Spinach, Penne and Tuna Salad

This salad recipe was improvised one night after a hard day at school. I had no meat thawed and nothing but leftover penne in the frig, spinach, tomatoes, and a few bits and bobs but not enough to do anything with. The students pronounced it worthy of an encore.

I always stock canned tuna for emergencies and in case we don't have enough leftovers for student lunches.

The pine nuts, capers and cheese were also leftovers that I just happened to have. I have also made this salad with leftover pesto and without the tuna.

Spinach, Penne and Tuna Salad

Ingredients:
Fresh spinach leaves
3 cans white chunk tuna
2 cups cooked penne

Pine nuts, toasted
Capers
Kalamata olives, pitted
Cherry tomatoes, cut in half
1/4 small red onion, sliced fine
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
juice of 1/2 large lemon
1 tsp. sea salt
Freshly ground pepper
Fresh basil leaves
Grated gruyere cheese

Instructions:
Warm the pasta in the microwave for 2 minutes, if it's cold.
Toast the pine nuts in a frying pan on medium heat until nice and brown. Keep stirring to make sure they don't burn.
Put the following in a large bowl: spinach, tuna, olives, capers, pine nuts, cherry tomatoes, red onion, olive oil, and lemon juice, salt and pepper. Stir well, breaking up the tuna chunks.
Add basil leaves and grated the cheese at the table after serving.