loaded tuna melts 
Adapted from SkinnyTaste, Skinny Tuna Melts

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Tuna melts are one of my favorites and Skinny Taste's Skinny Tuna Melt was great inspiration. The original is a Weight Watchers approved version, using light mayonnaise, 2% cheese and cooking spray.

This version is not exactly skinny, but I've added vegetables, minimized salt, eliminated pepper, and prefer to use butter, in moderation, of course, rather than cooking spray. I like this because it is an easy way to add a lot of red and green vegetables and make a meal/sandwich/salad. Grilling panini-style gets a nice crust on the bread, but you can easily shortcut using your toaster and microwave.

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1 can of tuna (in water) drained
A few handfuls of shredded carrots
About 1/2 a red or sweet white onion, 
  very finely chopped
1 stalk of celery or some waterchestnuts, very finely chopped (this is for texture)
Just enough mayonnaise to hold everything together, maybe two spoonfuls
A tiny bit of salt, just to taste
A shot of red wine vinegar

Thin slices of extra-sharp cheddar cheese
Bread, like Fluffy Wheat Bread
Butter

Accessories
Sliced tomatoes
Sliced avocado
Arugula
Thinly sliced red peppers

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Mix tuna, carrots, onion, mayonnaise, and salt together. Be very light on salt because the vinegar will intensify the flavors. Using arugula instead of lettuce eliminates the need for pepper.

To assemble sandwiches, lightly butter one side of a slice of bread. Flip it so that the buttered side is on the outside of the sandwich. 

Stack the ingredients in this order on top of the bread
1) Cheddar cheese
2) Arugula
3) Tuna mixture
4) Tomato
5) Avocado
6) Red pepper slices
7) Bread

Carefully place on panini pan. The butter side is out so that the bread browns. Add the panini weight. As the cheese melts, the arugula will also soften and 'stick' to the tuna mix. Flip once to brown the other bread. The panini weight will help the avocado/red pepper layers to stick to the tuna mixture.

Eat while warm.

"Lazy-girl" prep, which also eliminates butter
Toast sliced bread. Assemble sandwiches, as above. 

Put the entire sandwich in the microwave on high for about 20-25 seconds, just enough for the cheese to melt.

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