Tuna Nicoise Salad

Looking for a funky new salad?  Try my version of a tuna nicoise salad, this is divine.  It has all you need in a meal, with a low calorie count to boot. A nicoise normally uses a lot more potato but by reducing it to a few small chunks each you are greatly affecting the calorie count.  If you want to go further, omit it all together and substitute a few brussel sprouts instead.  This salad is kind of like an American chopped salad but with a cleaner approach, it's not over taken by ranch dressing that confuses the flavors so much.

The dressing is simple and really complimentary.  The French often use rosemary, tarragon, chive and anchovy as a base which would all taste fantastic but the simplicity of the thyme and sherry vinegar work so well.  I am in week two of my (serious) fitness journey and have lost 4.8 lbs (2.2 kg) this last week so I am really pumped and keen to keep up my effort so I am searching high and low for some tasty low calorie meals for you.  Harder to find than I thought to be honest, so I have been eating a lot of grilled protein and salads, but this one has been my favorite so far!

Serves 2
280 Calories per serve


Ingredients:
0.25 lbs (120g) Yellowfin Tuna fillet
Mixed salad leaves
1/4 cup Mixed seeded, brine cured black and green olives
1/4 cup Cherry tomatoes
2 Eggs, hard boiled
1 small red potato, boiled and cut into 6 or 8
1/4 cup Thin green beans, blanched

Dressing:
3 tblspn Olive oil
1 tblspn Lemon juice
1/4 tspn dijon mustard
1/4 tspn sugar
Salt and pepper
1 tsn sherry vinegar
1 tblspn fresh thyme

Method:

• Boil the eggs, allow to cool.
• Use the same water, add salt, to blanch the green beans.  Place them in cold water once boiled for 1-2 mins.
• Trim the tuna of any sinew.  Season with salt and pepper.
• Heat a small pan on medium to high heat.  Sear tuna for approx 3minutes on one side, then 1-2 minutes on the other. You want it rare in the middle. Allow to rest, then slice it thinly. 
• Peel and cut the potato into four pieces, place in a microwave dish and cook.  Cut into appropriate size pieces once cooked.
• Combine all the dressing ingredients in a small container, shake and set aside.
• Arrange the salad leaves on the plate, and place the ingredients in sections over the leaves.
• Arrange the tuna on top and pour over the dressing and serve.