat when prepared with traditional seafood ingredients like lemon and dill. I hope you enjoy, let me know what you think!

Cackalacky Tuna Salad Sandwich – 380 Calories

Restaurant Tuna Salad Sandwich – 690 Calories

•  1 can of white albacore tuna in water
• 1 medium avocado
• ½ cup finely diced carrot
• 2 tablespoons finely diced red onion
• The juice of ½ lemon
• 1 ½ teaspoon mayonnaise
• 1 teaspoon dill
• Fresh ground black pepper and Salt to taste
• 4 pieces of rye bread
• 4 slices of tomato
• 4 leaves of bib lettuce
  
  
  
  

1. Start by slicing your avocado in half and then scoring the fruit as pictured below.
   
   
   
   
2. Put the avocado in a medium size bowl. Add the salt and lemon immediately to prevent the avocado from browning.  Mash the avocado, lemon, and salt together.
   
   
   
   
3. Finely dice the carrot and red onion.
   
4. Add the tuna, carrot, red onion, dill, mayonnaise, and pepper to the bowl, and mix it.
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
5. Toast your rye bread, and slice the tomato
   
   
   
   
6. Assemble your sandwich with lettuce, tomato, and tuna salad as pictured below, and enjoy!
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   

Cackalacky Summer Risotto

Cackalacky Summer Risotto - Recipe Serves 4

Risotto is a very fancy rice, and it can be a little intimidating to try to cook at home. This recipe will give you a step by step tutorial. This recipe is very involved, but the great news is this is a complete meal – veggies, protein, carbs and dairy all in one!

Here are a few tips before you get started –

• This process will take about an hour, and during this time you need to be watching the risotto almost constantly
• Stir! It is important that you stir the risotto frequently, this will prevent sticking and help absorb the liquid.
• Remember the ratio is 5 to 1 - 5 cups of liquid to 1 cup of Arborio rice. Keep this in mind if you modify the serving sizes or the cooking liquid used.

Also this recipe tastes best with sweet corn, here’s a tip my MIL gave me for picking the best sweet corn – it really works! While you are in the store peel back the husk and puncture one of the kernels. If the corn juice is milky this means the corn will be sweet.

Good luck with your risotto, and enjoy!

Cackalacky Summer Risotto – 340 Calories

Restaurant Risotto – 620 Calories

• 12 oz raw shrimp (about 20 shrimp)
• 1 tablespoon margarine
• 1 cup Arborio rice
• ¾ Cup White Wine
• 4 ¼ cups chicken broth
• 3 cups spinach
• Juice of ½ lemon
• 1 cob of sweet corn
• ¼ cup onion
• 2 cloves of garlic
• 1/2 cup sour cream
• ¼ cup shredded parmesan
• ½ tablespoon fresh thyme
• 1 teaspoon fresh oregano
• ½ teaspoon dry turmeric
• Dash of red pepper flakes
• Salt and pepper to taste
  
  
  
  

1. Season the shrimp with salt pepper and turmeric and set aside.
   
   
   
   
2. In a large wok heat ½ of the margarine over medium-high heat, once hot add the garlic and onion and sauté for about 3 minutes.
   
3. Next add the rice then the wine. Let simmer until all liquid is absorbed about 5 minutes.
   
4. In a separate medium pan heat the rest of the margarine over medium heat and add the seasoned shrimp. Cook the shrimp until they turn pink and are no longer translucent – about 7 minutes stirring frequently. Remove the shrimp from heat and set aside.
   
5. Once all the wine is absorbed in the rice add the thyme, oregano, red pepper flakes and 1 cup of the chicken broth, and let it simmer until the chicken broth is absorbed.
   
   
   
   
6. Continue to add 1 cup of broth at the time until all of the broth is added and most is absorbed by the rice. 
   
7. Remove the corn from the cob, and once all broth has been added to the wok stir in the corn. Let simmer for 5 minutes.
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
8. Next stir in the sour cream and shredded parmesan cheese and let simmer until all cheese is melted.
   
   
   
   
9. Stir in the spinach, and squeeze the juice of the lemon into the wok. Stir until spinach and wilted and combined with the mixture.
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
10. Stir the shrimp into your risotto and enjoy!
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    

Cackalacky Chicken Marsala

Cackalacky Chicken Marsala – Recipe Serves 4

Chicken Marsala is one of my favorite things to get when I am out at an Italian restaurant – It is always soo good. The only problem with restaurant chicken marsala is the abundance of butter and olive oil – this really bumps up the calorie content. This recipe subs the butter for margarine, and cuts down the amount used without sacrificing the taste! Plus this recipe tastes like expert cooking, but it is so easy to make. Serve with linguine and enjoy!

Cackalacky Chicken Marsala – 230 Calories

Restaurant Chicken Marsala – 450 Calories

• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
• ½ Ground Oregano
• ½ Teaspoon Ground Thyme
• ½ Teaspoon Cayenne Pepper
• 1 teaspoon Garlic Powder
• 1 teaspoon Paprika
• 2 (6 to 8-ounce) boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut in halves and pounded thin
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 4 tablespoons Margarine
• 3 cups sliced mushrooms
• 3/4 cup Marsala
• 1 cup chicken stock
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• Chopped chives, for garnish
  

1. Combine the oregano, thyme, cayenne pepper, garlic powder, paprika, salt and pepper with the flour.
   
   
   
   
2. Cover the chicken breasts in flour on all sides.
   
3. Heat the grape seed oil over in a medium skillet over medium-high heat. Once the skillet is hot add one tablespoon of, margarine.
4. Brown the chicken breasts for 5 minutes on each side. Remove from heat and set aside.
   
   
   
   
5. In a different medium skillet heat one tablespoon of margarine over medium heat. Once hot add the mushrooms.
   
6. Cook mushrooms for about 6 minutes until the liquid is cooked out.
   
7. Add the marsala to the skillet with the mushrooms, and let simmer until the wine reduces by half.
   
   
   
   
8. Once the marsala reduced add the chicken stock, and let it simmer for about 3 minutes.
9. Add the chicken breasts to the skillet with the mushrooms, wine, and chicken stock. Let simmer until the chicken is cooked through, and stir in the last tablespoon of margarine, and season with salt and pepper.
   
   
   
   
10. Serve garnished with chopped chives. Enjoy!