Try this updated tuna casserole

This casserole made with tuna, noodles, mushrooms and sauce brings back fond memories of a warm kitchen and a happy family meal. I developed this one-pot meal to recreate these flavors, but cut down on the chopping, cutting and cooking time.

HELPFUL HINTS

› Look for low-sodium, no-added-sugar pasta sauce.

› You can use any type of mushrooms.

SHOPPING LIST

› To buy: 10 ounces canned white meat, lowsodium tuna packed in water (see notes), 1 package frozen chopped onion, 1 package frozen diced green pepper, 1 bottle lowsodium, no-sugar-added pasta sauce (see notes), 1/4 pound fresh linguine, 1 piece Parmesan cheese, 1 package sliced baby bella mushrooms, 1 bunch fresh tarragon or 1 bottle dried tarragon.

› Staples: canola oil, salt, black peppercorns.

Tuna Casserole

2 teaspoons canola oil

3/4 cup frozen chopped onion

1 cup frozen diced green pepper

1 cup reduced-sodium, no-sugar-added pasta sauce (see notes)

1 cup water

1/4 pound fresh linguine

10 ounces canned white meat, low-sodium tuna packed in water, drained (see notes)

3 tablespoons fresh tarragon leaves or

2 teaspoons dried tarragon

1 cup sliced baby bella mushrooms

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese.

Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add onion, green pepper, pasta sauce and water. Bring to a simmer, add linguine, stir to distribute it in the skillet and cook gently for 5 minutes. While linguine cooks, break up tuna with a fork or knife into small pieces. Add tarragon and mushrooms to the pasta. Add tuna. If skillet is too dry, add 1/2 cup water. Simmer for 3 minutes. Add salt and pepper to taste. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese. Let sit for 2 to 3 minutes, and serve on two dinner plates.

Yield 2 servings.

Per serving: 539 calories, 91 calories from fat, 10.2 grams fat, 2 grams saturated fat, 4.1 grams monounsaturated fat, 47 milligrams cholesterol, 49.3 grams protein, 60.8 grams carbohydrates, 6.5 grams dietary fiber, 12.6 grams sugars, 198 milligrams sodium, 1,153 milligrams potassium, 470 milligrams phosphorus.

Exchanges: 2 1/2 starch, 4 vegetable, 4 lean protein, 1 fat. Notes:

› Choose canned white meat, low-sodium tuna packed in water, drained, containing per ounce: 33 calories, 0.2 gram fat, 0.1 gram saturated fat, 14 milligrams sodium.

› Choose no-salt-added tomato paste, containing per tablespoon: 13 calories, 9 milligrams sodium.