If it seems, from these blog posts, like we eat a lot of tuna, well.. guilty as charged. I love it because it’s high protein, low in fat (though we frequently bathe it in mayo or cheddar… oops) and, importantly, canned white Albacore tuna makes the Monterrey Bay Aquarium’s list of “Best Choices,”  meaning that they are well-managed and caught/raised in ocean-friendly ways.

Those little pocket guides are a great resource for figuring out if what you’re ordering/buying is sustainably produced on the spot. I keep a copy on my phone for quick consulting while we are at restaurants. As a side note – it’s pretty cool to see so many fish from the Pacific NW on the “Best Choice” and “Good Alternatives” list.

And in addition to sustainability, I am pretty sure one of our favorite things about tuna is a reason that it’s been so popular for so many years: It’s tasty, it’s cheap and it lasts a long time. It’s a perfect, flexible pantry staple that you don’t have to feel guilty about eating (again – that’s if you keep the mayo/cheddar in check ).

Here’s what you need for two pita-half sandwiches, or one serving:
– Two halves of pita
– 1 can of tuna, drained
– 1 to 1 1/2 tbsp. mayo (homemade if you have it handy!)
– 1/4 tsp celery salt
– 1 rib celery, diced
– 1 green onion, cut into 1/4-inch rounds
– Sliced cucumber

In a medium bowl, stir together the tuna, mayo, celery salt, celery and green onion. Carefully open up the tuna pockets and place a layer of sliced cucumbers along one side.

Spoon in the tuna salad mixture. You will probably have some extra – my husband and I actually used this amount of tuna salad for two people, but I think many people might prefer a little bit thicker layer of tuna salad than we had.