Avocado Tuna Salad

I love tuna salad sandwiches. Lately I have gotten rather picky of what I put in the mix. I must point out this not the average tuna salad it's spectacular! Tuna is a great protein, however the mayo is making it not as healthy as I wanted. By replacing the mayo with avocado. Yes that's right avocado, It adds some "good" fat into the sandwich along with the necessary moisture to bind it all together. I like my tuna salad spicy, but to each his own. So if spicy is not for you then just omit the pepper flakes. I was sceptical at first but it really is yummy! The amount is enough for 5 servings of 1/4 cup each.

Avocado Tuna Salad
12oz. Can of Tuna (Albacore Tuna in water)
1/2 avocado
1/2 tsp. Olive Oil
1 tsp. lemon or lime juice
2 tsp. Dijon mustard
1 tsp. black pepper
1 tsp. dill weed
1 tsp. red pepper flakes
2 TBS red onion diced
1 tsp. minced garlic

 Drain the tuna, get all liquid out. Combine the avocado with olive oil, lemon or lime juice and Dijon mustard, mash it good so it's all creamy! Add everything to the tuna, mix till combined. Wow you just made tuna salad. Now what to put it on? Well going with no carbohydrates put it in a lettuce wrap. Or I toast some 100% whole wheat bread and spread it with more Dijon and pile that tuna on. To make it a tuna melt, put sandwich open-faced under the broiler with a slice of cheese to melt it.

Grainy Beer Mustard

Soaking Mustard Seeds in Beer

 I never knew that making mustard was so easy. I came across some mustard seeds 1/2 price, I figured I would give it a go. Just like my other recipes, I change it to my needs or what I have in my pantry. I found a great recipe from smedette. I didn't have everything her recipe required, so I changed it a bit.
I must say if you have never made mustard, just do it. It's so easy, you don't even have to can it. Just keep it in the fridge, or share with friends. Either way it will disappear quickly! I had it the other night on my burger- and it was 1 million times better then the store bought stuff!


When buying spices look for them in the Bins or bulk section of the store. Buying in bulk is much more inexpensive, then the tiny fancy jars. I like to make a big trip down to Pike Place Market and visit Market Spice- they have the best selection. 


Grainy Beer Mustard:
1 12oz bottle of beer
 (I used Pyramid Hefeweizen)
1/2 cup brown mustard seeds
1/2 cup yellow mustard seeds
1/2 cup mustard powder-mild works best
1 TBS onion powder
1 TBS Kosher Salt
1/2 cup apple cider vinegar
3 garlic cloves minced
2 TBS Sliced jalapeño pickled
1 TBS sliced habanero pickled 
Pour beer and mustard seeds into a glass jar and set aside for a few hours- or even overnight in Fridge, to let the seeds soften.
Whisk mustard powder, onion powder and salt in a small bowl.
Using a food processor or blender, blend the garlic, jalapeño, habanero together. Add the beer soaked seeds, blend to break up about half of them.  Whisk in mustard powder mixture and vinegar. Put in non-reactive pot and cook over medium heat until just barely boiling; whisking often.  Turn down heat to low and simmer for 10 minutes, cook longer if you desire a thicker mustard, or less for a thinner mustard. And thats it, mustard is made. Let it sit for a few days for the flavors meld. Refrigerate if you don't plan to can. 


For you canners out there, this is easy.
 Use a hot pack method, for water bath processing. Process in boiling water for 10 min. take out and let sit for 24 hours, remove rings and store. 
I hope you all enjoy!

Clam Chowder

To continue with my last post Steak House Chili. It's Clam Chowder time. When I think of Clam Chowder I can only imagine New England Clam Chowder. The stick to your bones thick chowder of my childhood. I know there are some die hard Manhattan Clam Chowder people, but to that I say "That ain't Chowder!" It's more like Manhattan Clam Soup- which is fine and dandy.

 Alright now down to my chowder, it has to have nice chunks of potatoes, carrots, onions, celery, clams and bacon. - Yes Bacon! My recipe calls for canned clams- Sorry to disappoint, but clams here are rather expensive, and since the heaviest part of a clam is the shell. I can't afford to be buying 8 pounds of clams just for 3 1/2 pounds of meat. 

Clam Chowder:

4 Slices Bacon

1 Yellow Onion- diced

3 Stalks Celery - diced

3 Carrots- peeled & diced

3 Medium Potatoes- peeled & diced

2 Cups Stock- Fish, Chicken, or Veggie

48 oz of canned clams drained from juice - SAVE THE JUICE!!

4 oz salted butter

1/4 cup flour

2 cups whole milk

1 TBS Dill Weed

1 TBS Red Pepper Flakes

1 TBS Black Pepper

Salt to taste. 

In a large stock pot cook the bacon slices till crispy, take them out and set aside. Add the onion, celery, carrots and potatoes, saute in the bacon fat till the onion is translucent. Add the stock, and reserved clam juice. Bring to a boil, then turn the heat down, cover and simmer for 20 min.  In a separate  pan melt the butter, once the butter is melted add the flour. Whisk for 1 min, then  slowly add the milk. Once the milk is Incorporated , let simmer till it is thickened.  Add to the big pot of veggies. Chop up the bacon. Add bacon, clams and spices. Keep on low for 10- 15 stirring so it doesn't burn, or stick to the pan. Serve with nsourdough bread.