White Bean Tuna Salad

After a Labor Day weekend filled with many indulgences, I decided it was time to crack down on my diet and detox. Yes, I ate pizza and chick fila three times this weekend, drank way too much wine, and gained three pounds(yikes!). At the beginning of the week I normally try to make some sort of salad to have for my lunches during the week. Saves me time with the little one not having to cook or put together a lunch. On Monday, I made this tuna and white bean salad. I have actually made this before, but not since I lived in Charlotte so it has been awhile. The salad was just as good as I remembered it. It is so easy to make and really tastes even better the next day after the flavors have seeped in. It is such a healthy salad, no cheese or dressing, so very diet friendly. If you don't like tuna I think you could substitute canned salmon and this would still be great! I highly recommend you try out this salad, you will have to restrain yourself not to eat the whole bowl.

I would also like to point out, why is it so darn hard to take appetizing pictures of food?? I know my camera sucks big time but this salad honestly looked so much better in person! I don't understand how the peeps at Food and Wine and Bon Appetit get such gorgeous looking pictures of food. Anyways, don't judge my recipes by my poor quality pictures!

WHITE BEAN TUNA SALAD

INGREDIENTS
2 (6-ounce) cans dark meat tuna, packed in olive oil
2 (15-ounce) cans cannelini white beans, drained and rinsed
1/3 cup small capers, nonpareil in brine, drained and rinsed
6 tablespoons red wine vinegar
Sea salt and fresh ground black pepper
1 medium red onion, thinly sliced
1 1/2 cups cherry tomatoes
2 cups fresh arugula
6 fresh basil leaves

DIRECTIONS
In a large bowl, add the tuna, reserving the olive oil in a separate small bowl. Break tuna into bite-size pieces with a large fork. Add the beans and capers. Into the bowl of olive oil, add the red wine vinegar. You should have 1 part vinegar to 2 parts oil - add more extra-virgin olive oil if necessary. Season with salt and pepper. Pour dressing on the tuna, bean and caper mixture and allow the flavors to infuse while slicing the vegetables. Add the onion and tomatoes to tuna mixture and toss gently.
Place the arugula on large decorative platter and top with tuna mixture. Tear fresh basil leaves over the top and serve immediately

**I used the white albacore tuna packed in water and then just used my own olive oil to make the vinaigrette. I also added more basil than called for because we had an abundance on our basil plant that was about to die. I also didn't use the arugula.**


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