Tuna Melt

From EatingWell: April/May 2005, The EatingWell Healthy in a Hurry Cookbook (2006) — Subscribe Now!

In this updated version of the tuna melt, we go light on the mayo and top it with fresh tomato slices and shredded sharp Cheddar, which allows us to use considerably less cheese while ensuring that there's great cheese flavor in each gooey bite.

READER'S COMMENT:

"This was a GREAT recipe. I changed it up just a little however. I used 2 tbls lemon juice and only 2 tbls of low fat mayo. I then used cilantro in place of the parsley, using 2 tbls, and replaced the shallot with 3 tbls finely dice red...

4 servings

Active Time: 10 minutes

Total Time: 15 minutes

Nutrition Profile

Ingredients

12 ounces canned chunk light tuna, drained (see Note)
1 medium shallot, minced (2 tablespoons)
2 tablespoons low-fat mayonnaise
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 tablespoon minced flat-leaf parsley
1/8 teaspoon salt
Dash of hot sauce
Freshly ground pepper, to taste
4 slices whole-wheat bread, toasted
2 tomatoes, sliced
1/2 cup shredded sharp Cheddar cheese

Preparation

Preheat broiler.
Combine tuna, shallot, mayonnaise, lemon juice, parsley, salt, hot sauce and pepper in a medium bowl. Spread 1/4 cup of the tuna mixture on each slice of toast; top with tomato slices and 2 tablespoons cheese. Place sandwiches on a baking sheet and broil until the cheese is bubbling and golden brown, 3 to 5 minutes.

Tips & Notes

Note: Chunk light tuna, which comes from the smaller skipjack or yellowfin, has less mercury than canned white albacore tuna. FDA/EPA advice recommends no more than 6 ounces of albacore a week; up to 12 ounces canned light is considered safe.

Nutrition

Per serving: 252 calories; 6 g fat (3 g sat, 0 g mono); 66 mg cholesterol; 16 g carbohydrates; 31 g protein; 3 g fiber; 408 mg sodium; 242 mg potassium.

Nutrition Bonus: Vitamin A & Vitamin C (20% daily value).

1 Carbohydrate Serving

Exchanges: 1 starch, 1/2 vegetable, 3 very lean meat, 1/2 high-fat meat