Grilled Tuna Steaks with Pineapple Salsa with Vegetable Pakoras and Strawberry-Mint-Goat Cheese Salad

Tonight was a bit of a smorgasbord. The entree is a tuna with pineapple salsa - utilizing my ever-exciting Foreman grill and whipping up a last taste of some tropical vegetables in the salsa. One side was vegetable pakoras - or at least a fusion/modern version - taken from the fried vegetable fritters that are so tasty when eating Indian. The final piece was a strawberry salad complete with mint and goat cheese which could almost serve as a dessert. All in all, an unusual meal that fit together well in the end.

Each of these pieces has a few steps involved, so while none of them takes a particularly long time make sure you plan in advance and leave enough time for cooking. If you're like me it always runs over - read the recipes, guesstimate, and then make sure those numbers are well-padded before diving in.

Grilled Tuna Steaks with Pineapple Salsa
Once again, this was a night full of Cooking Light goodness. If you, like me, are not a fan of spicy make sure to leave out the serrano pepper. I also skipped the salt on the Tuna.

I used my Foreman grill for the pineapple, onions, and fish and it worked out very well. Just make sure that you are keeping an eye on your fish as you are cooking it. The grill cooks quickly and many people are very picky about the level of "done-ness" of Tuna. I prefer mine cooked through but if you like it pink make sure not to wander off or leave it for too long.

Finally, I found that although the salsa was delicious I ended up with far more than I could possibly use on my lb of Tuna. Use the leftovers in wraps with chicken or fish the next day for lunch or even use them atop a sandwich or burger. The grilled texture of the pineapple and onion is tantalizingly juicy and sweeter than normal with a slight caramelizing finish. You won't be able to resist using the salsa elsewhere!

Vegetable Pakoras
Have you ever had vegetable pakoras at an Indian restaurant? They're delicious, but deep fried. This version is not, and so therefore while delicious, is a variation from the norm. Enjoy these healthier pakoras but know in advance not to expect the fried kind!

Cooking Light brings us a more fusion type version that doesn't utterly deplete the calorie bank. I found I went a little overboard with the sweet potato and cauliflower and ended up having to make more of the flour mixture to compensate...but still not in quite direct proportion. I barely had enough mixture to even lightly coat the veggies, nevermind keeping them together as patties. Make 1.5 times the patty mixture for 1 times the amount of sweet potatoes and cauliflower for best results.

I also chose to purchase Tamarind sauce rather than Mango chutney. This is probably mostly a taste preference, but whenever I've gone for Indian I've always eaten it with the sweet taste of the dark Tamarind sauce and greatly enjoyed it. I found a jar at Whole Foods in this case.

Eat this while they're hot, then pack any leftovers in plastic bags and refrigerate. They make great snacks at work the next day after popping them in the microwave.

Strawberry-Mint-Goat Cheese Salad
Finally, we turn to the salad which is barely a salad at all! Simply mix the 5 ingredients together and serve.

Although you can always serve this over spinach or lettuce, I actually enjoy it very much as it is. But keep in mind this is far from a traditional salad. Serve it with the meal or after as a fruity dessert.

The strawberries get a little soggy if you store this dish and the goat cheese blends in a little too much to look appetizing. Keep it for sure, since it'll still hit the spot, but it's best if you make what you'll eat that night!