Clearly it was the name that first caught my attention. The name? “OWYN.” Remember our new little Cardigan Welsh Corgi is named Wynn. And we say, “Oh, Wynn!” a lot around here. Now maybe we’ll shorten it to OWyn. But is she – or this drink – “Only What You Need?” I doubt it.
Whether we need a Welsh Corgi is beside the point. We have her and we adore her.
Whether we need to be drinking OWYN is another question.
I was curious what this OWYN drink was and why 5,827 Amazon members had given it an almost perfect 5 star rating. Here’s the company’s ad:
I won’t argue that this list of benefits and nutrition makes OWYN sound great; but I would argue that a fortified drink isn’t “Only What You Need.” I like to think we get our nutrition – our EAAs (essential amino acids) and protein and superfoods and Omega 3’s – from food that does more than just help us survive another day. I’d like to think that both preparing and consuming food can and should be a pleasurable experience.
Instead of mindlessly inhaling that supermarket/Amazon drink, how about making a quick and easy pasta dish – with sustainable tuna, organic spinach, and walnuts – and even anchovies, if you’d like. A few of you may say “YUCK” to the anchovies. You’ll want to check out more about “YUCK” in today’s Andy’s Corner.
As shown in the chart below, tuna, anchovies, spinach, and walnuts are great sources for Omega-3 Fatty Acids. And note: Omega-3’s have been shown to fight anxiety and depression. Sounds perfect for this Covid era!
If we weren’t such fans of cooking, we’d probably just squirt some of Wynn & Oakley’s fish oil supplement onto a store-bought salad to quickly and easily get our Omega-3’s (just kiddin’!).
As for picking a good sustainable tuna brand, here are two that are recommended by Greenpeace and the Sierra Club.
For today’s healthy, yummy WYNN-R (What You Need Now – Really) winner recipe, we’re pleased that its source is San Francisco’s legendary Judy Rodgers and her The Zuni Cafe Cookbook.
WYNN-R Tuna Pasta and Spinach
- 1 lb pasta (penne or ziti are recommended)
- 1/2 c olive oil
- 1 T lemon zest, cut into very thin strips
- 1/2 tsp chili flakes (optional)
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 2 tsp anchovy paste – or 4 smashed anchovies (optional)
- 1/2 c chopped walnuts (pine nuts may be substituted)
- 2 T capers, coarsely chopped (2 T chopped seeded green olives may be substituted)
- 1 T preserved lemon, rinsed and chopped (optional) – or 1 T lemon juice
- 12 oz tuna (a little more or less is fine);
- 1 10-oz pkg frozen organic spinach leaves – not chopped spinach (or substitute about 1 lb fresh organic spinach leaves)
Set a large pot of well-salted water to boil.
If using frozen spinach, put the spinach in a strainer and run hot water over the spinach until it’s defrosted.
In a small skillet, gently warm the olive oil with the lemon zest, chili flakes, black pepper, garlic, and anchovy paste, mixing them well. Cook for about 15 minutes over very low heat to let the flavors infuse the oil. Then add the walnuts, capers, lemon, and tuna. Gently ease apart the tuna and let it warm up but not cook.
Meanwhile, once the water boils, cook the pasta, according to package directions. When it’s almost done, add the spinach, stir, return to a boil, then cook another minute or so – or until the pasta is al dente and the spinach has cooked. Drain the pasta/spinach combo well and toss in a serving bowl with the tuna mixture. Serve.
Big Little Meals 
Wynn will I get to try that pasta!! 😍
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Wynn-ever you want.
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Sicily has a classic pasta with sardines, pine nuts, capers and currants I had it when we were in Palermo and it was delicious! It’s got that agrodolce flavor (sweet sour). Recipes abound. I’m a fan of the oily fish! Cheap and healthy
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Andy here. I like the “Cheap and healthy” part.
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