Ahhh...Lunch at Home...

Ahhh!!!!  Lunch at home on a weekend!  And my favorite of all - Tuna Melts!

My family will all confirm that one of the weeknight routines that I hate the most is packing lunch.  It is just one more thing to do at night, after dinner, when you are tired...and...really - how many choices do you have when packing a teacher's lunch that has to be scarfed down in about 25 minutes - less if you have to make a bathroom stop!

That is why I so enjoy a nice leisurely lunch at home on my days off.  Last Saturday I made us some skinnied-up tuna melts with my husband's current favorite salad.

Skinny-er Tuna Melts with Pear-Pomegranite Salad

This is comfort food at its best for me.  My love affair with melted sandwiches began when my mother used to make tomato and cheese melts in the toaster oven when we were little.  When we moved to Hawaii I discovered a tuna sandwich with avocado at a little sandwich shop near our house and-lightbulb!- my current version of the old comfort food sandwich was born.

For this skinny-er version I use one small can of water packed tuna,  lots (probably 1/4 cup of each) of veggies - peppers and onions - and about 1 to 1 1/2 Tbsp fat free Greek yogurt instead of mayo.  A couple generous grinds of ground pepper and a quick shake of salt and the tuna salad is done.  

Getting ready for the final touch - cheddar cheese!

Take a slice of a nice hearty whole grain bread.  Add a couple thick slices of ripe tomato, a quarter of an avocado thinly sliced, half of the tuna salad and top it with a slice of extra sharp cheddar cheese.  I have been using the thin slices to cut calories and not flavor.  You can use low fat or no fat but...why?  You swapped out the mayo so go for the good cheese!

All ready for the oven

Pop the whole pile of deliciousness into the toaster oven and heat until the cheese just melts.  Slice, plate it with the salad and you are ready for some real lunch comfort. 

Pear-Pomegranate Salad Topped with Toasted Pecans
Top it with a balsamic vinaigrette

 I'm already thinking about the lunch I won't have to pack this weekend...

 I'm looking for ideas for packed lunches that a healthy but not so "been there done that."  

Ideas? 

 Leave a comment and let me know what you are packing that's good.