It’s warm and very humid here in north Texas today. I had just got back from the grocery store and I was starving. Because it’s so warm outside I didn’t want anything really heavy and I was craving tuna. I try to always keep things like canned tuna and chicken in my pantry because you never know when you might need them. I started poking around in my pantry and taking account of all the produce I had. There was my favorite Starkist Sweet & Spicy Tuna, fresh tomatoes from my garden, some spicy peppers, a carrot for sweetness, a little onion, a little garlic, some cilantro, and couscous. This is what I came up with…

Couscous and Spicy Tuna Stuffed Tomatoes.

This was a great light lunch packed full of sweet and spicy flavor that will fill you up but won’t weight you down. These Spicy Tuna Stuffed Tomatoes are perfect for lunch or a light dinner on those hot summer days and they are a great way to showcase those beautiful, fresh summer tomatoes. Is there anything better than a fresh tomato off the vine in summer time? If you wanted to really bump up the nutrition replace the cooked couscous with cooked quinoa.

Enjoy!

 

Couscous and Spicy Tuna Stuffed Tomatoes

Ingredients:  

2 packages of StarKist Sweet & Spicy Tuna

¼ cup Couscous

¼ cup Chicken stock

¼ cup grated carrot

¼ cup minced red onion

1 clove of garlic, grated

1 Serrano Chili, thinly sliced**

1 Tablespoon chopped Cilantro

1 Tablespoon Extra Virgin Olive Oil

3 Large Tomatoes

1 small tomato, chopped

Salt & Pepper to Taste

 

** Serrano chilies can be quite hot and if you are sensitive to heat take out the ribs and seeds with a spoon. Then wash your hands thoroughly with soap and hot water. Be careful not to touch your eyes after cutting these peppers.

 

Directions: 

In a small glass measuring cup measure out ¼ cup Couscous and ¼ cup of chicken stock. Heat the couscous and chicken stock on high in a microwave for 1 minute, then cover the measuring cup with plastic wrap.

In a medium sized bowl add the 2 packages of StarKist Sweet & Spicy Tuna, grated carrot, minced red onion, the grated garlic, cilantro, the chopped tomato and the thinly sliced Serrano. Add a pinch of kosher salt and a few cracks of fresh black pepper to taste. Mix everything with a fork making sure to break up all the large pieces of tuna.

Barely cut the top off of the large tomatoes. Then with a paring knife or spoon, cut out the core of the tomatoes and scoop out the seeds.  You want these tomatoes to be like a bowl or cup to hold the stuffing.

Add the couscous to the tuna and vegetable mixture with 1 Tablespoon of Extra Virgin Olive and fluff everything with a fork. Taste for seasoning.

With a spoon stuff the Tuna and Couscous mixture into the hollowed out Tomatoes.