MAIN DISH: CHEESEY TUNA "NOODLE" CASSEROLE (click here to print)

Cheesy Tuna "Noodle" Casserole Ingredients:

• 3 cans of chunk light or albacore tuna in water (15 oz.)
• 2 medium zucchini, spiralized  or sliced into pasta-sized shapes (I used a Veggetti spiralizer)
• 2 C broccoli florets, chopped relatively small and microwaved or steamed for about 5 minutes. 
• 2 C cauliflower florets, chopped relatively small and microwaved or steamed for about 5 minutes.
• 2 C + 1/4 C shredded sharp cheddar cheese (shredded from a block of cheese)
  
• 1/2 a small onion, finely chopped
• 2/3 C heavy whipping cream
• 1 1/3 C almond milk, unsweetened 
•  1/8 tsp. xanthan gum) thickener
• 1/2 tsp. garlic powder
• 1/4 tsp. red pepper flakes
• 2 T butter
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1/2 tsp. black pepper
• 1 T olive or coconut oil
• 1 tsp. chopped parsley (optional)

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. 

2. In a large sauce pan, melt butter over medium heat. Add in chopped onions and sautee for just one or two minutes, then add in arrowroot powder. Use a spatula to create an onion-containing roux until the rue is a nice golden brown.

3. Pour in the cream and almond milk into the pan and whisk until well mixed. Allow mixture to get hot and begin to bubble along the sides of the pan. Once that happens, turn heat to low. 

4. Stir in garlic powder, red pepper flakes, parsley and salt, then add in 2 C shredded cheese. Use your spatula and stir the mixture constantly until a thick sauce is created. You shouldn't see any shredded cheese in the sauce and the sauce shouldn't stick too much to your whisk--that's how you'll know it's done. Set the sauce aside (I moved my pan toward the back of my stove top to the oven vent to keep it warm). 

5. In a large pan, sauté the spriraled or sliced zucchini in olive or coconut oil over medium heat for about five minutes, or until the zucchini becomes more tender. Remove from heat. 

6. Drain tuna cans. Combine zucchini, broccoli, cauliflower and tuna in a large casserole dish and stir until everything is evenly mixed. 

7. Pour cheese sauce over the top of the vegetable and fish mixture. Stir lightly to assure that everything is evenly coated. 

8. Top the casserole with 1/4 C shredded cheese and bake for about 20-25 minutes or until mixture is hot and bubbly and cheese on top is golden. 

9. Let casserole stand for 10 minutes before serving. 

Makes about 6 servings. 

NUTRITION: (1/6th recipe): 335 calories, 7 g carbs, 3 g fiber (4 g net carbs), 24 g fat, 24 g protein 

*cutthewheat.com*