A nectar is a fruit juice that includes the fruit pulp and is invariably sweetened. It makes a nice basis for a quick, lower-calorie salad dressing. The yellow bell pepper is here because it has a mild, sweet flavor and contributes nice color to this dish, but you could just as easily use a red or green pepper.
- ¾ pound tuna steak
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 2 cloves garlic
- ½ cup mango nectar
- 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 3 tablespoons chopped fresh mint
- 1½ cups cooked pinto beans or canned (rinsed and drained) *
- 1 yellow bell pepper, diced
- 1 cup halved cherry tomatoes
- 3 scallions, thinly sliced
- Preheat the broiler. Sprinkle the tuna with ¼ teaspoon of the salt. Broil the tuna 4 inches from the heat, turning once, for 7 minutes, or until the fish just flakes when tested with a fork. Set aside to cool, then cut into bite-size pieces.
- In a small pot of boiling water, cook the garlic for 2 minutes to blanch. Drain and finely chop.
- In a large bowl, combine the remaining ¼ teaspoon salt, the garlic, mango nectar, vinegar, oil, and mint. Stir in the beans, bell pepper, tomatoes, and scallions, tossing to combine.
- Gently fold in the tuna and serve warm, at room temperature, or chilled.
Makes 4 servings; per serving: 260 calories, 5g total fat (<1g saturated), 7g dietary fiber, 27g carbohydrate, 28g protein, 335mg sodium.
From The Wellness Kitchen
