Summer Kick Off - Ahi Tuna on Kale Salad

Hi everyone!  It's Memorial Day weekend!  WOO-HOO!  I don't know about you, but I am super excited and happy.  I feel great, have lots of fun things planned this weekend and the weather is supposed to be gorgeous! 

Memorial Day weekend to me is the official kick off to summer.  This is my mom's favorite "holiday."  We always used to have a big picnic on Memorial Day.  She would make her famous potato salad, lots of family and just a fun day.  Ah, good times and memories.  M is playing golf with a bunch of his friends today, I am off to yoga and then to the pool with my girls.  Tomorrow is my future sister-in-law's bridal shower!  I am so excited!  I love, love, love her and could not be more happy for my brother.  They both are very lucky to have each other.

We had nothing planned last night so I made Ahi Tuna for the first time.  My latest issue of Oxygen Magazine came a couple weeks ago and had a great and easy recipe for it.  It was very quick and easy to make and it was super tasty.  Oh and of course is it CLEAN!

Fresh, Crisp, Kale Greens

Toasted Pine Nuts

Pomegranate Close Up

Searing...

Delish!

Seared Ahi Tuna

Seared Ahi Tuna on Kale Salad
(Ready in 25 minutes, Makes 2 Servings)
(Oxygen Magazine, May 2011, Vol 14, Issue 5, #142, p. 71)

Ingredients:
3 tbsp pine nuts
1 tbsp olive oil
1-2 tbsp orange juice
Sea salt, to taste
Fresh coarsely ground pepper, to taste
2 cups kale, de-stemmed and finely chopped
1/3 cup pomegranate seeds
2-4 oz. ahi tuna steaks (3/4" thick)
2 tbsp canola oil

Instructions:

1. Set a non-stick skillet on medium heat.  Add pine nuts and toss until lightly brown.  Remove from heat and set aside in a small bowl.
2. In a medium mixing bowl, toss together olive oil, orange juice, sea salt, freshly ground pepper, kale and pomegranate seeds.  Add toasted pine nuts and mix to combine.
3. Season both sides of the tuna steaks with a pinch of sea salt and freshly ground pepper.
4. Heat canola oil in a heavy skillet over high heat.  The pan should e as hot as you can get it.  Sear tuna on each side for 30 to 45 seconds.  Remove from pan and slice into 1/4-inch thick slices; they will be pink inside.  Fan out on top of kale salad.  Serve.

Nutrients per serving:
Calorie: 442, Total Fat: 31 g, Sat Fat: 4 g, Trans Fat: 0, Cholesterol: 51 mg, Sodium: 152 mg, Total Carbs: 15 g
Dietary Fiber: 2 g, Sugar: 8 g, Protein: 31 g, Iron: 3 mg

My Notes:

1. Buy the Ahi, if you can, at a specialty food store.  I bought mine at McGinnis on Rt. 88.  It was on special - only $14.99/pound.
2. DO NOT OVER SEAR THE TUNA!  Don't walk away from the stove as you cook it - the tuna will over cook.
3. You could definitely prepare the ingredients for this recipe ahead of time - the most time consuming part for me was plucking the seeds out of the pomegranate!
4. I added feta cheese for a little more texture and color (plus it tasted amazing).