Sesame Crusted Ahi Tuna Salad

Sesame Crusted Ahi Tuna Salad - A quick and easy paleo-friendly salad loaded with bright produce and topped with crisp, seared-to-perfection ahi tuna. Full recipe via Eat Spin Run Repeat // @eatspinrunrpt

We’ll get to the Sesame Crusted Ahi Tuna Salad of my dreams (soon to be that of your dreams, too) in just a second. First, I’ve got an update and announcement to share. A little peek into the inner workings of my mind, you might call it.

If you caught Monday’s goal check-in post, you may remember that I took Sundays off in May from all blog work. It was something I decided to try in favour of achieving more balance between work, the blog, and play. This went well for the most part, but there were still the few occasions where I found myself giving into my self-imposed need to do blog things on my “day off”.

Sesame Crusted Ahi Tuna Salad - A quick and easy paleo-friendly salad loaded with bright produce and topped with crisp, seared-to-perfection ahi tuna. Full recipe via Eat Spin Run Repeat // @eatspinrunrpt

For as long as this blog has existed, my emphasis has been quality over quantity. When it started 7 years ago, I posted 7 times per week. About 2 years in, this dropped to 5, and about a year after that, to my current 3. At the time these felt like huge decisions because many of the successful bloggers I followed were still publishing daily. Despite the initial hesitation, I always ended up seeing that my choice was the right one.

For the past couple of weeks I’ve been thinking a lot about switching things up once again, this time to a frequency of twice per week. Maybe just for the summer months, and maybe longer. I know I don’t need to justify my decision to anyone – after all, I’m my own boss here! However, I wanted to share my logic for a few reasons:

  1. For all readers: I want you to have insight into how I see the blog evolving in the future, and what’s coming your way.
  2. For my fellow bloggers: If you’ve been contemplating similar decisions and comparing yourself to other bloggers, I hope this makes you feel a little bit less hesitant about doing what’s right for you.
  3. For anyone who is multi-passionate and/or has a side gig: If you, like me, sometimes struggle to set boundaries for yourself and your passion projects, I hope this post inspires you to think about your values and whether how you’re living is a true reflection of that.

Sesame Crusted Ahi Tuna Salad - A quick and easy paleo-friendly salad loaded with bright produce and topped with crisp, seared-to-perfection ahi tuna. Full recipe via Eat Spin Run Repeat // @eatspinrunrpt

Back to quality over quantity.

I’ve got pretty high standards for the work I produce in my full-time job, the blog, and many other things. Those of you who also blog would probably agree that time can slip away miiiiiighty quickly, especially when publishing a post involves writing it, creating a recipe, testing it, shooting it, editing photos, finalizing the post, SEO-optimizing it, sharing it on social media, and sometimes creating additional images for the various platforms. I really enjoy these things and they usually don’t feel like work. But sometimes (too often), it means before I know it, 5pm on a Saturday arrives and I’ve been sitting in front of my computer screen for the entire afternoon. That’s no way to spend a summer!

I always want to make sure that every post is one I’m super proud of. I also want to make sure that my life is one I’m present to, one that involves mindfulness, and one that reflects my values. Some of these are:

  • Being around loved ones
  • Connecting with people
  • Spending time outside
  • Being active
  • Experiencing new things, learning and growing
  • Making a valuable contribution to the world

There are a couple of points on that list that I feel I’ve got very dialled in right now, and there are some that need more attention. Obviously, cutting back on screen time can be traded for new adventures outdoors, exploring, and spending quality time with people. But I don’t equate reducing blogging frequency with less effort – it’ll just be of a different kind, and of a higher quality. Ideally, it’ll be even more impactful and useful to you.

Sesame Crusted Ahi Tuna Salad - A quick and easy paleo-friendly salad loaded with bright produce and topped with crisp, seared-to-perfection ahi tuna. Full recipe via Eat Spin Run Repeat // @eatspinrunrpt

My routine to date has been to publish recipes on Wednesdays, workouts on Fridays, and either wellness, goal setting or nutrition-related posts on Mondays. I know that you guys are here for different reasons, that some of you are avid readers of the workout posts, and that others never read those but love the nutrition tips. (That’s a-ok too!) On top of this content, I also have a few self-serve guides and meal plans available. These are resources that have come as a result of your input in my reader surveys, and I absolutely love creating them.

Here’s where the making-a-valuable-contribution-to-the-world thing comes in.

As I’m sure you can appreciate, bigger projects take time. My individual and group coaching services do too, but the results achieved by those I’ve worked with make every moment SO worth it. The way I see it, there are 24 hours in a day that can be spent however we like. I could use them to keep writing 3 posts per week, but the impact has an upper limit. My vision for the mark I leave on the world is bigger than that.

Sesame Crusted Ahi Tuna Salad - A quick and easy paleo-friendly salad loaded with bright produce and topped with crisp, seared-to-perfection ahi tuna. Full recipe via Eat Spin Run Repeat // @eatspinrunrpt

What I really want to do is explore a couple of paths I’ve not yet gone down where I can use my experience in nutrition and wellness to help women in whatever ways I possibly can. I also want to deliver on even more of the requests you guys have sent in related to structured programs, plans and other resources. The things that I’ve been wanting to get after for a while, but haven’t done so because time tradeoffs needed to be made. And on that note, if you’d like to provide your two cents on what kind of resources or topic areas would be most helpful to you, I’d love to hear your feedback here.

So with a longer-term perspective in mind, this is me officially telling you that starting this month and for the rest of the summer, you can expect to hear from me twice per week. Recipe posts are a given – you can count on those on the regular. As for the other post, the topic and day will vary depending on what I’m most excited to tell you about. It could be a workout, nutrition tips, a roundup of my latest favourites, or a recap of some of my summer adventures. After all, when the sun is shining, you and I should BOTH be out enjoying it rather than in front of a screen!

Ok – announcement over.

It’s time to talk about this Sesame Crusted Ahi Tuna Salad that made me positively giddy the second I put the first bite in my mouth last weekend. Crisp on the outside and seared to perfection, this Sesame Crusted Ahi Tuna Salad is one I’m dying to make again because it was so good. You can put whatever dressing you like on it, but I’ve provided the recipe for the sesame ginger vinaigrette that I used and highly recommend it.

As for those veggie rolls in the photo below… don’t you worry. That recipe is coming soon too! ?
Sesame Crusted Ahi Tuna Salad - A quick and easy paleo-friendly salad loaded with bright produce and topped with crisp, seared-to-perfection ahi tuna. Full recipe via Eat Spin Run Repeat // @eatspinrunrpt

Sesame Crusted Ahi Tuna Salad

by Angela Simpson

Prep Time: 15 mins

Cook Time: 8 mins

Ingredients (2 servings)

    For the sesame ginger vinaigrette salad dressing (makes about 1/2 cup, you’ll have leftovers):

    • 3 tbsp rice vinegar
    • 2 tbsp each sesame oil, extra virgin olive oil and low sodium tamari (or other gluten-free soy sauce)
    • 2 tsp grated fresh ginger
    • 1 tsp maple syrup
    • 1 small clove very finely minced garlic

    For the tuna:

    • 2 tsp coconut oil
    • 2 ahi tuna steaks, about 130g each and 1″ thick
    • 2 tbsp mixed black and white sesame seeds
    • generous pinches of sea salt + black pepper

    For the rest:

    • 2 handfuls mixed baby lettuces
    • 1 English cucumber, spiralized into ribbons or cut into long thin strips with a veggie peeler
    • 1 cup thinly sliced watermelon radish
    • 1/3 cup loosely packed radish sprouts
    • 1 tbsp each finely minced fresh basil and mint
    • lime wedges, to garnish

    Instructions

    Whisk together all ingredients for the dressing and shake them vigorously in a sealed container, or blend them until completely smooth. Transfer to a mason jar and set aside.

    Place a non-stick skillet over medium-high heat and let it get hot for about 2 minutes. Meanwhile, scatter the sesame seeds out on a small plate, along with a sprinkle of sea salt and pepper. Coat all sides of the tuna steaks in the seeds.

    Melt the coconut oil and swirl it around the pan. Cook the tuna steaks for about 1 minute each on the top, bottom and sides. (If the steaks are thicker than 1″, aim for 90 seconds instead).

    Once the tuna is seared, transfer the steaks to a cutting board.

    Toss together the ingredients for the salads and drizzle some dressing over top. Toss again to coat, then distribute between two bowls.

    Thinly slice the tuna steaks with a very sharp knife. Arrange them on top of the salads and serve with lime wedges on the side.

    Click here to print the recipe.

    Sesame Crusted Ahi Tuna Salad - A quick and easy paleo-friendly salad loaded with bright produce and topped with crisp, seared-to-perfection ahi tuna. Full recipe via Eat Spin Run Repeat // @eatspinrunrpt

    [Tweet “Bright, colourful summer lunch inspo: Sesame Crusted Ahi Tuna Salad #recipe”]

    Now I’d love to know… have you recently reassessed where you’re spending your time and how you might make changes in order to have a bigger impact? It could be in any aspect of your life. I’m excited to hear your perspective!

    2 thoughts on “Sesame Crusted Ahi Tuna Salad

    1. Hi Angela,

      I just wanted to tell you how much I enjoy your blog and how inspiring I find it. I feel that it totally contributes to your value of making a valuable contribution to the world. Thank you for your insight, honesty and inspiration. I wish you all the best for all of your ventures and I look forward to reading your blog twice a week.

      I hope you have a fabulous summer!

      Alyson

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