Super Easy, Kid-Friendly Tuna Burgers

We've been struggling with mealtime boredom at my house when it comes to dinner - it seems that my go-to list of healthy but easy dinner options has reached its expiry we need some new fun meals. My kids are great eaters, but they too need variety and fun. And I've been feeling the same way.

Luckily, I was recently asked to appear on one of our local morning news shows to talk about the health benefits of tuna. It gave me the perfect opportunity to test out some new recipes. And it turns out that we added a few to our dinnertime repertoire and they were all kid-approved. One of our favourites was homemade tuna burgers. They were super easy to prepare and cook and the whole family loved them. Not only are they yummy, but they're also really nutritious.

Canned tuna is really high in protein which can help to sustain energy levels and regulate appetite throughout the day. It's also low in saturated fat and provides a healthy dose of Omega-3 fatty acids, which makes me feel good as a Mom considering the fact that Omega-3's are so important for brain, eye, and nerve development. Choosing canned light flaked or chunk light tuna (which contain skipjack or yellowfin varieties) is a good idea because these smaller varieties are lower in mercury than chunk white tuna (albacore).

Enjoy!

Tuna Burgers

Ingredients

(makes 6-7 burgers)

3 cans chunk light or flaked light tuna, drained well

wasabi mayo (1/4 cup mayonnaise mixed with one teaspoon wasabi paste) * wasabi optional

2-3 small mushrooms, diced

1/2 cup panko bread crumbs

2 eggs, whisked

1 (or more) teaspoons garlic powder

1/2 tsp lemon pepper

1/2 tsp salt

1 tbsp oil (I used a combo of olive oil and sesame oil)

Directions

Combine all ingredients into a medium sized bowl (first with a fork and then with hands to mix really well)

Form burgers carefully with hands (you’ll notice that they are more moist than regular burgers, so may take a bit more time forming the burgers so that they stick). Place on a plate delicately.

Heat a large non-stick skillet or frying pan over medium-high heat and add oil. Once heated, carefully place burgers into skillet (don’t over-crowd) and pan fry on both sides until golden brown (you may want to press down gently with a spatula as they are cooking).