Tuna Nicoise Wrap (surprise)

Even Ray Charles would be able to spot my deliberate mistake when making Tuna Nicoise Wrap from the Hairy Dieters – I left out the wrap and just had this as a salad. I know, what a rebel. Not because I was having a “I’m being good” day, I’m just not a fan of bread and didn’t feel up to messing about trying to cram the ingredients into a wrap – for me, they never hold together or look as neat and tidy as the cookbooks show.

But as a salad, I absolutely love this. It’s really tasty, the ingredients will stretch to two people as a light lunch, or you could add another tin of tuna and spring water and it would still be a lighter alternative to having a wrap. So, that’s a wrap.

If you like simple salads, check out tuna and butterbean salad, simple tuna and sweetcorn pasta salad or chicken caesar salad. Or, if you’re feeling more adventurous or creative check out the salad section on this blog for some banging suggestions.

Recipe: Tuna Nicoise Wrap

Calories: 325 per portion

Serves: 2

Book: Hairy Dieters – How to Love Food and Lose Weight

Prep time: Approx 10 minutes

Cooking time: Approx 10 minutes

Ingredients:

• 50g green beans (trimmed)
• 1 medium egg (fridge cold)
• 2 tbsp light mayonnaise
• 1 tbsp baby capers (drained)
• 4 baby gherkins (drained and sliced)
• ¼ tsp dried mixed herbs
• 1 x 185g can of tuna in spring water
• 2 large flour tortillas or wraps (white, wholemeal or a combination)
• Small handful of baby spinach leaves
• 1 large ripe tomato (cut into 8 pieces)
• 20g pitted black olives in brine (drained)
• Ground black pepper

Cost per portion: Approx £1.29

Method:

Bring a pan of water to the boil, add the beans and cook for 4 minutes. Lift the beans out with a slotted spoon and dunk them into a large bowl of cold water. Alternatively, tip the beans into a sieve and rinse them under running water until cold. Drain.

To boil the egg, put the pan with the hot water back on the heat, add the egg and bring the water back to the boil. Cook for 8 minutes, then put the egg in a sieve under running water until cold. Leave the egg in cold water while you prepare the rest of the filling.

Mix the mayonnaise, capers, gherkins, herbs and a few twists of ground black pepper in a bowl. Add the tuna and stir everything lightly, without mashing the tuna too much. Peel the egg, then slice it into quarters, lengthwise.

Place the tortillas on a board and cover each one with a layer of spinach leaves, leaving a gap of about 5cm at the top and bottom of the tortilla. Add the green beans, all heading in one direction. Divide the tuna mixture between the tortillas, then the egg and tomato pieces. Sprinkle with the olives, pressing each one lightly between your thumb and finger to flatten them slightly.

Fold the top and bottom of each wrap inwards to cover most of the filling and then roll up fairly tightly. Wrap them in foil – no need do this if eating immediately – then chill the until ready to eat. Eat within 24 hours and transport with an ice pack if serving as a packed lunch. Unwrap the foil as you eat the wrap.