Sponsored Post: Clover Leaf Tuna Rice Cakes

May 7, 2014 Ceri

How do we feel about food ruts? I have a love hate relationship with them – both my own and my kids’. It can certainly make life easy if your kids are having a romance with something you feel good about serving. But they can be deadly when they become attached to something to exclusion of all other foods. I was recently straddling both of these when it came to Esme’s school lunches. Last year’s obsession – the mini quiche – have been utterly left in the dust. And this year’s crush – tuna sandwich made with a whole wheat tortilla and called a “rollie” – was on shaky ground. Every week she was deciding that another ingredient in this once full-to-bursting sandwich was being rejected. It was a sad time.

I decided we needed a whole new approach. I like things I can make in batches so I’m not starting from scratch with each lunch. So, I started playing around with some of the flavoured tunas Clover Leaf creates. There are 10 different flavours – from Spicy Thai Chili to Dill & Lemon. I thought my kids would most appreciate the zesty but not spicy flavour of the Gourmet Chunk White Tuna with Sundried Tomato in Olive Oil. I wanted to create a lunch item that was a true all-in-one – a protein, a starch and some veggies. After a bit of trial and error, I came up with what, I must say, is a knock out. Meet the Clover Leaf Tuna Rice Cakes. It’s also got sundried tomatoes, spinach, cheese and a bunch of other healthy ingredients but why draw attention to those things? All your kids need to know is that this is a tasty, filling lunch. I love that I can spend a bit of time on Sunday whipping up a batch of these and be done for the week. They freeze beautifully, packed easily and, best of all, Esme loves them. Now let’s just cross our fingers that it’s a long term relationship.

Ingredients

(makes 8 to 10 cakes, depending on your muffin tin)
½ cup Arborio rice
3 cloves of garlic, minced
½ onion, minced
1 Tbsp olive oil
2 cups spinach, wash and roughly chopped
1 egg
½ cup cheddar cheese, grated
2 cans of Clover Leaf Gourmet Chunk White Tuna with Sundried Tomato in Olive Oil

Method

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.

Place the Arborio rice and 2 cups of water over medium heat and bring it to a simmer.

Place a lid firmly on top and allow that to cook for about 15/20 minutes or until all of the water is just absorbed.

While the rice is doing its thing, warm up the olive oil in a pan.

Add the onions and garlic and allow them to soften, for about 3 minutes.

Now add the spinach and let that quickly wilt.

Place all of that in a food processor and pulse until you have a smooth, even mixtureIn a large bowl, whisk the egg.

Add your grated cheese, the spinach puree and the cooked rice.

Now open your tuna tins, drain, and add.

You want to leave some chunks of tuna but stir it all together until it’s well combined.

Spoon this mixture into a prepared muffin tin.

Bake for about 20 minutes, until the edges are golden and set.

Allow to cool a bit before running a knife around the edges to loosen them.

Store in an airtight container.

They’ll keep for 4 or 5 days in the fridge or up to 3 months in a sealed container in the freezer.

Sweet Potato Chronicles

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Tags Cakes Rice Tuna

Category Summer Lunch By Ingredient By Season By Meal Type Seafood

6 Comments

Linda Pugh
May 08, 02:01 Reply

This is a great I stumbled upon
Carolyn Gonzalez
May 08, 21:58 Reply

This looks easy to make and it looks good
tammigirl
May 09, 08:11 Reply

First of all, I have to say I had never heard of Clover Leaf tuna before. I didn’t know there were other tunas with flavors. I thought tuna choices were water or oil. So this is exciting because tuna is one of the rare things all five of our kids like to eat!

I would try this recipe because it is so far from anything I’ve ever done with tuna and it looks like a great recipe for us. t
Maggie K.
May 11, 00:00 Reply

I like that this a recipe that makes tuna portable in a different way other than a sandwich. It sounds tasty.
Rick F
May 11, 01:46 Reply

Very interesting. Would love to try the jalapeno or the chipotle.
Bev
May 13, 00:42 Reply

I have never heard of Arborio rice, so this made this recipe appeal to me. I will look for it next time I head to the grocery store so that I can try out this recipe!