Self Isolation Can Be Cannelloni, Try my Delicious Pantry Pasta (Tuna and Red Lentil)

As the coronavirus (Covid-19) is impacting people all across the world, many people are turning to their pantries and discovering new ways to cook with shelf-stable staples.

I’d love to share with you my quick as a flash, Supercharged Pantry Pasta. This delicious dish is made with minimal ingredients that are not only shelf stable, but also for those concerned about budget, it’s affordable, coming in at just $3.80 per serve.

There are so many reasons to fall tortellini in love with it.

The ingredients are part of my 14-day Healthy Guide to Stockpiling your Pantry which you can find here. The list contains enough ingredients to cover you for 14-days if you’re self-isolating, so there’s no need to panic buy or hoard unnecessary items, allowing everyone to have access to what they need. I’ve included a bunch of tips on what foods work best for the pantry, fridge and freezer, how to get the kitchen organised and lots of some enticing meals your whole family will enjoy. Ones I hope will turn into family favourites.

Over the next couple of weeks I’ll be sharing more tasty and affordable recipes too, ones that require just a short walk to your pantry and a handful of non-perishables.

I really hope that this helps you and brings you and your family some comfort during these scary and uncertain times. Social isolation can make people feel cannelloni, so I hope this dish will lift your spirits. I also hope you don’t mind my silly jokes, its just a way to try and stay positive amongst everything.

Just because you’re armed with only a few pantry ingredients, doesn’t mean that meals have to taste bland and boring. Why not take this opportunity to stir things up in the kitchen and make a delicious meal that you haven’t tried before?

Pasta is the ultimate soul food, and a perfect lockdown recipe. I’ve used earthy lentil pasta here, but you can use any variety you have in the cupboard. It complements the tuna and is freshened and zinged up with the melting sweetness of the rich tomato sauce, which is high in vitamin C.

Garlic is a wonder ingredient for your immune system and onions contain quercetin, which is responsible for the protection and healing of damaged cells. Onions are not only flavour providers, they also help to balance the natural acidity of the tomatoes.

Enjoy this simple and filling dish full of protein, fibre and flavour, it really is a beautiful thing. Make it and let me know what you think in the comments below. 

Watch a video about how it is made here.

Tuna and Red Lentil Pantry Pasta

Serves 3

Tips to supercharge it even further:

• To boost the flavour even more, add a diced anchovy or some capers
• To make it gut friendly, stir in a spoon of Love Your Gut powder (it has no taste, so it goes in nicely with your cooking)
• If you have carrot or celery at home, dice them small and simmer them in the sauce

Ingredients

• 2 TBS olive oil
• 1 onion, chopped
• 2-3 garlic cloves, chopped
• 1 large can tuna
• 1 packet pasta of choice
• 1 tinned tomatoes
• 1 TBS tomato paste
• Handful of sage leaves or use any dried herbs in the pantry- basil, rosemary, sage, Italian herb mix

Method

Heat the oil in a pan on a low to medium heat

Add garlic and onion and stir and let cook until softened down and translucent

Flake tuna and add to pan, cook for 30 seconds stirring

Next place tinned tomatoes in and stir

Add tomato paste and stir again

Add sage leaves (tear them and place on top) or any dried herbs

Add a good pinch of salt and a generous swipe of pepper, then place lid on and let simmer for 10 mins

Take off the lid and let it reduce, it will become concentrated and thicken up

In the meantime, bring a large pan of salted water to the boil and your pasta and cook according to the packet instructions

Rinse pasta, add to bowl and place sauce on top.

Lee xo