Tuna Noodle Casserole For That Random Craving

The much wordier title for this post would have been The-Tuna-Noodle-Casserole-for-when-you-want-something-comforting-but-you-also-want-to-eat-some-veggies-because-you’re-an-adult-and-its-the-responsible-thing-to-do. Buttttt let’s focus on the craving part of this casserole because that was really the catalyst for its creation.

I don’t know what came over me the other day. I would never consider myself a casserole person, but I had picked up some Banza pasta and a few cans of tuna from Costco and every time I caught a glimpse of them in the pantry I couldn’t shake the idea of turning them into a tuna noodle casserole.

I don’t know that tuna casserole is something I grew up with (correct me if I’m wrong mom?). I don’t even know that I can recall many, if any, times in my life I had eaten tuna noodle, so this craving really caught me off guard.

To satisfy the craving though, as mysterious as it was, while simultaneously respecting my adult desire to squeeze veggies into every meal I created this healthy riff on the classic that I may or may not have grown up with and I am certain it will be a staple from here on out. So here you go, a comforting casserole that also feels like a nourishing option for a weeknight dinner that reheats well as lunch the next day.

I used Banza pasta because I like the added protein and fiber it brings, but feel free to use another pasta if you prefer.

Tuna Noodle Casserole For That Random Craving

• 10 ounces dry Banza rotini pasta

• 3 tablespoons butter, divided

• 1 white onion, diced

• 1 teaspoon dried thyme

• Salt and pepper, to taste

• 1/4 cup all purpose flour

• 1 3/4 cup whole milk (unsweetened almond milk or coconut milk work well too)

• ½ teaspoon garlic powder

• 3/4 cup cup grated cheddar cheese

• 2 (7 ounce) cans tuna, drained

• 1 1/2 cup frozen peas

• 2 cups fresh spinach, chopped

• Salt and pepper, to taste

  For the topping:

• 1/2 cup breadcrumbs

• 1 tablespoon butter

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees Spray a 2-quart baking dish or 9x9 inch baking pan with nonstick cooking spray, or grease with olive oil. Or use a 12 inch cast iron like I did.

Boil the noodles until al dente, according to the directions on the package. Once done cooking, drain and set aside.

Cook your onions: Place a large pot over medium-high heat and add in 1 tablespoon butter. Once butter melts, add in the mushrooms, onions, thyme and salt and pepper. Stir occasionally until mushrooms and onions are cooked down about 4-6 minutes. Transfer to a bowl.

In the same skillet you cooked the onions, add in 2 tablespoons of butter and place over medium heat. Once butter is melted, whisk in a little bit of the flour and then slowly add in the milk, a little bit at a time, alternating with the flour and vigorously whisking away any lumps. Bring mixture to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for a few minutes stirring every so often, until the sauce thickens up. If it gets too thick, add in ¼ cup more milk.

Once thick, turn off the heat and stir in garlic powder, parmesan cheese. salt and lots of freshly ground black pepper.

Stir in cooked noodles, onions and onion mixture, drained tuna, peas, and spinach. Season again with salt and pepper, to taste. Pour mixture into your prepared baking pan.

In a small bowl, mix breadcrumbs with melted butter. Sprinkle breadcrumb mixture on top of casserole and bake for 20-30 minutes. Remove from the oven and enjoy!

Lemony Cucumber + Feta Pasta Salad

According to the calendar summer hasn’t even started yet, but we have already had our fair share of 95 degrees days. It’s days like these that a salad for dinner feels like the best option — for both your sweaty body and your vegetable-craving soul.

When we aren’t making this Italian Chopped Salad this summer, we will be making this cucumber and feta pasta salad. It’s light, refreshing, and really hits the spot on those hot summer nights. Pair it with some grilled chicken and string lights and you’ve got yourself a summer night’s dream.

Lemony Cucumber + Feta Pasta Salad

Makes 6 servings as a side dish

• 8 ounces of bowtie pasta, prepared according to package directions

• 1 large cucumber, diced

• 4 ounce block of feta, diced

For the Lemon Vinaigrette:

• ¼ cup fresh lemon juice

• 1 small garlic clove, grated

• 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard

• ¼ teaspoon sea salt, more to taste

• Freshly ground black pepper

• ½ teaspoon maple syrup

• ⅓ cup extra-virgin olive oil

Optional Additions:

• fresh herbs for topping (mint, cilantro, parsley)

• Hazelnuts for topping

• chickpeas

Making The Vinaigrette: Meanwhile, In a small bowl, whisk together the lemon juice, garlic, mustard, salt, pepper, and honey, if using.Drizzle in the olive oil while whisking and continue to whisk until the dressing is emulsified.

Making the Pasta: Prepare the pasta according to package directions. Drain (do not rinse) and then while the pasta is still hot drizzle the lemon vinaigrette over the pasta and then toss together in a bowl. This will allow the noodles to soak up as much flavor from the vinaigrette as possible.

Bringing it all Together: Allow the pasta to come to room temperature on the counter and then add in the cucumbers and feta. If you’re adding chickpeas this would be a good time to add in as well. Allow the pasta salad to chill for at least an hour before serving. Serve the pasta salad up in individual bowls and then top with the herbs and hazelnuts. Enjoy!

Will keep in the fridge for 3 days. If the pasta is seeming a bit dry after it has been in the fridge overnight just drizzle it with a little extra olive oil and toss it together.

Springy Green Bucatini

I had bucatini for the first time a few weeks ago and fell head over heels. Like, what have I been doing with my life? One might think that a pasta is a pasta is a pasta is a pasta, but this bucatini will prove you wrong. The thicker texture and straw-like interior of the noodles is so fun and brings an arguably superior experience to this pasta dish. After discovering these magical noodles I knew I needed to use them in a version of this super green pasta dish I had been making on repeat. Now, I’m not going back.

The sauce for this dish was born out of a desire to enjoy a bowl of pasta, but also get a LOT of veggies in at once. I happened to have some kale in the fridge, a bunch of peas in the freezer, + some broccoli just begging to be used. To round this pasta dish out I would recommend adding in some protein — salmon, chicken, etc. When you think pasta you probably think heavy and indulgent, but this version will make you think differently. The sauce is bright and refreshing and the perfect dinner for these spring nights.

Springy Green Bucatini

Serves 6

• 1 lb bucatini pasta

• 6 large leaves of kale

• 1 garlic clove, minced

• 1 cup frozen peas, thawed

• A handful of basil

• A few leaves of mint

• 3 tablespoons olive oil

• 1/2 a lemon, the zest and juice

• 1/4 cup shredded parmesan, plus more for topping

• 1 cup broccoli, chopped

• 1/2 teaspoon salt

• hazelnuts, optional but add a nice crunch

• protein of choice

Bring a large pot of salted water to boil. Once boilding, add the pasta and cook according to package instructions.

Add the kale to the pasta water. After about a minute, remove the kale using a pair of tongs. Remove 1/4 cup of the pasta water as well.

While the pasta is cooking, add the kale, garlic, half of the peas, basil, olive oil, lemon juice, parmesan, and the 1/4 cup of reserved pasta water, and salt in a blender. Blend until smooth. Taste and adjust the salt as needed.

When there are just a few minutes left of the pasta’s cooking time, throw the brocooli and remaining oeas into the pan to cook. Drain the pasta and veggies in a colander and return them to the pot. Toss the pasta and veggies with the sauce. Serve topped with shredded parmesan and hazelnuts.

Veggieful Cold Noodle Bowl with a Mango Peanut Sauce

Cold noodle bowls are a great option as the temperatures begin to rise and you want something quick and refreshing for dinner. My goal with these bowls is to always balance the noodle content with veggies so that it doesn’t solely become a carb focused meal. Although I personally love kale, any greens could be swapped out to work for this bowl. The same goes for the sweet potatoes and cucumbers. You could use peppers or shredded carrots if you prefer. The real star of this bowl is the mango peanut sauce so if you can whip that up, the possibilities are endless. It’s not super sweet, but it’s incredibly delicious. It pairs perfectly with the veggies and noodles to create a really satiating dish that is easily adaptable with whatever you’ve got in your fridge.

Veggieful Cold Noodle Bowl with a Mango Peanut Sauce

Makes 4 bowls

Ingredients

• 1 bunch of kale, de-stemmed and chopped

• 2 large sweet potatoes, diced

• 1 small cucumber, sliced

• 1 avocado, quartered

• 8 ounces of rice noodles or buckwheat noodles

• 2 tablespoosn olive oil, divided

• 1 teaspoon salt

• Protein of choice (tofu, chicken, chickpeas, etc.)

Mango peanut sauce:

• 1/2 cup frozen mango, thawed 

• 1/3 cup peanut butter 

• 1 1/2 tablespoon apple cider vinegar or rice vinegar

• 1 tbs olive oil 

• 1 tablespoon cilantro 

• Salt 

Make the Noodles: First, cook your noodles of choice according the the package directions and then run the noodles under cold water to ensure that they don’t continue cooking. Set aside.

Roast the Potatoes: Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Toss the diced sweet potatoes with 1 of the tablespoons of olive oil and then transfer to a large baking sheet. Sprinkle with salt. Place in the oven and bake until the potatoes are tender — about 25-35 minutes.

Prep the Kale: Toss the chopped and destemmed kale in a large bowl and drizzle 1 tablespoon of olive oil and sprinkle a little salt on top of the kale. With your hands, begin massaging the kale for a few minutes until the kale feels more tender. This only takes about 2-3 minutes.

Make the sauce: Because I despise cutting mangos and it can be tricky to ensure they are perfectly ripe at the exact moment you need them, I love to use frozen. Prior to making the peanut sauce I would recommend taking the mango out of the freezer and allowing it to thawTo make the mango suace go ahead and Combine all mango peanut sauce ingredients in a blender and process until completely smooth.

Assemble the bowl: Place the noodles, about 2-3 tablespoons of the mango peanut sauce (depending how saucy you like it), sweet potatoes, cucumber, avocado, and protein of choice in a bowl.