Spinach Sweet Pickle Tuna Flatbread Melts
These Spinach Sweet Pickle Tuna Flatbread Melts are one of our favorite cozy, lazy-day Sunday afternoon treats–broiled to perfection.
A simple any time meal or snack, enjoy these Spinach Sweet Pickle Tuna Flatbread Melts!
Spinach Sweet Pickle Tuna Flatbread Melts
We love to change up a tuna melt (Spinach Sweet Pickle Tuna Flatbread Melts). I mean, aren’t they just the perfect Sunday afternoon treat?
Last weekend, our family watched Minimalism: A Documentary About the Important Things. Like we do on Sundays, when we are all together, mom (me) makes tuna melts, and we gather around the television to watch something fun.
This time, I wouldn’t say this movie was fun, but more enlightening.
Is it our family goal to become minimalists? No, truly it is not. But with the New Year here, it’s the perfect month to set goals, reevaluate, and try to incorporate some minimalism into our daily routine.
How to become a minimalist?
Like this movie, that examines the many flavors of minimalism through the lives of minimalists from all walks of life — artists, families, entrepreneurs, architects, journalists, scientists, and business people—this time I kept it simple, with our favorite sweet pickles, chopped spinach and red onions, served on a delicious soft, buttermilk-y flatbread.
With cheese, broiled to perfection (nice and toasty hot, but not burnt, with gooey sharp cheddar cheese).
Grab a plate and settle in!
Minimalism: A Documentary About the Important Things
The film we watched together talks about how minimalism benefits these different people, and eventually, how they lived a more meaningful, deliberate life.
Deliberate, not perfect, not an easy life – but a simple one.
I often think about minimalism, and how our life could/might be better with less.
By the way, our family does not see ourselves as minimalists, but we’ve moved toward having less stuff in our lives. All 5 of us have. After the movie, we were able to talk about this (our kids are in their 20s).
But coming up, moving soon from winter into spring, this movie inspired us all for “another go-around” of thinning out. My interest in “cleaning house” has been rekindled.
Some tips for the minimalist life:
1. Watch the movie. Come up with a plan that makes sense for your family.
2. See what inspires you. One thing about the movie that you’ll notice is that no one gets rid of everything.
3. Set goals. What makes you happy? What is important to you? We all drive older cars (2004 is our newest vehicle). We pay cash for our cars.
4. Start small. Choose one area per month. I have 2 areas that get cluttered, my closet and my entertaining stuff.
5. Don’t lose your inspiration, but keep it going throughout the year. Really think about what you buy, and consume things more mindfully. I always ask myself 3 times now, do I really need this? 95% of the time, I walk away.
6. Gratitude is KEY. Give thanks, change your mind and attitude and let competition go. Practice contentedness. If that means moving, making a change in your life for more solitude and simplicity, and then do it.
Friends, we live in a competitive world, and keeping up with the Joneses is really the thing to do. We see many of our friends trapped, and they feel they can’t get out.
Part of our mission moving here was to simplify, downsize, live a simpler, more meaningful life. Friends have said it was brave, to do what we did. I agree!
More gratitude, experiences, and less stuff
Our family discussion went like this (such wise kids): We are programmed to want more, for survival, but the more you get, the less content you are. And the movie shows this. We’ve all felt that feeling of “disappointment,” which ironically, we can fight off with gratefulness.
“Our family goal: More gratitude, meaningful experiences, and less stuff.”
This is the ultimate path toward a fulfilling life. More music, outdoor adventures, meals around the table with old friends and new, more caring about other people, investing in their lives, pouring ourselves into school (Abby) studying for MCAT (Elliot), and a new job (Garrett).
Be the best that we can be in life. Life is short. We ask ourselves now: Does this item help us, or bring utmost happiness and success?
More Sunday recipes:
Sloppy Joe’s Recipe (and more thoughts on downsizing!)
Easy Meatball Crostini Recipe (packing to move!)
Easy Pad Thai Salad (stuff does not make us happy!)
Get the Recipe:
Spinach Sweet Pickle Tuna Flatbread Melts
Ingredients
- 3 cans albacore tuna, in water, drained
- 2 cups chopped spinach
- 2 cup Veganaisse
- 1 cup sweet pickles, chopped
- 1/4 red onion, chopped
- Salt and pepper
- 1-2 cups Sharp cheddar cheese, grated
- 8 flatbread, toasted
Instructions
- Preheat oven to HI broil.
- In a bowl, combine the drained tuna, chopped spinach, Veganaisse (or mayo), chopped sweet pickles, and red onion. Mix together; salt and pepper to taste.
- Toast each individual flatbread; lay on a cookie sheet. Spread the tuna mixture on top of each flatbread. Sprinkle with shredded cheese.
- Broil for 3-5 minutes, until cheese is melted.
Hello and welcome to my home and table!
I’m Sandy—lover of food, family, cooking, THE BIG BOARD, travel, and bringing people together. Through great recipes and connection around the table, we become better, stronger, and more courageous people. Feasting on Life is real, and every time we do it, we grow a little more. Read more...
So many great pieces of wise advice here. My favorite is about gratitude. It’s transformative! And my oldest daughter would appreciate this so much. She is 21, living on her own in Colorado, and just craving deeper relationships and experiences. She lives in and is remodeling a tiny cabin, just her and her dog, yet she is happy. Doesn’t need many possessions and hosts her friends for dinner several times per week. I’m so proud of her!!
Can’t wait to find this movie, thanks Sandy. xo
Ooo, I like these flatbread melts! My mouth is watering here! :) As for the minimalism: I have been slowly trying to incorporate the minimalist living idea to my life. First I started with the amount of clothes I have gathered over the years. I think I realized that the moment we were moving from one country to another. I needed to get rid of stuff.A lot of stuff. And since then I try not to hoard not important things and I am proud of how far I have come even though it’s nothing in comparison to the real minimalist living.
I think I have told you before about my “simple living” journey. It has been the most freeing and wonderful decision that I have ever made – downsized to a small house; got out of credit card debt, only shop when I really need something, and that frees up extra to help others. I truly believe this is the way God intended us to live and there are still things that I need to work on, just downsizing and cutting out cc debt and cutting out cable t.v. and small things have really changed our lives. I’ve never seen the movie, but have read a lot and even though some of the articles in books and internet are a little extreme for my lifestyle, I took out the things that were important to me and that I could live with and started with those things. It is a step-process! Welcome to the good life Sandy!
just recently watched the movie after you mentioned it and found it very good and so important to teach our kids about these ideas and simpler ways of living.
Are there directions for the Spinach Sweet Pickle Tuna Flatbread Melts? Recipe had the word Directions with nothing below.
Thank you.
Yes, directions are there now Marlise :)
I love a good tuna melt! I’m not a sweet pickle fan but love dill pickles in it. My hubby works in a disaster restoration business and he’s seen it all when it comes to what people hold on to…he has never been one to hold onto things, and even moreso now, so I’m regularly thinning things out..usually once a year I do a garage sale. This year we’re doing one to raise money for a NYC trip for our youngest. I encouraged her to ask people if they wanted to donate things for her to sell…hopefully they’ll want to clear out clutter…lol.
I’ll have to watch the documentary. My hubby and I have often talked about if we could just pick up and move somewhere new…especially at this time when our girls are settled here in the same town..youngest still in HS and won’t be going away to college but taking a year off to decide what she wants to do and hopefully travel. There’s times I think I could do it, and then there’s times I think “no way”. lol
You’ll love the doc, Kirstin. Great idea, host sale for NYC! Love that!
I can see the Ingredients for the recipe but do not see any Directions.?. Is there cheese on top?
Recipe is fixed, thanks Cindy!
We purposefully watched this film (on Netflix) on New Year’s Eve and also think it’s refreshing and inspiring. Thanks for spreading the word :)
Thanks for sharing LeAnn. Agree, refreshing and inspiring!
There were no directions on the spinach tuna melts. It did look delicious.
Added in, Joan. Thanks for letting me know!
Directions for Spinach Sweet Pickle tuna Flatbread Melts did not come across in post.
Could you please forward them or fix your blog? thanks
Yes, added in Janet :)