Tuna Salad Nicoise

Well, I've never been particularly conventional in my cooking - I mean we don't have themed meals here - sometimes I just throw something together!  Like tonight - Baked Beans with homemade corn-free/gluten free BBQ sauce and Fresh Salad Nicoise.  Two of my favorites that don't exactly go together!  "The beans were actually supposed to be for last night but lo and behold, they didn't get done before I had to run the little one off to Archery!!!

I slow cooked a bag of navy beans and then made the sauce from scratch - it was adapted from Gluten Free Goddess' recipe for South Carolina style BBQ.  Which sounded HEAVENLY but hubby won't touch brown sugar as he's deathly afraid it contains corn ingredients.  SOOOOO, we improvised.  I like the way it turned out - It is one stick of butter, 1/2 C Blackstrap Molasses, 2 TBSP Agave nectar, finely chopped onion - sweet is best, 1/2 C regular mustard (though I suspect you could use any mustard you so desire!) about 1 tsp smoked paprika and 1tsp chipotle seasoning, salt and pepper to taste. Add the beans and bake it up!!!
Nichoise salad was always a favorite growing up and there are so many good recipes out there that I almost feel cheap adding my own but here it goes!!! Lettuce - recipe calls for Bibb - I use what is growing or on hand.  5or so chopped hard boiled eggs, 2 - 3 tomatoes, Green beans (I truly think this would be divine with Asparagus lightly steamed!!!) Olives, capers (because I dislike anchovies) and tuna - you can use Tuna steaks or tuna from a can depending on how fancy you want to get.  Some quartered and baked red potatoes that are tossed in olive oil and salt and pepper.  The dressing is Olive Oil (3/4 C) Lemon Juice(1/2 C) , fresh chopped herbs:thyme, basil and oregano and a TBSP dijon mustard (I like trader Joes best!!!)
If you are vegetarian, substitute Artichoke hearts marinated!!!!  Oh - I cannot wait to eat dinner tonight!!!!