Recipe Remix: Nik's "No Fail, No Noodle" Tuna Casserole

~by Nikki

La Petite Diva's reaction to no-noodle tuna casserole: "It kinda looks like the cat's food but it tastes really good!"

So remember last week when I made cheesy mashed cauliflower in cups? Well, I used two small heads of cauliflower that I had in the fridge and ended up with more than enough mixture to fill 12 muffin cups.

With the leftovers I decided to make something completey different. Tuna casserole!

Now I find that tuna casserole is a love/hate dish. If you love it, you REALLY love it. If you hate it, you can't stand it.

I love it. There's something about it that just SCREAMS comfort food to me!

But me and noodles? We are not friends. And, much as I love you peeps, no need to suggest your favorite noodle. I've tried soy noodles, I've tried Dreamfields, spelt noodles, shirataki...everything. My pouch does NOT like noodles.

And rather than try to force the relationship, I decided to re-invent my casserole so that I could eat a decent amount of it. Now...this strays a bit from the traditional path but follow me on this one, ok? I mean...have I EVER steered you wrong? (don't answer that)

Nik's No-Noodle Tuna Casserole

Ingredients

2-3 c. mashed cauliflower/veggie/bacon mixture

(I literally used the cauliflower, zucchini, squash, onion and bacon mixture from the cheesy cups. In the absence of that, I'd use a medium sized head of cauliflower and, for speedy preparation, add in a can of peas and carrots in place of the can of peas listed below + 1 extra can of tuna)

3 cans of tuna in water, water reserved
1 c. Textured Vegetable Protein (TVP...if you're going "Jigga what?", click here for more info)
1 can of peas, drained
1 (12 oz.) can reduced-fat cream of mushroom soup
About 8-10 slices of your favorite cheese

Directions:



Pre-heat oven to 350. Then, in a bowl (or a pot, as I did above), combine cauliflower mixture and tuna (with water included). Add TVP and stir. Let that sit for about 5 minutes.

Add peas and cream of mushroom soup and stir until fully incorporated. Transfer to a 13x9 baking pan.



Cover with cheese slices (I used what I had, which was cheddar and pepperjack) and bake at 350 for 30 minutes or until cheese has browned on top.

Serve hot!

This is soooo...warm and satisfying. Perfect "snow weather" food. Not that I am hoping for snow. It is my aspiration to retire someplace where it never, EVER snows. Well...maybe I'd go to Sundance every year...but that is IT.

Enjoy!