What to do with: Canned tuna

Keep a can of protein-packed, low-fat tuna in spring water in the cupboard and you can make these healthy dishes in just minutes.

• Classic combo
  Nicoise salad is an enduring favourite. Combine boiled baby potatoes, steamed green beans, tomatoes, black olives and hard-boiled egg. Add flaked tuna and dress with white wine vinegar and olive oil.
• Favourite flavour
  Add tuna to homemade or bought tomato pasta sauce. For extra flavour, add a few anchovies.
• Upper crust
  Jazz up a tuna and salad sandwich by mixing the tuna with a little mayonnaise, some grated lemon zest, and chopped gherkins, capers and parsley. For something different, serve in a pita pocket.
• Red centre
  For a light meal, slice the tops off some large tomatoes, then scoop out the seeds. Add some chopped hard-boiled eggs to the sandwich mixture (above), spoon into tomatoes and serve. Use this mixture to fill cherry tomatoes for an easy hors d’oeuvre or as a snack for small children.
• Fish cakes
  Mix 2 cans of tuna with a finely chopped onion, 1 grated carrot, 1 mashed potato, 1 egg, some chopped parsley and grated lemon zest. Form into patties, coat in flour and shallow-fry in olive oil. Serve with tzatziki.
• With the grain
  Flake tuna and mix through couscous with steamed green beans, halved cherry tomatoes, thinly sliced red onion, black olives and chopped parsley.
• Last-minute dip
  The sandwich mix also makes an easy dip when friends drop by. Serve with crackers or raw vegies.
• Bake expectations
  Add flaked tuna to a favourite macaroni cheese or pasta bake recipe – great for a winter’s night.
• Salad days
  Mix tuna with 1 can rinsed and drained chickpeas. Add rocket leaves or baby spinach and 1 thinly sliced red onion. Dress with lemon juice and olive oil. You can substitute chickpeas with canned beans or use a mix.
• Mexican style
  Add tuna, taco seasoning and 1 can rinsed and drained red kidney beans to a basic tomato sauce and heat through. Spoon into tortillas and roll up to enclose filling. Place burritos in a baking dish, sprinkle with reduced-fat cheese and bake until the cheese melts.