Light & Fresh Tuna Melt

It's funny, the entire time you are pregnant you think, "I can't wait to eat the food I want and drink all the fun drinks I want when this little guy is born!" WRONG! Just when you think you can go back to living a care-free foodie life, the realty of breastfeeding hits you. Your baby still eats and drinks what you eat and drink.

For instance, one night I ate some gorgeous and rich rosemary grilled lamb chops. They agreed with me, but did not agree with Nolan one bit. I had to pay for that one with an entire night of colicky crying and what felt like endless diarrhea diaper changes. Lessoned learned: no more lamb. Now after 2 months, Nolan and I have figured each other out...thank goodness! Nights like those are miserable for both Nolan and mom!

One of the foods I've been wary about is seafood, especially tuna. I love tuna fish casserole, it's one of my favorite all time comfort foods. And don't even get me started on ahi tuna and spicy tuna rolls! But while I was pregnant and now breastfeeding, the potential mercury levels make me nervous for little Nolan, and I haven't wanted to risk it.

Luckily for us new and expected mothers, plus any tuna lover, I discovered a new brand of canned tuna fish that gets rid of all our mercury fears. Safe Catch tuna screens every single tuna fish for purity and mercury levels, making it completely safe to eat. Plus it gives you the extra Omega-3's your body and growing baby need by packing the tuna raw in the can, sealing all the important nutrients and then cooking it. I've been told most tuna fish brand precook the tuna, which washes away and drains most of the important nutrients. How disappointing. This Safe Catch tuna on the other hand....definitely not disappointing!

So in celebration of a tuna fish that I can safely eat, I made a light and fresh tuna melt that is healthy and fulfills my tuna cravings. It has easily become one of Dusty's favorite go-to lunches and mine.

Light & Fresh Tuna Melt
{Serves 2}

-1 (5 ounce) can Safe Catch Tuna, drained
-1 tablespoon minced Shallot
-1 tablespoon Mayonnaise
-1/2 tablespoon Lemon Juice
-1 teaspoon dried Parsley
-Dash of Salt & Pepper, to taste
-Dash of Tobasco, to taste
-2 slices Whole Wheat Bread, toasted
-4 slices of Tomato
-1/4 cup Cheddar Cheese, shredded

Preheat boiler. In a bowl, stir to combine the tuna, shallot, mayonnaise, lemon juice, parsley, salt, pepper and hot sauce. Spread 1/4 of the mixture on each of the 2 toasted pieces of whole wheat bread. Top each tuna melt with 2 slices of tomato and 2 tablespoons of cheddar cheese. Place open faced tuna melts onto baking sheet and broil until the cheese is melted and bubbling, approximately 3-4 minutes.



Safe Catch Tuna provided me with sample of their canned tuna to review. All opinions and thoughts are my own.
Recipe inspired and adapted from Eating Well