When I first moved to LA, I got my first real-person apartment and my first real-person roommate, a girl named Roxanne. A Los Angeles native herself, she introduced me to several facets of Los Angeles life that I won’t go into here. But she also introduced me to the first record by the Arcade Fire (who changed my world when I saw them live at the Troubadour, most likely with Roxanne), MySpace (she actually created an account for me), and the indie rock scene as things stood in in the mid-oughts. She is a true music fan, the kind of listener who knows all the lyrics to Beck songs, and I owe her a lot of credit for starting me off with indie music.
Our little two-bedroom apartment was within walking distance of a Whole Foods, which was wonderful for our mouths and dangerous for our wallets. Roxanne introduced me to the wonders of their prepared food counter, specifically the cranberry tuna salad. Here is my recreation of that spectacular and simple way of making a boring tuna salad exciting all over again, and again, and again.
xx Anna
Whole Foods Cranberry Tuna Salad
Serves 2
- 1 can albacore tuna, drained
- 3 tablespoons mayonnaise (adjust to taste)
- 1 heaping teaspoon dijon or whole-grain mustard
- 3 tablespoons dried cranberries
- 1/4 large white or preferably red onion, finely chopped
- salt and pepper to taste
Mix all ingredients in a bowl. Adjust the ingredients so the salad is exactly how you like it. Season with salt and pepper to taste, and serve with toast, crackers, or my favorite: celery.
Lunch of cranberry tuna salad with creamy sesame kale and celery sticks? Not too shabby. Look out for the recipe for sesame kale; it'll go up in the next couple of days!
Yes – the little dollop of mustard was the ‘missing’ piece!
this is such a great idea! thanks for posting… canned tuna is such a go-to ingredient in our household, and desperately needed an update
right? canned tuna is a staple. if you have any other tricks for how to spice it up, I’m all ears! xx Anna
sorry – just saw this reply now. YES – we make canned tuna all the time based on a japanese recipe. basically mix 2 cans of tuna, one egg, sugar to taste, and whip it all up with a handful of chopsticks until fluffy. eat over japanese rice with a dollop of shredded red pickled daikon. we’ve modified it a lot and usually start by sauteeing onions (and often zucchini or other veg) and then adding the tuna, egg, sugar, and seasoning with CURRY powder, and sometimes other spices like chili. it sounds weird but it’s SO GOOD. and super quick and easy.
oh i just realized i have to click the notify button below if i want followup comments via email. oops!