I kind of lied the first time I ate sardines.
I was in the middle of my two-year nutrition program at Bauman College in Berkeley, CA.
Not only was I reading and learning every piece of nutrition information I could get my hands on. I was proudly eating my way through a whole list of foods that I had never or rarely eaten.
Then, my friend Jamie invited me over to her house for lunch.
And, sardines happend.
Watch the video below, or read on for the full story.
Jamie had been a health coach for a few years and had become my personal and professional mentor of sorts. Plus, an introducer to new foods.
When I arrived she had sweet potatoes baking in the oven and was making a green salad.
Then, she pulled a can out of her pantry, opened it and asked…
“Do you remove the little bones from your sardines or leave them in?”
I had JUST started eating sardines maybe a week before (because we learned about them in school and I was determined to be a good nutrition student).
Wanting to maintain my “sardine savvy” I cooly responded, “oh, I just leave them in.” Honestly, I was kind of freaking out inside.
“Great! Me too.” She responded.
Whew, nice save Tanya!
Fast forward a few years….
Sardines are a staple in my pantry. I eat them regularly on their own or mixed into tuna salad. I even give samples of them to some of my clients. (Who all have agreed so far that they aren’t scary AND are so good!)
Oh, and Jamie is one of my dearest friends with whom I have shared many more amazing, home-cooked meals….with and without sardines. (By the way…she is launching a free journaling program. You’ve got to check this out!)
I want you to start incorporating sardines too! If I could do it, you can too!
Here is a simple recipe to get you started:
Tuna Salad with Tahini
Serves 2-3
Ingredients
1 can tuna, drained (Wild Planet recommended)
½ small red onion, chopped
1/3 cup tahini
Juice of one small lemon
½ cup warm water
1 teaspoon tamari
handful fresh parsley, chopped
Sea salt and pepper to taste
1 can sardines, optional
Instructions
For the tuna
- Drain tuna
- Break up in medium bowl with fork (this is where you can add in one or several sardines into the mix)
- Add onion and set aside
For the tahini dressing
- Small bowl combine tahini and lemon juice
- Add water to thin
- Add tamari, parsley and pinch of salt
- Pour half of mixture over tuna and mix
- Season with salt and pepper
Check out the video and get a simple tuna salad recipe that you can easily add sardines to.
Are you already a sardine fan? What do you do with them? Tell me in the comments below!
P.S. The 14-Day Whole Foods Cleanse is kicking off May 8th! If you are ready to have more energy, think clearly, sleep better and maybe even lose a few pesky pounds come join me.
You can do this online program from the comfort of your home. It includes live classes, cooking demos, over 60 recipes, menu plans and more!
Space is limited. CLICK HERE to learn more.