The Briny Lemon: Kale and White Bean Salad with Seared Tuna

Eating alone doesn’t have to mean hitting a fast-food joint after work. You can enjoy a simple, light, and healthful home-cooked meal all by yourself in about 15 minutes, start to finish. How’s that for fast? And did I mention crazy delicious?

That’s what this recipe is all about. When it’s just me, I like to do hearty, flavorful salads chock-full of nutrition with bold, earthy greens—kale, this time—creamy white beans, and a fresh, lean protein, like pan-seared yellow-fin tuna.

A simple little vinaigrette—honey sweet, mustard sassy—brings it all together. Double it up and enjoy it with a friend—all the better.

Serves 1 (easily doubled)

Ingredients

2 tsp white balsamic vinegar
1 tsp frsh lemon juice
1 tsp honey
1/2 tsp whole-grain mustard
3 tsp extra virgin olive oil
sea salt
freshly ground black pepper
2 packed cups torn kale
1/3 cup canned great northern (or cannellini) beans, rinsed well and drained
olive oil, for brushing
1 3-oz piece of yellow-fin tuna steak, about 1 inch in thickest part
1 radish, thinly sliced
1 tbsp thinly sliced red onion

Tuna Steak

Preparation

Combine the vinegar, lemon juice, honey, and mustard in a small bowl. Gradually whisk in the oil. Season with salt and pepper.
Combine the kale and beans in a bowl and drizzle with 1/2 the dressing. Toss to combine and set aside.

Vinaigrette

Kale and Beans

Heat a cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat and brush with olive oil. Season the tuna with salt and pepper and cook until the bottom is lightly seared, 3 minutes.
Turn and sear until just cooked through but still pink in the middle, 2-3 minutes longer. Transfer to a cutting board and let rest. When the tuna has cooled to about room temperature, break it into bite-sized chunks.