A Protein-Packed Meal That's Perfect For Lunch Or Dinner

Some days it's just too hot to cook - like this absurd heat wave practically everyone appears to be suffering through. No one wants to turn on the oven or stand over a stove burner on days like these - which is where minimal-effort-required recipes like this one come in. If we don’t have the time to toss something into the crockpot in the morning, this is a good recipe to have on standby. It’s also extremely simple to clean up after! 

The lazy streak is strong - for this recipe, we very literally used half of a large tub of sour cream for something else and then threw the remaining ingredients into the container. One less thing to wash later, since we didn't use a bowl! 

Ingredients:

2 cans chunk light tuna in water

1/2 cup sour cream

1 teaspoon garlic powder

1/2 teaspoon paprika

1/2 tsp freeze-dried chives

1 tsp parsley

pinch salt

black pepper to taste

8 slices rustic bread

12 multicolor grape tomatoes

4 oz or 8 thin slices gruyere cheese

Tools:

measuring spoons

knife

cutting board

spoon

can opener

toaster oven

Grab your can opener and open and drain your tuna. We often leave the can upside down with the lid in place, balanced on the divider between the sides of our kitchen sink. It drains slowly that way, but it frees up your  hands to move on to another task.

Pop your bread slices into the toaster oven and toast them for about two minutes. We like using some rustic bread, but if you don’t have any on hand, basic sandwich bread will do just fine. 

Measure your garlic, paprika, chives, and parsley into the container of sour cream (if you're lazy like us) or a bowl (overachiever). Stir until combined. Consider adding more of the spices - or something different - if it looks a little plain still. We rarely stick exactly to a recipe, so no one here will tell you that things must be done a certain way. If you want to go the extra step, or you’re not melted from the heat, you could use smoked paprika and actual minced garlic. 

Slice your cheese and set the slices to one side of the cutting board. 

About now, that toaster oven should let you know it's done. Flip the toast, but don't restart the toaster yet.

Wash the tomatoes before using them! Trim them up and slice them into rounds or wedges, whichever you prefer. We went with thin rounds for this, and pushed them to the opposite end of the cutting board from the cheese.

Your tuna should have drained by now. Feel free to press the lid in while flipping the can to force out more of the retained moisture. This is why "packed in water" is important - if you start with oil packed, you're likely to suffer an oily sandwich, or go to the extra trouble of rinsing.

Drop your tuna into the sour cream container or bowl and mix it into the sour cream. While most people would have opted for mayonnaise, we are not most people. At least one member of the household believes mayonnaise is the most disgusting substance on planet Earth and avoids it at all costs. Also, sour cream has a lower sodium content. less fat and more protein. In this case, being selective about one's battles also has some health benefits.

Scoop a serving of tuna onto each slice of partially-done toast and spread it out a bit. Add your tomato, then top with cheese and restart the toaster oven. Let it cook until the cheese is beginning to melt, but hasn't yet gotten to the thin state where it tries to run off the sides of the toast. Don't sacrifice perfectly good cheese! Also, save yourself the headache of trying to scour burnt gruyere off the heating element or crumb tray.

Serve as open-faced sandwiches with a veggie of choice on the side.

Does it pass the test for an easy dinner? Let us know over on our Facebook page! We’d love to hear if you try it or if you have an even easier summer meal. 

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