What a Tightwad Almuerzo (Lunch)!

After I made my first Imitation Tuna Fish Recipe, decided to get a masher because crushing the garbanzo beans with a fork was hard work. So, of course, as a tightwad, I made an attempt to find a masher at a good price.

Without a car, I am limited in my options but I make the best of it. Below are four mashers I found at the grocery store, in order of price: $24.90, 55.03, 69.00, 99.00 (pesos).

Each masher had a different patterned foot. I choose No. 1 for $24.90 not just because of price but because the foot pattern (a square of little squares) seemed the best for my purposes and I felt plastic might last longer than a metal one that could rust.

Following my Imitation Tuna Salad recipe (see recipe below), I used my new masher and it worked great! Also, I used a spatula to get the last of the mayo from the jar. But, this time I added 1 teaspoon of frozen canned salmon juice I had saved which gave the dish that fishy taste. I think Sardines and Canned Salmon are still sustainable seafood products from what I've read.

Also, I toasted one slice and the end piece from the last of a multigrain loaf of bread in a skillet. I do love the end pieces.

Also, I had some leftover soup. I can stretch a can of ready-made soup into three meals. Also, I get one almuerzo with servicio a domicillco a week, including a soup, I can make three meals out of one almuerzo.

For the beverage, I used my carbonated water maker, some leftover tonic water, a plastic glass I saved from a frozen dessert, and wedge of a lime given to me from a neighbor who has lime tree in her garden, to make a tonic water spritzer.

Imitation Tuna Fish

Ingredients:

6 Tbspns cooked garbanzo beans, drained
1/8 - 1/4 Red onion, diced
1 Heaping Tbspn Mayo
1 Tbspn Pickle relish
4-5 Twists from Black Pepper grinder
4-5 Shakes Paprika
2 Slices Multi-Grain Bread, toasted

Process:

Place garbanzo beans in a bowl.
Mash well with a fork.
Add onion, mayo, relish and seasonings to taste.
Stir well. Mash beans some more if necessary.
Spread a tablespoon of mixture on a slice of toast.
Top with second slice.
Cut sandwich in half.

Option: add teaspoon of leftover sardine oil or salmon juice.

Updated: 1/14/16