Old stand by - Stovetop Tuna Casserole

I started buying my own groceries in college. I remember going to the store with an exact amount of money, and carefully counting every penny's worth of food as it went into my cart. It's often hard to eat nutritious food on a budget, since fresh veggies can often be pricey, but canned and frozen food is a great way to supplement your nutrition when you don't have a lot to spend. Canned tuna is packed with lean protein, and frozen peas, while not as nutritious as their fresh compatriots, are still quite healthy. These two cheap staples can turn boring Mac and Cheese into a very tasty and reasonably nutritious meal.

Mac and Cheese itself can be a remarkably versatile base. Prepare it with fat free milk and a healthy butter alternative, and you can add your favorite meats and veggies for all kinds of tasty meals. Canned beans, leftover cooked chicken, bacon - it's all good! Maybe some day i will write a cookbook on 101 different ways to prepare it.

Ingredients:

1 package Mac and Cheese

1/4c fat free milk

1/4c margarine

1c frozen green peas, thawed

1 can tuna, drained

cracked black pepper

Italian bread crumbs

Prepare Mac and Cheese as directed. Stir in tuna and peas. Place in a casserole dish, and top with breadcrumbs. Bake at 350 for 20 minutes.